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Routes
Bikepacking

Scotland tip to tip — the Faultline Trail

Routes
Bikepacking

Scotland tip to tip — the Faultline Trail

Mountain Biking Collection by

Scotland tip to tip — the Faultline Trail

15 days

3-9 h/day

1,175km

14,290m

14,210m

The Faultline Trail is the ultimate Scottish end-to-end challenge, from the most southerly tip at the Mull of Galloway to the most northerly at Dunnet Head, in anything but direct fashion.

This is a serious bikepacking challenge, covering over 730 miles (1,175 km) of Scotland’s most remote moorlands, spectacular loch networks, testing mountains and pine-fresh forests. Unconventional and indirect, do you have what it takes to cover the vast country by roads both rough and smooth?

A lovechild of Scotland-based cycling collective Albannach, which literally translates as ‘to belong to Scotland’, this route was formulated by Jim Cameron and tested together with Neil Henderson in May 2019.

The ‘Faultline Trail’ name was initially used to describe the fault that runs through Scotland between Campbeltown and Inverness, but as you’ll see they got a bit carried away with the cartophilia and ended up with an even longer route that spans the whole gaelic country from lighthouse to lighthouse!

The route is around 50:50 roads and off road, so the perfect bike for this kind of ride is likely to be a gravel bike with wide tyres, preferably 40mm plus. Of course, this will depend on personal preference and a rigid or hardtail mountain bike will also be fine. You’ll need to be able to carry equipment with you on your bike as several of the stages end in remote areas with no accommodation options other than wild camping.

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). If you’re choosing from the hotels, guesthouses and campsites along the route, make sure you do book ahead, especially in peak season during the summer months.

This is not a beginner’s trip; you will need to have bikepacking experience to tackle this challenge, not only due to its length and terrain difficulty, but also due to how remote the areas are that you’ll pass through. Regardless of experience level, make sure that you can carry the right equipment for the conditions as well as emergency kit (rations, first aid, extra layers and survival bags etc.) as well as be familiar with local emergency procedures.

The best time of year to tackle the Faultline Trail is undoubtedly late spring to early summer, once the ground has dried out a little, but before the onset of midge season. Alternatively the late summer months can also be good, including September and early October. It’s not recommended for the winter season due to boggy conditions under tyre, some potentially dangerous river crossings and severe weather.

Access to either end is a little more complex than some other bikepacking routes due to the extremities of the country that it spans. To get to the start at the Mull of Galloway, there are rail connections to Stranraer, which is a 21.7 mile (35 km) ride from the lighthouse at the start. Similarly at the other end, the nearest train station at Thurso is a 13.4 mile (21.5 km) ride from the finish at Dunnet Head. Check out more about these train journeys at scotrail.co.uk.

Check out more from the routemasters at albannach.cc/thefaultlinetrail

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The Faultline Trail

1,173km

14,880m

14,830m

Last updated: November 29, 2024

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Activities

1. Stage 1: Mull of Galloway to Loch Moan — The Faultline Trail

93.2km

07:16

900m

730m

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.

Expert

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Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.

Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Expert gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

Expert

Intermediate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

Intermediate

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Collection Stats

Activities

15

Distance

1,175 km

Duration

98:47 h

Elevation

14,290 m

14,210 m

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