Gravel
Scotland Highlands

Enjoy a short spin along the shores of Loch Ard before you leave Aberfoyle behind and tackle a tough, off-road climb up to Dukes Pass. At the pass itself, there awaits a fast, flowy gravel descent on the Three Lochs Forest Drive. If three lochs wasn’t enough, a detour takes you on a small climb up to Loch Katrine, a peaceful loch nestled in verdant native forests.  Callander is often called the gateway to the Highlands and appropriately has the second big climb of the day from the town. It starts on tarmac before fading into a rugged, wild and remote gravel hill track.

You next reach the town of Comrie where an avenue of giant redwood trees marks the start of the final climb. This has some very short, technical sections early on and a push or two might be needed, while skilled riders might clean it all.

If that sounds rewarding, but exhausting, you’re in luck because the destination – Crieff Hydro – is one of Scotland’s premier hotels and is perfect for rest and relaxation. It has a spa, seven restaurants serving quality Scottish ingredients and five bars to grab a whisky and share stories from the first full day of riding. If time allows, the route passes the GlenTurret Distillery in Crieff, Scotland’s oldest working distillery.

From Crieff the route delivers a real highland adventure. You will start out with a climb back out of Crieff, which rewards with a wonderful but slightly more challenging gravel descent. This takes you down towards Glen Almond which is classic Scottish gravel riding on estate tracks. To add to the sense of adventure there’s a very short hike at the head of the glen to join the next track back down towards Loch Tay and the River Tay, Scotland’s longest river. There is a welcome section on quiet back roads, this suits a gravel bike as it meanders along under tunnels of trees with a lack of any real traffic.

The road breaks out of the woods and into stunning vistas of the surrounding mountains. Not long after this the next big climb begins. A gravel track heads for a pass between the peaks and marks the watershed between the vast Lochs of Tay and Rannoch.

The gravel descent to Loch Rannoch is a perfect way to end the day: great views, great riding and yet another comfy, quality Loch Rannoch Hotel and Spa to welcome you.

If you thought Kinloch Rannoch was in the middle of the Highlands then the ride on day 4 will take your breath away. The toughest day of the tour, but what an adventure riding along one of Scotland’s very best remote stretches of gravel.

For much of the ride you’re closer to a railway than roads. You’ll pass near Corrour station, made famous in the film Trainspotting where they get dropped off to climb a mountain in the middle of the moors. The gravel tracks are fast, smooth and scenic. Loch Ossian is a jewel in the crown with views between wind blown pine trees to the back of Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest peak. Next up at Loch Laggan is the fairytale-like castle of Ardverikie House. It couldn’t be any more Scottish, with its turrets sitting on the shores of Loch Laggan and a backdrop of some of Scotland’s highest summits.

You finally cross the first road of the day and continue onto a section of the infamous 18th-century military road between Fort Augustus and Ruthven Barracks. Built for the English by General Wade to quell the Jacobite highland uprisings. While this section is now paved you can still spot the original stone bridges.

Day 5 leaves the Central Highlands behind and heads to Cairngorm National Park. You start the day in dramatic fashion alongside the ruined 300-year-old Ruthven Barracks, a castle perched on an imposing defensive mound. It is then all about nature as the gravel takes you into the heart of Glen Feshie and the Cairngorm mountains, this is on an estate bought by Danish Billionaire Anders Pollvsen, which he is gradually re-wilding. The native pine, birch and other species are reclaiming the barren hillsides, and wildlife is returning in greater numbers. Listen carefully and you may hear or even see a rare, protected capercaillie.

Hidden in the forest is Loch an Eilein, one of the most special and loved places in Scotland.  On a calm day, the mountains are reflected in the water but it’s the 13th-century island castle in the middle of the loch that’s the real jewel in the crown. The route reaches the northern fringes of the Cairngorms and over the steep Ryvoan Pass towards Speyside. A region home to the many whisky distilleries that are household names around the world. The River Spey leads you to the famous old Spey Bridge and to your stop for the night at the Speyside Hotel in central Grantown, where the hotel bar will certainly supply a few local beverages of choice!

You now head to the eastern side of the Cairngorms and one of the most beautiful corners of Scotland. It’s here that Queen Victoria chose to buy the Royal Highland Estate at Balmoral, which you’ll pass through.

With this being the last day it pushes onto some more technical sections and throws in some stream and river crossings too! The day starts on back roads and smooth tracks south from Grantown on Spey. At the village of Tomintoul the route heads south, taking in a fantastic private estate road. This paved, closed road might have some estate land rovers but little else to distract from the scenery. You’ll spot stags and eagles here if lucky. It is then all about getting onto gravel as the track winds up into the hills. The path around  Loch Builg is the next technical challenge of the day, but from here on the gravel is smooth, fast and often white or orange quartz gravel that will glisten in the sun as you ride.

Unfortunately, your trip across Scotland has come to an end.

Our shuttle will drop you off at Edinburgh Airport.