- Voted one of the Trips of the Year by Outside Magazine
- The ultimate mountain bike ride in the UK traversing the Scottish Highlands from coast to coast.
- 350km of superb riding from big mountain passes to ancient pine forest singletrack.
- 6 nights accommodation in locally-owned guest house and small hotels
- Breakfast and lunches, plus 2 evening meals (Meals included indicated as B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
- All transport throughout the trip, starting in Aberdeen and finishing in Inverness
- Private boat trip on beautiful Loch Shiel
- A support vehicle & trailer throughout
- The services of qualified and experienced mountain bike guides and assistant guide/support driver throughout your trip.
- All group safety and bike maintenance equipment.
Red Graded Mountain Biking Holidays 7-9
Our red graded trips are designed for regular mountain bikers with a high level of both fitness and riding skill. You can expect up to 8 hours of riding each day through a wide variety of terrain. Although unlikely, there is the potential for longer days under certain conditions. Distances covered will be in the range of 50km-70km each day and this will normally include significant ascent and descent. You may need to plan some pre-trip preparation to build your stamina to cope with being in the saddle for consecutive days.
Trail conditions will vary from easy trails to rocky land-rover tracks and technical single-track. The single-track will often be technical requiring a good skill set. The hardest trips in this grade will challenge even the most skilled rider with rock gardens, drop offs and steep ascents and descents.
21st Jul - 27th Jul 2018
Craig Tweedie
Globe-trotting, pedal-pounding Craig knows a thing or two about whisky too. Learn more here.18th Aug - 24th Aug 2018
Graham Moss
Graham shares his film star past and love of sailing in a very relaxed way...15th Sep - 21st Sep 2018
Tim Francis
A passionate biker and hill-walker, Tim is a former business development manager who spent 4 years working in South America...27th Apr - 3rd May 2019
Tim Francis
A passionate biker and hill-walker, Tim is a former business development manager who spent 4 years working in South America...20th Jul - 26th Jul 2019
Neil Macpherson
Globetrotter Neil has found paradise in the Cairngorms National Park. Learn more about him here.14th Sep - 20th Sep 2019
Graham Moss
Graham shares his film star past and love of sailing in a very relaxed way...ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS
This trip features some of the best hotel and guest house accommodation and food along the route we travel. We use a variety of accommodations such as country inns, guesthouses and small hotels, all hand-picked by us. Accommodation is in a choice of double or twin rooms with ensuite facilities.
Lunch each day will be either a wilderness picnic or taken at a local cafe/restaurant. Drinks and snacks are provided throughout the day as you require. Evening meals are included on the first and final evenings, and on this itinerary and we have the flexibility to take evening meals in local restaurants or pubs. Based upon our knowledge and experience, we will visit the best places to eat along the routes.
SINGLE ROOMS
There is no supplement charged to solo travellers, however you will be required to share a room with another person of the same sex. If you require a single room please request this at the time of booking and we will check availability for you. A single room supplement of £295 is charged if a single room is available – please see booking form terms and conditions.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
You will be met by your Wilderness Scotland Guide at Aberdeen Railway Station at 9:00am on Day 1 of your trip. At the end of the trip you have the option of being dropped at 10:30am at Fort William Railway Station or at Inverness Railway Station at 1:30pm.
For advice on getting to and from Scotland please our travel advice page on our website: www.wildernessscotland.com/faq/travel-to-scotland/
Trip Details
Our Coast to Coast mountain biking itinerary is an absolute epic and, without a doubt, one of our favourite trips. It features a week of superb riding from Aberdeen in the east to Ardnamurchan in the west.
Our pioneering route covers 400km, an awesome amount of ascent and descent and is the ultimate coast to coast mountain bike ride in the UK.
In the quest to make a great trip even better, we have made further improvements this year which mean more superb Highland trails and a higher standard of accommodation throughout the trip. The trails are as varied as the spectacular scenery of the Scottish Highlands and range from flowing singletrack to rocky and challenging mountain passes to mellow forest fire-road. Beginning in Aberdeen, we leave the city behind and ride all the way across the Highlands through the backcountry to the tip of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, the westernmost point of mainland Britain. This is a truly superb multi-day mountain bike ride offering world class riding through some of the most spectacular scenery in the Scottish Highlands.
Why choose the Wilderness Scotland Coast to Coast?
With many coast to coast itineraries out there, how do you know which one’s best? Through 20 years+ of experience, knowledge and passion, we believe our trip is the one to choose. Hopefully the following facts will help you make up your mind:
• Our 350km route features some of the best trails in Scotland. We have made it our mission not just to get from A to B, but to ride the best trails along the way.
• Over the years, we have ridden all the alternatives and know that the route we have devised offers the best riding, scenery and challenge. Unlike other routes, ours is genuinely coast to coast – right from the North Sea to the crashing surf of the Atlantic at Ardnamurchan Point.
• We invest each year in finding the best accommodation and food partners for the trip based upon our detailed knowledge and experience of the region. No other company offers such a high standard of accommodation and food throughout the trip.
• All of our guides are professionals from the Highlands and know the trails inside out. Riding with them, you can sure of discovering the best riding, learning a huge amount about Scotland, being safe, developing your skills and, for sure, having a lot of fun.
START POINT – Aberdeen
END POINT – Inverness
Our Coast to Coast mountain bike trip was voted one of the trips of the year in the US’ leading outdoor publication. Outside Magazine. You can read the recommendation here.
Cycling Journalist and writer Rob Penn also complete the Wilderness Scotland Coast to Coast. To read his account of his trip in The Guardian, click here.
Trip Itinerary
Day One – City of Aberdeen to Ballater
We meet in Aberdeen where we begin our bike journey west across Scotland. We ride through Royal Deeside, following the route of the old railway line built for Queen Victoria. After lunch we continue to Dinnet, to ride some of the best-kept secret single-track on Deeside, through beautiful birch and pine forest around the Burn of Vat and Cambus o’ May. (L, D)
Distance: 64km Ascent: 900m Descent: 770m
Day Two – Lochnagar and Balmoral to Tomintoul, Via Glen Builg
A classic day, typical of riding in the Scottish Highlands. In the morning we leave Ballater behind, following the River Muick, rising slowly towards Lochnagar. Climbing over the shoulder of the mountain, we then drop down to explore the trails around Balmoral Estate. Lunch is taken at Invercauld, followed by a long steady climb into wild Scottish countryside and a real mountain experience. Overnight in Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands. (B, L)
Distance: 62km Ascent: 1410m Descent: 1210m
Day Three – Through the Cairngorms
Arguably one of the best day rides in the UK, today’s route takes us through the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. Challenging hill climbs, beautiful ancient forests and sparkling lochs provide the backdrop to some of the country’s finest trails. Your guide will show you the way on this area’s hidden trails which link together to provide an unforgettable day in the mountains. Having traversed the National Park, our final is the village of Newtonmore. This is a classic and challenging day and one you are likely to remember for a long time. (B, L)
Distance: 66km Ascent: 1060m Descent: 1150m
Day Four – From the East to the West Highlands
From Newtonmore we continue our journey west, following an old military road before taking the backdoor into Laggan Wolftrax – one of Scotland’s best mtb trail centres. Some excellent downhill leads to morning coffee and a recharge before we head into a remote glacial valley which passes through the heart of the mountains. Double track combines with single track to leads us into the West Highlands. Overnight in Spean Bridge. (B, L)
Distance: 70km Ascent: 1050m Descent: 1200m
Day Five – Spean Bridge to Acharacle
The lower reaches of the Great Glen Way lead to Fort William where we take a short hop by boat across Loch Linnhe. Once ashore on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula we head south and then west to ride through one of the Highlands’ finest glens – remote, wild and dramatic. Our route leads to the shores of Loch Shiel and the historic village of Glenfinnan. The day ends in style when we are picked up by private boat for a journey down the loch to reach our overnight accommodation. (B, L)
Distance: 78km Ascent: 1230m Descent: 1315m
Day Six – Acharacle to Ardnamurchan Point
An awesome final day to finish. From Acharacle we head straight off-road into the Ardnamurchan wilderness. Heading west we join a beautiful coastline trail before climbing into the hills to reach one of the best and most challenging singletrack sections of the route. The views to Skye, the Small Isles and the Outer Hebrides are simply breathtaking on a clear day. After lunch we tackle the final short section of road and coastline singletrack to our final destination Ardnamurchan Point – the most westerly point on the UK mainland! A truly epic location to finish our journey. Celebratory dinner and drinks in Acharacle. (B, L, D)
Distance: 61km Ascent: 1540m Descent: 1560m
Day Seven – Return to Inverness
Following breakfast we load the vehicle and bikes and enjoy a leisurely 2 hour journey back to Inverness, arriving around lunchtime. (B)
Prices and Dates
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Trip Reviews
Every client receives a feedback survey when they return from their guided, self guided or tailor made holiday with us.
Once completed the review is published on our website just as soon as our database updates. The little touches and details are important to us and where issues are raised we make positive changes to our trips to improve your experience.
That's why we read each of our client's reviews and although we don't respond to all of them, if it's glowing feedback then we get the satisfaction of helping to make your holidays truly memorable.
by Dirk Van Caelenberg 18/06/2018
Your Guide
One was excellent and one good as he had less experience with some of the tracks.
by Dan Edwards 18/06/2018
Trip Comments
Such a fantastic route, every day was another adventure.
Accommodation and Food
I'm not keen on B&B's with shared bathrooms.
Your Guide
Tim Francis was excellent. Very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Stuart went out of his way to make sure we had excellent lunches on our trip too.
The Bottom Line
An epic mountain biking adventure across the breadth of Scotland with plenty of challenging hills, mountain tracks and single track. Arriving at Ardnamurchan lighthouse on the 6th day after a gruelling adventure truly felt like a special achievement for us all.
by Simon Warren 18/06/2018
Pre-Trip Service
Very helpful in providing advice and information to gauge suitability of trip; easy booking process; great communication and follow up, all with a sense of humour. Chantal and Bridget were great.
Trip Comments
Too many to recall! The first big climb over Lochnagar; the epic days on Day 2 & 3; Glen Feshie; the beautiful wilderness riding around Loch Spey; the remote hillside tracks en route to Ardnamurchan; the stretches of flowing forest single track; 35 mph headwinds for the whole of the last day ; riding on the beach in Sanna as the sun came out...
Finally, the company. Great group of people - everyone was very supportive of each other, very funny and entertaining. The week flew by.
Accommodation and Food
All good on the whole and as expected given the remoteness of where we were. Food was plentiful and rooms clean and comfortable, which is all you can ask. Nice hotel in Ballater; great meal out in The Ben Nevis inn; a buzzing bar in Acharacle on the last 2 nights. B&B in Spean Bridge probably the least favourite (small room, a bit inflexible and house proud).
Some of the rooms were a bit small for twin room sharing for two blokes and with hindsight, I would have paid a single room supplement for the extra space and sleep.
Your Guide
Tim was a superb guide - perfectly judged the pace and a distance each day and pushed the group to do things we might not have done with authority, humour and confidence. Made everyone stop and appreciate where we were, rather than just head down pedalling, and put the whole landscape into context. He was particularly good at articulating the map and explaining what was ahead and what to look out for. He clearly loves the area.
The Bottom Line
A bucket list trip that leaves you with a head full of memories, some new friends and a genuine sense of achievement. I'd do another one in a heartbeat.
by Ana Siqueira 15/05/2018
Pre-Trip Service
Any doubts that I had was promptly answered. We had no problems.
Trip Comments
The trip was fantastic. Day one was like a warm up. Days 2, 3 and 4 were amazing, great landscapes, 6 hours without see anybody, challenging terrain and weather .. Day 5 was to give a brake to the legs and day 6 was the grand finale.
We had great fun, our group of 8 people was fantastic. Steve, Paul, Jonathan and Mark, Our guides, Graham and Neil, very prepared, know every place in details, and like every other Scot that we met, very friendly. That was something very nice to discover, Thank you people from Scotland to receive this “Brazilian team” so well.
It is really an adventure, for those who want to ride a mountain bike in an beautiful part of the world. It’s not a trip to see castles, stops in distilleries, Be phisically prepared, it will be very hard sometimes, but you don’t want to be a pro to do it.
We rent the bikes (full suspension, 27,5, and worked very well, every day Graham and Neil prepared for us).
The places that we stopped were very cozy. Good to take a hot shower, a whisky and good food and rest for the other day.
So, we are very happy to did it.
Accommodation and Food
The place in Tomintoul was the best. But every place was very cozy, clean. In one or other day the room could be bigger, but it was not a real problem. The food in one day was ok, just it. I believe that it was in Newtonmore.
Your Guide
Excellent. They control very well the time, when we had mechanical problems the solution was very quick. Every one, I believe, had your time to take photos, enjoy the ride...
The Bottom Line
The trip is very well planned and managed. As I said, it is an adventure for those who loves the outdoor. And the Highlands is amazing, it is a “must do” trip if you wants to know Scotland.
Thanks Wilderness Scotland!
