Just forming an idea and thinking Glenners/Inners, Dalbeattie, Glenlivet over 3 (possibly 4) days. Ignoring the travel to a certain degree (it will form part of the trip) what do you reckon? Am interested in Scotland not Wales or elsewhere for this trip and will be driving up from down sarf and then back down at the end. Might be OK to swap 1 location out for something on the way back down at the end to break up the trip. 1 day max per location.

What would you add/substitute in terms of location with a 4 day maximum?

Also thinking of adding in at least one afternoon distillery or similar.

Why all trail centres? Genuine question.

Easier overall and to keep everyone happy, tight schedule and wanting to not have to worry too much about planning but just get up in the morning and ride a predetermined route nicely marked out for us, wash up, drive, go out sleep and repeat the next day somewhere else. If I had a week might do it differently.

Don’t think I’d drive all the way up to Glenlivet for just that (Not been but friends said it was ‘OK’) such a long way when there’s other stuff much closer to the rest of your riding

I hope it’s meant to be Glen troop / kirroughtree. As above Gulliver would a a funny detour. Unless you’re drinking it at aforementioned trail centres.

So alternate suggestions? (we will be drinking it throughout)

Dalbeattie and mabie easy in one day.
Do go to kirroghtre it’s a bit of a hike west but your out that way any how.
Perhaps loop back , ride Drumlanrig then across to Peebles ride Glentress and Innerleithen?
Fair bit of driving but it’s all nice countryside and some good riding.

Here’s a tour I did in October – Ae en route to Fort Bill; Tour of Ben Nevis – not the actual race but the same route – easy to follow although you will get wet wading through a river half way round – stunning day ride; Laggan Wolftrax – really excellent; Benachie on recover ride day, near Aberdeen; then Glentress and Inners reds on the way back down. Awesome road and bike trip.

Stopped at this place in Fort Bill – http://www.fortwilliamholiday.co.uk/ £18 a night and an easy walk into town. Presumably plenty of distilleries not too far away.

Dalbeattie is as good as Ae for your trail centre on the way up. Not done Mabie etc.

Wherever you go, it will be excellent.

Don’t think I’d drive all the way up to Glenlivet for just that

2nd that.

If you’re heading that far north then ride Laggan and some of the natural stuff round Rothiemurchus instead.

The answer to your question really revolves around “why Scotland?” If it is just to ride through swathes of Sitka Spruce and pop into a Distillery then there really is no need to pass through the central belt.

Also be aware that Glenlivet is a 5 hour drive.

You could spend 3-4 days in the Tweed Valley and not ride the same trail twice.

But doing Dalbeattie and Mabie on the way is a good call.

Coming from the South it is as Scotroutes mentions a 5hr drive up to Glenlivet/Tomintoul, I did it last year.

If you stop in Dumfries to ride Mabie, Dalbeattie, Ae or kirroughtree it takes 1hr to get to Kirroughtree and roughly 1/2 – 45mins to get to the others.
Glentress and Innerliethen are 1.1/2hr drive from Dumfries.
Some route suggestions here; http://www.mtb-borders.com/routes.html
Take in Drumlanrig as already mentioned and then the A702, Dalveen Pass over to the M74/6 and on to Peebles. There is some good riding in the Lowther Hills nr Drumlanrig/Thornhill/Sanquhar on OS 78 Nithsdale 😀

Depending on which side of the South you are coming from ie A1 or M6 you can visit Whinlatter or stop in Keswick and do the Borrowdale Bash, Ambleside or Staveley for some Kentmere fun 💡

Well ignorance was bliss! Thanks for all the input it is a great starting point for planning.

The majority will advise you to head to the Borders, I am biased towards D&G 😉
They will also tell you that 2 or 3 trails in a day is possible, which it is if you are an stw superfit type 🙄