Gravel · United Kingdom
Cycling in East Lothian
East Lothian offers mixed terrain cycling with routes from Musselburgh, North Berwick and Dunbar including climbs up to 949 m over distances up to 100 km.
East Lothian provides three main cycling routes starting from Musselburgh, North Berwick and Dunbar. Distances range from 42 km to 100 km, with climbing between 206 m and 949 m. The routes include one loop and two point-to-point rides, offering varied challenges.
The terrain includes road and gravel riding, with surfaces roughly 58% paved and 41% unpaved. The best weather for cycling is between June and September with daily highs from 16°C to 18°C. The longest route leads from Dunbar to Bo'ness, covering 100 km with 389 m climbing.
What the riding is like
The region's cycling terrain is mainly flat with 69% flat sections, 14% climbing and some steep gradients including 1.5 km above 10% and a steepest 500 m section at 13.6%. Routes average from 42 km to 100 km, with climbing up to 949 m on the Musselburgh to Melrose ride. Road types vary with 12% main roads and 34.5 km of cycle paths. Surfaces are a mix of paved and unpaved, supporting road and gravel rides.
Cycling infrastructure
Cycle paths total 34.5 km across routes; main roads without cycle lanes cover 25.5 km; roads with speed limits of 80 km/h or more cover 26.7 km.
Best time to ride
The best months for cycling are June, July, August and September when daily temperatures peak between 16°C and 18°C.
Riding in East Lothian in numbers
- 3
- 216 km
- 100 km
- 949 m
Where to start in East Lothian
Rides in East Lothian
When to ride East Lothian
Best months: Jun to Sep.
7°3°J13
8°3°F13
9°3°M15
11°5°A11
14°8°M13
16°11°J13
18°12°J16
18°12°A15
16°11°S13
13°8°O15
9°5°N15
8°4°D16
BestFineHard goingRain days per month under each bar · typical wind 26 km/h from the SW