UK Galloway gravel trails: the best to try around the country

 “Clatteringshaws to Glentrool and back is world-class gravel,” says Esther Tacke of West Scotland’s outdoor experts Galloway Cycling. “Done as a 56km there-and-back it offers plenty of different character, including a ‘lump of a climb’, or fantastic single track if you use the Southern Upland path on the south side of Loch Trool.”

The biggest draw has to be Esther’s promise that Galloway is a much-underexplored area of Scotland, meaning it’s all there for you to discover. “The route winds through an International Dark Sky Park and there’s a forest there that you could lose Manchester in. It’s also the first bit of Scotland you come to after crossing the border, saving you time and miles searching for anything better further north.”

What’s more, the route boasts the gravel biker’s essential – a good cafe – at both ends, as well as the House O’Hill pub at Glentrool. Despite not being in the Highlands, you’ll ride alongside two lochs and Merrick, the largest mountain in southern Scotland.

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