Highland Trail (part)
This section of the Highland Trail runs from Fort Augustus to Fort Augustus over 5 stages: 421 km and 6,308 m of climbing in the UK. Every stage has a map, elevation profile, road facts and a GPX file.
Route at a glance
- Distance
- 421 km
- Climbing
- 6,308 m
- Stages
- 5
- Countries
- 1
- Average stage
- 84 km
- Longest stage
- 99.7 km
- Most climbing
- 1,552 m
- Riding time
- ~35 h
- Surface
- Mostly unpaved
- Bike
- Gravel or mountain bike
- Best months
- May to Sep
- GPX
- Every stage + whole tour
- Start
- Fort Augustus
- Finish
- Fort Augustus
Full route map
Itinerary: 5 stages
Average 84 km and 1,262 m a stage. Longest day: stage 4 (99.7 km). Most climbing: stage 3 (1,552 m). Shortest: stage 2 (72.5 km).
| Stage | Route | Country | Distance | Climbing | Surface | Difficulty | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Augustus to Dornie | UK | 86.2 km | 1,433 m | Mostly unpaved | Hard | 7 h 11 min | GPX |
| 2 | Dornie to Kinlochewe | UK | 72.5 km | 1,169 m | Mixed surface | Hard | 6 h 03 min | GPX |
| 3 | Kinlochewe to Ullapool | UK | 72.6 km | 1,552 m | Mostly unpaved | Hard | 6 h 03 min | GPX |
| 4 | Ullapool to Contin | UK | 99.7 km | 1,041 m | Mostly unpaved | Hard | 8 h 19 min | GPX |
| 5 | Contin to Fort Augustus | UK | 89.9 km | 1,113 m | Mixed, much unpaved | Hard | 7 h 30 min | GPX |
How difficult is this tour?
421 km and 6,308 m of climbing over 5 stages: 84 km and 1,262 m a stage on average.
The longest day is stage 4, Ullapool to Contin (99.7 km); the most climbing is on stage 3, Kinlochewe to Ullapool (1,552 m); the shortest is stage 2, Dornie to Kinlochewe (72.5 km).
At 84 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 70–110 km.
Riders can go faster or slower than the documented itinerary: the same 421 km is 8 riding days at 60 km a day, 6 riding days at 80 km a day and 5 riding days at 100 km a day.
Surface and traffic
Mostly unpaved: 69% is mapped as gravel or unpaved, 30% as paved.
0 km (0%) is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane; 66 km (16%) is on main roads without one, and 98 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more.
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 77 km, on stage 4.
Signed routes this tour follows
- Highland Trail (part) - stages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
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
- 5 of 5 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 77 km, on stage 4.
What it was actually like to ride
About this tour
The Highland Trail part runs from Fort Augustus to Dornie, Kinlochewe, Ullapool, Contin, and back to Fort Augustus in five stages over 421 km with a total climb of 6308 m. It loops across the Highlands of Great Britain with varied terrain and many places along the way.
Stage 1 from Fort Augustus to Dornie covers 86.2 km with 1433 m climbing. It presents several climbs, the toughest being a 6.9 km ascent gaining 424 m at up to 14.8% gradient, reaching 549 m height. The route passes through Blairconard, Tomich, and Morvich with two stops for water or food.
Stage 2 from Dornie to Kinlochewe is 72.5 km with 1169 m elevation gain. Climbs include a 5.1 km stretch at 6.9% and another of 2.7 km at nearly 10%, reaching a high point of 646 m. There are 10 water or food stops across villages like Ardelve, Attadale, and Torridon.
Stage 3 from Kinlochewe to Ullapool is 72.6 km with 1552 m climbing. It features multiple ascents including the longest climb of 4.9 km gaining 319 m, with gradients up to 21%. Places en route include Letterewe, Inverlael, and Braes of Ullapool, with nine stops.
Stage 4, the longest day at nearly 100 km from Ullapool to Contin, has 1041 m of climbing. The climbs are mostly short, under 4.1 km each, with moderate gradients. It passes through Morefield, Croick, and Garve among others, offering six stops for provisions.
Stage 5 returns from Contin to Fort Augustus across 89.9 km with 1113 m of ascent. It includes multiple climbs ranging from 1.1 to 4.5 km, with the steeper sections maxing over 10%. The route passes through Kinnahaird, Struy, and Invermoriston with four stops for water or food. No specific months or temperatures are given.
Photos from the road
Stage 1 · Fort Augustus to Dornie 
Stage 2 · Dornie to Kinlochewe 
Stage 3 · Kinlochewe to Ullapool 
Stage 4 · Ullapool to Contin 
Stage 5 · Contin to Fort Augustus
Questions riders ask
How far is Fort Augustus to Fort Augustus by bike?
421 km along this route, in 5 stages averaging 84 km.
How long does it take to cycle from Fort Augustus to Fort Augustus?
Moving time is estimated at about 35 hours. At 60 km a day it is 8 days, 80 km a day it is 6 days and 100 km a day it is 5 days.
How much climbing is involved?
6,308 m in total. The most climbing in a day is 1,552 m on stage 3, Kinlochewe to Ullapool.
How difficult is the route?
At 84 km a day on average, it suits riders used to back-to-back days of 70–110 km. The longest day is 99.7 km.
Is it suitable for a road bike?
30% of the route is mapped as paved and 69% as gravel or unpaved (1% 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.