Gravel Rides Scotland: 28 gravel bike adventures in the wilds of Scotland

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The Scotrail network is extensive though and can get you to some far-flung areas, although it too peters out towards the northwest. Look out if you’re planning to take your bike on the train north of Inverness, to Oban and on a few other routes, as some services require a reservation to be sure your bike will be carried. This route is not super long and it's also not super tough to ride,” says Markus. “Plus, it's an easy one to get to from Edinburgh or Glasgow. It starts in Kinross, and there's an electric bus service that runs there, Ember, on the way from Edinburgh to Dundee.”

While the Cairngorms are home to four of the five highest mountains in Scotland, there are no extreme climbs and descents on the route, which is suitable to ride on gravel and mountain bikes. Several businesses along the route offer bike hire and bike-friendly accommodation. You can find out more here. There is also a handy Sustrans map for you to see where routes start and end, what cities, towns and attractions are nearby, how difficult the route is and more. Here are a few route suggestions to get you started:Scotland is home to trails and routes galore that allow you to safely explore the country away from busy main roads, using a mix of railway path, canal towpath, forest road, shared-use path, and cycle lanes. Cycling in Scotland can be one of the toughest, but ultimately the most rewarding, experiences. For starters, the scenery is as varied as the weather. From dramatic mountains shrouded in mist to scenic glens, Scotland’s cycling routes will impress even the most seasoned cyclists. Plan your own Highlands adventure Meet Neil Henderson, the Komoot Pioneer who organised the team’s Highland fling.

This book is full of practical tips and advice on all aspects of gravel riding, including the bike itself, essential kit to carry when out on a ride, as well as a brief history of gravel riding in Scotland.

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We love the coastal gravel roads in the Isle of Wight (if you have not ridden here, make sure it’s on your to do list soon) and by contrast, the hills & forests of North Wales make this one of our most popular rides. The mountain bike trails on Cathkin Braes were custom-built to host cycling events at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. This gives you a certain guarantee of the trail quality and, sure enough, there’s some serious infrastructure up there. I’m just an average guy who found bikes a bit later in life and is trying to make up for lost time. In the last five years I’ve raced a few seasons of cyclocross, done a bit of touring around Scotland and completed two ultra-distance cycling events: the Transcontinental Race and the 2020 Atlas Mountain Race. I love just how much distance you can cover in a relatively short period of time and exploring local lanes and new destinations.

With a social ride the day before the action begins, and the accompanying festival Raiders Gravel has the optimal mix of competition, adventure, exertion, culture and relaxation, making for an unforgettable cycling event in one of Scotland ’ s unspoilt gems. Trains offer a great way to link up routes. Scotland is home to some iconic train lines like the West Highland Line and the Scot Rail from Glasgow to Oban (and soon extending to Fort William), which has dedicated bike carriages. Some routes rely on trains, such as Beauly to Ardgay, so train stations are indicated to help you link up the rides. We launched this brand believing that UK riders will appreciate products that are carefully designed to make UK riding better and are affordable and over the years many thousands of Kinesis customers have agreed with us. For each route, Markus sought out a gravel rider based in the area, from GBDURO winners Josh Ibbett and Gail Brown in East Anglia to Markus’ fellow round-the-world record holders in Scotland, Jenny Graham and Mark Beaumont. The end result is a guidebook which is not only full of local expertise and exceptional bike routes, but which also has more of a human edge. Stitz 26 routes are split between Wales, England and Scotland, and each is based on the expertise of local riders. Photo: Markus Stitz We worked with the Cateran Ecomuseum on the development of seven new road, gravel and mountain bike journeys of varying lengths. You can find out more here.The best months for riding in Scotland are usually May-June, and September-October, avoiding midges and tourists in the peak summer months, and snow and unpredictable weather over the winter. Gravel riding offers something to every cyclist. If you’re a mountain biker, gravel riding allows you to explore further than you could on a mountain bike, while if you’re a road cyclist, a gravel bike let’s you leave traffic far behind you. Stitz’s companion for this ride was gravel rider and furniture-maker Andy Dix. We actually rode this route on wooden gravel bikes...