Road · United Kingdom
Stage 3 of 3 · Capital Trail← Stage 2
Peebles to Musselburgh
A hilly 82 km gravel route from Peebles, Scottish Borders to Musselburgh through Romanno Bridge, Carlops and Currie, with 957 m of climbing. Mixed surface: 56% is mapped as paved and 42% as gravel or unpaved and 2% has no surface data.
At a glance
- Best for
- Hilly days out for fit, experienced riders
- Distance
- 81.6 km
- Elevation gain
- 957 m
- Riding time
- 6 h 48 min
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Bike
- Gravel bike
- Surface
- Mixed, much unpaved
- Traffic
- Mostly minor roads
- Food & water
- Longest gap 19 km
- Best months
- Jun to Aug
- Navigation
- GPX download
- Start → finish
- Peebles → Musselburgh
Map and elevation profile
Elevation profile
- 957 m
- 82 km
Route description
- Peebles
- Romanno Bridge
- Carlops
- Currie
- Hermiston
- Cramond
- Edinburgh
- Lochend
- Joppa
- Musselburgh
Starting at Peebles, the route heads through Romanno Bridge, West Linton, Carlops and Nine Mile Burn before reaching Kirkton. It climbs notably between km 1.1 and 3, km 5.9 to 8.6 and km 27.2 to 30. The highest point is at 481 m near km 30. The opening section of the route has a longest stretch of 18.6 km with no café, shop or water from km 1.6 to 20.2.
Surface is 56% paved and 42% gravel or unpaved, with 30% of the route on paths and 17% on tracks. Main roads and roads with cycle lanes account for just 7% combined, with 3.7 km on main roads without cycle lanes and 3.1 km on roads with 80 km/h or more speed limits. From Kirkton, the route continues through Currie, Juniper Green, Cammo, Cramond and Edinburgh suburbs to Musselburgh. Cafés and shops are more frequent in the latter part including The Old Bakehouse at 20.4 km and Company Bakery near the finish.
Why ride this route?
- The longest of the 7 rides from Peebles.
- Tops out at 481 m, 30 km in.
- A 9.1 km descent dropping 279 m.
Highlights
- Highest point at 481 m near km 30
- Climbs averaging 5.2% to 7% gradients
- Passes near Cap Law 497 m and West Kip 551 m
- Longest descent 9.1 km dropping 279 m from km 43.7
Along the route
Places passed
Climbs
| Climb | Starts at | On this ride | Top on this ride |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed climb | 1.1 km | 1.9 km · 131 m · 7 % · max 12 % | 303 m |
| Unnamed climb | 5.9 km | 2.7 km · 141 m · 5.2 % · max 14 % | 401 m |
| Unnamed climb | 11.2 km | 1.6 km · 66 m · 4.2 % · max 7.5 % | 347 m |
| Unnamed climb | 15.6 km | 1.8 km · 61 m · 3.4 % · max 11.1 % | 281 m |
| Unnamed climb | 19.8 km | 2.4 km · 75 m · 3.1 % · max 6.1 % | 306 m |
| Unnamed climb | 27.2 km | 2.8 km · 184 m · 6.7 % · max 12.1 % | 481 m |
| Unnamed climb | 39.5 km | 2 km · 110 m · 5.6 % · max 7.7 % | 338 m |
Traffic, surface and gradient
Mostly minor roads and streets on the map; 3.7 km is on main roads without a cycle lane.
- Roads
- 30% path · 17% track · 17% quiet street · 13% cycle path · 23% other roads and tracks
- Main roads
- 3.7 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
- Fast roads
- 3.1 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
- Cycle paths
- 12.3 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
- Surface
- Mixed surface: 56% is mapped as paved and 42% as gravel or unpaved and 2% has no surface data.
- Gradient
- 22% climbing · 30% descending · 48% flat
- Steep sections
- 6 km over 5% · 2.5 km over 8% · 1.8 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 12.7% at 8.1 km
- Longest descent
- 9.1 km from 43.7 km, dropping 279 m
Food, water and services
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 19 km, from km 2 to 20. Along the route: 298 cafés and restaurants, 57 shops, 13 water points, 6 petrol stations, 22 public toilets and 14 bike shops.
Food, water and shops in ride order
- 0 kmThe Fat Batard · bakery · 120 m off route
- 0 kmBspoke Cycles · bike shop · 270 m off route
- 0.7 kmRosetta Road Store · convenience store · on the route
- 20.2 kmToilets · 40 m off route
- 20.4 kmThe Old Bakehouse · restaurant · on the route
- 37.2 kmLoganlea Fishery · café · on the route
- 46.4 kmSainsbury's · petrol station · 180 m off route
- 48.2 kmBike Bothy · bike shop · 290 m off route
- 56 kmMiller & Carter · restaurant · 130 m off route
- 61.9 kmThe Pitt · market · 50 m off route
- 64.3 kmBike rental · 70 m off route
- 66.7 kmToilets · 100 m off route
- 67.9 kmTop Up Tap · drinking water · 240 m off route
- 69.8 kmLidl · supermarket · 120 m off route
- 71.7 kmB G Cycles · bike shop · 220 m off route
- 72.2 kmTop Up Tap · drinking water · 60 m off route
- 75.1 kmBP · petrol station · 50 m off route
- 76.9 kmAce Bike Co · bike shop · 310 m off route
Need to bail out?
- 52.5 km — Edinburgh Gateway (station), 440 m off route
- 66.8 km — Cruise Liner Terminal (ferry), 610 m off route
- 73.3 km — Brunstane (station), 840 m off route
Worth a stop
- 21.7 km — Stonypath Temporary Camp (archaeological site)
- 30 km — Cap Law (peak, 497 m)
- 34 km — Bavelaw Castle (castle)
- 37.2 km — Howletts House (ruins)
- 58.2 km — Cramond Tower (castle)
- 65.9 km — Bonnington Mill Waterwheel (remains) (archaeological site)
Stay after this ride
- Musselburgh High Street Apartments · apartment · 1.0 km from the finish
- Arden House · guest house · 1.6 km from the finish
- Craigesk · guest house · 1.9 km from the finish
Start and access
At the start
- Water
- Top Up Tap (60 m)
- Food and coffee
- The Fat Batard (120 m), The Bridge Inn (180 m), Costa (200 m)
At the finish
- Food and coffee
- Company Bakery (200 m), Eskview Fry (140 m), Happy House (150 m)
- Shops
- Tesco Extra (360 m)
Know before you go
- Longest stretch with no café, shop or water: 18.6 km from km 1.6 to 20.2
- 3.7 km on main roads without cycle lane
- 3.1 km on 80 km/h+ roads
- 42% gravel or unpaved surface
