Gravel Cycling
Galloway Forest Gravel Circuit
Britain's largest forest and the UK's first Dark Sky Park on two wheels
Quick facts
- Distance
- 60 km (37 mi)
- Ascent
- 1,100 m
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Route type
- Loop
- Archetype
- Forest Circuit
- Region
- Galloway
- Start point
- Murray's Monument car park, near New Galloway
- Grid ref
- NX 464 792
- Parking
- DG7 3SB
- Midges
- High
- Dogs
- On lead only
Surface breakdown
- Forest track65%
- Tarmac single-track20%
- Double-track15%
About this route
The Galloway Forest Park covers 775 square kilometres — the largest forest in Britain — and its forestry road network offers a gravel playground far less visited than the Cairngorms or Borders. This 60km circuit from the Murray's Monument car park explores the remote interior: past the man-made bulk of Clatteringshaws Loch, south along the Raiders Road to Loch Doon (where Robert the Bruce's restored castle sits on an island), and back through the wilderness of Loch Dee and the Silver Flowe blanket bog.
Galloway's dark credentials are as impressive as its cycling. The park holds the UK's first Gold-tier IDA Dark Sky Park designation, and the forest circuit takes you through the heart of the darkest accessible land in southern Scotland. Do the night crossing between Clatteringshaws and Loch Dee and the Milky Way overhead is astonishing — bring a head torch and allow time to stop. The forest tracks are maintained for heavy machinery and handle a gravel bike cleanly even in wet conditions, though the Backhill of Bush section can be muddy after sustained rain.
Highlights
- Clatteringshaws Loch — 340ha reservoir with red kite and peregrine, the forest's centrepiece
- Robert the Bruce's Island Castle, Loch Doon — 14th-century castle relocated stone by stone to the loch shore
- Silver Flowe NNR — pristine blanket bog, sundews, and breeding golden plover
- Loch Dee — completely wild, no buildings visible, red deer on the shore at dawn
- Night sky — Gold Dark Sky Park; on a clear October night, the Milky Way is overhead for the full circuit
Key waypoints
- 1. Murray's Monument
- 2. Clatteringshaws Loch
- 3. Raiders Road
- 4. Loch Doon
- 5. Backhill of Bush
- 6. Loch Dee
- 7. Loch Trool approach
Cafés & pubs on route
- · Clatteringshaws Visitor Centre café
- · Bruce's Stone picnic area (no café — bring your own)
Named climbs
- Raiders Road forest drive approach (320m)
- Loch Doon head climb (380m)
- Backhill of Bush ascent (290m)
Notable descents
- Silver Flowe descent
- Loch Dee approach drop
- Southern half forestry descent
Route notes
The Raiders Road forest drive is a pay-to-drive toll road (cars only, cyclists free) — this section is excellent gravel alongside the Water of Ken. The Backhill of Bush section uses an unmaintained forestry track — rideable but loose in places. A Galloway Forest Park map (FLS, free from visitor centre) is useful as Komoot misses some junctions.
Seasonal conditions
Midges are severe June–August in the forest interior — the Raiders Road section is notorious. The route is best May and September. The Loch Dee interior holds snow late and can be wind-scoured in March–April. Autumn brings red deer rut — stags are aggressive near the track and should not be approached.
Key hazards
- Midge swarms at loch shores June–August
- Timber harvesting vehicles on the main forest roads have priority
- No phone signal for 35km between Clatteringshaws and the south exit
- Red deer rut September–October: stags can charge
Water sources on route
- Clatteringshaws Loch
- Multiple forestry burns throughout
- Water of Ken at Raiders Road
Always filter or treat water from natural sources. Carry at least 1L reserve on remote sections.
OS map sheets
Nearest hill
Merrick
843m · galloway
View hill
Nearest bothy
Back Hill of Bush
Walk-in: 8 km · galloway
View bothy
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:21
- Sunset
- 21:06
- Civil dawn
- 04:35
- Civil dusk
- 21:52
NOAA Solar Calculator · 9 May 2026
Common questions
- Can I camp within the Galloway Forest circuit?
- Wild camping is legal under Scotland's Land Reform Act. The banks of the Water of Ken at Raiders Road and the Loch Dee shore are established spots. FLS also runs Caldons campsite near Loch Trool — bookable online.
- How serious are the midges in Galloway?
- Galloway midges are among the worst in Scotland — comparable to Knoydart. June–August in the forest interior without protection is genuinely miserable. Smidge repellent and a midge net are not optional. May and September avoid the worst.
- Is the Loch Doon detour worth it?
- Yes — the castle on its island is unique. The detour adds 4km. Robert the Bruce used Loch Doon as a stronghold during the Wars of Independence and the castle was moved from its original island to the shore when the loch was raised as a reservoir.
- Are there 7stanes trails to combine with this circuit?
- Kirroughtree 7stanes is 15km south of the circuit start — it's easy to add a morning at Kirroughtree and then ride the gravel circuit in the afternoon. Clatteringshaws Visitor Centre is also close to the Clatteringshaws 7stanes trails.