Road · United Kingdom
Stage 6 of 7 · EuroVelo 1← Stage 5Stage 7 →
Ayr to Wigtown
A hilly 90 km road cycling route from Ayr, South Ayrshire to Wigtown through Seafield, Alloway and Doonfoot, with 948 m of climbing. There is a 34 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 26–59).
At a glance
- Best for
- Hilly days out for fit, experienced riders
- Distance
- 90.2 km
- Elevation gain
- 948 m
- Riding time
- 6 h 27 min
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Bike
- Road bike
- Surface
- Paved
- Traffic
- Mostly minor roads
- Food & water
- Longest gap 34 km
- Best months
- Jun to Sep
- Navigation
- GPX download
- Start → finish
- Ayr → Wigtown
Map and elevation profile
Elevation profile
- 948 m
- 90 km
Route description
- Ayr
- Seafield
- Alloway
- Doonfoot
- Maybole
- Crosshill
- Glentrool Village
- Minnigaff
- Newton Stewart
- Wigtown
The ride starts from Ayr at 2 m height, quickly passing through Wallacetown, Fort, Seafield, Alloway, and Doonfoot before reaching the first serious climbs from 8.6 km onward. The first climb is 2.4 km long with an average gradient of 6.5% reaching 203 m at its top. A second smaller climb starts at 13 km with 2.5 km length and gentler gradients. The route then progresses through Maybole and Crosshill with another long climb from 25.8 km lasting 7.9 km, averaging 3.4% slope and reaching 311 m.
The route surface is mostly paved (98%) and mainly on minor roads (82%). There are 4 km on main roads without a cycle lane, and a total of 6.1 km on roads with speed limits of 80 km/h or more. Cycle paths or lanes occur on 4.1 km and quieter roads like cycle paths, paths, and quiet streets combine for 11.2 km of the route. The long descent of 5.2 km begins near 44.9 km where the highest point at 391 m is reached. The route then passes through Glentrool Village, Minnigaff, Newton Stewart, and Lamachan View before finishing at Wigtown at 2 m height.
Facilities are found at the start and finish, and several cafés and shops are available along the way, notably in Ayr, Maybole, Glentrool Visitor Centre, Minnigaff, and Wigtown. Despite this, a 33.6 km stretch from 25.8 to 59.4 km lacks cafés, shops or water. There are bike shops at Ayr and Newton Stewart, and public toilets are accessible at multiple points including Ayr, Maybole, Crosshill, Glentrool, Minnigaff, and Wigtown.
Why ride this route?
- Tops out at 391 m, 43.3 km in.
- A 5.2 km descent dropping 163 m.
Highlights
- Climb to 203 m at 9 km with 11.8% max gradient
- Longest climb 7.9 km from 25.8 km
- Highest point 391 m at 43.3 km
- Glentrool Visitor Centre café at 59.4 km
Along the route
Places passed
Climbs
| Climb | Starts at | On this ride | Top on this ride |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed climb | 8.6 km | 2.4 km · 152 m · 6.5 % · max 11.8 % | 203 m |
| Unnamed climb | 13 km | 2.5 km · 72 m · 2.9 % · max 4.7 % | 172 m |
| Unnamed climb | 25.8 km | 7.9 km · 269 m · 3.4 % · max 6.3 % | 311 m |
| Unnamed climb | 39.1 km | 4.2 km · 234 m · 5.5 % · max 9.6 % | 391 m |
Traffic, surface and gradient
Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 4 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.
- Roads
- 82% minor road · 5% main road · 4% cycle path · 4% path · 5% other roads and tracks
- Main roads
- 4 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
- Fast roads
- 6.1 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
- Cycle paths
- 4.1 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
- Main roads used
- Nic O the Balloch (6 km)
- Surface
- Paved: 98% of the route is mapped as paved, 2% as unpaved.
- Gradient
- 24% climbing · 25% descending · 52% flat
- Steep sections
- 6 km over 5% · 1.2 km over 8% · 0.7 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 10.1% at 9.8 km
- Longest descent
- 5.2 km from 44.9 km, dropping 163 m
Food, water and services
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 34 km, from km 26 to 59. Along the route: 113 cafés and restaurants, 21 shops, 2 water points, 5 petrol stations, 11 public toilets and 2 bike shops.
Food, water and shops in ride order
- 0 kmAldi · supermarket · 190 m off route
- 0 kmTop Up Tap · drinking water · 190 m off route
- 0 kmCarrick Cycles · bike shop · 280 m off route
- 2.3 kmToilets · 60 m off route
- 2.3 kmSeafield Pharmacy · pharmacy · 140 m off route
- 20 kmSpar · supermarket · 150 m off route
- 20 kmJET · petrol station · 160 m off route
- 20.1 kmToilets · 80 m off route
- 25.8 kmCrosshill Post Office · convenience store · 50 m off route
- 59.4 kmGlentrool Visitor Centre · café · 150 m off route
- 59.4 kmToilets · 150 m off route
- 75.1 kmCreebridge Mill · pharmacy · 100 m off route
- 75.2 kmStudio Velo · bike shop · 560 m off route
- 75.5 kmToilets · 80 m off route
- 75.7 kmGulf · petrol station · 160 m off route
- 88.1 kmReadingLasses · café · 110 m off route
- 88.1 kmToilets · 200 m off route
- 88.1 kmPetrol station · 220 m off route
Need to bail out?
- 0 km — Ayr (station), 820 m off route
- 19.9 km — Maybole (station), 60 m off route
Worth a stop
- 0.3 km — Miller's Folly (c. 1853) (ruins)
- 5 km — Greenan Castle (castle)
- 20 km — Maybole Castle (castle)
- 74.1 km — Minnigaff Motte (archaeological site)
- 78.2 km — Ninian's Well (ruins)
- 87.9 km — War Memorial (monument)
Stay after this ride
- Glaisnock Guest House · guest house · 130 m from the finish
- Craigmount Guest House · guest house · 410 m from the finish
- Hillcrest House · hotel · 450 m from the finish
- Brora Lodge Bed & Breakfast · guest house · 520 m from the finish
Start and access
At the start
- Food and coffee
- Pandora Coffee House (90 m), Smugglers (40 m), Narture (160 m)
At the finish
- Food and coffee
- ReadingLasses (110 m), The Galloway Inn (160 m), The Wigtown Ploughman (220 m)
- Shops
- The Co-operative Food (240 m)
- Pharmacy and medical
- Wigtown Pharmacy (160 m)
Know before you go
- 33.6 km without café, shop or water between 25.8 and 59.4 km
- 4 km on main roads without cycle lane
- 6.1 km on roads with speed limits of 80 km/h or more
