Long Route
149km | 2800m
Medium Route
74km | 1450m
Short Route
43km | 950m
Ride Overview
PART OF THE WILD WESTIE GRAVEL WEEKEND. After this epic ride, take on the glorious gravel of Aberfoyle on Sunday on the Aberfoyle Gravel Epic.
A truly unique point to point traversing the Loch Lomond and Trossacks National park on a 149km gravel adventure. The ride starts in Dunoon and takes in 96km of gravel round the Lochs with amazing mountain views. Then we jump on a ferry across Loch Lomond before a final 50km on rolling gravel to Aberfoyle.
Connecting the up and coming gravel hub of Dunoon to the established gravel destination of Aberfoyle this new and exciting journey will tackle everything that is Scottish from great forested glens to tucked away lochside gravel tracks.
Camping available and transfers on Friday night or Saturday morning from Aberfoyle to Dunoon.
Highlights
- Ride between two Scottish gravel bucket-list destinations and experience the best of the Loch Lomond and Trossocks National Park
- Make the most of the Monday transfer package taking away the headache of organising a point to point
- Combine with the other rides as part of the Wild Westie bank holiday gravel weekend.
Included in Entry
Fully Signed Route
Our team work tirelessly to create the best gravel routes in the UK. All courses are fully signed so you can just enjoy the ride.
Checkpoints with Proper Food
An epic ride deserves proper support. We have tea, coffee and cake at the first feed and sandwiches & crisps at the main feed. Checkpoints are approx every 40 - 45km
Accurate GPX Files
A few days before the ride, we will send GPX files for all of the route options so you can follow the course on your GPS as well as the signs.
Mechanics Available
At the rider village & at selected feed stops we have mechanics available to help with any bike issues. We also have spare inner tubes, CO2 & more .
Rider Support Vans
We are here to make sure you have a great day on the gravel. If you have any major mechanicals or need collecting, support vehicles are a phone call away.
Beer at Finish Line
You will be greeted at the finish line with a beer & food available from our food truck. Perfect to chat about your day with fellow riders.
Event Program
23rd May: GPX files and pre ride briefing video sent by email to each rider.
25th May – 7am: Ride village in Dunoon opens. Collecting your ride number takes approx 10 mins.
25th May – 7.30am to 8am: Ride start. We will give you a short ride briefing and set you off in small groups.
25th May – 8pm: Rider village in Aberfoyle closes
25th May – 8pm: Link to ride times & rider photos sent to each participant by email.
Long Route
One route. Point to Point. 149km.
This supported gravel challenge is the best way to see the all that is special about the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.
Climbing in stunning forest gravel from the start, the biggest climbs and the bulk of the elevation gain are in the first half of this ride.
After a punchy departure from Dunoon the 2 main climbs of the route are the Curra Lochain Climb with 5km at 6% followed shortly by the aptly named Rest and be Thankful climb 5km at 5% both of these have delightful off road views to keep the pedals turning.
From now on each pedalstroke takes you closer to Aberfoyle and the final 5km gravel descent to finish and savour the experience on this epic day out.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 70%
Distance:
149km
Elevation:
2800m
Difficulty:
5/5
Medium Route
The medium route mirrors the long route for much of the ride before peeling off at 71km and taking a easier route home via Loch Ard
Percentage of Route Off Road: 85%
Distance:
74km
Elevation:
1450m
Difficulty:
3.5/5
Short Route
The short route follows the same challenging first 40km as the medium and long routes by starting with a tough 3km climb at 8% but then taking in some flatter Lochside gravel before finishing with a punchy climb then 5km gravel descent to Aberfoyle.
Percentage of Route Off Road: 80%
Distance:
43km
Elevation:
950m
Difficulty:
3/5
Bike Selection & Packing List
Bike Choice: The route is largely off road on good quality gravel so we recommend a gravel bike though a mountain bike will be fine. E-bikes are allowed on all of our rides.
Tyre Choice: We will send an update on conditions closer to the ride. The gravel on the route is mostly smooth so a 38-46mm all rounder gravel tyre will be ideal.
Packing List: Bring equipment to be self sufficient on the route as we go into remote areas without phone signal (inner tubes, sealant, multi-tool, pump or CO2 etc). We recommend a bell to warn walkers / runners of your presence.
Clothing: The end of May in Scotland cant guarentee anything weather wise, we reccomend both suncream and a raincape! Even though out of season we reccomend midge spray if
FAQs
The ride starts in Dunoon and finishes in the centre of Aberfoyle. There is free parking at the start (for the weekend) as well as toilets & refreshments. We will send the ride village address by email. There are options for transfers on Friday night or Saturday morning from Aberfoyle to Dunoon.
Yes, e-bikes are allowed on all Glorious Gravel ride. These must comply with UK law.
We have first aiders & mechanics at the feed stops. There will be a phone number on the back of your ride number – call this if you need collecting.
Yes, we start between 8am and 9.30am and set people off in small groups so the off road sections are not too busy. Please come to the start line with anyone you want to ride with, we will give a short ride briefing and set you off.