Road · United Kingdom
National Cycle Route 1
A flat 38 km road cycling route from Elgin, Moray through Findrassie, Stotfield and Duffus, with 80 m of climbing. Mixed surface: 81% is mapped as paved and 15% as gravel or unpaved and 4% has no surface data.
At a glance
- Best for
- Easy, flat rides
- Distance
- 37.9 km
- Elevation gain
- 80 m
- Riding time
- 2 h 42 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Bike
- Road bike with sturdy tyres, or gravel bike
- Surface
- Mixed surface
- Traffic
- Some main roads
- Food & water
- Regular
- Best months
- Jun to Sep
- Navigation
- GPX download
- Start → finish
- Elgin
Map and elevation profile
Elevation profile
- 80 m
- 38 km
Route description
- Elgin
- Findrassie
- Stotfield
- Duffus
- Hopeman
- Cummingston
- Burghead
- Kinloss
- Forbes Hill
This 37.9 km route starts in Elgin and passes through Newmill, Bishopmill, and Findrassie before reaching Stotfield at 8.1 km. It continues via Duffus, Hopeman, Cummingston, and Burghead, then Kinloss, Forbes Hill, and finishes at Forres. The route crosses a variety of road types: 13.8 km of cycle path (37%), 11 km on main roads (29%), 3.7 km quiet streets, 3.7 km paths, 2.5 km tracks, and 1.5 km minor roads. The longest stretches on named roads include 6.5 km on the B9089 and 3.6 km on the B9040. There is 11 km on main roads without cycle lanes, with 9.3 km on roads posted at 80 km/h or more. The surface is paved for 81% and gravel or unpaved for 15%. Climbing is minimal with 80 m ascent and a peak elevation of 30 m at 14 km, with the lowest point at 2 m around 3.9 km. The gradient is mostly flat (92%), with only 0.1 km over 5%.
Highlights
- Passing near Clarkly Hill (63 m) at 19.9 km
- Longest named road: B9089 for 6.5 km
- Route passes through Duffus and Burghead
- Elgin Cathedral near start
Along the route
Places passed
Traffic, surface and gradient
Expect stretches on main roads without a cycle lane (11 km in all) between quieter sections.
- Roads
- 37% cycle path · 29% main road · 10% quiet street · 10% path · 14% other roads and tracks
- Main roads
- 11 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
- Fast roads
- 9.3 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
- Cycle paths
- 14.1 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
- Main roads used
- B9089 (7 km), B9040 (4 km)
- Surface
- Mixed surface: 81% is mapped as paved and 15% as gravel or unpaved and 4% has no surface data.
- Gradient
- 3% climbing · 4% descending · 92% flat
Food, water and services
No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 47 cafés and restaurants, 14 shops, 1 water point, 2 petrol stations, 3 public toilets and 4 bike shops.
Food, water and shops in ride order
- 0 kmMNMs Cafe · café · 270 m off route
- 0 kmHighland Bikes · bike shop · 410 m off route
- 0.1 kmToilets · 60 m off route
- 1.5 kmBudgens · convenience store · 60 m off route
- 1.5 kmEsso · petrol station · 50 m off route
- 7.5 kmSpar · convenience store · 270 m off route
- 10.3 kmCovesea Cafe · café · 110 m off route
- 14.6 kmDuffus Inn · restaurant · 280 m off route
- 19.7 kmToilets · 60 m off route
- 21.4 kmScotmid · supermarket · 180 m off route
- 21.7 kmCable Cafe · café · 170 m off route
- 30.2 kmWoodside Farm Coffee Shop and Play Area · café · 200 m off route
- 31.9 kmRepair stand · on the route
- 32 kmSea Park Filling Station · petrol station · on the route
- 35.6 kmGrant Park Toilets · toilets · 180 m off route
- 35.9 kmTop Up Tap · drinking water · 200 m off route
- 36 kmForres community cafe · café · 150 m off route
- 36.3 kmRowlands Pharmacy · pharmacy · 200 m off route
Need to bail out?
- 0 km — Elgin (station), 890 m off route
- 37.1 km — Forres (station), 90 m off route
Worth a stop
- 0 km — Elgin Cathedral (attraction)
- 7.3 km — Mercat Cross (monument)
- 31.7 km — Kinloss Abbey (ruins)
- 35 km — Sueno's Stone (attraction)
Stay after this ride
- Victoria Hotel · hotel · 610 m from the finish
- April Rise · guest house · 740 m from the finish
- Knockomie Hotel · hotel · 2.1 km from the finish
- The Old Kirk B&B · guest house · 3.9 km from the finish
Start and access
At the start
- Food and coffee
- MNMs Cafe (270 m), Ashers Bakery (300 m), The Emperor (200 m)
At the finish
- Trains and ferries
- Forres (270 m)
- Food and coffee
- Forres community cafe (850 m), Mosset Tavern (610 m), Cafe 1496 (780 m)
- Shops
- Tesco (580 m)
Know before you go
- Longest stretch without café, shop, or water: 8.5 km from 21.7 to 30.2 km
- 11 km on main roads without cycle lane
- 9.3 km on roads with speed limit 80 km/h or more
- 15% gravel or unpaved surface
