Where to Start Your Cycling Tour of Scotland

Scotland is one of the finest cycling destinations in the world. The roads are quiet, the scenery is dramatic, and the distances between places are manageable for most touring cyclists. But with so much ground to cover and so many options, the hardest part is often deciding where to begin.

If you had nothing but a map and a bike, where would you actually start? This guide gives you practical answers. Whether you plan to tackle a long-distance route, link up villages by minor roads, or cross the country coast to coast, here is how to think it through.

Why Scotland Works So Well for Cyclists

Scotland’s road network has something most cyclists dream about: a large number of quiet single-track roads. These B-roads and unclassified roads run through glens, along lochs and over moorland. Traffic is light outside tourist hotspots and city commuter belts.

The landscape changes quickly. You can cycle through flat agricultural land in Angus one day, then climb through mountain passes in Perthshire the next. Ferries connect the mainland to islands including Skye, Arran, Mull and Islay, so it is possible to build in island stages without losing momentum.

Scotland also has a strong cycling infrastructure. The Sustrans National Cycle Network covers over 1,500 miles of dedicated routes across the country. Way-finding is good on signed routes, and many towns have bike shops and accommodation well used to touring cyclists.

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Reading the Map Before You Ride

Before choosing a route, look at three things on the map: elevation, road classification and distance between services.

Elevation: Scotland’s mountains cluster in the central and northern Highlands. The A9 corridor and Great Glen offer comparatively gentle climbs if you follow valley floors. The Cairngorms, Loch Lomond and Trossachs, and Torridon are significantly more demanding. If you are touring with loaded panniers for the first time, start with flatter terrain in the east or south.

Road classification: A-roads carry heavier traffic. B-roads and unclassified roads — often shown as thin yellow or white lines on Ordnance Survey maps — are usually quieter and far more pleasant to cycle. Planning a route that leans on these roads takes longer but is considerably more enjoyable.

Services: Check the distance between towns and villages where you can resupply. In the central belt and southern uplands, you rarely travel more than 10–15 miles without a village shop. In the far north and northwest Highlands, you can cover 30 miles or more with nothing in between. Plan your food and water accordingly.

Where to Start — Three Sensible Entry Points

1. The Central Belt: Glasgow or Edinburgh

For most visiting cyclists, starting in a city makes practical sense. You arrive by train with your bike, find a bike shop if needed, and head out on a marked route the same day.

From Glasgow, the Sustrans Route 7 takes you north through Loch Lomond and into the Highlands. From Edinburgh, Route 1 heads north along the Forth estuary or south into the Borders. Both cities are well connected by rail, so you can plan a linear route and return by train at the end without backtracking.

2. Inverness

If you want to focus on the Highlands, Inverness is a better starting point than you might expect. It sits at the northern end of the Great Glen and is on the main rail line from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Overnight Caledonian Sleeper services run from London, so you can board with your bike in the evening and wake up ready to ride.

From Inverness you can head west along Loch Ness towards Fort William, east into the Cairngorms, or north towards the coast. If you are riding the North Coast 500 — the 516-mile route around the northern Highlands — Inverness is the official start and finish point.

3. Fort William

Fort William sits at the foot of Ben Nevis and the western end of the Great Glen. It is the southern starting point of the Great Glen Way, a long-distance route that follows the Caledonian Canal and a string of lochs northward to Inverness. The town has multiple bike hire options and is well set up for touring cyclists. Starting here and heading north gives you the best combination of scenery, manageable climbs and regular services.

The Great Glen Way — Best for First-Time Tourers

The Great Glen Way runs 79 miles from Fort William to Inverness, following the line of the Great Glen geological fault. Most of the route is on forest tracks, canal towpaths and minor roads, with only short stretches on busier roads.

The route is well signed and breaks naturally into five stages of 15–18 miles each. There is accommodation at the end of each stage, which removes the need to carry a tent if you prefer not to. You pass Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness, crossing the country from southwest to northeast.

This is the right starting point if you have never done a multi-day tour before. The gradient is mostly gentle, navigation is straightforward, and the scenery rewards the effort without requiring a high level of fitness or specialist equipment.

The North Coast 500 — Best for Experienced Cyclists

The North Coast 500 is Scotland’s most famous road route and one of the most scenic drives — and rides — in Europe. It runs roughly 516 miles around the northern coast of Scotland, starting and finishing in Inverness.

For cyclists, it is a demanding but achievable challenge over two to three weeks. The roads are narrow and well surfaced. The scenery changes constantly: from black peat bog to white sand beaches, from sandstone mountains to sheer sea cliffs. Services are sparse in the far northwest, so you need to carry more food and water than you would on a lowland route.

The route is not sign-posted specifically for cyclists, but it is clear on a map. The main loop follows the A835 to Ullapool, north on the A894 to Durness, east along the A836 to Thurso, then south to Inverness via the A9. Minor roads can be substituted for many of the A-road sections, particularly between Thurso and Inverness.

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The National Cycle Network — Best for Route Flexibility

Sustrans operates the National Cycle Network across Scotland. Routes are numbered and signed, covering most parts of the country. The key long-distance routes for touring cyclists are:

• Route 7: Glasgow to Inverness via Loch Lomond, Callander and the A9 corridor. Around 220 miles in total.
• Route 1: Edinburgh to John o’Groats via the east coast and Aberdeen. Around 380 miles and mostly on quiet roads.
• Route 78 (The Caledonian Way): Campbeltown to Inverness, 234 miles on quiet roads and tracks, following the western edge of the Highlands.

All three are available as GPX files from the Sustrans website, ready to load onto a GPS device or phone. They work well when combined, letting you build custom loop or linear tours across the country.

Practical Tips Before You Set Off

• Maps: The Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger series covers the whole country in detail. Download the OS Maps app as a backup for when you lose phone signal.
• Wind direction: Scotland’s prevailing wind is from the southwest. If you are riding the NC500 clockwise — north up the west coast first — you ride with the wind on the most exposed section. Many cyclists prefer this direction for that reason.
• Ferries: CalMac ferries serve over 50 island destinations. Check timetables in advance, as some routes require booking, especially in summer.
• Midges: The midge season runs from late May to September and is worst in the west Highlands and Islands. Carry repellent and a head net.
• Wild camping: Scotland has a legal right to wild camp under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. You can pitch a tent on most unenclosed land as long as you leave no trace.
• Bike transport: ScotRail allows bikes on most services, but space is limited and advance booking is essential on busy routes. Check before you travel.

When to Go

April to October covers most practical cycling weather in Scotland. May and June are often the best months: daylight lasts until 10pm in the north, midges are less active in the first half of May, and roads are quieter before the school summer holidays begin in July.

September is also a strong option. Midges thin out, colours shift to brown and gold across the hills, and accommodation is easier to find. The light in September and October is particularly good for photography.

Winter cycling is possible in the lowlands and on the east coast, but short daylight hours and unpredictable weather limit practical touring north of Perth between November and March.

The First Decision Is the Easiest

If someone handed you a map of Scotland and asked you to pick a starting point for a cycling tour, the honest answer is: almost anywhere works. The country is set up for it in a way that few destinations are.

But if you want a clear recommendation: start at Fort William or Inverness, head north, and let the road decide the rest. The Great Glen gives you 79 miles to get your legs in and your mind settled before the bigger decisions come. The NC500 is there when you are ready for it.

The hardest part of any touring trip is always getting the first day done. After that, Scotland takes care of itself.

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