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Brodick to Corrie via the String Road

60 km road cycling route562 m climbing2½–4 hoursGPX

Isle of Arran, North Ayrshire, United Kingdom · Road

A hilly 60 km road cycling route from Brodick, North Ayrshire to Corrie via the String Road through Cladach, Feorline and Machrie, with 562 m of climbing over Clachan.

Route contributed by Marcus · Created from a ride on Friday 18th August 2023

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At a glance

Best for
Short, climbing-heavy rides
Distance
59.5 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
562 m
9 m per km
Riding time
2½–4 hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Moderate
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
99% paved · 1% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic
Some main roads
29.5 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 40.7 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Longest gap 16 km
25 cafés and restaurants · 3 shops · 3 water points · 6 public toilets · 2 bike shops
Best months
Jun to Aug
Isle of Arran climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Brodick → Corrie via the String Road

Map and elevation profile

On the road: Brodick to Corrie via the String Road, Isle of Arran

Elevation profile

Total ascent
562 m
Distance
60 km
050100150200250m0 km204060 km228 m · highest, at 5.6 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Brodick
  2. Cladachkm 2
  3. Feorlinekm 18
  4. Machriekm 24
  5. Steppingkm 28
  6. Learigkm 35
  7. Auchamore or South Thundergaykm 38
  8. Lochranzakm 46
  9. Clachankm 47
  10. Corrie via the String Roadkm 60

This 59.5 km route on the Isle of Arran runs from Brodick to Corrie. It starts near Brodick Ferry Terminal and heads through places including Cladach and Ballymichael. The initial major climb begins around 1.5 km, rising 224 m over 3.9 km at an average gradient of 5.7%, reaching 229 m at 5.4 km near peaks Cnoc Dubh and An Tunna. The route is predominantly paved (99%) and uses a mixture of main roads (50%) and minor roads (46%), with 29.5 km on main roads all without cycle lanes. It also includes 40.7 km on roads with speed limits of 80 km/h or more.

Why ride this route?

  • Climbs Clachan (4.6 km at 4.3 %).

Highlights

  • Climb rising 224 m over 3.9 km averaging 5.7%
  • Peaks near route: Cnoc Dubh (425 m) and An Tunna (361 m)
  • Longest descent 3 km dropping 158 m from 51.8 km
  • Passes Lochranza at 45.9 km with castle nearby

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Cladach 2.1 km
  2. Ballymichael 13.2 km
  3. Pien 14.6 km
  4. Shedog 15 km
  5. Shiskine 15.3 km
  6. Feorline 17.5 km
  7. Kilpatrick 17.7 km
  8. Blackwaterfoot 18 km
  9. Torbeg 19.4 km
  10. Balnagore 23 km
  11. Machrie 23.9 km
  12. Cnocan Cuallaich 25.2 km
  13. Auchagallon 25.2 km
  14. Dunedin 25.3 km
  15. Druid 26.6 km
  16. Auchencar 27 km
  17. Stepping 27.6 km
  18. Dougarie 27.9 km
  19. Balliekine 30.9 km
  20. Imachar 31.9 km
  21. Whitefarland 33.7 km
  22. Learig 34.7 km
  23. Seafield 34.8 km
  24. Ashgrove 35 km
  25. Bayview 35.1 km
  26. Pirnmill 35.9 km
  27. Birchwood 36 km
  28. Auchamore or South Thundergay 37.5 km
  29. Mid Thundergay 38.5 km
  30. Lennimore or North Thundergay 39.1 km
  31. Fairhaven 42.4 km
  32. Catacol 43.2 km
  33. Lochranza 45.9 km
  34. Butt 46.8 km
  35. Millhill 47.1 km
  36. Sunnymead 47.2 km
  37. Narachan 47.7 km
  38. Sannox 57.1 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideFull ascentTop on this ride
Unnamed climb1.5 km3.9 km · 224 m · 5.7 % · max 10.7 %—229 m
Unnamed climb31 km1.4 km · 42 m · 3.1 % · max 5.2 %—48 m
Clachan47 km4.3 km · 193 m · 4.5 % · max 7.5 %4.6 km · 195 m · 4.3 %200 m

High point 229 m at 5.4 km; low point 2 m. Passes beneath Cnoc Dubh, An Tunna, Choc Leacainn Duibhe.

On this ride: the part this route climbs, cut from its own elevation profile. Full ascent: the whole named climb, measured the same way on every ride that uses it (its climb page).

Clachan · full ascent, starts at 47 km

4.6 km at 4.3% · 195 m
50100150200m4.4%6.7%1.9%0 km12344.7 km199 msteepest 6.7%
< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Expect stretches on main roads without a cycle lane (29.5 km in all) between quieter sections.

Roads
50% main road · 46% minor road · 2% quiet street · 1% path · 1% other roads and tracks
Main roads
29.5 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
40.7 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
A841 (15 km), B880 (15 km)
Surface
Paved: 99% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved.
Gradient
19% climbing · 21% descending · 60% flat
Steep sections
4.7 km over 5% · 0.6 km over 8% · 0.4 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 10.3% at 4.5 km
Longest descent
3 km from 51.8 km, dropping 158 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 16 km, from km 2 to 18. Along the route: 25 cafés and restaurants, 3 shops, 3 water points, 6 public toilets and 2 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0.2 kmCo-op Food · supermarket · 80 m off route
  2. 0.2 kmTop Up Tap · drinking water · 60 m off route
  3. 0.5 kmArran Bike Hire · bike rental · 50 m off route
  4. 1.9 kmToilets · on the route
  5. 2 kmCafé Rosaburn · café · 50 m off route
  6. 18 kmBlackwater Bakehouse · bakery · on the route
  7. 18 kmBlackwaterfoot Community Toilets · toilets · on the route
  8. 24.5 kmMachrie Tearoom · café · 60 m off route
  9. 35.7 kmThe Lighthouse · restaurant · 50 m off route
  10. 35.7 kmPirnmill Village Store & Post Office · convenience store · 40 m off route
  11. 35.7 kmWater tap · 30 m off route
  12. 45.3 kmLochranza Loos · toilets · 40 m off route
  13. 45.5 kmWater tap · 60 m off route
  14. 45.5 kmRepair stand · 50 m off route
  15. 47.5 kmIsle of Arran Distillery Visitor Centre · café · 30 m off route
  16. 56.5 kmThe Tearoom · café · on the route
  17. 56.8 kmToilets · 50 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 0 km — Brodick Ferry Terminal (ferry), 40 m off route
  • 45.5 km — Lochranza Ferry Terminal (ferry), on the route

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

Worth a stop

  • 1.9 km — Cheese Press (attraction)
  • 14.5 km — Clachan Church (ruins)
  • 46.3 km — Lochranza Castle (castle)
  • 55.9 km — An Cnap (peak, 53 m)

Stay after this ride

  • The Corrie Hotel · hotel · 20 m from the finish
  • Sannox Bay Hotel · hotel · 2.1 km from the finish

Start and access

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

At the start

Trains and ferries
Brodick Ferry Terminal (40 m)
Water
Top Up Tap (270 m)
Bikes and repair
Arran Bike Hire (480 m)
Food and coffee
Little Rock Cafe (420 m)
Shops
Co-op Food (290 m)

At the finish

Food and coffee
Mara Fish Bar & Deli (90 m)

Know before you go

  • Longest stretch without café, shop or water 16 km from km 2 to 18
  • 29.5 km on main roads without cycle lanes
  • 40.7 km on roads with 80 km/h+ speed limits
  • Steepest 500 m at 10.3% gradient around km 4.5

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

11 photographs from the road

About this route

Ridden by
Marcus
Date ridden
Route line
Built from a GPS recording of the ride.
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 Isle of Arran (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

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