Road · United Kingdom
Denholm and Lillisleaf
A hilly 42 km road cycling loop from Denholm, Scottish Borders through Hassendean, Harelaw and Bewlie Mains, with 395 m of climbing. Most of it (35.8 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 34.2 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more.
At a glance
- Best for
- Short, climbing-heavy rides for confident riders at ease in traffic
- Distance
- 41.7 km
- Elevation gain
- 395 m
- Riding time
- 2 h 59 min
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Bike
- Road bike
- Surface
- Paved
- Traffic
- Mostly main roads
- Food & water
- Regular
- Best months
- Jun to Sep
- Navigation
- GPX download
- Start and finish
- Denholm
Map and elevation profile
Elevation profile
- 395 m
- 42 km
Route description
- Denholm
- Hassendean
- Harelaw
- Bewlie Mains
- Belses
- Furlongs
- Nisbetmill
- Palace Farm Cottages
- Jedburgh
- Denholm
Starting in Denholm, the route heads through Hassendean, Newlands, Cotfield, and Lilliesleaf, climbing 69 m over 3.1 km early on with an average gradient of 2.3% and max 3.4%. It proceeds past several small places including Bewlie, Belses, and Ancrum. The second main climb starts near Jedburgh around 31.6 km, gaining 169 m over 3.3 km with an average of 5.1% and a maximum gradient of 8.6%, reaching the highest point of 250 m near 35.1 km.
Highlights
- Loop ride from Denholm
- Climb of 169 m near Jedburgh
- Highest point at 250 m
- Passing Lilliesleaf and Ancrum
Along the route
Places passed
Climbs
| Climb | Starts at | On this ride | Top on this ride |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed climb | 1.7 km | 3.1 km · 69 m · 2.3 % · max 3.4 % | 164 m |
| Unnamed climb | 31.6 km | 3.3 km · 169 m · 5.1 % · max 8.6 % | 248 m |
Traffic, surface and gradient
This is not a cycle-track route: 86% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 34.2 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.
- Roads
- 86% main road · 8% minor road · 4% quiet street · 2% other roads and tracks
- Main roads
- 35.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
- Fast roads
- 34.2 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
- Main roads used
- B6400 (15 km), B6359 (7 km), B6358 (6 km), A698 (4 km)
- Surface
- Paved: 99% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved.
- Gradient
- 24% climbing · 26% descending · 51% flat
- Steep sections
- 2.1 km over 5% · 0.5 km over 8% · steepest 500 m averages 8.4% at 32.4 km
- Longest descent
- 3.6 km from 35.2 km, dropping 166 m
Food, water and services
No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 37 cafés and restaurants, 5 shops, 1 water point, 2 petrol stations, 5 public toilets and 1 bike shop.
Food, water and shops in ride order
- 0.1 kmThomas B. Oliver · petrol station · on the route
- 8.7 kmJammy Coo · café · on the route
- 21.8 kmBirdhouse Tearoom · café · 130 m off route
- 27.7 kmCaddy Mann Restaurant · restaurant · 50 m off route
- 30.4 kmDrinking water · 160 m off route
- 31 kmEsso · petrol station · 190 m off route
- 32 kmCo-op Food · supermarket · 60 m off route
- 32.1 kmMichelle's Little Cake Shop and Cafe · café · on the route
- 32.1 kmToilets · 160 m off route
- 32.1 kmBoots · pharmacy · on the route
- 32.3 kmRepair stand · 200 m off route
- 41.5 kmCream Puff Cafe · café · on the route
- 41.5 kmThe Auld Bakery · convenience store · 160 m off route
- 41.5 kmToilets · 200 m off route
Worth a stop
- 0 km — Leyden's Monument (monument)
- 16 km — Old Pinnacle Dovecote (ruins)
- 20 km — Ancrum Market Cross (monument)
- 24.9 km — Nisbet Church (ruins)
- 32.1 km — Mercat Cross (site of) (monument)
Start and access
At the start and finish
- Food and coffee
- Cream Puff Cafe (30 m), The Fox and Hounds Inn (50 m), Cross Keys Restaurant (120 m)
- Shops
- The Auld Bakery (160 m)
Know before you go
- 35.8 km on main roads without cycle lanes
- 34.2 km on roads with 80 km/h+ speed limit
- Longest stretch without café, shop or water is 10.7 km from 9.3 to 20 km
- Gravel or unpaved section 1% of route