Capital Trail
The Capital Trail runs from Musselburgh to Musselburgh over 3 stages: 214 km and 3,231 m of climbing in the UK. Every stage has a map, elevation profile, road facts and a GPX file.
Route at a glance
- Distance
- 214 km
- Climbing
- 3,231 m
- Stages
- 3
- Countries
- 1
- Average stage
- 71 km
- Longest stage
- 81.6 km
- Most climbing
- 1,325 m
- Riding time
- ~18 h
- Surface
- Mixed, much unpaved
- Bike
- Gravel or mountain bike
- Best months
- May to Sep
- GPX
- Every stage + whole tour
- Start
- Musselburgh
- Finish
- Musselburgh
Full route map
Itinerary: 3 stages
Average 71 km and 1,077 m a stage. Longest day: stage 3 (81.6 km). Most climbing: stage 2 (1,325 m). Shortest: stage 2 (58 km).
| Stage | Route | Country | Distance | Climbing | Surface | Difficulty | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Musselburgh to Melrose | UK | 74.1 km | 949 m | Mostly unpaved | Hard | 6 h 10 min | GPX |
| 2 | Melrose to Peebles | UK | 58 km | 1,325 m | Mostly unpaved | Hard | 4 h 50 min | GPX |
| 3 | Peebles to Musselburgh | UK | 81.6 km | 957 m | Mixed, much unpaved | Hard | 6 h 48 min | GPX |
How difficult is this tour?
214 km and 3,231 m of climbing over 3 stages: 71 km and 1,077 m a stage on average.
The longest day is stage 3, Peebles to Musselburgh (81.6 km); the most climbing is on stage 2, Melrose to Peebles (1,325 m); the shortest is stage 2, Melrose to Peebles (58 km).
At 71 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 60–100 km.
Riders can go faster or slower than the documented itinerary: the same 214 km is 4 riding days at 60 km a day, 3 riding days at 80 km a day and 3 riding days at 100 km a day.
Surface and traffic
Mixed surface: 40% is mapped as paved and 57% as gravel or unpaved and 2% has no surface data.
18 km (8%) is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane; 11 km (5%) is on main roads without one, and 20 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more.
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 39 km, on stage 1.
Signed routes this tour follows
- Capital Trail - stages 1, 2, 3
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
- Musselburgh (station) is near the start in Musselburgh.
- 3 of 3 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 39 km, on stage 1.
What it was actually like to ride
About this tour
The Capital Trail is a three-stage cycling route in Great Britain covering a total of 214 km with 3231 m of elevation gain. Starting in Musselburgh, the tour heads generally southwards to Melrose before continuing to Peebles and returning to Musselburgh, forming a loop.
Stage 1 from Musselburgh to Melrose is 74.1 km with 949 m of climbing. It features several climbs including a 5 km segment averaging 5.8% and reaching 14.1% in places with a top height of 499 m. Overall, the terrain is hilly with multiple shorter climbs throughout the stage.
Stage 2 from Melrose to Peebles is 58 km with the most climbing of the three stages at 1325 m. This stage has long climbs, including a 9.1 km segment averaging 5.1% and maxing at 15%, reaching the highest elevation of the tour at 647 m. The terrain on this leg is mountainous compared to the others.
Stage 3 returns from Peebles to Musselburgh over 81.6 km with 957 m of ascent. There are several steep climbs early on of up to 14% over nearly 3 km. The highest point of this stage is 481 m, with multiple climbs distributed through the route.
No specific months or temperatures are recorded for this route. There are multiple places with water or food stops: 15 stops offered on stages 1 and 2, and 21 stops on stage 3. The route stays entirely within Great Britain.
Photos from the road
Stage 1 · Musselburgh to Melrose 
Stage 2 · Melrose to Peebles 
Stage 3 · Peebles to Musselburgh
Questions riders ask
How far is Musselburgh to Musselburgh by bike?
214 km along this route, in 3 stages averaging 71 km.
How long does it take to cycle from Musselburgh to Musselburgh?
Moving time is estimated at about 18 hours. At 60 km a day it is 4 days, 80 km a day it is 3 days and 100 km a day it is 3 days.
How much climbing is involved?
3,231 m in total. The most climbing in a day is 1,325 m on stage 2, Melrose to Peebles.
How difficult is the route?
At 71 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 60–100 km. The longest day is 81.6 km.
Is it suitable for a road bike?
40% of the route is mapped as paved and 57% as gravel or unpaved (2% has no surface data). Based on that: gravel or mountain 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.