National Cycle Route 78
The National Cycle Route 78 runs from Oban to Fort William over 2 stages: 79 km and 367 m of climbing in the UK. Every stage has a map, elevation profile, road facts and a GPX file.
Route at a glance
- Distance
- 79 km
- Climbing
- 367 m
- Stages
- 2
- Countries
- 1
- Average stage
- 40 km
- Longest stage
- 61.7 km
- Most climbing
- 320 m
- Riding time
- ~6 h
- Surface
- Paved
- Bike
- Road bike
- Best months
- Jun to Sep
- GPX
- Every stage + whole tour
- Start
- Oban
- Finish
- Fort William
Full route map
Itinerary: 2 stages
Average 40 km and 184 m a stage. Longest day: stage 1 (61.7 km). Most climbing: stage 1 (320 m). Shortest: stage 2 (17.3 km).
| Stage | Route | Country | Distance | Climbing | Surface | Difficulty | Time | GPX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oban to Corran | UK | 61.7 km | 320 m | Paved | Moderate | 4 h 24 min | GPX |
| Transfer · Corran ferry crossing — not ridden, not counted in the distance | ||||||||
| 2 | Corran to Fort William | UK | 17.3 km | 47 m | Paved | Easy | 1 h 14 min | GPX |
How difficult is this tour?
79 km and 367 m of climbing over 2 stages: 40 km and 184 m a stage on average.
The longest day is stage 1, Oban to Corran (61.7 km); the most climbing is on stage 1, Oban to Corran (320 m); the shortest is stage 2, Corran to Fort William (17.3 km).
At 40 km a day on average, the itinerary is within reach of riders who can ride several days in a row.
Riders can go faster or slower than the documented itinerary: the same 79 km is 2 riding days at 60 km a day.
Surface and traffic
Paved: 96% of the route is mapped as paved, 2% as unpaved and 3% has no surface data.
34 km (43%) is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane; 22 km (28%) is on main roads without one, and 13 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more.
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 22 km, on stage 1.
Signed routes this tour follows
- National Cycle Route 78 - 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
- Oban (station) is near the start in Oban.
- Camusnagaul passenger ferry (ferry) is near the finish in Fort William.
- Corran 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 22 km, on stage 1.
What it was actually like to ride
About this tour
National Cycle Route 78 extends 79km over two stages from Oban to Fort William, passing many small places along the way. The route starts in Oban and ends in Fort William, staying in Great Britain throughout.
The first stage from Oban to Corran covers 61.7km with 320m of climbing. This leg features two climbs: one 1.9km long starting early near 1km in, gaining 83m at an average gradient of 4.3% with a max of 7.7%, and a second climb of 1.2km at 39.2km with a gain of 49m at 4.1% average gradient. The highest point in this stage is 108m.
The second stage from Corran to Fort William is shorter, 17.3km, with only 47m of climbing and no recorded climbs. The highest altitude here is 40m. This stage covers the final stretch to Fort William.
There are multiple places offering water or food stops: 24 on the first stage and 22 on the second, ensuring frequent refreshment points. The route passes through numerous settlements including Oban, Connel, Appin, Onich, and Fort William, among others.
Information on months ridden or temperatures is not provided. The route mainly follows roads through diverse terrain, with moderate elevation gains spread over both stages.
Photos from the road
Stage 1 · Oban to Corran 
Stage 2 · Corran to Fort William
Questions riders ask
How far is Oban to Fort William by bike?
79 km along this route, in 2 stages averaging 40 km.
How long does it take to cycle from Oban to Fort William?
Moving time is estimated at about 6 hours. At 60 km a day it is 2 days.
How much climbing is involved?
367 m in total. The most climbing in a day is 320 m on stage 1, Oban to Corran.
How difficult is the route?
At 40 km a day on average, the itinerary is within reach of riders who can ride several days in a row. The longest day is 61.7 km.
Is it suitable for a road bike?
96% of the route is mapped as paved and 2% as gravel or unpaved (3% has no surface data). Based on that: road 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.