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Coast and Castles (North)
A cycling holiday from Edinburgh to Aberdeen along scenic coastal cycleways.
3 to 5 nights
170 miles
Moderate to Demanding
From £410 per person
Coast and Castles (North)
Ride along Scotland’s coast on a self-guided cycling holiday from Edinburgh to Aberdeen. We provide accommodation, luggage transfers, maps and guidebooks.
Coast and Castles (North)
https://contourscycle.co.uk/coast-and-castles-north
A cycling holiday from Edinburgh to Aberdeen along scenic coastal cycleways.
From £410 per person
The northern section of the Coast and Castles route picks up where Coast and Castles South left off: in Edinburgh, where the volcanic bulk of Arthur's Seat in Holyrood Park looms above a varied and gabled skyline. It heads into Fife, commonly described as "fringed with gold" with its sandy beaches and prosperous fishing villages, and samples rocky headlands, historic castles and dense forests along quiet roads as it crosses Angus on the way to Aberdeen, the Granite City.
There's nothing better than riding through the sea breeze on long, smooth roads like this, overlooking sandy bays cradled by the cliffs. The Coast and Castles is a gentle route, and your front wheel will lead the way alongside lochs and through the shadows of historic castles.
From its wilding landscape and battle-scarred past to its varied birdlife and fish cuisine, the Coast and Castles is a fantastic Scottish ride for anyone looking for a gentler route with plenty to see along the way.
You'll explore on surfaced roads primarily, with loads of traffic-free cycle paths to make Edinburgh a breeze, and one well-maintained forest track through Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve. The ride along the coast is largely dedicated cycle path, too.
Find the southern half of this Scottish cycling holiday here.
Swooping and climbing through beautiful Edinburgh, tucked away safely from the traffic.
Ascending to the route's highest point in Blairadam Forest for a great, undulating descent through classic countryside.
Riding through Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve on hard-packed forest paths, never far from the shore and its sandy dunes.
| Code | Tour | Duration | Price per person | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-CCN1 | From Edinburgh to Aberdeen | 3 days riding | £410 | |
| C-CCN2 | From Edinburgh to Aberdeen | 4 days riding | £520 | |
| C-CCN3 | From Edinburgh to Aberdeen | 5 days riding | £625 |
Travel to Edinburgh where your first night's accommodation has been booked
Edinburgh to St Andrews. 64.5 miles (103km)
St Andrews to Montrose. 52 miles (83km)
Montrose to Aberdeen. 54 miles (86km)Depart from Aberdeen after completing the tour, or add an extra night in Aberdeen during the booking process for an extra charge
The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to travel more than 2.5 miles from the trail to your accommodation.
Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:
You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:
You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:
The route undulates at its start in Edinburgh and begins a steady climb shortly after departing Queensferry to a peak in Blairadam Forest. It would be a long, steady descent from here if not for the interruption of a few lesser climbs, the sharpest of which occurs shortly after departing Falkland.
Once past St Andrews, the ride levels out; three hills pose pleasant challenges on the way to Montrose. The route regains its undulation on the way to St Cyrus, diving sharply into Johnshaven and climbing abruptly before Inverbervie, and retains this hilly nature all the way to the final slow slope and level section into Aberdeen.
Predominately traffic-free on its way through Edinburgh to Inverkeithing, the route follows back roads through Fife all the way to Falkland. From here, minor roads press on to and through St Andrews. Well-maintained forest track leads through Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve.
A section of road-riding gives way to traffic-free cyclepaths into and through Dundee, all the way out to Arbroath and reoccurring when the route reaches Montrose. A section of smooth main road provides staggering views between St Cyrus and Inverbervie, interspersed with minor roads through to Stonehaven until they take over altogether, with a few further traffic-free sections between Portlethen and Aberdeen.
To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:
