Motorcycle Ride Planner · Routes · United Kingdom

Applecross Pass (Bealach na Bà)

United Kingdom · Bealach na Bà

Gaelic for Pass of the Cattle, this is the most alpine and technically demanding road in Great Britain. Boasts the steepest ascent of any road pass in the UK, rising from sea level to 2,053 feet via single-track tarmac with tight passing places, culminating in a dramatic amphitheater of hairpin switchbacks with 20% gradients. Toll-free. Impassable during winter snow and ice. Demands hill-start confidence and etiquette in yielding to climbing traffic at passing bays.

Applecross Pass (Bealach na Bà) runs 11 miles between Tornapress / Kishorn, Highlands, Scotland, UK and Applecross Village, Highlands, Scotland, UK. We count about 65 corners along it, which is consistently bendy. A hard road that rewards experience and punishes bravado.

Tank-bag quick reference

• StartTornapress / Kishorn, Highlands, Scotland, UK57.4136, -5.5786
• High20 ft - 2,053 ft (626m Pass of the Cattle)elevation range
• EndApplecross Village, Highlands, Scotland, UK57.4328, -5.8128

T-CLOCS before you go: tyres and wheels, controls and cables, lights and electrics, oil and fluids, chassis and stand.

Repair within reach

• 48 miHighland Motorcycle Holidays & Workshop (Fort William)Fort William, United Kingdom

Straight-line distance from the start of the route, not driving distance.

More in United Kingdom

• North Coast 500 (NC500 - Wester Ross Corridor)115 mi · 360 corners
• Isle of Man TT Mountain Course (Snaefell Circuit)37.73 mi · 264 corners
• Black Mountain Pass (Top Gear Welsh A4069)17 mi · 85 corners
• Hardknott & Wrynose Passes (33% Grade)11 mi · 75 corners

Questions riders ask

How long does Applecross Pass (Bealach na Bà) take to ride?

About 11 miles. At an unhurried pace with stops that is roughly 1 hour of riding, longer if you are stopping for photographs.

Where does Applecross Pass (Bealach na Bà) start and end?

It runs between Tornapress / Kishorn, Highlands, Scotland, UK and Applecross Village, Highlands, Scotland, UK. Either end works as a start; the route reads the same in both directions.

Is Applecross Pass (Bealach na Bà) a twisty road?

We count about 65 corners across 11 miles, which is consistently bendy.

Is there a GPX file for Applecross Pass (Bealach na Bà)?

Yes. The GPX is free, there is no account, and the planner will build a route that includes this road alongside others nearby.

Where these numbers come from

Distances and corner counts come from the route's own geometry, not from ratings or votes. Nothing here is crowdsourced and nobody paid to appear.