This is one of the most epic bike climbs in Scotland and the UK.

Cycling Mull of Kintyre, Scotland

Ride 1.3 miles gaining 1,024’ at 13.5% average grade.

Mull of Kintyre is the southernmost tip of Kintyre Peninsula in a very, very remote part of Scotland - it’s a chore to get to, but well worth the trip.  Mull of Kintyre was made wildly famous by Paul McCartney and Wings’ song by the same name which was the band's biggest hit in Britain.  Paul McCartney has owned High Park Farm, 20 miles north of our start, since 1966.

We didn’t travel to this secluded location on a lark (the climb is 11 hours from London).  Mull of Kintyre is ranked #9 in all of the United Kingdom.  It was also on Simon Warren’s Top 10 Most Epic Bike Climbs of Scotland (#3, after Bealach Na Ba and The Lecht).  Before our second trip to the UK to document climbs there and in Ireland for two months (we spent 45 days in just the UK in 2018), Simon provided us his lists of Top 10 Most Epic and Top 10 Hardest bike climbs in England, Wales, Scotland and the UK. Mull of Kintyre made both the Scottish Top 10 Epic and Hardest and UK Most Epic lists.

Start the climb at the Mull of Kintyre historic lighthouse - the second ever commissioned in Ireland.

Climb report by PJAMM Cycling’s Brad Butterfield who has spent 3.5 months cycling and documenting the United Kingdom’s hardest and most epic bike climbs:

The Mull of Kintyre climb is one of the most remarkable climbs that I have ever done, unquestionably. Situated on the southernmost point of a remote peninsula, the Mull was once used as an access point to Scotland by early humans. Now, a lighthouse stands on the rocky outcrop overlooking the coastline. The road itself is marked as “not for public use.” But, I don’t think you’ll have any issues riding the road on a bicycle. It is a steep “road” which more resembles a walking path. The pavement quality matches the surrounding landscape - rough and rugged. On a clear day, these views are unmatched and simply astounding. There are a few slots for parking at the summit of the climb just before you reach the gate denoting the ride as private.

Historic lighthouse and start of this challenging but very fun climb.

We understand why Paul McCartney wrote longingly about Mull of Kintyre.

Mull of Kintyre

Oh, mist rolling in from the sea

My desire is always to be here

Oh, Mull of Kintyre

Far have I traveled and much have I seen

Dark distant mountains with valleys of green

Past painted deserts the sunset's on fire

As he carries me home to the Mull of Kintyre

Mull of Kintyre

Oh, mist rolling in from the sea

My desire is always to be here

Oh, Mull of Kintyre

Sweep through the heather like deer in the glen

Carry me back to the days I knew then

Nights when we sang like a heavenly choir

Of the life and the time of the Mull of Kintyre

Views along the first part of the climb.

There are four pockets of 20%+ grade along this climb, and the steepest quarter-mile of 17% is at the beginning of the climb.

Three hairpins begin about a quarter-mile from the start and average 15% over 1/10th of a mile.

While the sign stops vehicle traffic, it seemed acceptable to ride this road on a bike.  There were 104 Strava rides logged for this segment as of August 2022 and Simon Warren includes this climb in his X-List

Climb finish.