The plan so far is to head up to Scotland in the camper van for 5 days at the end of August.
That’s it so I need help on where to go and where to stay, don’t mind a bit of wild camping in the van if anyone has any good spots
There is 3 of us all riding full sus 29ers don’t mind a bit of trail centre but happy to go and explore.
The thinking is to head to fort William area with maybe a stop on the way up, so this is where I could do with some help, is there any must do trails that we shouldn’t miss.
I have never been up to Scotland as most my riding is south Wales or Devon as we are just north of London.
Look for a good road trip 🙂
Cheers

I’ve just been to golspie for the first time and I’d suggest you put that on your list! Balblair is also nearby. We camped in brora, but there is also a campsite in dornoch.
I’ll be heading back up that way to do a coast-coast in the next few weeks 🙂

@paladin

Have a gander at Scotroutes blog for the coast to Coast (to coast)

It’s a good day out.

Whilst Golspie is excellent, just rode there yesterday, it is a bugger of long way north. I’d suggest the avid more area myself. Loads of big day rides and Laggan isn’t that far away either.

Go via the Isle of Arran. Not only is it lovely but you avoid the horrible sprawl of Glasgow and by getting the ferry off the north of the island end in a remote area much quicker.

Going through Arran costs time and money, though. Not worth it in my opinion.

I’d do a day or two at Glentress and Innerleithen, drive north somewhere (Fort William and Kinlochleven?), then spend the last day at whichever you preferred, or do some other 7 Stanes on the way back. Most of the best of Scotland is either way north or way south.

I’d say the avid more area too (aka the Aviemore area)

is there any must do trails that we shouldn’t miss.

What kind of trails do you like?

I’d be tempted to stop off at GT and Inners anyway.

http://www.mtbtrails.info/Trail_main_page.aspx Lots of info here

It’s a big place up here…

All depends on the type of riding you want to do.

Trail centres…

Dumfries and Galloway, Seven Stanes. Could spend a week doing all of them (except Glentrool, that’s poor)

Golspie and Balblair

Comrie Croft

Or natural trails, in the Tweed Valley there a full week there

Or mountains… Angus Glens, a good week

Aviemore, there’s a mix of trails and hills

Torridon and Kinlochleven and Skye for a week would be amazing

All depends on the type of riding you want to do

Do a lap of Buachaille Etive Beag – consult a map and you cant go wrong.

gonefishin – Member
Whilst Golspie is excellent, just rode there yesterday, it is a bugger of long way north.

You’re only just into the proper Highlands there.

There’s loads of great lonely tracks in the NW Highlands (as opposed to the tourist routes).

Cheers guy’s lots of info already. As for the type of riding we are realy up for anything, i like the natural stuff but happy with a trail centre, my mate is the other way round and the 3rd guy will ride anything you put infront of him.
I think we need a planning meeting in the pub over a few ale’s 🙂

take the van down to kinlochhourn and camp on the road down there, looks amazing on street view. Never been and no idea about mtb in the area, but it looks spectacular! 🙂

Aviemore area – a day at Laggan trail centre, day around forest at Aviemore, a day up a big mountain route. Everyone happy.

Thought the OP was looking for a stop-off en route to Fort Bill.

chakaping – Member
Thought the OP was looking for a stop-off en route to Fort Bill.

Didn’t say what route he was taking to get there though… 🙂

NW Highlands seems a sensible route from Devon… if he’s sailing.

To be honest, I’d avoid Fort William. The Kinlochleven area has a few good trails but Fort William always leaves me a bit cold.

As others have said, Aviemore is a great option. Loads of trails, natural and trail centre and you can go further afield to Laggan, Glenlivet or even Balblair or Moray Monster for your trail centre action. Stitch in Kirroughtree on your way back home and you should be well happy.

GlenLivet are you having a laugh.

matt_outandabout – Member
Aviemore area – a day at Laggan trail centre, day around forest at Aviemore, a day up a big mountain route. Everyone happy.

Actually quite a good compromise. A lot of the trails around Aviemore are predictable and aren’t particularly rugged and would suit people who like trail centres, but have some great views.

I think it’s a shame if you drive all the way up here and just ride trail centres. The Fort William area has some good riding but it’s a grim place.

Kinlochleven has good riding into and out of it, you’ve got the Devil’s Staircase, Ciaran Path and Tour de Ben Nevis passing through. There’s not much to do there though unless you like ice climbing.

Are you coming up for just the trail quality or is the experience part of it? There are some cracking big loops that don’t necessarily have the best riding but they do have the big country experience.

Edit – I forgot to mention the Capital Trail. A lovely 140 mile loop that can be done over a very long day or a nicely spread two dayer, it showcases the best riding around the Edinburgh and Peebles areas.

The Highland eGuide might help with some planning…

Cheers for that link that will be a great help.
Another question for the locals what the deal with wild camping, can I just pull up in my camper and stay the night as long as its not in a stupid spot. I here that it’s a bit more relaxed up there with people staying over in there motorhomes.
Thanks for your help guys

You can’t “wild camp” in a motorhome 🙂

In practical terms you’ll likely be OK if away from any houses, though be aware that, just like any other motor vehicle, you are not legally allowed to take it onto private property without permission. Forestry Commission are pretty lax in checking though and any lay-bys with “no overnight parking” signs can be ignored as Police Scotland kindly pointed out these signs have no legal standing.

Watch out for the midges

5 days is not a lot of time to fit long rides in and see too many places. The NW and the isles are stunning, however quite distant. Are you looking to ride every day or sight see as well? A loop taking in the Tweed Valley, up the west coast to Fort William, across past Laggan to Aviemore, then back down the A9 to Edinburgh takes in some impressive scenery, good riding and is easily achievable in the time scale.

Thanks was editing post but went wrong 🙂
Cheers for that link that will be a great help.
We are heading up from Hertfordshire so quite a trip, looking for nice single track (aunt we all 🙂 ) but would love a day in the mountains just for the views.
Been ridin in the alps and Canada so love the mountains, can’t believe I am 40 and haven’t riden Scotland yet.
Built my own camper so this will be a great test, here’s a link to my van if your bored.

Crafter camper

Another question for the locals what the deal with wild camping, can I just pull up in my camper and stay the night as long as its not in a stupid spot. I here that it’s a bit more relaxed up there with people staying over in there motorhomes.
Thanks for your help guys

Nice van but as above, though it might not be a problem to do so, kipping in a camper at the side of the road is not wild camping. There’s not nearly enough suffering involved.

Five days isn’t much and you could spend a couple of those days just driving. But it’ll be amazing scenery you’re driving through (unless the cloud is down to eyebrow level) and in those terms west coast is best. I’d normally be recommending Torridon – for the epic, big mountain, natural riding, incredible scenery and remote feeling but it’s a lot of traveling to get there.

Tweed Valley (Glentress and Innerleithen trail centres), then up through the Highlands to Kinlochleven/Glen Coe (not far from Fort William) ride Devil’s Staircase, Ciaran trail and possibly Tour de Ben Nevis route. See some of the west coast and then could fit a day in at Laggan trail centre or natural at Aviemore.

You can “tinker” camp up at the Buzzard’s Nest car park at Glentress. I’d suggest stopping there and having a day riding the marked and off-piste stuff around Glentress for a day.

Then make your way North, maybe up to Aviemore and spend a couple of days around there.

Head west via Laggan, ride there and over to Fort William. Do a ride around Kinlochleven and return back down the west coast.

That would be a good tour for 5 days.

I have done this for the last two years with some friends. We take about 8 days and really get stuck into it. Here’s a summary of what we’ve done, feel free to contact me about any routes.

2014 –

Went via Edinburgh for a party, then Stirling to ease ourselves in at Dumyat which is a short ride but lots of fun.

Then up to Braemar where we rode over to Aviemore via Glen Feshie and Carn Ban Mhor before stopping in a hostel and riding back over Cairngorm and Ben Macdui.

Then we did Lochnagar, which is tough but my riding partner said it was his highlight of the trip. It is really excellent but a big technical challenge.

Then on to Aviemore where we rode the Lairig Ghru and Laggan in the same day. Laggan is a great trail centre, the best in the country with Golspie close behind.

Our last stop was the Devil’s Staircase in Glencoe which you can ride as part of a much bigger loop but we’d sustained some injuries. It’s an out and back with a long flowing descent to the north and a steep, drifty, switchbacky funfest to the south.

2015-

This year we did a couple of rides in the Lakes first, so I’ll miss them out.

We started with Ben Lomond-

Had a few issues with the van-

We then rode Stob Bhan in Glen Nevis near Fort William which was rubbish.

After this we headed further north to Torridon. The riding here is amazing but it is a LONG way away, especially from where you are.

Then headed back south travelling via Kinlochleven and riding the Ciaran Path. I had previously hated this route and if rocky tech and no flow is not your thing you may not like it, but second time around I loved it. It’s a bit marmite for a one off trip I think.

What I would do if I were you is avoid the Fort William area- as above Fort William as a town is not nice, and there isn’t much exceptional riding in the immediate vicinity. If you’re set on the west coast I’d do something like this in 5 days-

Day 1- Ben Lomond. If you’ve not done a big mountain before this is a superb place to start as it’s easy to get to, beautiful and a great ride if you’re an average rider or better- there are some very techy bits but in the main it’s a great fun ride.

Day 2- Devil’s Staircase and the Ciaran Path in Glencoe. This is a big ride but gives you a chance to see if you like the Ciaran Path with the guaranteed success of the Devil’s Staircase.

Day 3- Head up to Laggan- while I’d not normally recommend a trail centre if you’ve not ridden one in Scotland before this is the one to do and it’s in the vicinity.

Day 5- A couple of days riding around Aviemore. There’s a wealth of stuff here. Carn Ban Mhor is easy and a laugh. Lairig Ghru is short but a huge amount of fun. There’s sneaky local trails. Ben Macdui if you want a really big mountain and a really big day out. The opportunities are pretty endless and this is my favourite bit of the Highlands.

As for camping in the can you can leave it in all sorts of places- we camped in the middle of Edinburgh, in laybys, car parks- if it doesn’t say “no overnight parking” and it’s reasonably out of the way it works fine. But don’t go emptying your chemical toilet anywhere stupid or things like that.

Munrobiker thanks for the wright up, thats spot on. i have 2 weeks off work so i think its time to sit down with the boys and draw up a plan and maybe a extra few days if they can get the holiday

Thanks everyone for your input, this is why i love this place 🙂

If I had a 5 day trip in Scotland I would spend it in Aberdeenshire. If I wanted to move around I would go Aberdeenshire, then Torridon or vice versa.

More than five days and I would definitely look into visiting Torridon. You also have the luxury of being mobile as to weather conditions so if it looks rough on the west you can head east and be flexible as you’re not booked into hotels. Have a couple of options for the week.