A first of its kind bikepacking route has launched in the UK with 300 kilometres of seaside and forests

Cycling UK is responsible for some of the most spectacular off-road bike routes in the country. It created the 280km Royal Chilterns Way, the 370km Rebellion Way across Norfolk and the 200km Traws Eryri through North Wales. Now it’s launched its very first all-Scottish trail. 

The new circular route has been dubbed Gallovidian Gravel and traverses 330km across the south of Scotland. It offers practically every kind of landscape you could want – from lochs and dense woodland to rugged coastlines and charming towns. 

Riders begin and end in Dumfries, going through the Mabie Forest, along the coastline of Rockcliffe, into Dalbeattie Forest and by Balcary Bay. The loop also includes the pretty fishing port of Kirkcudbright, the lovely Loch Dee, the steep Mid Hill of Glenhead and the sprawling Galloway Forest Park (the largest forest park in Britain). 

The route has been designed to be ridden over a long weekend, though how long it actually takes could depend on weather conditions and levels of fitness. There’s plenty of accommodation you can book into along the whole route, or you can bring a tent to wild camp – it’s legal everywhere in Scotland. The route isn’t signposted, so cyclists should rely on Cycle UK’s free GPX or printed guidebook.  

Guy Kesteven, a ride guide and route planner at Cycle UK said: ‘Despite being the closest part of Scotland to England, the area remains largely overlooked and undiscovered. It’s somewhere you can experience the wild solitude of Scotland’s dark sky parks, whilst also taking in deep history, delightful towns, villages, remote farms and stunning scenery at every turn.

 ‘In short, it really has been the perfect biking area to build a route in. Similar to when we made Royal Chilterns Way, we’ve built in three distinct sections that are linked. That makes Gallovidian Gravel one of our most accessible routes yet for those without the time to tackle the full adventure in one go.

‘We guarantee even the shortest ride in Galloway will grab your heart and make you want to return as soon as possible though.’

Did you see that this Scottish mount is the best place in Britain for sunrise (and sunset)?

Plus: A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a 1776 print of the Declaration of Independence in England.