Night 1-4
Hotels/BB’s along the Great Glen Way route
Stay in comfortable local hotels and BB’s along your route.
Cycle from Fort William to Inverness across the beautiful Scottish Countryside
The Great Glen Cycle Way is a Scottish Coast to Coast route largely following the walking route of the Great Glen Way National Trail but has a different route around Loch Oich to the walkers. The ride is approximately 80 miles / 129km starting at Fort William, near the foot of Ben Nevis (Britain’s highest peak), follows the shores of the famous Loch Ness and finishes at Inverness, Scotland’s north‑most city and the “capital of the Highlands”. A lot of the cycling is straightforward, along canal towpaths and forest tracks, but there are some more challenging sections on gravel fire roads and on single‑track. Some hills are pretty steep and it maybe just as well to get off, walk and admire the view on these sections.
Make your own way to Fort William. There are only traces left of the original fort built to keep the dreaded Highlanders at bay. Today the town is the “Chamonix” of Scotland with a proliferation of outdoor shops, cafes, bookshops and bars to entertain you. If you have an extra night and you are an experienced hill walker, you could climb Ben Nevis, or take a boat trip to “Seal Island” to see the grey seals loitering around.
Meet your hire bike! Once you are familiar with its functions, follow the Great Glen Way markers from the ruins of Fort William, the Hanoverian Fort built to quell the Jacobites, at the seaside of Loch Linnhe. Roll out passing underneath the mass of Ben Nevis and past an even older castle fortress at Inverlochy which is worth a browse.
Cycle along to cross the River Lochy and at the loch at Corpach, you may get some great views of Ben Nevis. Now join the tow path to the famous Caledonian Canal. Via various natural lochs and man made canal sections, this runs all the way through Inverness and into the Moray Firth. You shortly ascend gently by the watery escalator of eight locks known as ‘Neptunes Staircase’ which bring the boats up or down to or from sea level. The ride stays on the towpath until you reach Gairlochy.
It is fairly flat going up to this point, then the route heads round the west side of Loch Lochy changing onto a gravelly fire road, with a bit of ascent around the loch shore before reaching South Laggan with its lock system. You could have a break here, as an old Dutch sailing barge doubles as pub / restaurant nearby on the canal. The bike trail leaves the walking path at this point and heads up into forest above the loch before a descent through trees into the village of Invergarry which has a castle.
After breakfast, tackle your first steep hill on the climb behind Invergarry up through Nursery Woods, with commanding views of Loch Oich wherever there are breaks in the trees. The route returns to the loch then undulates on single track through the woods to cross the beautiful chain tapered suspension bridge built in 1854, bringing you into Aberchalder. Here you rejoin the Caledonian Canal towpath and the Great Glen walking trail. This pretty and relaxing section gives you time to rest your legs along the towpath to Fort Augustus.
As you reach the town there is another series of boat locks before you reach the shores of Loch Ness. Some might have the idea to lock their bikes up and take a pleasure cruise on the loch to see the famed but normally rare monster.
Fort Augustus is a good place to snack up before ascending back into the forest above the loch on the fire roads. Some of the climbs are quite steep and there is no harm in walking a hill, have your camera ready for some dramatic views of Loch Ness and mountains. A sharp descent into Invermoriston follows. A pretty feature here are the falls of the Moriston River under the old Thomas Telford Bridge (1813). Another very steep climb takes you back onto the undulating balcony track above the loch for another 12 miles/20km or so until you start to descend into the unusual Scottish village with a green called Drumnadrochit. It has been a long day, but if you have the time and inclination, you can cycle a couple of kms around to Urqhart Castle, one of the most dramatically situated in Scotland.
The first part of the day climbs sharply out of Drumnadrochit away from Loch Ness through forest and up some 370 metres around the flanks of ‘Carn na Leitire.’ You then descend past Loch Laide to join minor roads and forest tracks deeper into the hills and fields that surround the Great Glen.
The route takes you through beautiful remote moorland and wooded countryside then begins the descent into Inverness, along the River Ness, finally arriving at Inverness and the “capital of the highlands.” this is an attractive and interesting small city which has a slightly frontier feel to it. Perhaps relax and celebrate completing the Great Glen Cycle route. It is worth having an extra day in Inverness: The National Trust Culloden Battle site is a short bus ride away and a bit further afield is Fort George, a fascinating complex built to protect Scotland from French invasion.
The trip ends after breakfast when you depart the accommodation.
This self-guided tour in Scotland is always run as a private tour for your group only and the price per person depends on the type of the room that you choose.
The price below is per person:
There is a variety of accommodation along the route ranging from bed and breakfasts, lodges, pubs and small hotels. They are run by cycling-friendly hosts offering en-suite or private facility rooms with a tasty breakfast to get you ready for the day ahead. Further facilities such as washing and drying facilities, packed lunches and packed lunches are available in some accommodations, you will be advised on your listing of what is available.
In some cases, the accommodation listed below may need to be substituted for other comparable accommodations.
Single Rooms and Solo Travellers
Rooms are double occupancy. You can pay a supplement to have a private room in a hotel where possible. Solo travellers may be required to pay a supplement.
Stay in comfortable local hotels and BB’s along your route.
4 breakfasts are included.
Accommodations for 4 nights are included.
This tour includes luggage transfers for your luggage; however, you are in charge of any personal transfers needed.
How hard is the Great Glen Way by Bike Tour?
We rate this tour as a 3 / 5. Surfaces include tarmac, forest trails with tree roots, gravel fire and forestry roads, and stony single track.
I’ve never been on a self-guided trip! How does it work?
Self-guided travelling is not difficult! For many, it is a preferred type of travel, since you are in charge of your own time and pace. You are provided with all the information you’ll need to follow the route each day and often have access to phone support or other kinds of assistance. However, self-guided travelling requires good navigation skills and those who don’t feel confident in unknown places should consider booking guided tours.
Do I need a visa to travel to Scotland?
Check with your local country about visa requirements. You could also try this website, though you should verify with your government.
Are meals included on the Great Glen Way by Bike Tour?
4 breakfasts are included.
Do I need insurance?
Yes, it is mandatory to have health and medical insurance to join this trip, and your insurance should cover cycling. Get your travel insurance.
How do I get to Fort William to start this tour?
The closest airports are Glasgow and Inverness, from where you can get public transport (planning your route ahead is strongly recommended).
Where does the Great Glen Way by Bike Tour end?
The tour ends in Inverness.
Can I rent a bike?
Yes, you can rent a bike during the booking process.
Can I bring my own bike?
Yes. If you bring your own bike, it should be a road bike suitable for the demands of the tour. If you are bringing your own bike, make sure to include it in any public transport tickets you reserve.
Do I need special vaccines to travel to England?
Check with your family doctor.
Are there any travel restrictions for England?
Please check with your local government about travel restrictions before you book your tour. This map from the US Department of State provides an overview of the current status in countries around the globe. The UK‘s Foreign Office and Government of Canada also provide advice on foreign travel. Note that the travel advice may change depending on your nationality.
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We rate this tour as a 3 / 5. Surfaces include tarmac, forest trails with tree roots, gravel fire and forestry roads, and stony single track.
Read about our scale for Tour Difficulty Ratings.
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