Mountain Biking Across Scotland

Arrive in Aviemore and meet your guide at the Aviemore Railway Station by 10:00 AM. Begin your tour with a warm-up ride through Cairngorms National Park, Britain’s largest national park. Before the ride, your guide will check to make sure your bike is well-equipped for the journey ahead. Today’s route is flexible, and you’ll ride for just 2-3 hours as an introduction to your tour. You can expect to see beautiful views of the Cairngorms mountain range and the surrounding hills and forests. After the ride, transfer to the west to the village of Spean Bridge where you’ll have dinner and spend the night.

Ride from your hotel this morning, following trails through the Leanachan Forest. This area is home to the Mountain Bike World Cup and offers a wide variety of trail features that you can enjoy or learn to ride, including berms, rolling and flowing twists and turns, and boardwalks. Ride through the forest for 15 km to reach Fort William then return to your Spean Bridge hotel via a cross-country route. Leaving Fort William, pause to enjoy views toward Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles. Ride past the ruins of Old Inverlochy Castle and follow Loch Linnhe’s shoreline to the Caledonian Canal. The last leg of the ride is flat and gentle along the canal’s tow-path. Altogether, today’s fun ride will take about 4-5 hours.

Leave your Spean Bridge hotel and ride along the canal at first, then on the western side of Loch Lochy you’ll follow a remote forest trail. Emerge from the forest at Laggan Locks, where you can eat lunch in a floating restaurant converted from an old barge. After your meal, return to the trail and cross a swinging bridge. Here, beside the Loch Oich, begin to climb up into the forest above Invergarry village. It is a tough but rewarding climb, giving you excellent views overlooking Loch Oich and the hills that surround it. With the hardest part of the day behind you, descent down a fun trail to the shores of the famous Loch Ness and the village of Fort Augustus. This area offers a number of pubs, restaurants, and cafes. Stop here for the night after about 4-5 hours of riding.

A challenging but memorable day awaits as the trail climbs high through a forest to reach the open moors above Loch Ness. Spend the day around this legendary lake, crossing the moors high above it then enjoying the trail as it descends to the village of Invermoriston. Stop here for a break, then hug the shoreline of Loch Ness for a while before the trail takes another climb. After this, an easy trail allows you to coast into Drumnadrochit village. Spend the afternoon exploring the village at your leisure. Many visitors enjoy the Urquhart Castle or the Loch Ness Monster Museum.

Celebrate your last day on the trail by riding from Drumnadrochit and the incredible Loch Ness to Inverness, often called the capital of the Highlands. Begin the day with a climb that rewards you with incredible views of the Great Glen, then relax knowing the rest of your tour is downhill. All along your ride today you’ll have beautiful views of the city of Inverness and beyond to the sparkling blue waters of Moray Firth. Enjoy the fun single-track trails that lead to the city. When you reach Inverness, you’ll follow the river and cross a series of bridges between islands. The ride ends just outside the stunning Inverness Castle. What a fitting finish line! Transfer back to Aviemore for a celebration dinner.

Sadly, your Mountain Biking Across Scotland tour has come to an end. Enjoy breakfast in your hotel and begin your journey home. Have a pleasant journey!