TransScotland Stages: The 2007 Route as Documented at the Time
The route of the 2007 TransScotland survives in two layers: the stage plan the organisers published a week before the start, and the daily reports written during race week. The event’s own dedicated stage-breakdown page had not yet been filled in on the versions of the site that survive, so the fine detail of the final courses is only partially preserved. Everything below comes from what was documented.
The Planned Backbone: The 7Stanes Trail Centres
The concept named the 7stanes network as the course’s foundation, to be used “either as special stages or linking stages”. Course designer Pete Laing’s pre-event description sketched the riding: Central Borders drove roads and hill tracks, coastal riding down by Dalbeattie, the wild open country of Glentrool, exposed moorland by Wanlockhead, slippery roots and woodland at Drumlanrig, and large chunks of the Southern Upland Way. Early announcements estimated a total of around 550 km; the figure reported during race week was 498 km (around 310 miles) with 14,100 m of climbing.
The Stage Plan as Published in May 2007
A week before the start, the organisers issued a location plan, flagged as subject to change:
| Day | Date | Stage | Published distance and climbing |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | Sat 26 May | Registration, Selkirk Rugby Club | — |
| 1 | Sun 27 May | Selkirk to Moffat | approx. 76 km / 2,100 m |
| 2 | Mon 28 May | Moffat to Drumlanrig Castle, afternoon special stage in Drumlanrig woods | approx. 45 km / 1,150 m |
| 3 | Tue 29 May | Drumlanrig to Buittle Place Farm, Castle Douglas | approx. 100 km / 2,000 m |
| 4 | Wed 30 May | Morning special stage in Dalbeattie Forest, then Dalbeattie to Lochhill Farm, New Abbey | approx. 59 km / 1,300 m |
| 5 | Thu 31 May | Morning special stage in Mabie Forest, then on to Moffat | approx. 64 km / 1,200 m |
| 6 | Fri 1 June | Moffat to Glentress bike hub, night special stage in Glentress Forest | approx. 65 km / 2,100 m |
| 7 | Sat 2 June | Glentress to Selkirk | approx. 63 km / 2,300 m |
The race-week reports confirm the plan was ridden broadly as published, and record landmarks the plan itself never mentioned. Day one crossed Sandbed Moss, The Wiss and Capell Fell — just short of 678 m — before the long grass descent of Selcoth Burn into Moffat. Day two climbed Hods Hill (567 m) before a 2 km Roman Road descent into Durisdeer. Day three, reported at 107 km against the planned 100, ran through Ae Forest’s singletrack to Dalbeattie. Day four passed Mersehead Sands on the coast road into New Abbey; day five returned to Moffat via Dumfries and Ae Forest, ending in a thunderstorm; day six took the Southern Upland Way past St Mary’s Loch and over Birkscairn Hill, finishing with a 6 km ridge descent into Peebles and a climb into Glentress.
The reports also record the route changing on the ground: on the final day a planned descent and 230 m climb back up Broomy Law was cut at the last minute, leaving the closing stage from Glentress to Selkirk at a reported 57 km and 1,900 m against the plan’s 63 km and 2,300 m, crossed via Minch Moor and Innerleithen’s Traquair trail.
The Four Special Stages
The timed stages, which alone decided the overall standings, were all held at 7stanes trail centres:
- Drumlanrig woods (day 2) — relay time trial on an abridged red route, 10 km with 300 m of climbing, starts at 30-second intervals.
- Dalbeattie Forest (day 4) — team time trial over 15 km with 800 m of climbing, both riders riding together, placings decided on their average time.
- Mabie Forest (day 5) — relay over 10 km with 300 m of climbing: the first rider took the climbing-heavy 5 km, the second the descent-led half, including the Descender Bender.
- Glentress Forest (day 6, at night) — the NiteRider night time trial, 10 km with 400 m of climbing, first riders off at 10pm, mixing natural technical trail with purpose-built singletrack.
Gaps in the Record
The surviving material includes no turn-by-turn course sheets, no stage profiles — those were only revealed at each stage briefing — and no GPS data. Distances are the organisers’ published approximations or figures quoted in the daily reports, which occasionally differ. Nothing more precise about the 2007 courses appears in the preserved record.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long was the full TransScotland route?
Race-week reports gave 498 km (around 310 miles) with 14,100 m of climbing across the seven stages. Earlier announcements had estimated around 550 km before the course was finalised.
Which 7stanes centres hosted special stages?
Four: Drumlanrig (relay), Dalbeattie (team time trial), Mabie (relay) and Glentress, which hosted the night time trial that closed the racing.
What was the longest stage?
Day three, from Drumlanrig to Buittle Place Farm near Castle Douglas — planned at approximately 100 km with 2,000 m of climbing and reported on the day at 107 km.
Is the complete 2007 route preserved?
No. The stage plan, headline distances and the landmarks named in the daily reports survive, but no course sheets or profiles remain.
Did the route change during the event?
Yes, at least once: on the final day a descent and 230 m climb back up Broomy Law was cut at the last minute, shortening the closing stage from a planned 63 km to a reported 57 km.