Cycling in Fort Augustus
5 cycling routes from Fort Augustus, Highland, United Kingdom, 53 to 86 km, 341 km mapped in all, with up to 1,433 m of climbing in a day. Hilly riding (14 m of climbing per km on average), mostly gravel and mixed-surface routes, 39% paved. Best months to ride: Jun to Aug.
At a glance
- Routes
- 5
- Lengths
- 53–86 km
- Biggest day
- 1,433 m
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Surface
- 39% paved
- Bike
- Gravel or mountain bike
- Difficulty
- Moderate to Hard
- Best months
- Jun to Aug
- Longest gap
- 76 km
- GPX
- Every route
- National Cycle Route 78 (North)53 km252 m ↑Moderate·One-way·From the mapGPX
- Fort Augustus to Kingussie57 km928 m ↑Moderate·One-way·From the mapGPX
- South Loch Ness Trail60 km979 m ↑Hard·One-way·From the mapGPX
- Fort Augustus to Contin85 km1,252 m ↑Hard·One-way·From the mapGPX
- Fort Augustus to Dornie86 km1,433 m ↑Hard·One-way·From the mapGPX
Know before you go
Added up from the recorded routes and OpenStreetMap; nothing estimated.
- Surface
- 39% paved · 61% gravel or unpaved — 207 km of gravel or unpaved road across the routes.
- Roads
- 11% of the riding on main roads without a cycle lane · 6 km on cycle paths or lanes.
- High point
- 765 m on Fort Augustus to Kingussie.
- Bail-outs
- A railway station or ferry within reach on 3 routes.
- No services
- 76 km on Fort Augustus to Dornie.
Cycling guide to Fort Augustus
Cyclists riding from Fort Augustus can choose from a variety of point-to-point routes spanning 52.7 km to 86.2 km. These routes pass through multiple Highland settlements such as Blairconard, Tomich, and Kingussie, offering varied destinations including Contin, Dornie, and Fort William. The routes include sections on gravel or unpaved surfaces, with paved proportions ranging from 19% to 65% depending on the route. Services along the way can be sparse, with the longest gap without amenities reaching 75.5 km on the Fort Augustus to Dornie route. Several routes include nearby railway stations, notably National Cycle Route 78 with five stations close to the path. Climbs are significant on most routes, with elevation gains between 252 m and 1433 m, climbing up to heights of 765 m near Kingussie and 549 m on other routes.
More on terrain
Terrain
The terrain from Fort Augustus is a mix of moderate to steep climbs, with the biggest climbs ranging from 3.5 km to nearly 7 km in length. Average gradients on these climbs vary from 2.8% to 9% with maximum gradients up to approximately 15%. The highest point reached is 765 m near Kingussie. The routes feature a combination of paved and unpaved surfaces, including sections of gravel.