SCOTLAND BRAVEHEART
ISLE OF SKYE TO STIRLING CASTLE
"ATLANTIC TO THE NORTH SEA"
MTB
(8 DAYS)
REF: SCOT BRAVEHEART MTB

28 July - 04 August 2012
Sorry bookings for this tour date now CLOSED

£ 1195 rider

Ride from the Isle of Skye to Stirling Castle
Approx 200 Miles

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This is adventure off road cycling at its very best passing through national nature reserves. We wind our way along remote glens and passes, numerous small lochans and incredible mountains shaped during the ice age.

We pass through small crofting communities, following coastal routes which offer magnificent seascapes. We visit the romantic Isle of Skye.

Enjoy the wide variety of wildlife; deer, golden eagles, osprey etc

A holiday for the cyclist, mountain lover and naturalist. The best way to do this tour, travelling light with a tour leader and vehicle support, and staying in traditional highland accommodation.

A west coast sunset

Biking Profile:

OFFROAD riding passing through the Isle of Skye into Knoydart, Sunart, Glencoe, and the Trossachs.

The tour will be fully vehicle supported. The support vehicle will carry a range of spares and your road tires for those wishing to ride the road sections on smoother faster tires.

Distances vary from 20 miles to 40 miles on the tour. A typical day's riding starts at 9am and we reach our destination around 4pm.

A Challenging route through wild mountain terrain and ever-changing landscapes.

Great cross country riding (technical single track, forestry tracks, double track, some long climbs over high passes, and spectacular descents).

Some 'bike hiking' and road riding is necessary to complete this journey.

Off-road experience is recommended.

Ride some of the wildest Cross Country trails in the Western & Central Highlands.

OUTLINE ITINERARY
SCOTLAND BRAVEHEART
ISLE OF SKYE TO STIRLING CASTLE (MTB)
"ATLANTIC TO THE NORTH SEA"

Note on mileage: The mileage may seem small on some days but please keep in mind we travel over remote Highland tracks where the terrain is undulating and we take into consideration the accumulated mileages on the legs as the week progresses.

Day 1 - STIRLING - Isle of SKYE
Meet at STEP parking lot in Stirling at 11:00 hours for a 12:00hrs departure. Load bikes and luggage and transfer to the Isle of Skye in our comfortable private coach. Enroute we visit the Glencoe Interpretation Centre. 4 hour Transfer.
Overnight Highland Guest House.

Day 2- Isle of SKYE to the Wild West coastline
We ride on quiet Highland Roads to the east of Isle of Skye. Spectacular views to the Black Cullin Mountains and the Knoydart Peninsula. We take a short ferry to the mainland for our afternoon offroad ride enroute visiting the ancient Iron Age Brochs.
Overnight Highland Guest House.
Approx 25 miles

Day 3- The Rough Bounds of Knoydart
A spectacular roller coaster ride into the heart of Knoydart - enroute we take short ferry rides into Europe's last true wilderness area.
Overnight in Highland Guest House.
Approx 20 miles

Day 4 - The Road to the Isles
We ride the road to the Isles into the mountains of Moydart. Our route winds its way past rocky inlets and sandy beaches where we can view the landing point of Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Overnight traditional Highland Hotel.
Approx 25 miles

Day 5- Jacobite Trail
A great ride along the shores of beautiful Highland Lochs and great descent to Glenfinnan where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised the standard for the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745. Our afternoon ride takes us offroad into the mountains of Ardgour and a final steep climb (tremendous views over the Knoydart penninsula and the surrounding Outer Hebridean Islands) followed by a terrific descent to our accommodation.
Overnight Highland Hotel.
Approx 25 miles

Day 6- Glen of the Weeping
An easy road ride for our short ferry hop to the mainland to pick up our Highland trails through Glencoe to Rannoch Moor. Enroute we visit the famous Glencoe Massacre Centre before riding an ancient Highland Drover's route to our accommodation.
Overnight Highland Inn.
Approx 40 miles

Day 7- Enter Rob Roy Country
Our day starts with an interesting ride along part of the West Highland Way where we ride through remote glens and over passes to our overnight stay on the shores of Loch Tay.
Overnight Highland Guest House
Approx 28 miles

Day 8- Braveheart
An undulating ride along forestry tracks into the heart of Rob Roy Country where we visit Rob Roy's grave enroute to the Trossachs National Park. We visit Doune Castle (film set for Monty Python Holy Grail scene). Our ride finishes on the ramparts of Stirling Castle. From here we can see where we rode across the Auld Stirling Bridge crossing the River Forth (tidal) and the superb views to the Wallace Monument (Braveheart).
This is the end of our journey where we bid our final farewells alongside the statue of Robert the Bruce.
Approx 35 miles

Terrain:

Most of the off road riding is a combination of double and single track. The single track sections are not particularily long and there are alternative trails.

Brigitte and John both ride with the group enabling them to manage the various skill and fitness levels and provide everyone in the group with a challenge suited to their needs.

Wildcat guides have ridden every Highland offroad route and their alternatives - we can provide you with a wide range of trails to suit all abilities.

Bikes:

We have a fleet of front suspension (with lockout) / hydraulic disc brakes / 27 speed MTB bikes available for hire.
We use a new fleet of bikes every season.
Bikes are from Trek / Scott / Diamond Back.

We do not hire full suspension bikes as our cross country route is best suited for the lighter front suspension bikes.
Note: if you prefer to bring your own bikes, you may leave your bike boxes at our base for the duration of the tour.

We regularily switch over the brakes for our North American clients and this we do in advance of your arrival.

Hire bikes are supplied with platform pedals and seats however we encourage riders to bring their own pedals/shoe combination and favourite saddle.

All bikes are transported fully assembled on our purpose built trailer, participants are transferred from our base in Stirling to the start of the route in a private coach bus, and we are transported back to our base in a private coach bus at the end of the tour.

Support Vehicle:

Our support vehicle carries a range of spares for our hire bikes along with a full compliment of tools, including snacks, water, and of course your luggage.

Our support vehicle meets us each day at predetermined points several times a day to enable us to resupply on snacks, water, etc.
Note: Our support vehicle has space for 2 participants at any one time wishing to sit out part(s) of the day…

Participants:

Our clients normally range from mid twenties to mid fifties. The younger participants are normally full of energy however our older participants tend to have the most stamina!

All of our clients are cyclists who enjoy the wilderness and like to have a good day's ride, followed by some good banter in the evenings over a drink. We are renowned for having a great time on the ride during the day followed by great after ride socials.

We have riders from all over the world join us on tour. On most of our tours we have riders who have been with us many times before.

Accommodation & Food:

All our meals are in traditional pubs/restuarants however eating with the group is not mandatory.

All your cooked breakfasts, and daily ride snacks are included in the tour.

Breakfast includes a wide range of cereals, fruit, juices/coffee, and of course a full cooked breakfast.

Drinks & evenings meals are extra - A typical 2 course dinner will cost approx £12.

Accommodation is in excellent traditional Highland Hotels and Guest houses. PLEASE NOTE: We do NOT use bunk houses or youth hostels on any of our tours.

Please see left hand side for a list of tour inclusions/exclusions

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