Gallovidian Gravel (part)
This section of the Gallovidian Gravel runs from New Abbey to Glentrool Village over 2 stages: 144 km and 1,879 m of climbing in the UK. Every stage has a map, elevation profile, road facts and a GPX file.
Route at a glance
- Distance
- 144 km
- Climbing
- 1,879 m
- Stages
- 2
- Countries
- 1
- Average stage
- 72 km
- Longest stage
- 103 km
- Most climbing
- 1,378 m
- Riding time
- ~10 h
- Surface
- Mixed surface
- Bike
- Gravel bike
- Best months
- May to Sep
- GPX
- Every stage + whole tour
- Start
- New Abbey
- Finish
- Glentrool Village
Full route map
Itinerary: 2 stages
Average 72 km and 940 m a stage. Longest day: stage 1 (103 km). Most climbing: stage 1 (1,378 m). Shortest: stage 2 (40.6 km).
| Stage | Route | Country | Distance | Climbing | Surface | Difficulty | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Abbey to Creetown | UK | 103 km | 1,378 m | Mixed, much unpaved | Hard | 7 h 21 min | GPX |
| 2 | Creetown to Glentrool Village | UK | 40.6 km | 501 m | Mixed surface | Moderate | 2 h 54 min | GPX |
How difficult is this tour?
144 km and 1,879 m of climbing over 2 stages: 72 km and 940 m a stage on average.
The longest day is stage 1, New Abbey to Creetown (103 km); the most climbing is on stage 1, New Abbey to Creetown (1,378 m); the shortest is stage 2, Creetown to Glentrool Village (40.6 km).
At 72 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 144 km is 3 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
Mixed surface: 63% is mapped as paved and 37% as gravel or unpaved.
4 km (3%) is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane; 19 km (13%) is on main roads without one, and 15 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more.
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 33 km, on stage 2.
Signed routes this tour follows
- Gallovidian Gravel (part) - stages 1, 2
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
- 1 of 2 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 33 km, on stage 2.
What it was actually like to ride
About this tour
This two-stage tour starts in New Abbey and finishes in Glentrool Village, covering a total distance of 144 km with 1879 m of elevation gain. The route stays within Great Britain throughout.
The first stage from New Abbey to Creetown is the longest at 103 km. It features multiple climbs including an early 6.9 km ascent starting at 2 km climbing 292 m at an average gradient of 4.2%, and subsequent shorter climbs ranging from 1.2 km to 4.5 km in length, with gradients mostly below 6%. The highest point reached is 326 m.
Stage two is shorter at 40.6 km from Creetown to Glentrool Village with less climbing, totaling 501 m gain. It includes three climbs between 2.2 km and 2.8 km long, with maximum gradients under 7%, and a highest point of 171 m.
The route passes various places including Southwick, Dalbeattie, Castle Douglas, Gatehouse of Fleet, and Newton Stewart. There are 8 water or food stops on stage one and 1 on stage two. No specific temperatures or months were recorded for the ride.
Photos from the road
Stage 1 · New Abbey to Creetown 
Stage 2 · Creetown to Glentrool Village
Questions riders ask
How far is New Abbey to Glentrool Village by bike?
144 km along this route, in 2 stages averaging 72 km.
How long does it take to cycle from New Abbey to Glentrool Village?
Moving time is estimated at about 10 hours. At 60 km a day it is 3 days, 80 km a day it is 2 days and 100 km a day it is 2 days.
How much climbing is involved?
1,879 m in total. The most climbing in a day is 1,378 m on stage 1, New Abbey to Creetown.
How difficult is the route?
At 72 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 60–100 km. The longest day is 103 km.
Is it suitable for a road bike?
63% of the route is mapped as paved and 37% as gravel or unpaved. Based on that: gravel 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.