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#HIGHLAND MOUNTAIN BIKE SHOP SERIES#

You can expect large dinner portions at the Oykel Bridge Hotel if you’re lucky, you can eat here twice as the Northern Loop also returns through this point on the way back.You can enjoy a sit down meal and also pack some extra pies for the trail. Don’t miss the world famous variety of Scottish pies at the Lochinver Larder.Drumbeg Stores have an excellent deli counter and the owners are especially friendly to Highland Trail riders.Contin Stores is another essential stop before embarking on the remote Northern Loop.The first major resupply point is Fort Augustus, around 100 miles into the route where you’ll find restaurants and a small supermarket.According to the locals, filtering/purification is not strictly required if you collect water from fast running streams. Glorious Scottish spring water is plentiful throughout the Highlands.

The best repellent for midges is to cover up and wear a midge net.

The pubs generally open in the evenings for dinner.

The opening hours for supermarkets and shops are limited in the Highlands.

Whilst footpaths are generally off limits to bikes in England and Wales, bikes are widely accepted on all kinds of trails throughout the Highlands.

There are some sections which will be overgrown or covered in snow at other times of the year.

The Highland Trail is best approached between May-June.

The Highlands are notorious for demonstrating all four seasons in one day, so be prepared for sun, snow, wind, rain and everything in between.

You must check with the Estates if you are considering riding within these dates.

The red deer stalking season runs from 1 July to 15 February, so it is not recommended to ride through the Estates during this time.

The Tyndrum Lower station is a stone’s throw from the popular By The Way hostel and campsite.

The ScotRail service from Glasgow to Tyndrum Lower is frequent and bike friendly.

The weather is highly unpredictable, with potential for horizontal dagger rain and blissful sunshine on the same day. Your speed will vary dramatically depending on the terrain, so be sure to pack extra food going into the more remote sections. The food stops are excellent, but you will need to check opening hours and distances carefully. These efforts are not without reward the most difficult sections yielding the most impressive scenery, especially if you are fortunate enough to have the lovely clear skies we experienced on the HT550 2016.

#HIGHLAND MOUNTAIN BIKE SHOP SERIES#

There are some long hike-a-bike sections worth considering, notably the rugged stretch around Suilven, the series of climbs through the picturesque Fisherfield Forest, a tough push up Glen Affric and the final hike up the Devil’s Staircase. The coastal rollercoaster along the B869 to Drumbeg is rewarded with scenic views and the excellent deli at Drumbeg Stores, followed by the world-famous Scottish pies at the Lochinver Larder. Fill up on pizza in Fort Augustus before weaving north around the lochs, with a crucial resupply at the Contin Stores near Strathpeffer before embarking on the stunning northern loop.

The route starts from the Tyndrum Village Hall and traverses over the Lyon and Gaur river valleys before a phenomenal 10 mile singletrack around Ben Alder. This ‘summer version’ of the Highland Trail is presented as a touring route with a suggested average of 40-50 miles per day over 11-14 days.

Most of the riders who finish the Highland Trail mass start event or as an ITT tend to finish the whole route in 4-8 days. Originally conceived by veteran endurance mountain biker Alan Goldsmith as a training route for the Colorado Trail Race (CTR), The Highland Trail was later developed into one of the most challenging self-supported off-road individual time trials (ITT) in the world.