Don’t worry though, the 3-day target isn’t mandatory! Markus Stitz is the founder of Bikepacking Scotland, through which he works with local partners to create new bikepacking routes in Scotland. The Covid-19 restrictions in Scotland got round the world record holder Mark Beaumont & us thinking about where our local authority boundaries are. When bikepacking, a lightweight bivouac bag makes more sense than a … This is a demanding 100-mile route, where a good level of fitness is required and there may be sections where you need to carry your bike. The route connects other popular bikepacking routes and captures almost all Scotland has to offer, but a mountain bike, wide tires, and travelling light are essential. To maximise on bikepacking capacity I … The Reiver Raid is a 175 km weekend expedition in a wild part of Scotland. 20 Jun 2017. Motivational speaker and founder of Bikepacking Scotland. Looking to An Dun, Gaick Pass, Glen Tromie © Mike Dennison. Via the Capel Mounth Heritage Path and the Deeside Way, Loch Muick and Lochnagar from the Capel Mounth track © Mike Dennison. Day two starts on the flat and historic General Wade’s track through Glen Truim leading to Kingussie and the historic Ruthven Barracks – well worth a visit. Next day, follow a good track for 13 miles through Glen Tromie and on to Kingussie where you can rejoin the Lochs & Glens route and cycle 13 miles to Dalwhinnie Station or 38 miles back to Blair Atholl. Join Cycling UK; Renew your membership; Gift Membership; Member benefits. Upon its completion earlier this year, the Central Belter became Scotland’s longest off-road bikepacking trail. Please take great care with stoves or naked flames near woodland when wild camping and use the guidance in the SNH Camping in Scotland leaflet. Starting at recently refurbished Dundee Station, just over the road from the tall ship RRS Discovery and the iconic V&A Museum, head out of the city and north to Kirriemuir on any one of a number of quiet minor roads. Castle Island, Loch an Eilein, Cairngorms National Park. Our next route is 146 miles long and starts from Tulloch Station near the small hamlet of Fersit. Combining two of Scotland’s heritage paths and crossing a mixture of surfaces and countryside, this 92-mile route makes for an epic day ride, or a highly enjoyable two day adventure with an overnight stay in Ballater. If you are looking for bikepacking routes in Scotland, look no further. The track from Loch Ordie into Dunkeld offers some nice descents and lovely views over Highland Perthshire. Run by round the world cyclist Markus Stitz we also specialise on creating and marketing new bikepacking and cycling products for the tourism sector. Scotland; Wales/Cymru; Northern Ireland; Join. The Glenfinnan Viaduct and Loch Shiel, West Highlands. To return to Tweedbank station, simply retrace the 16 miles back along NCN1, described earlier. The YouTube channel of bikepackingscotland.com, the home of bikepacking and adventure cycling in Scotland. Continue north on the B955 into the heart of Glen Clova where you can ‘fuel up’ at the welcoming Glen Clova Hotel, before taking on the most challenging section of this route! Road to Ullapool When I was 15 years old, I went to Scotland to study English in the city of Edinburgh. Isle of Lewis, Isle of Harris & Stornoway, 7 Epic Train Accessible Bike-packing Routes in Scotland, Mountain Biking Adventures: multi-day routes in northern Britain. This 35-mile route, starting in Blair Atholl, passes through wild and dramatic country and it’s well worth taking two days to enjoy. The route then follows the busy A830 east for 4 miles before turning off on to the quieter A861, with the Camasnagaul Ferry 10 miles further on. 8bar - Bikepacking Scotland - Tag 1 is an expert gravel ride: 70.2 km and takes 04:48 h. View this route or plan your own! The John Muir Way Historic Traquair House, Innerleithen, Scottish Borders. There are very few places in the world where access to land is so favourable as in Scotland. There are many bike-packing options across Scotland and if you’re keen to get out there but are not sure where to start, drop the folks at Bikepacking Scotland a line and they’ll set you on the right track! 16 Jul 2020 – road.cc – Terrific video highlights gravel cycling routes on Scotland’s ancient drovers’ trails 16 Jul 2020 – Rough Ride Guide – Perthshire Gravel Website It journeys into the Cairngorms National Park, before heading south into Highland Perthshire. Scotland’s Great Trails, Books At 63 km the Go East Lothian Trail is perfect for families, microadventures or a long day ride. From Blair Atholl railway station, follow Lochs & Glens Route NCN route 7 for 11 miles to Dalnacardoch Lodge. Highland Trail The Capital Trail is a 251 km route starting and finishing on Portobello Beach in Edinburgh, ideal for a long weekend expedition around Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Scottish Borders. BIKEPACKING.com is dedicated to exploration by bicycle. At Fort William in the shadow of Ben Nevis, the route heads inland, traversing the Great Glen on a mixture of gravel canal towpaths, forest tracks and quiet minor roads, en-route to the Highland capital of Inverness. We researched them, uploaded them on komoot and created a set of gravel routes close to the circumference of each local authority. Iconic Ben Nevis needs to be top of your Scottish to-do list. Expert local knowledge, gifts and inspiration. Check out perthshiregravel.com. From Fort William Station, cycle a short distance through the town to Fort William pier and the Camusnagaul Ferry. Running 237 miles from Campbeltown to Inverness, and taking in well-known places and landmarks including Oban, Castle Stalker, Fort William and Loch Ness, The Caledonia Way – NCN route 78, is one of Scotland’s finest long distance cycling routes. For more information click here. He felt however that some parts could be more cyclist-friendly and in 2019 decided to develop an alternative 505-mile option that’s better for bike-packers. Rainspotting (Film) Rainspotting is a short film from Pannier and Brother Cycles that follows a group of six bikepackers on a wintry three-day ramble through the gloomy Grampian Mountains of Scotland. This is an ideal route if you’re in Edinburgh and want to escape to the countryside for a few days. Riding in Scotland in early March is always a … BikesEtc. It was planned to explore parts of the 655 km long Wild About Argyll Trail on a four-day Bikepacking Scotland trip. Then escape the Rat Race and revive your spirit in Scotland’s celebrated landscape. For more information click here. The route heads north through the village and into Glen Hurich, then west alongside Loch Doilean and on to Polloch, for a wild camp overnight. The Highland capital of Inverness, with its modern and busy railway station, is a great place to start and finish, though there are station stops along Mark’s route up the east coast to Brora and between Strathcarron and Inverness in the west. For more information click here. With such a vast wilderness around us, the toughest decision tonight will be deciding where we want to set up our bivvy. A plan is formed. Go through the town’s Kittlegairy Estate to pick up the B7062, which passes lovely Kailzie Gardens, before taking a right at Kirkburn and following trails around Wallace’s Hill to reach the B7062 again beside the River Tweed. The Central Belter is our longest route at 1200 km, starting and finishing on Portobello Beach, connecting the Capital Trail, the Highland Trail 550, Cairngorms Loop and Deeside Trail. An exhilarating technical descent into Glen Muick follows, then carry on to Ballater. NW 500 Scotland – Modern day Classic . The routes we rode and highlights we encountered like the bothies we stayed in are bundled in a special Komoot collection: ... going to be out and about for a longer period of time and without daily shopping possibilities and town like you see in Scotland. Dunkeld & Birnam Station is a short cycle from Dunkeld. Then it’s south-east at the head of Loch Laggan, later following the River Pattack to Ben Alder Lodge on the shores of Loch Ericht. The Borders Railway offers the ideal car-free solution to get to the trail head and back home. ... drop the folks at Bikepacking Scotland a line and they’ll set you on the right track! After cycling the world on a singlespeed bike Markus Stitz is based in Edinburgh. Rather than driving here though, go stress-free and let the train take the strain, so you arrive at your trailhead calm, carefree and car-free! The climb is well worth the effort though, as the views across Loch Muick, the Lochnagar massif and the Cairngorms National Park are breathtaking. The following are also established bikepacking routes in Scotland: Find more advice on exploring Scotland during Covid-19 on our dedicated page. From there, the first day’s route heads through Ardverikie Estate and along lochs Laggan and na h-Earba via good forest trails and easy tracks, which you might recognise from BBC TVs ‘Monarch of the Glen’. In 2015, Scottish multiple record-breaking round-the-world cyclist Mark Beaumont rode the North Coast 500 in a superhuman 38 hours. Next morning a 14-mile track follows the shores of magnificent Loch Shiel – well-known as the setting for Hogwarts School in the Harry Potter films – before arriving at Glenfinnan with its imposing monument, visitor centre and the Glenfinnan Viaduct. For more information click here. Then it’s through Enochdhu, following the waymarked Cateran Trail down the west bank of the River Ardle to Kirkmichael, before going west and south-west past Lochan Oisinneach Mor and Loch Ordie. ... 10 of the best bikepacking routes in Scotland. To celebrate its launch, trail creator, Bikepacking Scotland founder and Apidura Ambassador, Markus Stitz, held a mass start event in September that saw a group of bikepackers attempt the trail for the first time. Cairngorms Loop The routes we rode and highlights we encountered like the bothies we stayed in are bundled in a special Komoot collection: ... going to be out and about for a longer period of time and without daily shopping possibilities and town like you see in Scotland. The routes are all free to download as GPX files on the website, and a few other popular routes like the Highland Trail, Cairngorms Loop and Deeside Trail are linked there as well. You can now search our website to see what businesses are open and signed up to the Good to Go scheme. The route is suitable for gravel, mountain and e-mountain bikes, and can be ridden in all seasons. Tired of busy city living? We believe travel by bicycle has the power to encourage conservation, inclusivity, and respect for all people and cultures. Patrick Linen/Getty images. One of the best ways to revitalise your senses is on a bike-packing break in Scotland, at a pace where you have time to absorb and appreciate your surroundings. The top 10 bikepacking routes in Scotland. Filmed on a 331-kilometer gravel bikepacking route in Scotland, Drovers tells the story of the ancient Scottish roads that are an integral part of the country’s history. Dunkeld Hermitage Loop Sustrans has a great network of cycling routes which are suitable for bikepacking. Scottish bikepacking routes. A train & bike adventure on the West Highland Line, taking you through some of the most remote parts of Scotland. Station Lodge at Tulloch Station is a great overnight option before starting this epic. The Go East Lothian Trail Scottish hill tracks book is an excellent resource for finding new routes for bikepacking. We inspire and inform through original bikepacking routes, stories, and coverage of the gear, news, and events that make our community thrive. Before reaching Selkirk, follow the A708 for 3 miles, then take the B7039, signposted Ettrickbridge, to stunning Bowhill House, which is well worth a visit. The route is split into five easy legs, but you can reduce or extend these depending on your fitness and how often you want to stop and admire the views! Bikepacking Scotland offers information about bikepacking in Scotland and guiding. 20 October 2020 – Red Bull – 10 of the best bikepacking routes in Scotland. Starting and finishing at Tweedbank Station it crosses the beautiful Ale Water Valley in the Scottish Borders. Rather than starting in Campbeltown, we’re following the 140-mile ‘Classic Itinerary’, encompassing many of the routes highlights. We recommend 4 days for this one. Loch Lomond, The Trossachs, Stirling & Forth Valley. 7 Epic Train Accessible Bike-packing Routes in Scotland Steve Duncan July 4, 2019 View Comments. 1. Below Carn Liath, Beinn a’ Ghlo, Perthshire © Tony Wragg. Scottish Hill Tracks, Privacy, Web Use, Acceptable Use and Cookie Policy. Ideal for beaches, islands and to sample a dram of whisky. Highland Trail 550 - Scotland (2014) August 22 nd , 2018 The Highland Trail is a self-supported mountain bike route 560 miles in length with over 16000m of climbing. He has designed a variety of different bikepacking routes that can be found here. The West Island Trail There are many market-based buzz-words for it, from bikepacking to micro-adventure, S24O (Sub-24 Hour Overnight!) We will publish new routes here regularly. Thanks to Tony Wragg and Hugh Stewart who provided this route information from their new book Mountain Biking Adventures: multi-day routes in northern Britain. An avid adventurer and cyclist, but also a keen walker, Markus' longest bikepacking journey took almost a year to complete, circumnavigating the world on a singlespeed bike from September 2015 to August 2016. Return to Fort William via the ferry, or if you want to avoid the A830 section, take a minor road west through Glenfinnan for a mile to arrive at Glenfinnan Station, where you can catch a train back to Fort William. Explore your boundaries. We will publish new routes here regularly. to off-road touring. The route then heads through Inshriach Forest and on to stunning Loch an Eilein with its 13th century island castle, before emerging onto the B970 at Inverdruie, where it’s a short cycle into Aviemore for an overnight. View the route and start making your plans. Next day, head west along the A708 for less than a mile, then turn right to follow the Douglas Burn, eventually heading north-west over open moorland aiming to reach Manor Water. Take Traquair Road out of the village, then at the 7stanes centre, head uphill to follow the steep cross-country trail over Minch Moor via the Southern Upland Way to eventually arrive at Selkirk. Here are pictures from riding our own boundary in Edinburgh. I spent 7 days bikepacking in Scotland, pedaling from Aberdeen to Ullapool (390 km) and exploring the tastes of a new breed of Scottish breweries. The historic former railway station in Ballater’s Station Square marks the start of the Deeside Way, NCN route 195. At Dalnacardoch, follow NCN7 – Lochs & Glens North – to Calvine and Blair Atholl. At 655 km (407 miles) this is Bikepacking Scotland’s first long-distance trail on Scotland’s Adventure Coast that is suitable for gravel and mountain bikes alike. Scotland’s famously free Outdoor Access Code allows you to wild camp wherever you like, as long as you do so responsibly. A new 331-km-long gravel bikepacking route in Scotland. Join Wilderness guide, Chris Mackie as he ventures into the wilds of Sutherland in Northern Scotland with his bike and camping gear and learn from him about BikePacking – How to bike and camp in the wild. Bikepacking benefits. Developed in partnership with Scotrail. Bikepacking: Mountain Bike Camping Adventures on the Wild Trails of Britain is by Laurence McJannet (£16.99, Wild Things Publishing). This diverse bikepacking route across the wild, western peninsulas of Scotland leads along crystal clear lakes and wild coastlines, over high, green peaks and adventurous trails. Arguably the greatest bikepacking trail on the planet, the Great Divide Mountain Biking Route covers more than 2,100 miles stretching from Banff National Park in Canada to Antelope Wells, NM along the U.S.-Mexican border. Follow this south for 17 miles, passing the Corran Ferry heading for Inversanda, then continue on through this quiet and wild part of Scotland making for Strontian. Gravel trails, ancient tracks, and amazing scenery combined with the freedom to roam make Scotland tough to beat for a bikepacking trip. Fort William to Strontian to Glenfinnan to Fort William. 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