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Bikepacking trips, what to take

Bikepacking trips, what to take

September 26, 2014

All you need for a good bikepacking trip in Scotland

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reizkultur

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more detail

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more details from my new book Gravel Rides: Cairngorms & Perthshire—starting with some of the easier routes.

First up: a magical loop from Kingussie to the Uath Lochans. This ride combines beautiful gravel trails with a top-notch cafe stop at the @kincraigartcafe. If you need a bike, @bothybikes offers quality rentals, and @starhotelkingussie is a great base with cycle-friendly accommodation.

You can buy the book directly from bikepackingscotland.com/books for a signed copy, or locally at Bothy Bikes & Kincraig Art Cafe.

.

#GravelRides #Cairngorms #Perthshire #BikepackingScotland #GravelCycling #AdventureCycling #CycleScotland #GravelBike #UathLochans #Kingussie #CyclingScotland #GravelRoute #ExploreByBike #BikeAdventure #ScotlandByBike

A weekend at the @grallochgravel - with the task t

A weekend at the @grallochgravel - with the task to capture the race from a different angle. Dumfries & Galloway provided a beautiful backdrop, @redon.sports a great team & everyone riding a fabulous community. Already looking forward to ‘26

#gravel #scotland

Book launch in the Cairngorms - amazing weather, a

Book launch in the Cairngorms - amazing weather, amazing trails & hospitality. A wonderful two nights at Ravenscraig with its great bike facilities, a nice ride showing John around one of the routes from the new Gravel Rides Cairngorms & Perthshire book and after a nice launch (sadly no pics) a final early morning ride this morning. Miles & smiles!

🎉 Publication Day! Gravel Rides Cairngorms & Pe

🎉 Publication Day! Gravel Rides Cairngorms & Peerthshire is officially out now. Thanks to everyone who pre-ordered a copy from me - and you’ll now be able to buy it from your local bookstore as well. If you order the book directly from me at bikepackingscotland.com/books I’ll deliver by 🚴‍♂️ in Edinburgh - quicker than Amazon (: All other orders will be sent as soon as I get them.

I hope the book simply inspires great adventures on your bike - and the 15 routes in the book give you an idea what this wonderful part of the world has on offer - I share the appreciation for this part of 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 with @mrmarkbeaumont - who knows those trails much longer than me.

A big thank you to @badaguish_ for hosting me on Monday for a talk and a screening of ‘Great British Gravel Rides’ at 19.30 - it’d be lovely to see you and share stories from researching the book - and other adventures around the world. You can get tickets in advance on www.entrycentral.com/gravelridescairngorms or on the door.

It’d be great to get your feedback - please leave a comment to let me know what you think of the book, which route inspires you most, what are your favourite memories …

A big personal thanks to Janes from @dexshell_official - whose supplied me with socks, gloves and woolly hats - in the end I mostly didn’t need them, but they were excellent when it was wet & cold.

#gravel #cycling #cairngorms #perthshire

12 days to go … I am super excited to welcome ev

12 days to go … I am super excited to welcome everyone again to the @cateraneco for the Dexshell Cateran Dirt Dash.

I am back in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 on Wednesday for the final preparations - I started the event in 2023, and have since got a much deeper connection to this wonderful part of Perthshire. Next to the event I established @forillonalyth as a base for @bikepackingscot - and used my local knowledge to work on Gravel Rides Cairngorms & Perthshire - which is out on 8 May.

If you don’t know what the Dirt Dashes are - a series of friendly and inclusive gravel and bikepacking events held in three locations in Scotland and England, which take you through some of the UK’s most iconic National Parks.

The events are small, and instead of automated responses I answer questions personally. Similar to the @edinburghdawnpatrol the focus of the Dirt Dashes is to bring people together.

And for the first event on 3/4 May we also give you the chance Riders to enjoy deeper engagement with the heritage of the Cateran Ecomuseum.

Thanks to support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Komoot, I have been able to map 38 points of interest along the two-day route that can be explored.

The images are from the two previous events. If you are still searching for ideas for the next bank holiday weekend - or in June or September, check out dirtdash.cc - there’s a limited amount of spaces left.

Thanks heaps to all supporters & funders making the events happen!

#bikepacking #gravel #perthshire

The Northern Lights. After missing them previous

The Northern Lights.

After missing them previously on a few occasions, I had the joy to experience them for a few hours. A moment to remember.

🇳🇴

If you pre-order my new book Gravel Rides Cairngor

If you pre-order my new book Gravel Rides Cairngorms & Perthshire you might be the lucky winner of a 2-night stay at @forillonalyth - cycling-friendly self-catering accommodation in the heart of Alyth run by @bikepackingscot

The book is your perfect guide for gravel adventures in Perthshire & the Cairngorms National Park - and situated on the Highland Boundary Fault Alyth is the perfect base. And if you don’t have a bike - we have partnered with @alythcyclery - they have two of our bikes for hire, plus bags & also a range of other bikes.

Here’s a tour through the house, which you can book at stay.bikepackingscotland.com - If you are staying with us, we are happy to advise you & plan your bike adventures for you.

You can pre-order a signed copy of the new book at bikepackingscotland.com/books or through @vertebrate_publishing at adventurebooks.com

#bikepacking #gravel #perthshire #cycling

Last Thursday it was a solo @edinburghdawnpatrol -

Last Thursday it was a solo @edinburghdawnpatrol - today it was 6 of is. Sixfold increase - and it was amazing. We’ll roll again on Tuesday - join us!

When I joined the @oslodawnpatrol a while ago for

When I joined the @oslodawnpatrol a while ago for the first time I could immediately see the appeal - cycling before the traffic wakes our cities up, meeting new people, catching up with friends, and experiencing all of this from the saddle. Starting the day with a meaningful activity which sets the tone for the rest to come - each time I rolled away from the cafe in Oslo I was buzzing.

And Oslo & Edinburgh have much in common, so after coming back to Scotland after racing @mothernorth.cc in Norway I mapped a route to inspire the @edinburghdawnpatrol - 30km, with some climbs & sections to cruise & chat. A mix of seaside & hills, a bit of everything that makes Edinburgh a great city to cycle.

Half a year in we are a small crowd still, but I enjoyed every ride & meeting new people. @kokomadida has been there almost all times. My work involves a lot of travel, so often I am there in spirits. And while long winter nights can be a slog, the dawns are part of the rides now - and soon we’ll be riding in full day light.

Most pictures were taken this morning - if they inspire you, simply meet us at St Andrew Square on Tuesday - or along the route.

Another dig day yesterday, this time with the @tay

Another dig day yesterday, this time with the @taysidetrailassociation at Ballo Forest near Coupar Angus. Time to get a full sus from @alythcyclery to ride those trails.

And it‘s nice to give something back too! I run the @dirtdash_cc Cateran Dirt Dash & @forillonalyth - a small self catering house, and really appreciate having such a great network of trails close to Alyth.

A recap from the last days - on Thursday & Friday

A recap from the last days - on Thursday & Friday I had the chance to meet new people & exchange ideas on how a new form of tourism, deeply routed in the communities, can be a good way forward.

I was the only one to arrive by bike at the gathering, but I guess the start on Friday morning was glorious that a few people would have enjoyed the ride to Ferryden lighthouse in Montrose, followed by a nice brekkie.

The learning journey on the gathering took us to the Montrose Airfield - Britain’s first military airbase & now a museum run by passionate volunteers. Wirth checking out!

Today I first proofed the draft of my new gravel book - and then cycled new sections of the Cateran Dirt Dash route & a one of the routes in the book near Alyth, to check for fallen trees.

Pre-sales will open soon! I’ll get the first pro

Pre-sales will open soon! I’ll get the first proof for my new book Gravel Rides Cairngorms & Perthshire next week. Super excited. All of the fifteen routs featured in the book are stunning, but this stands out. #gravel #cycling #scotland

The weekend in pics - delightful! Cycling to the @

The weekend in pics - delightful! Cycling to the @mountainfestival with a camp at the top of Glen Ogle, then stunning weather on Friday over Rannoch Moor.

After a great turnout at “Great British Gravel Rides’ it was nice to talk cargo bikes at the Bike Night, spend Saturday watching other talks & digging trails on Sunday. A quality weekend - and a festival that is run by volunteers that made everyone feel super welcome. Repeat!

Dig day - my first one, thanks to Mark from @mount

Dig day - my first one, thanks to Mark from @mountainfestival for inviting me around. My highlight of the festival, which was an amazing weekend in Fort William. As throughout the whole weekend there was a real community spirit - everyone just got stuck in. All ages, two & four legs, world champions & record holders. Everyone simply had a good time - helping to make 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 an amazing place to ride bikes. Thanks to @lochaber_trail_association for making such great days happen.

I’ll share a few more highlights from my festival - I’m already looking forward to 2026 - and you should join too!

See you tonight at @mountainfestival - 5pm for a s

See you tonight at @mountainfestival - 5pm for a screening of Great British Gravel Rides & Bike Night afterwards.

@ternbicycles @schwalbetyresuk

Oh how I miss #winter already

Oh how I miss #winter already

A short ride on the @dirtdash_cc route in Alyth -

A short ride on the @dirtdash_cc route in Alyth - this year you’ll get a different route with the god bits from the last two years & new nice sections. We’ll also start at the great @alythcyclery in town and finish at @highlandbndry on the Hill of Alyth - with a bar, food and stunning views. I loved my wee ride scouting the new bits of the route - and with 70 entries already, there’ll be a few more people this year too. @dexshell_official is on board as sponsor for the event again, and in partnership with the @cateraneco we’ll provide you with great infos about the local heritage as well - dirtdash.cc/cateran for more

Some more impressions from the last adventure in N

Some more impressions from the last adventure in Norway. Really looking forward to share the first edit of a new film tomorrow at my talk at @fahrradies in Halle - alongside stories from other trips.

#bikepacking #winter

Thank you Norway - you have been amazing! Weeks of

Thank you Norway - you have been amazing! Weeks of planning, adjusting & finally making it happen. A long winter cycling adventure has long been on my radar - glad it finally became reality. Keep cycling in winter - the rewards are plenty!

Some frames from editing the film about my latest

Some frames from editing the film about my latest adventure in 🇳🇴 It was cold & beautiful. Tomorrow I‘ll head to Berlin for a talk at Velophil - and before heading back to bonnie Edinburgh I‘ll stop at Fahrrades in Halle on Tuesday evening. You‘ll be able to watch a first edit of the film at Bike Night in Fort William & the Cycle Touring Festival in February as well.

Those 8 days of cycling were memorable - I had planned to go on a longer winter adventure for a while - glad I finally made it happen.

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The Inner Forth Bike Bus, which was piloted by the Climate FORTH project in 2024, is back for another season. The free transport service runs between Alloa and the Forth Bridges with clockwise and anticlockwise services.

Find out more at https://www.innerforthlandscape.co.uk/news/press-release-new-stops-added-as-inner-forth-bike-bus-returns-for-a-second-season

Our routes can be found here on Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/collection/3469849/-forth-bike-bus

The Inner Forth Bike Bus #cycling #adventure #activetravel

The Inner Forth Bike Bus, which was piloted by the Climate FORTH project in 2024, is back for another season. The free transport service runs between Alloa and the Forth Bridges with clockwise and anticlockwise services.

Find out more at https://www.innerforthlandscape.co.uk/news/press-release-new-stops-added-as-inner-forth-bike-bus-returns-for-a-second-season

Our routes can be found here on Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/collection/3469849/-forth-bike-bus

A Sunday with the Inner Forth Bike Bus - Cycling from Alloa to South Queensferry

Join us on 5&6 July for a cycling event and a fun and inclusive weekend in a great natural environment. At the Stans Yorkshire Coast Dirt Dash bikepacking event you will enjoy cycling self-supported in two days around the dramatic scenery of the Yorkshire Coast and the North York Moors National Park.

Yorkshire Coast Dirt Dash 2025 #bikepacking #gravel #yorkshire

Join us for a cycling event and a fun and inclusive weekend in a great natural environment. At the Stans Yorkshire Coast Dirt Dash bikepacking event you will enjoy cycling self-supported in two days around the dramatic scenery of the Yorkshire Coast and the North York Moors National Park.

Sign up at: dirtdash.cc/yorkshire

Sponsored by Stans & Carradice

Yorkshire Coast Dirt Dash 2025

Rooted in Scottish Gaelic, Irish and Isle of Man mythology, the Cailleach embodies the cyclical nature of creation and destruction, symbolising the raw power of nature and the resilience of humanity. In a world facing challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss, ‘Becoming Cailleach’ draws inspiration from these ancestral stories to foster collective resilience and reimagine our relationship with the natural world.

The project features four long-form poems penned by Jim Mackintosh, the Ecomuseum's Makar. These poems intertwine the Cailleach's mythos with contemporary reflections, guiding readers through a transformative journey.

The production of 'Becoming Cailleach' was made possible with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to National Lottery players.

More information about the Cateran Ecomuseum can be found at https://cateranecomuseum.co.uk.

BECOMING CAILLEACH by Jim Mackintosh

A short recap of the Edinburgh Dawn Patrol. Join us each Tuesday and Thursday at 5.40am at St Andrew Square. Free for all!

Edinburgh Dawn Patrol #roadcycling #dawnpatrol #edinburgh

The book contains 15 routes suited to gravel and mountain bikes, which have inspired my riding in the region over the years. Pre-order your copy here https://forms.gle/xkBGH5qzCX2TcZpcA

I don’t want to claim that those are the best rides in the area - that choice is yours. The routes are carefully selected to provide a wide mix of terrain for wherever you are on your cycling journey, and they also highlight some places you would not ordinarily find in a guidebook.

Each route description includes the route’s name, grade, distance, and a brief introduction, along with an Ordnance Survey map highlighting key milestones. It provides a detailed turn-by-turn guide featuring points of interest and historical context. Essential information covers distance, ascent, highest point, off-road percentage, start/finish locations with grid references and GPS coordinates, terrain details, and nearby bike-friendly transport hubs and car parks. Where relevant, it also includes recommendations for food, accommodation, bike shops, and hire options. And as with the other books, you will be able to download all routes as GPX files.

Gravel Rides Cairngorms & Perthshire #mtb #gravel #scotland

My new book contains 15 routes suited to gravel and mountain bikes, which have inspired my riding in the region over the years.

Order your signed copy here: https://forms.gle/xkBGH5qzCX2TcZpcA

I don’t want to claim that those are the best rides in the area - that choice is yours. The routes are carefully selected to provide a wide mix of terrain for wherever you are on your cycling journey, and they also highlight some places you would not ordinarily find in a guidebook.

Each route description includes the route’s name, grade, distance, and a brief introduction, along with an Ordnance Survey map highlighting key milestones. It provides a detailed turn-by-turn guide featuring points of interest and historical context. Essential information covers distance, ascent, highest point, off-road percentage, start/finish locations with grid references and GPS coordinates, terrain details, and nearby bike-friendly transport hubs and car parks. Where relevant, it also includes recommendations for food, accommodation, bike shops, and hire options. And as with the other books, you will be able to download all routes as GPX files.

'The Cairngorms and Perthshire offer some of the most spectacular landscapes in Scotland, which I got to explore from an early age, being home-schooled on a farm near Blairgowrie. Markus has once again captured this wilderness in stunning pictures for this book. With his fascination in both the geography and history, as well as his passion for cycling, this book isn’t just a guide; it’s an invitation to explore the heart of Scotland by bike — across rolling hills, through ancient forests, and along the iconic gravel tracks that make these regions a paradise for cyclists. Whether you’re an experienced rider or just starting out, this book will inspire your next adventure in one of the most breathtaking corners of the world.'

Mark Beaumont, record-breaking cyclist and adventurer

Gravel Rides Cairngorms & Perthshire - Available to order now

Using the Tern Orox S12 in Norway to organise firewood for the winter.

Hauling - Tern Orox S12

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