Thousands of cyclists will pedal to the Highlands to take part in Scotland’s largest closed-road cycling event this weekend.
The annual Etape Loch Ness will take place around Inverness and Loch Ness on Sunday, April 28.
The race, which is one of the most popular cycling events in the country, will attract 5,600 cyclists from across Scotland and the UK.
The “Etape” is an iconic 66-mile or 106-km route around Loch Ness that starts and finishes in Inverness.
In addition to joy and excitement, the event will also bring disruption to the Highlands with the closure of several roads across Inverness and Loch Ness on the weekend.
Multiple roads will be closed for several hours as the event takes place on Sunday while a smaller number will also be closed on Saturday in preparation for the race.
What roads will be closed during the Etape Loch Ness?
A number of roads will be closed for several hours across Inverness and Loch Ness on Saturday and Sunday.
Inverness:
- Ness Walk between its junctions with Ness Bridge and Ardross Street – Sunday 7.55am-1pm
- Ness Walk between its junctions with Ardross Street and Bishops Road – Saturday 6pm – Sunday 3.30pm
- Ness Walk between its junctions with Bishops Road and Ballifeary Lane – Sunday 5am – 8am
- Ness Walk between its junctions with Ballifeary Lane and Bught Road – Saturday 6pm – Sunday 8am
- Bught Road until its junction with Bught Drive – Saturday 9pm – Sunday 8am
- The Infirmary Bridge – Sunday 5am – 4pm
- Bught Drive – Saturday 6pm – Sunday 7.30am
- Glen Urquhart Road – Sunday 5.45am – 7.15am
- Road between Ness Bridge and Holm Roundabout (northbound closure) – Sunday 8.15am – 1pm
- Holm Roundabout to Eden Court (left lane closure only) – Sunday 8.15am – 1pm
- A82 Inverness to Drumnadrochit until its junction with the A831 – Sunday 5.20am – 8:05am
Loch Ness
- A82 Inverness to Drumnadrochit until its junction with the A831 – Sunday 5.20am – 8:05am
- A82 Drumnadrochit (A831 Junction) to Urquhart Castle – Sunday 6.15am – 8.15am
- A82 Urquhart Castle to Invermoriston – Sunday 6.05am -9.05am
- A82 Invermoriston to Fort Augustus until its junction with the B862 – Sunday 6.40am – 9.35am
- B862 Fort Augustus to the B862/B852 Junction – Sunday 6.50am- 10.55am
- B862/B852 Junction to Pass of Inverfarigaig – Sunday 7.25am – 11.20am
- B852 Pass of Inverfarigaig to Dores – Sunday 7.25am – 12.20pm
- B862 Dores to Holm Roundabout – Sunday 7.55am -12:45pm
All you need to know about the Etape Loch Ness
The Etape Loch Ness is a major cycling event which takes place annually in April.
The race starts by the riverside at Bught Park and finishes at Eden Court.
Participants will be split into four groups or waves (A-D) based on their estimated finish time.
Groups will be released at 3-minute intervals between 6am and 6.50am to ensure the fastest riders start at the head.
Cyclists have 5 hours and 38 minutes to complete the 66-mile course on closed roads.
Riders falling behind this can return to the Event Hub in Inverness in the sweep bus or complete the course on open roads.
Thousands of pounds will be raised for Macmillan Cancer Support, the event’s official charity.
