EuroVelo 12 from Inverness
The EuroVelo 12 from Inverness runs from Inverness to Thurso over 3 stages: 231 km and 1,723 m of climbing in the UK. Every stage has a map, elevation profile, road facts and a GPX file.
Route at a glance
- Distance
- 231 km
- Climbing
- 1,723 m
- Stages
- 3
- Countries
- 1
- Average stage
- 77 km
- Longest stage
- 94.8 km
- Most climbing
- 940 m
- Riding time
- ~17 h
- Surface
- Paved
- Bike
- Road bike
- Best months
- Jun to Sep
- GPX
- Every stage + whole tour
- Start
- Inverness
- Finish
- Thurso
Full route map
Itinerary: 3 stages
Average 77 km and 574 m a stage. Longest day: stage 3 (94.8 km). Most climbing: stage 3 (940 m). Shortest: stage 1 (60.4 km).
| Stage | Route | Country | Distance | Climbing | Surface | Difficulty | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inverness to Tain | UK | 60.4 km | 446 m | Paved | Moderate | 4 h 19 min | GPX |
| 2 | Tain to Altnaharra | UK | 75.8 km | 337 m | Paved | Moderate | 5 h 25 min | GPX |
| 3 | Altnaharra to Thurso | UK | 94.8 km | 940 m | Paved | Hard | 6 h 46 min | GPX |
How difficult is this tour?
231 km and 1,723 m of climbing over 3 stages: 77 km and 574 m a stage on average.
The longest day is stage 3, Altnaharra to Thurso (94.8 km); the most climbing is on stage 3, Altnaharra to Thurso (940 m); the shortest is stage 1, Inverness to Tain (60.4 km).
At 77 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 231 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
Paved: 99% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved.
12 km (5%) is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane; 150 km (65%) is on main roads without one, and 129 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more.
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 28 km, on stage 3.
Signed routes this tour follows
- EuroVelo 12 from Inverness - stages 1, 2, 3
Best time to ride
From ten years of weather at the stage towns, Jun to Sep are good for riding along the whole route.
Logistics
- 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 28 km, on stage 3.
What it was actually like to ride
About this tour
EuroVelo 12 from Inverness covers 231 km in three stages with a total climb of 1723 m. It follows a northerly direction through Scotland from Inverness to Thurso via Tain and Altnaharra.
The first stage from Inverness to Tain is 60.4 km with 446 m of climbing. It features two main climbs: a 2.2 km ascent starting at km 12.9 gaining 53 m at average 2.4% and a longer 2.9 km climb starting at km 23.4 rising 104 m with a maximum gradient of 5.7%. Highest point on this stage is 148 m.
Stage two covers 75.8 km from Tain to Altnaharra with a moderate 337 m of elevation gain. This leg is without notable climbs, reaching a high point of 264 m. There are 10 water or food stops along this stretch.
The longest and most climbing-intensive is stage three from Altnaharra to Thurso, 94.8 km with 940 m of ascent. It includes several climbs, the longest being a 4.3 km climb with 126 m gained at an average gradient of 2.9% near the start. Other climbs range from 1.5 to 3 km, some reaching maximum gradients near 8.9%. The highest elevation reached is 228 m. There are 24 water or food stops on this final stage.
The tour only runs within Great Britain, without border crossings. Recorded temperatures and months are not specified. Water and food stops vary, with the most plentiful on stage one and three.
This route passes through many places including Inverness, Tain, Altnaharra, and Thurso, as well as multiple small communities along the way.
Photos from the road
Stage 1 · Inverness to Tain 
Stage 2 · Tain to Altnaharra 
Stage 3 · Altnaharra to Thurso
Questions riders ask
How far is Inverness to Thurso by bike?
231 km along this route, in 3 stages averaging 77 km.
How long does it take to cycle from Inverness to Thurso?
Moving time is estimated at about 17 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?
1,723 m in total. The most climbing in a day is 940 m on stage 3, Altnaharra to Thurso.
How difficult is the route?
At 77 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 60–100 km. The longest day is 94.8 km.
Is it suitable for a road bike?
99% of the route is mapped as paved and 1% 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.
Does the route follow EuroVelo?
In part: EuroVelo 12 from Inverness on stages 1, 2 and 3.
What is the best time of year?
From ten years of weather at the stage towns, Jun to Sep are good for riding along the whole route.