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      Jim Sutherland

      Jim Sutherland

      Inquisitive | Patient | Imaginative

      Mini Bio

      I have never found it difficult to dream about adventures, whether at night when asleep or with my eyes wide open. This approach has taken me all over the Scottish Highlands, where I grew up. As I grew older, I added Spain, the Alps, and the southwest of the USA, whether hiking, climbing, skiing, or, more recently, biking.

      No matter where I am with my guests on trips, I enjoy seeing their knowledge, skills, confidence and plans grow. This is why I love my job as a guide!

      Favourite Place to Play

      I am lucky enough to live in one of the world’s biggest ‘sweetie shops’ – the Cairngorms National Park. I can leave my home and be at the edge of the forest and the mountains within an hour; this is one of my favourite places to play.

      Not a lot of People Know This

      When I was a student in Chicago, I led the Christmas parade dressed as one of Cinderella’s footmen. The parade was broadcast on national TV in the United States.

      “I have never found it difficult to dream about adventures, whether at night when asleep or with my eyes wide open. ”
      Expand All
      Qualifications Read More
      • Scottish Mountain Bike Leader
      • Mountaineering Instructor Certificate (WMCI)
      Experience Read More

      I have ridden road, gravel, and mountain bikes, and bikepacked all over the UK, including the Moray Trail, the Capital Trail, the Deeside Trail, the Badger Divide, the Cairngorms Loop, and on- and off-road versions of the England Coast to Coast and the Tor Divide in the Peak District.

      In 2019, I rode unsupported over 1,770 km/1,100 miles on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route through Alberta, British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming before an injury forced me to stop.

      In the summer of 2022, I created and rode my own version of the Lands’ End to John O’Groats route, which was 1,930 km/1,200 miles long with over 18,900 m/62,000 ft of ascent. On the way, I met many interesting local people and sampled some great places to eat and stay. The route was a blend of quiet backroads, bridleways and committing mountain tracks and trails.

      In 2025, I completed The Iberica Traversa, which runs on gravel and tarmac from Irun on the Bay of Biscay through the remote mountains, forest and farmlands of Spain all the way to Tarifa on the Mediterranean.

      Biggest Adventure Read More

      So far? Bikepacking the entire length of Spain and all of the linguistic, cultural and mechanical challenges something like that offers, as well as the physical effort!

      Specialist Subject Read More

      Inspiring myself and others to dream big.

      Publications Read More
      • Cicerone guidebook Walking in Torridon – I helped edit the third edition.
      • Photographs and articles published in The Scottish Hosteller, Scotland Outdoors, Scottish Mountaineer, Trek & Mountain, and online.

      What Fellow Travellers Say About Jim

      Friendly, helpful, flexible, fun, informative

      David Hilbrands
      E-bike - The Outer Hebrides
      Reviewed on 28/07/2025

      Simply amazing. Cannot say enough good things about Jim and Dave.

      Leslie Johnson
      E-bike - The Outer Hebrides
      Reviewed on 17/07/2025

      Simply excellent. Couldn’t have been a better trip. Jim and Dave for the win!!

      Maya Srinivasan
      E-bike - The Outer Hebrides
      Reviewed on 09/07/2025

      Jim and Dave were the dynamic duo! This was their first time working together and they complemented each other perfectly. They were both so kind, full of knowledge, calm and engaging. We sang our praises to them but know you have steller employees.

      Sausha Polentz
      E-bike - The Outer Hebrides
      Reviewed on 07/07/2025

      Jim and Dave were very attentive, accommodating, resourceful, knowledgeable, humorous, good natured, happy, helpful... Really a wonderful match for our group!

      Cynthia Neuendorffer
      E-bike - The Outer Hebrides
      Reviewed on 01/07/2025

      Show More Reviews

      Book a trip with Jim

      Trip / Departure Availability Status Price Book
      Road Cycling – The Five Countries Tour
      12th Apr - 24th Apr 2026       		12 place(s) left Available 5,395 Book Now
      E-bike – The Orkney Isles
      25th Jul - 30th Jul 2026       		8 place(s) left Guaranteed 2,965 Book Now
      E-bike – The Outer Hebrides
      13th Aug - 19th Aug 2026       		2 place(s) left Guaranteed 3,095 Book Now
      E-bike – The Orkney Isles
      22nd Aug - 27th Aug 2026       		12 place(s) left Available 2,965 Book Now
      Luxury Walking – Highlights of the Highlands
      27th Sep - 6th Oct 2026       		8 place(s) left Available 6,795 Book Now

      Make Trip Private

      Sometimes it's nice to get family and friends together and travel privately for some quality time. This means you benefit from all the features of the group departure, including hand-picked accommodation and expert local guides and we'll take care of it all. Then you can make your choice of departures dates and we'll get back to you to finalise the details.

      We work together with our team of guides to decide which departures they lead each year. As part of that, guides provide available dates that they are free to be booked. This means that any of the dates you see in the first field of the form below, could be perfect for your private departure or customised tour.

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