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Coast to Coast

A classic Scottish mountain bike adventure. Seven days of epic riding from Fort William to Montrose

Trip Summary

Total distance: 310km / 195 miles (Average 44km / 27 miles per day)

(* an evening meal is not provided on the penultimate day in Edzell.)

Cost? £525 with bunkhouse accommodation. Upgrade all accommodation to B&B £75 (based on two sharing).

We can run this trip on any date for groups of 3 or more. Contact us with your requirements.

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Coast to Coast Photo's on Flickr.

Itinerary

Mount Keen Coast to Coast

Day 1. Fort William to Fort Augustus (51km) 

A relatively easy first day along the Great Glen Cycle route. We can stretch our legs as the track takes us through the forests skirting the western the banks of Loch Lochy before crossing the Caledonian Canal and following the eastern bank of Loch Oich and then the canal towpath to Fort Augustus at the head of Loch Ness.

Day 2: The Corrieyarick Pass to Laggan (40km)

A real classic of Scottish mountain biking today – the Corrieyarick Pass. This takes us out of Fort Augustus on General Wade’s road, an old military road built in the 1730s and we climb to the high point of the pass at almost 780m. After all that climbing you deserve a cracking descent, and the Corrieyarick doesn’t disappoint. Over 20km of descending with only a couple of small counter climbs all the way to Laggan. The descent starts with the steep and loose hairpin bends at the top of the pass and follows the River Spey from Melgarve before hitting the tarmac at Garva Bridge. We follow the minor road to Laggan, our overnight stop.

Day 3: Laggan Wolftrax to Feshiebridge (55km)

We spend the morning at the Laggan Wolftrax trail centre which has some of the most technical routes in Scotland. After lunch at the excellent Basecamp café, we leave Wolftrax to continue our journey. We climb up the Strath an Ellich into Glen Banchor before descending into Netwonmore. After Newtonmore, the Sustrans cycle route takes us on minor roads past the ruin of Ruthven barracks to Feshiebridge

Day 4: Feshiebridge to Linn of Dee (40km)

Today we head into the Cairngorm mountains where Glen Feshie acts as an idyllic introduction to the area. After a brief warm up on the Sustrans cycle route, we pass through Inshriach forest to the northern end of the glen. A good track winds through the trees and past stunning waterfalls at  Ruighe nan Leum  to the head to the glen. Here we aim east to meet up with the Geldie Burn, which we follow past the ruin of Geldie Lodge until our path brings us to White Bridge. With the giants of the Cairngorms over our left shoulders, we skirt the River Dee for a few easy kilometres to Linn of Dee

Day 5: Linn of Dee – Ballater (38km)

After three tough days in the saddle it’s an easier day today. Good forest tracks and minor roads take us from Linn of Dee to Ballater via the Balmoral Estate. We ride in the shadow of Lochnagar past the Scottish home of the Royal Family and on to Ballater at the heart of Royal Deeside.

Day 6:  Over Mount Keen to Tarfside (40km)

A Munro is a Scottish mountain which is over 3000 feet (914m) in height. If this is your first trip to Scotland, you’ll never have climbed one before. Well, you will today. The summit of Mount Keen stands at 3080 feet (939m) and is the country’s most easterly Munro. We cross it almost exactly half way through the day, after climbing through the forested Glen Tanar, and up the Mounth Road, an ancient trade route through this part of the Highlands. After summiting a proper mountain you would expect a proper descent and, sure enough, we drop nearly 700 vertical metres in the final 10 kilometres down Glen Mark to Tarfside. Many mountaineers spend a lifetime ‘bagging’ all 284 Munros. One down, 283 to go!

Day 7: Tarfside to Montrose (48km)    

If your legs are feeling the effects of the trip on this, the last day, you’ll be glad to know that after the first 10 kilometres you’ve done all the climbing you have to. From the top of the pass at the Clash of Wirren we descend for the rest of the day on minor roads and cycle paths to Montrose where you can dip your toes in the frigid North Sea at Montrose Bay and look back on one of the best weeks’ mountain biking on the planet.

Accommodation

The basic price includes five nights accommodation in good quality cyclist friendly self catering bunkhouses and hostels, and one night (at the end of Day 6 in Edzell) in Bed and Breakfast accommodation. This is due to the fact that there is no bunkhouse accommodation available in the town. You can upgrade to Bed & Breakfast accommodation for the whole trip for an extra £75 per person (based on two people sharing a twin or double room).

How difficult is this trip?

This trip is rated as “challenging” as it involves long days in the saddle in remote and often challenging off road terrain. To complete the trip comfortably you should be riding regularly and confident that you can complete long rides with 4 – 6 hours in the saddle. You should also be confident at handing moderately difficult trail obstacles such as narrow singletrack, rocks and roots. The are some sections of this trip where extended pushing is required.

How many people will be on the trip?

Trips are limited to a maximum of six participants, to maintain a good atmosphere within the group and also to minimise impact on other trail users. Small groups also mean that our guides will have plenty of time to help you work on those bike skills out on the trails.

What do I need to bring?

Click here for detailed kit list

What’s not included?

Any other questions?

Please call us on 01475 740 414 or email info@ScottishMountainBikeGuides.com to discuss any aspect of this trip.

Click here for dates and booking