John Muir Way
The John Muir Way runs from Dunbar to Helensburgh over 2 stages: 206 km and 1,007 m of climbing in the UK. Every stage has a map, elevation profile, road facts and a GPX file.
Route at a glance
- Distance
- 206 km
- Climbing
- 1,007 m
- Stages
- 2
- Countries
- 1
- Average stage
- 103 km
- Longest stage
- 105.5 km
- Most climbing
- 618 m
- Riding time
- ~15 h
- Surface
- Mixed surface
- Bike
- Gravel bike
- Best months
- May to Sep
- GPX
- Every stage + whole tour
- Start
- Dunbar
- Finish
- Helensburgh
Full route map
Itinerary: 2 stages
Average 103 km and 504 m a stage. Longest day: stage 2 (105.5 km). Most climbing: stage 2 (618 m). Shortest: stage 1 (100.3 km).
| Stage | Route | Country | Distance | Climbing | Surface | Difficulty | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dunbar to Bo'ness | UK | 100.3 km | 389 m | Mixed surface | Hard | 7 h 10 min | GPX |
| 2 | Bo'ness to Helensburgh | UK | 105.5 km | 618 m | Mixed surface | Hard | 7 h 32 min | GPX |
How difficult is this tour?
206 km and 1,007 m of climbing over 2 stages: 103 km and 504 m a stage on average.
The longest day is stage 2, Bo'ness to Helensburgh (105.5 km); the most climbing is on stage 2, Bo'ness to Helensburgh (618 m); the shortest is stage 1, Dunbar to Bo'ness (100.3 km).
At 103 km a day on average, it suits experienced riders comfortable with 100 km days back to back.
Riders can go faster or slower than the documented itinerary: the same 206 km is 4 riding days at 60 km a day, 3 riding days at 80 km a day and 3 riding days at 100 km a day.
Surface and traffic
Mixed surface: 77% is mapped as paved and 21% as gravel or unpaved and 2% has no surface data.
79 km (38%) is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane; 20 km (10%) is on main roads without one, and 14 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more.
Signed routes this tour follows
- John Muir Way - 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
- 2 of 2 stage finishes have a hotel, guesthouse or campsite mapped within a short ride of the finish.
What it was actually like to ride
About this tour
The John Muir Way follows a general westward direction from Dunbar to Helensburgh in two stages totaling 206 km and 1007 m of elevation gain.
Stage 1 travels 100 km from Dunbar to Bo'ness. It mostly follows low ground with two modest climbs: one starting at 54 km rises 42 m at an average gradient of 2%, peaking at 86 m; another from 66 km climbs 63 m at 4.8% average and up to 9%. The highest point reached on this stage is 113 m. The route passes through many towns and villages such as North Berwick, Musselburgh, Edinburgh, and South Queensferry.
Stage 2 continues west for 105.5 km from Bo'ness to Helensburgh over more varied terrain with three climbs. Early on at 1.4 km is an 84 m gain over 2.1 km at 3.9%. Midway, from 61.5 km, is the longest climb covering 2.3 km with 102 m gained at 4.4%. The last climb near 97 km is 59 m over 2.7 km at 2.2%. The highest elevation for the route is 171 m in this stage. The stage passes through towns including Linlithgow, Bonnybridge, Kirkintilloch, and Balloch.
The tour features plentiful water or food stops with 37 on stage 1 and 29 on stage 2, helping to avoid long gaps. Recorded temperatures and months of use are not specified for either stage. The terrain ranges from mainly low hills in the east to more rolling terrain into central Scotland. The longest single day is stage 2 at 105.5 km, with stage 1 slightly shorter at 100.3 km.
Photos from the road
Stage 1 · Dunbar to Bo'ness 
Stage 2 · Bo'ness to Helensburgh
Questions riders ask
How far is Dunbar to Helensburgh by bike?
206 km along this route, in 2 stages averaging 103 km.
How long does it take to cycle from Dunbar to Helensburgh?
Moving time is estimated at about 15 hours. At 60 km a day it is 4 days, 80 km a day it is 3 days and 100 km a day it is 3 days.
How much climbing is involved?
1,007 m in total. The most climbing in a day is 618 m on stage 2, Bo'ness to Helensburgh.
How difficult is the route?
At 103 km a day on average, it suits experienced riders comfortable with 100 km days back to back. The longest day is 105.5 km.
Is it suitable for a road bike?
77% of the route is mapped as paved and 21% as gravel or unpaved (2% 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, May to Sep are good for riding along the whole route.