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.
