To my shame, i have never been.

I will be with my missus, our mountain bikes and the dog. Can anyone recommend an area/region/hotel(s)/B+B/Pub etc to stay that is dog friendly, and also is near some places that are ‘dog friendly’ to ride (ie not a trail centre, but traffic and road free). After some nice days out that are not overly taxing (mutley can do about 15 to 20 miles really), and some hill walking too.

I am not being familiar with this Scottish Access thing. Can you really ride/walk wherever you like?

aviemore or fort william areas.

Can you really ride/walk wherever you like?

More or less, it’s more a case of would you want to, dotted lines don’t always means there’s any sort of path. But in general the access laws are great, just neeed to read the exceptions and you are good to go.

Fort William is a good start. Scottish access = pretty much anywhere you like.

Aviemore is probably your best bet. They are very well set up for visitors, so lots of accommodation, facilities, some marked trails. I’m up there a couple of times a year (at least) and never tire of the area. It also puts you within 445 minutes of some great beaches on the Moray Coast and a fairly easy drive to Fort William (and thence to the West Coast if you desire).

+1 Aviemore
Probably the no brainer option. Huge number of other areas but I would try there first. Personally dont know of dog friendly places but you will find them easy enough.
Yes you can ride anything anywhere within the rules of the access code (google it)

see south west Scotland (Glentrool, Clatteringshaws etc etc- see forest tracks, lots of, roads are quiet as well ), you don’t need to use the centres that are nearbyish, this is an overlooked, scenic and varied area.
(http://www.gallowayforestpark.com/)

to see (IMHO) best Scotland, do west coast by the islands, I stayed in Plockton (Skye, Torridon etc driveable) and loved it, however riding here I would suggest is harder and ‘less flexible’ as there just aren’t many places to bale out to (and track options)

also stayed at Grantown on Spey (near Aviemore but a bit less ‘touristed’), loved it, lots of riding and scenery in the Cairngorms. Some stunning and varied riding here.

The south west suggestion is good and I’m +1 with the Aviemore suggestion. Fort William is a god awful place, and while there is awesomeness around it, the town is truly terrible. Don’t make that your first experience of Scotland.

Tweed Valley: Innerleithen, Glentress and loads of off piste stuff.

dont bother its over hyped here.

The only snag I find with the access situation in Scotland when riding in areas that are new to me “off the map” is that the suitability for a mtb is never clear in comparison to a bridleway in England and Wales which will nearly always be ridable (if a little null). Last time I was on the West coast I had a 10mile walk to finish off a ride as the route that “should have” been great looking at the map was an unridable boulderfest.

The great thing about Scotland is the size and variety – there are years and years of visits ahead of your without doing the same thing twice.

convert – thats a constant problem. Marked as double track – anything from wide smooth gravel road to old eroded / faint landrover track but usually rideable. Singletrack marked – could be a landrover track, could be a lovely bit of single track, might only exist in a mapmakers imagination

Ahem…

http://www.obanbedandbreakfast.org/

Bike friendly too 😉

Pinebank Chalets are dog friendly *and* people friendly. We never stay anywhere else when we go up to Aviemore.

Strathpeffer.

Plenty good riding and places to take the dog. Trail maps available.

Go. I’ve walked >half the Munros in all seasons and am frustrated at not being able to visit more often/at all.

I’d love to do a springtime tour, cycling all 7 Stanes + stuff over a couple of weeks.

Despite its concrete glory, I confess a certain fondness for FW, simply because it’s been a sound base for so many adventures.

+1 fow FW, though I would visit the likes of Kinlochleven, the back roads out to Kingairloch, and Moidart. Superb circiut round Loch shiel, but is more than your 20-25 miles. The beaches at Morar and Arisaig are superb though, and you not too far from Glen Coe for the most stunning scenery south of the Great Glen fault.

Avoid trail centres as they are not dog friendly, apart from maybe Glen Trool.

TandemJeremy – Member
convert – thats a constant problem. Marked as double track – anything from wide smooth gravel road to old eroded / faint landrover track but usually rideable. Singletrack marked – could be a landrover track, could be a lovely bit of single track, might only exist in a mapmakers imagination

Yip, that sums it up nicely.

Aviemore is probably your safest bet. The access thing in Scotland is brilliant, but as folk have said, it can be hit and miss. Some dotted lines are amongst the best mountain biking anywhere; some are long slogs on foot. In fact the same trail can be both depending on the weather. Trouble with trying to describe them is you often need a map in front of you to see which ones folk are talking about.

If possible ask someone on here to show you round. Same as anywhere really. There are some good books with routes too.

Oh, and be prepared for it to be wet and windy. It isn’t always, but accept the fact it’s a way of life up here. And don’t forget to try the whisky. And the Irn Bru. And have fun.

Anyone mentioned Ballater..? Also good with hill tracks and options too.

Habitat is a great hostel there, may get your own room and well priced.. Could your dog stay in the car… ?