Great North Trail (Scottish Borders)
The Great North Trail (Scottish Borders) runs from Newcastleton to Edinburgh over 2 stages: 139 km and 2,458 m of climbing in the UK. Every stage has a map, elevation profile, road facts and a GPX file.
Route at a glance
- Distance
- 139 km
- Climbing
- 2,458 m
- Stages
- 2
- Countries
- 1
- Average stage
- 69 km
- Longest stage
- 85 km
- Most climbing
- 1,482 m
- Riding time
- ~12 h
- Surface
- Mixed, much unpaved
- Bike
- Gravel or mountain bike
- Best months
- May to Sep
- GPX
- Every stage + whole tour
- Start
- Newcastleton
- Finish
- Edinburgh
Full route map
Itinerary: 2 stages
Average 69 km and 1,229 m a stage. Longest day: stage 1 (85 km). Most climbing: stage 1 (1,482 m). Shortest: stage 2 (53.7 km).
| Stage | Route | Country | Distance | Climbing | Surface | Difficulty | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newcastleton to Peebles | UK | 85 km | 1,482 m | Mixed, much unpaved | Hard | 7 h 05 min | GPX |
| 2 | Peebles to Edinburgh | UK | 53.7 km | 976 m | Mixed, much unpaved | Moderate | 4 h 29 min | GPX |
How difficult is this tour?
139 km and 2,458 m of climbing over 2 stages: 69 km and 1,229 m a stage on average.
The longest day is stage 1, Newcastleton to Peebles (85 km); the most climbing is on stage 1, Newcastleton to Peebles (1,482 m); the shortest is stage 2, Peebles to Edinburgh (53.7 km).
At 69 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 139 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: 41% is mapped as paved and 56% as gravel or unpaved and 3% has no surface data.
2 km (1%) is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane; 11 km (8%) is on main roads without one, and 20 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 1.
Signed routes this tour follows
- Great North Trail (Scottish Borders) - 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
- Kingsknowe (station) is near the finish in Edinburgh.
- 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 33 km, on stage 1.
What it was actually like to ride
About this tour
The Great North Trail (Scottish Borders) runs for 139 km in two stages, starting at Newcastleton and finishing in Edinburgh. Total climbing over the route is 2458 m. This trail heads generally east and southeast through the Scottish Borders region.
Stage 1 covers 85 km from Newcastleton to Peebles and includes 1482 m of climbing. This stage features a range of climbs including one near the start of 1.1 km at 5.3% average gradient and two long climbs between km 57.4 and 73.9 with gradients of 6.3% and up to 7.4%, including maximum slopes reaching 16.2%. The highest point on this stage is 520 m.
Stage 2 goes from Peebles to Edinburgh over 54 km with 976 m of climbing. Several climbs punctuate this stage, the longest being 2.8 km with a 3.3% average gradient and the steepest max gradient of 13.3% found early on. The highest elevation is 422 m. Both stages have numerous places to find food or water, with 19 stops on stage 1 and 20 on stage 2.
No temperature data or specific months of riding are given. The route passes through many settlements including Hawick, Ashkirk, Traquair, Romanno Bridge, West Linton, and others. It remains fully within Great Britain and crosses no borders. The trail is suitable for riding wherever water or food supplies are needed, given the frequent stops.
Photos from the road
Stage 1 · Newcastleton to Peebles 
Stage 2 · Peebles to Edinburgh
Questions riders ask
How far is Newcastleton to Edinburgh by bike?
139 km along this route, in 2 stages averaging 69 km.
How long does it take to cycle from Newcastleton to Edinburgh?
Moving time is estimated at about 12 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?
2,458 m in total. The most climbing in a day is 1,482 m on stage 1, Newcastleton to Peebles.
How difficult is the route?
At 69 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 50–90 km. The longest day is 85 km.
Is it suitable for a road bike?
41% of the route is mapped as paved and 56% as gravel or unpaved (3% has no surface data). Based on that: gravel or mountain 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.