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Stage 7 of 7 · EuroVelo 12 from Edinburgh← Stage 6

Elgin to Inverness

82 km road cycling route465 m climbing5 h 52 minGPX

Elgin, Moray, United Kingdom · Road

A rolling 82 km road cycling route from Elgin, Moray to Inverness through Oldmills, Coltfield and Kintessack, with 465 m of climbing. There is a 26 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 44–70).

Signed route The waymarked EuroVelo 12 from Edinburgh (EuroVelo EV12), traced from OpenStreetMap and measured against the terrain model; no member has recorded it yet. Stage 7 of 7 of the EuroVelo 12 from Edinburgh. Ridden it? Add your recording and photos.

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At a glance

Best for
Rolling day rides
Distance
82.1 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
465 m
6 m per km
Riding time
5 h 52 min
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Moderate
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
97% paved · 2% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic
Mostly minor roads
1.6 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 35.9 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 8.2 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Longest gap 26 km
233 cafés and restaurants · 27 shops · 1 water point · 3 petrol stations · 10 public toilets · 7 bike shops
Best months
Jun to Sep
Elgin climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Elgin → Inverness

Map and elevation profile

Since February 2026, the Cooper Park pond has been drained in efforts to remove excess amounts of mud. Since then, a swan has died after getting stuck in the mud and most recently the work was halted
Photo: Lucas Kendall · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent
465 m
Distance
82 km
050100150200m0 km20406082 km172 m · highest, at 61.0 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Elgin
  2. Oldmillskm 1
  3. Coltfieldkm 12
  4. Kintessackkm 30
  5. Fishertownkm 44
  6. Clavakm 68
  7. Cullodenkm 74
  8. Insheskm 78
  9. Crownkm 80
  10. Invernesskm 82

Starting in Elgin, the route passes through Newmill and Bishopmill within the first kilometre. It climbs early with a 1.2 km ascent beginning at 1.4 km, gaining 46 m at an average 4% gradient. The ride continues through several small places including North Alves, Coltfield, and Kinloss before reaching Forres at 24 km. Road types are mostly minor roads (80%), with some cycle paths, quiet streets, paths, and a short section on main roads. The road surface is 97% paved, with a small 2% gravel or unpaved section.

After Forres, the route passes through Nairn at 44 km where a long stretch of 25.5 km follows without cafés, shops or water until 69.6 km near the Cumberland Stone monument. There are two more climbs: a 1.7 km ascent from 49.6 km gaining 74 m at 4.3%, and a 1.5 km ascent at 67.9 km gaining 44 m at 3%. The highest point of 176 m occurs at 60.1 km. The descent following the second climb drops 110 m over 2.8 km. The ride ends in Inverness at 80.5 km with various cafés and shops nearby.

Highlights

  • Climbs at 1.4 km, 49.6 km and 67.9 km
  • Highest point 176 m at 60.1 km
  • Long 25.5 km stretch without café or shop after Nairn
  • Places: Elgin, Forres, Nairn, Inverness

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. North Alves 11.5 km
  2. Coltfield 12.4 km
  3. Kinloss 19.9 km
  4. Forres 24.2 km
  5. Broom of Moy 26 km
  6. Kintessack 29.6 km
  7. Dyke 31.8 km
  8. Brodie 33.6 km
  9. Kingsteps 42 km
  10. Fishertown 43.9 km
  11. Nairn 44.1 km
  12. Househill 45.3 km
  13. Firhall 46 km
  14. Clava 68.3 km
  15. Newlands of Culloden 68.4 km
  16. Leanach 69.2 km
  17. Balloch 72 km
  18. Culloden 73.7 km
  19. Smithton 74.8 km
  20. Cradlehall 76.4 km
  21. Castlehill 76.9 km
  22. Inshes 78 km
  23. Drakies 78.4 km
  24. Raigmore 78.6 km
  25. Culcabock 78.7 km
  26. Crown 80 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideTop on this ride
Unnamed climb1.4 km1.2 km · 46 m · 4 % · max 6.8 %69 m
Unnamed climb49.6 km1.7 km · 74 m · 4.3 % · max 6.2 %130 m
Unnamed climb67.9 km1.5 km · 44 m · 3 % · max 5 %149 m

High point 176 m at 60.1 km; low point 2 m. Passes beneath Lady Hill, The Ord.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 1.6 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.

Roads
80% minor road · 8% cycle path · 5% quiet street · 2% path · 5% other roads and tracks
Main roads
1.6 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
35.9 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths
8.2 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
Lochloy Road (8 km)
Surface
Paved: 97% of the route is mapped as paved, 2% as unpaved.
Gradient
12% climbing · 12% descending · 76% flat
Steep sections
1.1 km over 5% · steepest 500 m averages 6% at 2 km
Longest descent
2.8 km from 71 km, dropping 110 m

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 26 km, from km 44 to 70. Along the route: 233 cafés and restaurants, 27 shops, 1 water point, 3 petrol stations, 10 public toilets and 7 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0 kmMNMs Cafe · café · 60 m off route
  2. 0 kmToilets · 280 m off route
  3. 0 kmHighland Bikes · bike shop · 240 m off route
  4. 0.6 kmTesco Extra · supermarket · 180 m off route
  5. 19.9 kmThe Abbey Inn · pub · 40 m off route
  6. 19.9 kmSpar · convenience store · on the route
  7. 20 kmSea Park Filling Station · petrol station · 50 m off route
  8. 24.2 kmMosset Tavern · pub · 350 m off route
  9. 33.4 kmOld Mill Inn · restaurant · 150 m off route
  10. 43.8 kmScotmid · supermarket · 90 m off route
  11. 44 kmCafé Nairn · café · 110 m off route
  12. 44.1 kmBoots · pharmacy · 270 m off route
  13. 72.3 kmWellside Cafe · café · 110 m off route
  14. 78 kmTesco Extra · supermarket · 130 m off route
  15. 78 kmTesco Customer Toilets · toilets · 120 m off route
  16. 78.6 kmKingswell Service Station · petrol station · 30 m off route
  17. 80.3 kmTop Up Tap · drinking water · 30 m off route
  18. 80.3 kmFalcon Square E-Bike Hire · bike rental · 100 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 0 km — Elgin (station), 910 m off route
  • 24.5 km — Forres (station), 260 m off route
  • 44.5 km — Nairn (station), 520 m off route
  • 80.3 km — Inverness (station), 220 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 0.9 km — Elgin Castle (castle)
  • 19.7 km — Kinloss Abbey (ruins)
  • 24.1 km — Benromach Distillery (attraction)
  • 33 km — Rodney's Stone (attraction)
  • 64.4 km — Cantraydoune Motte (archaeological site)
  • 69.6 km — Cumberland Stone (monument)

Stay after this ride

  • City Hostel · hostel · 40 m from the finish
  • The Waverly Guest House · hotel · 110 m from the finish
  • Mercure Inverness · hotel · 120 m from the finish
  • Kinloch Lodge · guest house · 170 m from the finish
  • Market Brae Guest House · guest house · 170 m from the finish

Start and access

Starts at Elgin. Mapped within a short walk of the start and finish, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start

Bikes and repair
Highland Bikes (240 m)
Food and coffee
MNMs Cafe (60 m), Ashers Bakery (190 m), Walkers Shortbread (200 m)
Shops
Aldi (220 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee
Birch Cafe (30 m), Caffè Nero (120 m), The Caledonian (20 m)

Know before you go

  • 25.5 km without café, shop or water from km 44.1 to 69.6
  • 1.6 km on main roads without cycle lane
  • 35.9 km on roads with 80 km/h or more speed limit

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

2 photographs from the road

Photo: Lucas Kendall · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Charles from Port Chester, New York · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Craig Wallace · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Stage of

About this route

Route line
Traced from the waymarked route’s relation in OpenStreetMap.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months
Ten years of ERA5 weather for Elgin (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
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Page last updated

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