Border Loop
The Border Loop runs from Ladykirk to Paxton over 4 stages: 382 km and 3,415 m of climbing in the UK. Every stage has a map, elevation profile, road facts and a GPX file.
Route at a glance
- Distance
- 382 km
- Climbing
- 3,415 m
- Stages
- 4
- Countries
- 1
- Average stage
- 96 km
- Longest stage
- 110.2 km
- Most climbing
- 969 m
- Riding time
- ~27 h
- Surface
- Paved
- Bike
- Road bike
- Best months
- May to Sep
- GPX
- Every stage + whole tour
- Start
- Ladykirk
- Finish
- Paxton
Full route map
Itinerary: 4 stages
Average 96 km and 854 m a stage. Longest day: stage 4 (110.2 km). Most climbing: stage 1 (969 m). Shortest: stage 3 (67.5 km).
| Stage | Route | Country | Distance | Climbing | Surface | Difficulty | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ladykirk to Hawick | UK | 104.5 km | 969 m | Paved | Hard | 7 h 28 min | GPX |
| 2 | Hawick to Peebles | UK | 100.1 km | 913 m | Paved | Hard | 7 h 09 min | GPX |
| 3 | Peebles to Melrose | UK | 67.5 km | 564 m | Paved | Moderate | 4 h 49 min | GPX |
| 4 | Melrose to Paxton | UK | 110.2 km | 969 m | Paved | Hard | 7 h 52 min | GPX |
How difficult is this tour?
382 km and 3,415 m of climbing over 4 stages: 96 km and 854 m a stage on average.
The longest day is stage 4, Melrose to Paxton (110.2 km); the most climbing is on stage 1, Ladykirk to Hawick (969 m); the shortest is stage 3, Peebles to Melrose (67.5 km).
At 96 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 80–120 km.
Riders can go faster or slower than the documented itinerary: the same 382 km is 7 riding days at 60 km a day, 5 riding days at 80 km a day and 4 riding days at 100 km a day.
Surface and traffic
Paved: 98% of the route is mapped as paved, 2% as unpaved.
4 km (1%) is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane; 159 km (42%) is on main roads without one, and 220 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more.
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 43 km, on stage 1.
Signed routes this tour follows
- Border Loop - stages 1, 2, 3, 4
Best time to ride
From ten years of weather at the stage towns, May to Sep are good for riding along the whole route.
Logistics
- 3 of 4 stage finishes have a hotel, guesthouse or campsite mapped within a short ride of the finish.
- The longest stretch without a café, shop or water on any stage is 43 km, on stage 1.
What it was actually like to ride
About this tour
The Border Loop cycle tour covers 382 km over four stages, starting at Ladykirk and finishing at Paxton. It loops through the Scottish borders with all stages entirely within Great Britain, including towns such as Hawick, Peebles, Melrose and others.
Stage 1 runs from Ladykirk to Hawick over 104.5 km with 969 m of climbing. It features several climbs distributed throughout the stage, peaking at 302 m in elevation. Climb lengths vary between 1.6 and 5.5 km with average gradients mostly around 2-3%. There are 12 places offering food or water stops along the way.
Stage 2 goes 100.1 km from Hawick to Peebles and gains 913 m in elevation. It has seven climbs with max elevations up to 448 m, including a 3.5 km climb averaging 4.6%. This stage has 20 places for food or water stops. Stage 3 is the shortest at 67.5 km from Peebles to Melrose, climbing 564 m with two main climbs around 5-6 km in length and gradients reaching 5.4%. There are 14 stops for refreshments.
The final stage goes from Melrose to Paxton for 110.2 km with 969 m of climbing. It features eight climbs varying from 1.7 to 2.8 km long, averaging up to 6%, with a maximum elevation of 233 m. There are 17 stops for water or food. The entire loop covers diverse terrain, mostly rolling hills with moderate gradients. No months or temperatures are listed for the tour.
Photos from the road
Stage 1 · Ladykirk to Hawick 
Stage 2 · Hawick to Peebles 
Stage 3 · Peebles to Melrose 
Stage 4 · Melrose to Paxton
Questions riders ask
How far is Ladykirk to Paxton by bike?
382 km along this route, in 4 stages averaging 96 km.
How long does it take to cycle from Ladykirk to Paxton?
Moving time is estimated at about 27 hours. At 60 km a day it is 7 days, 80 km a day it is 5 days and 100 km a day it is 4 days.
How much climbing is involved?
3,415 m in total. The most climbing in a day is 969 m on stage 1, Ladykirk to Hawick.
How difficult is the route?
At 96 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 80–120 km. The longest day is 110.2 km.
Is it suitable for a road bike?
98% of the route is mapped as paved and 2% as gravel or unpaved (1% has no surface data). Based on that: road bike.
Is there a GPX file?
Yes. Every stage has its own GPX download, and the whole tour is available as one GPX file with a track per stage.
What is the best time of year?
From ten years of weather at the stage towns, May to Sep are good for riding along the whole route.