An 1,328 km (825 mile) route that links the Pennine Bridleway with the northern tips of mainland Scotland, heading through some of Britain’s most stunning upland areas and four National Parks.
Best tackled over around 16 days and on a MTB as there are some technical sections which would be too hard on a gravel, adventure or touring bike. You will also be heading to very remote areas, particularly in the Highlands so make sure that you are familiar with emergency procedures, have suitable equipment and experience.
There are usually a few options for overnight stays in rural towns and villages, from hotels to hostels, guest houses and camping grounds and in Scotland you can wild camp legally thanks to the Right To Roam act (see more at scotways.com/faq/law-on-statutory-access-rights), and you might find that it’s best to do this in a few places where it gets more remote in the Highlands. Make sure you do book ahead, especially in peak season during the summer months.
The Great North trail is easily accessible from the South from nearby train station in Wirksworth, and there are many stations along the route which make dividing the entire length into smaller chunks relatively easy too. When it comes to the other end, travel options are less easy so you’ll probably need to factor in some extra time in your trip. From Cape Wrath, the nearest train stations are Lairg and Thurso. Lairg is a 60 mile (96km) ride South back near the Oykel Bridge Hotel, and Thurso is on the North coast near John O’Groats, a 73 mile (117km) ride away. If you wish to fly, the nearest international airports are Inverness (North) and Manchester or Birmingham (South).
For more information, visit cyclinguk.org/route/great-north-trail-full-route-cape-wrath
Visit here for the latest trail updates: facebook.com/groups/greatnorthtrail
Route type: Long Distance Point 2 Point