EuroVelo 12
The EuroVelo 12 runs from Lerwick to Saxa Vord over 3 stages: 117 km and 1,275 m of climbing in the UK. Every stage has a map, elevation profile, road facts and a GPX file.
Route at a glance
- Distance
- 117 km
- Climbing
- 1,275 m
- Stages
- 3
- Countries
- 1
- Average stage
- 39 km
- Longest stage
- 66.2 km
- Most climbing
- 813 m
- Riding time
- ~8 h
- Surface
- Paved
- Bike
- Road bike
- Best months
- Jul to Aug
- GPX
- Every stage + whole tour
- Start
- Lerwick
- Finish
- Saxa Vord
Full route map
Itinerary: 3 stages
Average 39 km and 425 m a stage. Longest day: stage 1 (66.2 km). Most climbing: stage 1 (813 m). Shortest: stage 3 (20 km).
| Stage | Route | Country | Distance | Climbing | Surface | Difficulty | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lerwick to Ulsta | UK | 66.2 km | 813 m | Paved | Hard | 4 h 44 min | GPX |
| Transfer · Ulsta ferry crossing — not ridden, not counted in the distance | ||||||||
| 2 | Ulsta to Gutcher | UK | 30.4 km | 262 m | Paved | Easy | 2 h 10 min | GPX |
| Transfer · Gutcher ferry crossing — not ridden, not counted in the distance | ||||||||
| 3 | Gutcher to Saxa Vord | UK | 20 km | 200 m | Paved | Easy | 1 h 26 min | GPX |
How difficult is this tour?
117 km and 1,275 m of climbing over 3 stages: 39 km and 425 m a stage on average.
The longest day is stage 1, Lerwick to Ulsta (66.2 km); the most climbing is on stage 1, Lerwick to Ulsta (813 m); the shortest is stage 3, Gutcher to Saxa Vord (20 km).
At 39 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 50–60 km.
Riders can go faster or slower than the documented itinerary: the same 117 km is 2 riding days at 60 km a day, 2 riding days at 80 km a day and 2 riding days at 100 km a day.
Surface and traffic
Paved: 94% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved and 6% has no surface data.
0 km (0%) is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane; 99 km (85%) is on main roads without one, and 1 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more.
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 30 km, on stage 2.
Signed routes this tour follows
- EuroVelo 12 - stages 1, 2, 3
Best time to ride
From ten years of weather at the stage towns, Jul to Aug are good for riding along the whole route.
Logistics
- Lerwick (ferry) is near the start in Lerwick.
- Ulsta ferry crossing after stage 1 and Gutcher ferry crossing after stage 2 - not ridden, and not counted in the distance.
- 2 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 30 km, on stage 2.
What it was actually like to ride
About this tour
EuroVelo 12 begins at Lerwick and progresses northeast through Great Britain, finishing at Saxa Vord after three stages. The total distance is 117 km with a cumulative climb of 1275 m.
Stage 1 from Lerwick to Ulsta is the longest at 66.2 km with 813 m of elevation gain. This stage includes multiple climbs, the largest being a 110 m gain over 2.3 km starting at km 38.8. The highest point on this stage is 132 m above sea level.
Stage 2 covers 30.4 km from Ulsta to Gutcher with 262 m of climbing. It features three climbs, the longest starting immediately and climbing 53 m over 1.6 km. The highest elevation on stage 2 is 76 m. No water or food stops are available on this stage.
Stage 3 runs 20 km from Gutcher to Saxa Vord and includes a 59 m climb over 2.3 km beginning at 5.7 km. The highest point is 96 m. There are 5 water or food stops on this section. No temperature or seasonal data is available for this route.
Throughout the route, riders pass through various small places including Veensgarth, Voe, West Yell, and Baltasound. Water or food stops are unevenly distributed, with some stages having none and others having several. This route has no border crossings, remaining entirely within Great Britain.
Photos from the road
Stage 1 · Lerwick to Ulsta 
Stage 2 · Ulsta to Gutcher 
Stage 3 · Gutcher to Saxa Vord
Questions riders ask
How far is Lerwick to Saxa Vord by bike?
117 km along this route, in 3 stages averaging 39 km.
How long does it take to cycle from Lerwick to Saxa Vord?
Moving time is estimated at about 8 hours. At 60 km a day it is 2 days, 80 km a day it is 2 days and 100 km a day it is 2 days.
How much climbing is involved?
1,275 m in total. The most climbing in a day is 813 m on stage 1, Lerwick to Ulsta.
How difficult is the route?
At 39 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 50–60 km. The longest day is 66.2 km.
Is it suitable for a road bike?
94% of the route is mapped as paved and 1% as gravel or unpaved (6% 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 on stages 1, 2 and 3.
What is the best time of year?
From ten years of weather at the stage towns, Jul to Aug are good for riding along the whole route.