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    Road Cycling

    Scotland’s National Parks

    7 reviews

    Next Trip: 3rd - 9th Jun 2023 Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights

    From £2,445 View Prices & Dates

    Travel Planning & Advice

    Book With Confidence

    Trip created by Paul Easto
    View Paul's Profile

    Region: Perthshire and Southern Highlands
    Trip Type: Road Cycling
    Accommodation: Classic
    Max Group Size: 8
    Confirmed: When 3 Travellers Book
    Deposit From: £611.25 £611.25

    Grading:

    Carbon Footprint: 118kg ? What does this mean?
    Click here to find out about our carbon labelling project and what we're doing to be more sustainable.

    All you need to know about your trip, this essential document is a must for all adventures.

    Download Itinerary

    The roads in and around Scotland’s National Parks are quite possibly our favourite places in the country for riding your bike. With beautiful landscapes, smooth and quiet roads, charming villages, and plentiful cafes and pubs, it’s a cycling paradise. On this trip, you’ll discover the best routes through the mountains and alongside lochs and rivers. Ride past ancient castles, standing stones and other fascinating monuments to Scotland’s rich history. As one of the UK’s best destinations for food and drink, every meal is a highlight and you’ll be sure of the warmest of welcomes in the local places we’ll visit along the way.

    Need a bike? See our bike hire page for details.

    Trip Highlights

    • Journey between Scotland's National Parks on some of the best cycle routes in the UK
    • Ride through beautiful mountains, lochs and rivers on superbly scenic and quiet roads
    • The best of Highland hospitality in locally-owned hotels, restaurants and pubs

    Day by Day Itinerary

    Day 1 - Quiet Roads & Quaint Villages

    We meet this morning in Stirling and transfer north short way to a quieter spot. Here we take time to welcome everyone with a trip briefing and bike set-up to ensure a personalised fit for your week with us. Once we’re good to go, we’ll set off on our first ride to explore some of the quiet roads and quaint villages in and around the beautiful rolling hills of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. (L, D)

    Ride details: 53 km/33 miles | 636 m/2,086 ft elevation gain

     

     

    Day 2 - Loch Katrine and Duke’s Pass

    Today we ride straight from our hotel to the celebrated Loch Katrine, whose scenic waters inspired Sir Walter Scott. Here we’ll board a traditional steamship which will allow us to admire the stunning scenery from another perspective. Once disembarked we’ll enjoy a ride to the charming village of Aberfoyle. After lunch, we’ll take a classic ride up and over the beautiful Duke’s Pass. On reaching the summit we’re rewarded with fantastic views and will enjoy a fun descent to the shores of tranquil Loch Achray and back to our accommodation. (B, L, D)

    Ride details: 63 km/39 miles | 855 m/2,805 ft elevation gain

    Day 3 - Callander to Aberfeldy

    Today’s ride takes us further north into the Highlands. Our route takes us past waterfalls, mountains and glittering jewel-like lochs, full of history and legends. Stopping to visit the final resting place of Rob Roy Macgregor, the infamous Scottish outlaw, we follow a superb traffic-free cycleway climbing to the Glen Ogle Viaduct and our highest point of the day. After descending into Killin and enjoying a well-earned lunch the afternoon takes us along the rolling shores of sparkling Loch Tay with the peak of Ben Lawers and the surrounding mountains looking over us. Arriving at our next accommodation – our home for the next few nights – we’ll settle in before dinner. (B, L, D)

    Ride details: 78 km/48 miles | 926 m/3,038 ft elevation gain

    Day 4 - Schiehallion and Loch Tummel

    Setting out directly from the hotel, we enjoy an easy start to the day and follow the River Tay valley. The highlight of the day is a sustained climb taking us over the mountain slopes of Schiehallion, the ‘hill of the faeries’ – a local’s favourite. Afterwards, enjoy an awesome descent to the shores of beautiful Loch Tummel from where we follow a quiet road along the loch to the village of Pitlochry. Following an afternoon stop for a hot chocolate by the river, it’s a short distance back to our hotel at Aberfeldy. (B, L, D)

    Ride details: 64 km/40 miles | 956 m/3,136 ft elevation gain

    Day 5 - Loch Rannoch Circumnavigation

    An (optional) short transfer takes us into the mountains to explore more of Highland Perthshire’s classic roads. Starting with a fun downhill, we soon reach the shores of Loch Rannoch. The route around the loch is one of Scotland’s best road cycling routes – ancient crannogs, sandy beaches, mountain peaks and much more. Arriving into the village of Kinloch Rannoch this afternoon, we’ll take a transfer back to Aberfeldy for some free time to relax and explore the pretty town. (B, L, D)

    Ride details: 67 km/42 miles | 672 m/2,204 ft elevation gain

    Day 6 - Aberfeldy to Braemar

    Riding directly from the hotel, we begin our final full day on the bikes. This challenging day takes us through Pitlochry before climbing into the mountains of the beautiful Cairngorms National Park. Power up and over the Cairnwell Pass – the highest public road in the UK. It’s a tough climb but the views are incredible and get steadily more spectacular as we gain height. From the top, it’s an epic descent of 16km/10 miles into the village of Braemar. Celebrate with a drink in the quirky Fife Arms bar, before a transfer to your final night’s accommodation. (B, L, D)

    Ride details: 89 km/55 miles | 1,240 m/4,068 ft elevation gain

    Day 7 - Final Ride & Depart

    For our last day, enjoy a final ride through Royal Deeside, before taking a short transfer to Aberdeen to catch your onward travel plans. (B)

    Ride details: 24 km/15 miles | 254 m/833 ft elevation gain

    X
    Road Cycling
    Scotland’s National Parks

    To download a PDF copy of our Trip Itinerary, containing full details about this holiday, please complete the form below:

    Fields marked with * are mandatory

    The phone number field is not required but if you would like us to give you a call to help find the trip for you, then enter your telephone number including the country code.

    Trip Dates & Prices

    Trip Dates for 2023AvailabilityStatusPriceBook
    3rd Jun - 9th Jun 2023Trip FullFOR WEB PURPOSE£2,445
    26th Aug - 1st Sep 20231 place leftCONFIRMED£2,445Book Now
    Trip Dates for 2024AvailabilityStatusPriceBook
    1st Jun - 7th Jun 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,445Book Now
    6th Jul - 12th Jul 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,445Book Now
    3rd Aug - 9th Aug 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,445Book Now
    31st Aug - 6th Sep 20248 places leftUNCONFIRMED£2,445Book Now

    Trip Details

    Accommodation Read More

    This trip features some of the best hotel and guest house accommodation and food in the areas we are exploring. 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.

    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 £460 is charged if a single room is available.

    Meals Read More

    Breakfast is provided each morning at your accommodation. 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. All evening meals are also included, and on this itinerary and we have the flexibility to take evening meals in local restaurants or pubs. Included dinners are two courses as standard. Based upon our knowledge and experience, we will visit the best places to eat along the route.

    On this trip we generally eat dinner as a group however if you would like to make alternative arrangements you are free to do so. Your guide will have an evening off during this trip where they do not eat with the group. They will recommend options for dinner that evening and will help you make any necessary reservations.

    Inclusions Read More
    • 7 days professional guiding with lead guide plus assistant guide/support driver
    • 6 nights accommodation in 3* and 4* hotels/inns/guest houses on a B&B basis
    • This trip is all-inclusive so all meals are included, from Lunch on Day 1 to Breakfast on Day 7, as indicated in the itinerary
      (Meals indicated as B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
    • Vehicle transport throughout including ride support and luggage transfers
    • Entrance and admission fees as stated in the itinerary
    • Ride snacks, home baking and soft drinks
    Trip Grading Read More

    Blue Graded 4-6

    Blue graded trips are suitable for people with a good level of bike fitness, who regularly enjoy cycling and may have joined a multi-day cycle holiday before.

    Distances each day will be between 35 – 45 miles, cycling at around 12/13mph. Each day will be rolling and hilly terrain and there will be notable climbs most days. Some of these will be more testing and some riders may opt to push or ride in the support vehicle. Some climbs are also followed by exciting descents. We will be in the saddle for 5 – 7 hours each day plus the odd longer day. There is also time each day for breaks and lunches, plus some visits to sites of interest.

    Travel – Arrival and Departure Read More

    Your Guide will meet you at Stirling Railway Station at 11:00 am on Day 1 of your trip.

    You will be returned to Aberdeen Railway Station at 1:00 pm on the final day of your trip.

    Bike Hire / Bringing Your Own Bike Read More
    Bike Hire

    We have an excellent fleet of bikes available to hire – including road bikes, hybrid bikes, mountain bikes and E-bikes.
    Find Out More

    Bring Your Own Bike

    You are also more than welcome to bring your own bike.

    If you choose to do so, please ensure it’s in excellent working condition and has been recently serviced – either by you or by a reputable bike shop.

    In addition, please bring the following:

    • Multi-tool, including a chain tool
    • Mini pump and/or CO2 canisters
    • Two spare tubes and a puncture repair kit

    Because we will need to load your bike onto one of our trailers, please ensure that:

    • Your rear wheel is clear of any obstructions; including lights, mudguard or panniers
    • Your tyres are no wider than 45mm

    Due to the nature of our trips, we are unfortunately unable to carry bike boxes or bags with us, so please make prior arrangements if necessary.

    If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our friendly and knowledgable sales team are always delighted to answer any queries you may have.

    Photo Gallery

    Make This Trip Private

    Fancy this trip just for your group? Get together with family and friends spend quality time exploring wild places. A private trip allows you to benefit from all the features of the group departure, including hand-picked accommodation and expert local guides but with the advantage of the flexibility to tailor the days to your group. Make the trip more or less challenging depending on your experience or choose to add in some optional extras like castle or distillery visits depending on your interests. The price of a private trip will depend on the number of travellers in your group. Let us know your prefered departure date and we'll take care of the rest.

    Speak to an Expert

    Jane Gillies

    Our friendly office team hail from across the world but share a passion for the outdoor and wild spaces of Scotland. We are committed to providing you with the best customer service and are more than happy to chat through options and provide help and advice. Get in touch to find your perfect adventure.

    Ask Jane a Question

    Meet Your Guide

    Difficulty Grades Explained

    Blue Graded Road Cycling Holidays 4-6

    Blue graded trips are suitable for people with a good level of bike fitness, who regularly enjoy cycling and may have joined a multi-day cycle holiday before.

    Distances each day will be between 35 – 45 miles, cycling at around 12/13mph. Each day will be rolling and hilly terrain and there will be notable climbs most days. Some of these will be more testing and some riders may opt to push or ride in the support vehicle. Some climbs are also followed by exciting descents. We will be in the saddle for 5 – 7 hours each day plus the odd longer day. There is also time each day for breaks and lunches, plus some visits to sites of interest.

    Compare road cycling grades

    Trip Reviews

    Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 7 reviews of Road Cycling – Scotland’s National Parks

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    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.

    TS

    Trish Shee

    Reviewed on 04/07/2022

    Age: 60 - 70
    Country: Australia
    Trip Date: 25/06/2022
    Trips Taken: 1

    The Bottom Line

    The Bottom Line

    Where do I start? I reckon have been spoilt for life as I seriously doubt any other adventure tour company can reach the standard set by Wilderness Scotland on the July 2022 Scottish National Parks cycling trip. Naturally, there were all the things you would expect - excellent bikes, warmly welcoming accomodation, delicious food, spectacular route selection and attentive and considerate on-road support . But the real stand out has to be our guides, Will Snow and Louise Miller. Supremely capable and consummate professionals, their teamwork absolutely made this trip. Cool, calm, collected, caring, incredibly encouraging and supportive, knowledgeable, flexible, responsive, accomodating, they were just a delight to spend time with. Every service business is only as good as it’s people and Wilderness Scotland has two gems in Will and Louise. I cannot recommend them highly enough and I will definitely be back as soon as possible for another round of Scottish challenges and achievements, to say nothing of the constant belly laughs.

    RZ

    Rose Zamoyska

    Reviewed on 20/09/2021

    Age: 60 - 70
    Country: United Kingdom
    Trip Date: 04/09/2021
    Trips Taken: 7

    The Bottom Line

    PS

    Pam Schwartzberg

    Reviewed on 16/09/2021

    Age: 60 - 70
    Country: United States
    Trip Date: 04/09/2021
    Trips Taken: 2

    The Bottom Line

    The Bottom Line

    Outstanding! Even in pandemic times.

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