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      Paul Masson

      Paul Masson

      Passionate | Energetic | Reliable

      Mini Bio

      I’ve been a cyclist all my life, starting out racing on road bikes as a child and continuing through junior, senior and veteran categories. When cyclocross and mountain biking came along, I embraced them too.

      From the very beginning, I got involved in mountain bike guiding programs—first as a participant, then as a tutor and assessor, helping train outdoor instructors across Scotland. I’ve guided for organisations including Red Bull and Adventure Scotland, and worked as a mechanic during the heyday of Bothy Bikes.

      I went on to found Cycletherapy, building and designing mountain bike trails across Scotland, including Laggan, Learnie, Glenlivet, Tarland, and early cross-country tracks at Aonach Mhor. These days, I work as a consultant, inspecting trails and providing maintenance training for government groups and volunteers.

      In recent years, I’ve been exploring Scotland on a gravel bike, touring routes from Glasgow to John O’Groats, Knoydart to Montrose, and many variations in between. I’ve lived in Aviemore for over 30 years, and I can honestly say the finest gravel in Scotland is right here.

      Favourite Place to Play

      When it comes to cycling, Strathspey and Badenoch have it all–trails, terrain and scenery.

      Not a lot of People Know This

      I’ve carried very heavy rucksacks for Her Majesty’s Armed Forces.

      “I’ve lived in Aviemore for over 30 years, and I can honestly say the finest gravel in Scotland is right here.”
      Expand All
      Experience Read More

      I’ve raced on almost every type of bike and can pedal long distances at a good pace. I’m confident repairing just about anything on a standard bike, and I’ve explored much of Scotland on gravel bikes. I’m also well-practiced at packing bikes for long trips and have backpacked across Scotland numerous times, bagging a fair share of Munros along the way. Having spent decades riding and exploring here, I know the Cairngorms National Park inside out.

      Biggest Adventure Read More

      Some of my biggest adventures include:

      • Cycled the West Highland Way in a single day on a bike.
      • Nearly completed the Badger Divide in a day on a bike.
      • Cycled the Moray Triangle (Aviemore → Findhorn → Spey Bay → home), which was 130 miles of gravel biking in a day.
      • Completed 165 miles around the Cairngorm National Park by road bike in a single day.
      • Tackled the original NC500 route from Aviemore in 5 days.
      Specialist Subject Read More

      Bikes, bike trails maintenance and design.

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