Great North Trail (Cape Wrath)
The Great North Trail (Cape Wrath) runs from Rosehall to the end of the Great North Trail over 2 stages: 132 km and 1,378 m of climbing in the UK. Every stage has a map, elevation profile, road facts and a GPX file.
Route at a glance
- Distance
- 132 km
- Climbing
- 1,378 m
- Stages
- 2
- Countries
- 1
- Average stage
- 66 km
- Longest stage
- 114.9 km
- Most climbing
- 1,108 m
- Riding time
- ~11 h
- Surface
- Mixed surface
- Bike
- Gravel bike
- Best months
- Jun to Sep
- GPX
- Every stage + whole tour
- Start
- Rosehall
- Finish
- the end of the Great North Trail
Full route map
Itinerary: 2 stages
Average 66 km and 689 m a stage. Longest day: stage 1 (114.9 km). Most climbing: stage 1 (1,108 m). Shortest: stage 2 (17.3 km).
| Stage | Route | Country | Distance | Climbing | Surface | Difficulty | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rosehall to Durness | UK | 114.9 km | 1,108 m | Mixed surface | Hard | 9 h 35 min | GPX |
| Transfer · Durness ferry crossing — not ridden, not counted in the distance | ||||||||
| 2 | Durness to the end of the Great North Trail | UK | 17.3 km | 270 m | Paved | Easy | 1 h 26 min | GPX |
How difficult is this tour?
132 km and 1,378 m of climbing over 2 stages: 66 km and 689 m a stage on average.
The longest day is stage 1, Rosehall to Durness (114.9 km); the most climbing is on stage 1, Rosehall to Durness (1,108 m); the shortest is stage 2, Durness to the end of the Great North Trail (17.3 km).
At 66 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 50–90 km.
Riders can go faster or slower than the documented itinerary: the same 132 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: 79% is mapped as paved and 20% as gravel or unpaved.
0 km (0%) is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane; 44 km (33%) is on main roads without one, and 65 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more.
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 84 km, on stage 1.
Signed routes this tour follows
- Great North Trail (Cape Wrath) - stages 1, 2
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
- Durness ferry crossing after stage 1 - not ridden, and not counted in the distance.
- 2 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 84 km, on stage 1.
What it was actually like to ride
About this tour
The Great North Trail (Cape Wrath) is a two-stage cycling route covering 132 km across northern Scotland with a total climb of 1,378 metres. It starts at Rosehall and finishes at the end of the trail near Cape Wrath. The route passes through small settlements and rural places such as West Merkland, Eriboll, Durness, and Keoldale.
The first stage from Rosehall to Durness is the longest at nearly 115 km and includes most of the climbing with 1,108 metres of elevation gain. This stage features several climbs, including one starting at 30.7 km that is 2.5 km long with an average gradient of 7.6%, peaking at 11.8%. The highest point of the whole route is 408 m. There are six water or food stops available along this stage.
The second stage is much shorter at 17.3 km, running from Durness to the final point on the Great North Trail near Cape Wrath. It has 270 metres of climbing with three moderate climbs, the longest being 2.2 km at 2.7% average gradient. There is one water or food stop on this stage.
The route lies entirely within Great Britain, with no border crossings. The facts do not specify the best season or typical temperatures for this route. Riders should note the number of water or food stops is limited, particularly on stage two, which may influence planning. The trail passes through small communities and natural features along the coast and hills beneath elevations up to 408 m.
Photos from the road
Stage 1 · Rosehall to Durness 
Stage 2 · Durness to the end of the Great North Trail (Cape Wrath)
Questions riders ask
How far is Rosehall to the end of the Great North Trail by bike?
132 km along this route, in 2 stages averaging 66 km.
How long does it take to cycle from Rosehall to the end of the Great North Trail?
Moving time is estimated at about 11 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?
1,378 m in total. The most climbing in a day is 1,108 m on stage 1, Rosehall to Durness.
How difficult is the route?
At 66 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 50–90 km. The longest day is 114.9 km.
Is it suitable for a road bike?
79% of the route is mapped as paved and 20% as gravel or unpaved (1% has no surface data). 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, Jun to Sep are good for riding along the whole route.