Road · United Kingdom
Berwick-Upon-Tweed to Troon
A rolling 209 km road cycling route from Berwick-Upon-Tweed, England to Troon through White Damhead, East Newton and Cleughhead, with 1,483 m of climbing over the Cowdenknowes Mains climb. There is a 48 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 1–50).
At a glance
- Best for
- Long endurance days for fit, experienced riders
- Distance
- 208.7 km
- Elevation gain
- 1,483 m
- Riding time
- 10–14 hours
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Bike
- Road bike
- Surface
- Mostly paved
- Traffic
- Some main roads
- Food & water
- Longest gap 48 km
- Best months
- Jun to Sep
- Navigation
- GPX download
- Start → finish
- Berwick-Upon-Tweed → Troon
Map and elevation profile
Elevation profile
- 1,483 m
- 209 km
Route description
- Berwick-Upon-Tweed
- White Damhead
- East Newton
- Cleughhead
- Gordon
- Cowdenknowes Mains climb
- Langshaw
- Fallburn
- Auchenheath
- Troon
Starting near Berwick-upon-Tweed at 1 km, the route heads northwest through places including Paxton, Greenlaw, and Earlston. It features four main climbs: a 5 km climb from 49.8 km with 155 m gain peaking at 262 m, followed by shorter climbs near 57.5 km, 64.4 km, and again at 139.1 km and 144.9 km with moderate gradients around 2.5-3.7%. The highest point at 56 km is 276 m. After the climbs, the route descends generally towards the finish at Barassie near Troon at 199.5 km with a low point of 3 m at about 200 km.
The route is mostly paved (95%) with minor gravel and unmapped sections. About half (102 km) is on main roads, largely without cycle lanes, and around 95 km on roads with speed limits of 80 km/h or more. There are sections on minor roads, quiet streets, cycle paths (8 km total), and tracks, with some named roads such as the A71 and B6461. The longest descent is 4.5 km starting near 175 km.
Food and drink options are limited between 1.1 km and 49.5 km with a 48 km stretch without cafes or shops, but plentiful thereafter including several cafes and restaurants from km 49.9 onwards. There are also multiple bike shops and petrol stations along the route. Bailout points with stations are found near the start at Berwick-upon-Tweed, at Lanark (136 km), and near the finish at Barassie.
Why ride this route?
- Climbs the Cowdenknowes Mains climb (5 km at 3.1 %).
Highlights
- Climbs near Earlston with 155 m gain
- Peaks near the route: Harcarse Hill and Elwart Law
- Named roads: A71 and B6461
- Long 48 km stretch without café or shop after Berwick-upon-Tweed
Along the route
Places passed
Climbs
| Climb | Starts at | On this ride | Full ascent | Top on this ride |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowdenknowes Mains climb | 49.8 km | 5 km · 155 m · 3.1 % · max 7.8 % | 5 km · 155 m · 3.1 % | 262 m |
| Unnamed climb | 57.5 km | 1.6 km · 52 m · 3.3 % · max 5 % | — | 243 m |
| Unnamed climb | 64.4 km | 2.3 km · 61 m · 2.6 % · max 4.8 % | — | 237 m |
| Unnamed climb | 139.1 km | 2.7 km · 66 m · 2.5 % · max 5.3 % | — | 169 m |
| Unnamed climb | 144.9 km | 1.4 km · 50 m · 3.7 % · max 5.3 % | — | 179 m |
Cowdenknowes Mains climb · full ascent, starts at 49.8 km
< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%
Traffic, surface and gradient
Expect stretches on main roads without a cycle lane (102.8 km in all) between quieter sections.
- Roads
- 51% main road · 29% minor road · 8% quiet street · 4% cycle path · 8% other roads and tracks
- Main roads
- 102.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
- Fast roads
- 94.5 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
- Cycle paths
- 10.7 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
- Main roads used
- A71 (18 km), B6461 (15 km), B7086 (13 km), A72 (12 km)
- Surface
- Predominantly paved: 95% is mapped as paved, 3% as unpaved or gravel and 2% has no surface data.
- Gradient
- 13% climbing · 12% descending · 74% flat
- Steep sections
- 0.9 km over 5%
- Longest descent
- 4.5 km from 175.3 km, dropping 95 m
Food, water and services
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 48 km, from km 1 to 50. Along the route: 88 cafés and restaurants, 35 shops, 4 water points, 13 petrol stations, 12 public toilets and 9 bike shops.
Food, water and shops in ride order
- 0 kmToilets · 210 m off route
- 49.9 kmDragonfly Café · café · 70 m off route
- 50.2 kmToilets · 90 m off route
- 78.7 kmWalkerburn Convenience Stores · convenience store · on the route
- 79 kmToilets · 40 m off route
- 81.7 kmTweed Valley Bikes · bike shop · 400 m off route
- 92 kmKeyStore · convenience store · 40 m off route
- 92 kmBP · petrol station · 180 m off route
- 92.3 kmToilets · 140 m off route
- 109.8 kmBroughton Village Store · convenience store · on the route
- 117.3 kmCo-op Food · supermarket · 200 m off route
- 117.3 kmGraeme Pharmacy · pharmacy · 40 m off route
- 134.8 kmInn on the Loch · restaurant · on the route
- 134.8 kmBike shop · 150 m off route
- 136 kmLidl · supermarket · 80 m off route
- 146.5 kmJET · petrol station · 160 m off route
- 155.2 kmRepair stand · 150 m off route
- 186.6 kmCampbell's Fuel Oils · petrol station · 110 m off route
Need to bail out?
- 1.1 km — Berwick-upon-Tweed (station), 190 m off route
- 136 km — Lanark (station), 270 m off route
- 142 km — Clyde Valley Station (station), 1.2 km off route
- 199.7 km — Barassie (station), 170 m off route
Worth a stop
- 73.9 km — Tweed Valley Forest Park Thornilee (viewpoint)
- 86.8 km — Cardrona Standing Stone (archaeological site)
- 93.8 km — Neidpath Castle (castle)
- 117.7 km — Biggar Motte (archaeological site)
- 136 km — Ruins of Church of St Kentigern's (ruins)
- 176.2 km — Newmilns Tower (castle)
Stay after this ride
- The Bank by Coorie Doon Stays · apartment · 1.7 km from the finish
- The Anchorage Hotel · hotel · 1.8 km from the finish
- Old Loans Inn · hotel · 2.1 km from the finish
- Highghrove House Hotel · hotel · 2.5 km from the finish
- South Beach Hotel · hotel · 2.2 km from the finish
Start and access
At the start
- Trains and ferries
- Berwick-upon-Tweed (940 m)
- Bikes and repair
- Willow eBikes (830 m)
- Food and coffee
- The Pilot Inn (550 m), Costa (970 m), The Castle (870 m)
At the finish
- Trains and ferries
- Barassie (510 m)
- Food and coffee
- Barassie Chippy (260 m), Cafè 141 (980 m)
- Shops
- Barassie Stores (260 m), Meadowgreen Centre (970 m)
- Pharmacy and medical
- Meadowgreen Surgery (940 m)
Know before you go
- 48 km without café, shop or water from 1.1 km to 49.5 km
- 102 km on main roads without a cycle lane
- 94.5 km on roads with 80 km/h+ speed limits
- 0.9 km with gradient over 5%
