Cycling in Inverness

Inverness offers cycling routes up to 60 km with moderate climbs, visiting coastal towns and countryside in the Highland region.

2
Routes: 105 km
In total: 60 km
Longest ride: 446 m
Most climbing

Rides in Inverness

Road · From the map · United Kingdom
Inverness to Nigg
Inverness, United Kingdom
45 km379 m ↑ModerateGPX
Added Sep 2026
Road · From the map · United Kingdom
Inverness to Tain
Inverness, United Kingdom
60 km446 m ↑ModerateGPX
Added Sep 2026

Riding in Inverness in numbers

Added up from the recorded routes and OpenStreetMap; nothing estimated.

Surface: Paved almost throughout
Roads: 12% of the riding on main roads without a cycle lane · 14 km on cycle paths or lanes
Bail-outs: A railway station or ferry within reach on 2 routes
Longest stretch without services: 26 km on Inverness to Nigg

When to ride in Inverness

Typical conditions by month, 2015–2024 reanalysis. Bars run from the average daily low to high.

Best months: Jun to Aug.

6°1°J16

7°2°F15

8°2°M15

11°3°A13

14°7°M14

17°9°J15

18°11°J17

18°11°A15

16°9°S14

12°7°O16

8°3°N16

6°2°D18

BestFineHard goingRain days per month under each bar · typical wind 19 km/h from the SW

Cycling guide to Inverness

From Inverness, cyclists can explore two main routes: one to Nigg (44.5 km) and another to Tain (60.4 km). The Nigg route passes through suburbs and smaller places such as Crown, Merkinch, and Cromarty, featuring a 4.5 km climb starting at 28.2 km that gains 138 m with a maximum gradient of 5.5%. The Tain route covers a longer distance, visiting up to 23 places including Dingwall and Alness. It includes a 2.9 km climb beginning at 23.4 km with a 104 m gain and maximum gradient of 5.7%. Both routes use mostly paved surfaces, with less than 2% unpaved or gravel. There are several railway stations near the routes, three on the Nigg route and five on the Tain route, facilitating access. Services have long stretches without facilities, up to 25.6 km on the Nigg route and 20 km on the Tain route.

Terrain

The routes around Inverness are mainly rolling terrain with moderate climbs up to 218 m elevation on the Nigg route and 148 m on the Tain route. The climbs average gradients around 3-4% with maximum slopes just under 6%.

Nearby destinations

All destinations

Cycling in Inverness

Rides in Inverness

Inverness to Nigg

Inverness to Tain

Riding in Inverness in numbers

When to ride in Inverness

Nearby destinations

Dores

Contin

Nigg

Carrbridge

Boat of Garten

Tain

Kingussie

Fort Augustus

Rosehall

Kinlochewe

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