Bikepacking routes: Ideas for tour of or trans-scotland…

Hi there, just built up a surly ogre ready for bikepacking and am keen for advice on some bikepacking routes in Scotland. Quite fancy coast-to-coast and ideally 2-3 day trips. What would you recommend?

I did a short C2C last autumn…

http://www.blog.scotroutes.com/2011/09/c2c-part-1.html

Thanks druidh, anyone else have any routes?

A loop I did a few years ago – mainly estate roads / sustrans but very nice
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/2533261157/

Want More detail email me

I did Dalwhinnie to Glenfinnan in three days which was a great trip – first map is here and the others are available on my maps.

Coast to Coast – I’ve done (on singlespeed, natch) from Ardnamurchan Point through to Montrose – through Ardnamurchan to Strontian. Over to Glenfinnan, up Great Glen to South Laggan. Then over Corrieyairack, loop round Laggan Wolftrax, and on to Newtonmore. Then through Glen Feshie, through to Braemar and past Balmoral to Ballater. Then over through Glen Tanar, towards Edzell and eventually out to Montrose.

druidh – like the pic. high road above Horgabost if I’m not mistaken?

Circuit of the Gorms – start / end Blair Atholl

Thanks for the ideas guys, particularly like the idea of combining corrieyairack and glen feshie. How long did your C2C take kcal? Planning on taking the surly ogre with rigid forks rather than my heckler and assume all you have mentioned so far would be rideable with a rigid setup?

Any other ideas folks?

kcal – Member
druidh – like the pic. high road above Horgabost if I’m not mistaken?

Indeedy. Taken during a wonderful tour of the Hebrides.

Heather Bash – do you have a route in mind?

Sure

Blair Atholl(castle campsite is very good),A9 cycle trail NW on the A9 (can mix with some off road stuff tho) to Dalnacardoch, North through The Gaick, Glen Tromie, Inshriach /Lagganlia, Loch Gahmna, Loch an Eilein, East to Cairngorm Club Footbridge, NE side of Loch Morlich, NE side of Glenmore Lodge, Ryvoan / Abernethy Forest, Forest Lodge, East to Dorback Lodge, Glen Brown > Tomintoul, follow the River Avon South thro Inchrory / Glen Builg, over the Western flank of Culardoch to Invercauld, West to Linn of Quoich > on thro Linn of Dee > White Bridge > Bynack Lodge then South down Glen Tilt / back to BA.

Can give you more specific instructions if you decide to go for it.

Full Story 🙂

I’m looking into doing something similar right now, planning on Aberdeen to the west coast offride. Here are a couple of links I’ve been looking at:

loop route
Coast to coast offroad

If you find anything else useful can you please post up?

Various ways you can come up with two, three or four day routes linking the likes of Braemar, Blair Atholl, Rothiemurchus, Glenmore, Tomintoul etc. And unlike many bits of Scotland there won’t be too much pushing either.

Actually, just rereading the thread and Heather Bash’s route is a more detailed version of what I posted above. I’s recommend going with that one.

Hi there Heather Bash and kennyp, just plotted out your route suggestion on viewranger and it looks phenomenal. 120miles off-road, so as you say, I guess 3/4 days. From the OS map, I get the sense that it would be rideable with a rigid 29er or would I regret leaving the heckler at home?

Alpine girl – thanks for the detailed blogs and nice routes.

HB & KP: Thinking again about the tour of the cairngorms, I’m wondering if it might be fun to start from Blair Atholl and head to Bruar lodge, along the minigaig and over into glen feshie instead. I guess the beauty is there are so many permutations,they should all be tried at some point…

Yup Minigaig is another option… in fact you have 3 or 4 options once you get up on the plateau. Or Comyns Road if you really want to start exploring 😉

Tho I think these are all departing somewhat from the ethos of your trip – I certainly wouldn’t want to lug a loaded bike over any of them. Done it fully rigid (26er) over 2 and on a Bullit over 1 so any bike will do 😉 3 days is very comfortable over that terrain, 4 would allow some exploring. Have a good one whatever you decide.