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EuroVelo 12 (Scotland section)

102 km road cycling route641 m climbing7 h 18 minGPX

Paxton, Scottish Borders, United Kingdom · Road

A rolling 102 km road cycling route from Low Cocklaw, Scottish Borders through Edrington Mains, Biglawburn and Press Castle, with 641 m of climbing.

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

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At a glance

Best for
Rolling day rides for fit, experienced riders
Distance
102.3 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
641 m
6 m per km
Riding time
7 h 18 min
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike with sturdy tyres, or gravel bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Mostly paved
91% paved · 8% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic
Some main roads
22.5 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 26.4 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 28.5 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Longest gap 19 km
690 cafés and restaurants · 100 shops · 8 water points · 7 petrol stations · 28 public toilets · 18 bike shops
Best months
Jun to Sep
Paxton climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Low Cocklaw

Map and elevation profile

愛丁堡, 蘇格蘭, 英倫, 大不列顛及北愛爾蘭聯合王國, 聯合王國, 不列顛, 英國, Edinburgh, Dùn Èideann, Scotland, Alba, UK, United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Photo: bryan... · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Elevation profile

Total ascent
641 m
Distance
102 km
050100150200250m0 km255075102 km213 m · highest, at 28.7 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Low Cocklaw
  2. Edrington Mainskm 1
  3. Biglawburnkm 12
  4. Press Castlekm 22
  5. Cockburnspathkm 34
  6. Belhavenkm 49
  7. Cockenzie and Port Setonkm 80
  8. Stoneybankkm 90
  9. Dumbiedykeskm 98

Starting at Low Cocklaw, the route climbs steadily for 4.8 km with an elevation gain of 140 m, reaching nearby peaks such as Witches Knowe (198 m) and Lamberton Hill (217 m) within the first 6 km. After passing through numerous small settlements including Ayton, Eyemouth, and Pease Bay, the route features a couple more modest climbs around 13 to 15 km and 22 to 23.7 km, with gains of 59 m and 42 m respectively. The highest point of 228 m is near 27.9 km, close to peaks like Meikle Black Law (245 m) and Greenside Hill (235 m).

Highlights

  • Starting climb near Witches Knowe (198 m)
  • Highest point at 228 m near Meikle Black Law
  • Longest descent of 4.4 km after 28.6 km
  • Passes through Edinburgh's New Town and Old Town

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Clappers 2.3 km
  2. Mordington Holdings 3.3 km
  3. Campfield 5.4 km
  4. Ayton Cocklaw 8.2 km
  5. Ayton 9.3 km
  6. Ayton Mains 10.9 km
  7. Biglawburn 12.2 km
  8. Netherbyres 12.6 km
  9. Eyemouth 13.4 km
  10. Highlaws Farm 14.9 km
  11. Alemill 16.7 km
  12. Whitfield 18.5 km
  13. Blackhill 19.7 km
  14. Cairncross 19.7 km
  15. Press Castle 22.3 km
  16. North Grange 23 km
  17. Old Cambus East Mains 29.8 km
  18. Old Cambus 30.4 km
  19. Old Cambus Townhead 31 km
  20. Old Cambus West Mains 31.1 km
  21. Pease Bay 32.6 km
  22. Cove Farm 34.1 km
  23. Cockburnspath 34.3 km
  24. Cove 34.7 km
  25. Castle Dykes 35.3 km
  26. Bilsdean 36.5 km
  27. Thorntonloch 38.7 km
  28. Skateraw 40.3 km
  29. Broxburn 45.2 km
  30. Dunbar 47.5 km
  31. Belhaven 49.2 km
  32. West Barns 50.2 km
  33. East Linton 56.7 km
  34. Nungate 65.3 km
  35. Haddington 66.1 km
  36. Longniddry 74.4 km
  37. Longniddry Village 74.4 km
  38. Port Seton 79.4 km
  39. Cockenzie and Port Seton 79.8 km
  40. Cockenzie 80.2 km
  41. Prestonpans 82 km
  42. Preston 82.1 km
  43. Cuthill 82.6 km
  44. Levenhall 84.6 km
  45. Musselburgh 87.9 km
  46. Fisherrow 88.5 km
  47. Stoneybank 89.7 km
  48. Monktonhall 89.7 km
  49. Newcraighall 91.6 km
  50. Brunstane 92.7 km
  51. Niddrie 94 km
  52. Bingham 94.2 km
  53. Craigmillar 94.9 km
  54. Prestonfield 96.5 km
  55. Dumbiedykes 98 km
  56. Southside 98.2 km
  57. Sciennes 98.4 km
  58. The Grange 98.4 km
  59. Tollcross 99 km
  60. Old Town 99.6 km
  61. Canongate 99.6 km
  62. Edinburgh 99.7 km
  63. New Town 99.8 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 climb0 km4.8 km · 140 m · 2.9 % · max 5.5 %186 m
Unnamed climb13.1 km2.5 km · 59 m · 2.4 % · max 3.5 %72 m
Unnamed climb22.1 km1.7 km · 42 m · 2.5 % · max 3.2 %178 m

High point 228 m at 27.9 km; low point 2 m. Passes beneath Witches Knowe, Lamberton Hill, Ayton Hill.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Expect stretches on main roads without a cycle lane (22.5 km in all) between quieter sections.

Roads
36% minor road · 27% cycle path · 22% main road · 7% quiet street · 9% other roads and tracks
Main roads
22.5 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
26.4 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths
28.5 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
A1107 (8 km), B1348 (5 km), B6355 (4 km)
Surface
Predominantly paved: 91% is mapped as paved, 8% as unpaved or gravel.
Gradient
14% climbing · 14% descending · 72% flat
Longest descent
4.4 km from 28.6 km, dropping 181 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 19 km, from km 14 to 33. Along the route: 690 cafés and restaurants, 100 shops, 8 water points, 7 petrol stations, 28 public toilets and 18 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 13.4 kmLough's Home Bakery · bakery · 110 m off route
  2. 13.6 kmTop Up Tap · drinking water · 70 m off route
  3. 32.7 kmCafé · 60 m off route
  4. 47.4 kmThe Co-operative Food · supermarket · 130 m off route
  5. 47.7 kmToilets · on the route
  6. 48.3 kmRigg Service Station · petrol station · 250 m off route
  7. 65.9 kmMarket Street Pharmacy · pharmacy · 70 m off route
  8. 66.1 kmTesco · supermarket · 90 m off route
  9. 68.5 kmShell · petrol station · 150 m off route
  10. 76.1 kmThe Picnic Box · kiosk · 40 m off route
  11. 78.7 kmDrinking water · 80 m off route
  12. 82 kmToilets · 40 m off route
  13. 82.1 kmWell Pharmacy · pharmacy · on the route
  14. 87.9 kmAce Bike Co · bike shop · 260 m off route
  15. 88.3 kmCompany Bakery · bakery · 120 m off route
  16. 96.6 kmSpring · 100 m off route
  17. 98.8 kmUplands Roast Coffee · café · on the route
  18. 99.1 kmMackenzie & Co. Chemists · pharmacy · on the route

Need to bail out?

  • 47 km — Dunbar (station), 210 m off route
  • 56.8 km — East Linton (station), 640 m off route
  • 74.4 km — Longniddry (station), 50 m off route
  • 82 km — Prestonpans (station), 930 m off route
  • 91.3 km — Newcraighall (station), 30 m off route
  • 99.7 km — Edinburgh Waverley (station), 260 m off route

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

Worth a stop

  • 22.5 km — Press Castle (castle)
  • 47.2 km — Abbey Church (deconsecrated) (ruins)
  • 54.3 km — Kirklandhill (archaeological site)
  • 65.9 km — Mercat Cross (monument)
  • 83.6 km — Kiln (ruins)
  • 99.2 km — Greyfriars Bobby (attraction)

Stay after this ride

  • Radisson Collection Royal Mile Edinburgh · hotel · 170 m from the finish
  • Gladstone’s Land Apartments · apartment · 90 m from the finish
  • Fraser Suites Edinburgh · hotel · 180 m from the finish
  • Virgin Hotels Edinburgh · hotel · 220 m from the finish
  • Royal Mile Apartments · hotel · 200 m from the finish

Start and access

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

At the finish

Food and coffee
Cafe on the Mound (50 m), Zebra Coffee Co. (110 m), Wash Bar (60 m)

Know before you go

  • 18.5 km without café, shop or water from km 14.2 to 32.7
  • 22.5 km on main roads without cycle lanes
  • 26.4 km on roads with 80 km/h or more speed limit
  • 0.8 km on gravel or unpaved surfaces

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

2 photographs from the road

Photo: bryan... · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Barbara Carr · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo: Peter Wood · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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 Paxton (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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