United Kingdom

Scotland - Lochs and Glens

Guided Leisure Bike Tour

Grade

1
2
3
4
5

Duration

7 days

Prices from

$2,110 P.P.

E-BIKE HIRE AVAILABLE

This tour is well-suited to both normal bikes and pedal assist e-bikes and you can choose to hire either when you book your tour with us. Confident cyclists will enjoy the boost from a battery for those cheeky climbs, and with less effort required on the bike, you’ll have more energy at the end of the day for off-the-bike activities. You may choose to hire an e-bike on a group or supported tour but bear in mind that the pace will be set to riders without an e-bike.

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Scotland is renowned for its glistening lochs and majestic glens, and the Lochs and Glens is a wonderful fully guided cycling holiday that enables you to experience it all by bike! We follow National Cycle Network routes and enjoy riding on traffic-free paths and quiet roads with some sections on cinder trails and well surfaced off-road trails.
Cycling from the pretty village of Balloch, also known as the gateway to Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, to Inverness, "capital" of the Highlands, the route winds its way through the beautiful rolling hills and forests of the Trossachs, passing tranquil lochs and secluded wooded glens. It’s easy to see why they call the Trossachs ‘The Highlands in Miniature’. Stunning scenery abounds as you enter the Highlands and Cairngorms National Park with magnificent views of the Grampian Mountains along the way. Picturesque Highland villages and ski resort towns lie ahead, with a terrific diversity of well-surfaced forest tracks, quiet scenic roads, and plenty of off-road cycle paths allowing you to comfortably take in the gradual changes in landscape.
You will cycle through historic battle sites, past ancient castles and bronze age burial sites, as well as Britain's first open air museum dedicated to Highland life through the centuries, all directly on our route. There are also many opportunities to see Scottish wildlife at its best including deer, red squirrels, eagles and osprey, so don’t forget your binoculars! If you get a tad thirsty you could always visit a local whisky distillery for a wee dram, with the route passing through some famous whisky-producing areas like Speyside.
Enjoy the very best of Scottish hospitality in the bed and breakfasts and small hotels that provide our overnight stops, as well as the legendary Skedaddle picnic lunches provided by our guides.
If you would prefer to do a self-guided trip then you could take a look at our Scotland - Lochs and Glens self-guided cycling holiday
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Highlights

  • Watching the sun rise over Loch Lomond
  • The beautiful lochs of Venachar, Lubnaig and Tay
  • Cycling through the dramatic Cairngorms National Park
  • Scottish wildlife at its best including deer, red squirrels, eagles and osprey
  • Castles and distilleries galore
  • Rural Scottish cycling at its very best

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Itinerary

Day 1
Arrival into Balloch
Non Cycling Day

Balloch, on the shores of Loch Lomond, is where you will spend your first evening.

For those arriving by train (40 minutes from Glasgow) your accommodation is a short walk from the station. If you decide to arrive into Balloch by car, on-street parking is available nearby. The Skedaddle guide will meet you at the accommodation in the evening and there will be a chance for a chat about the next few days riding over a drink and something to eat.

Day 2
Balloch to Callander
35 Miles / 56 Kms Approx
Ascent: 810 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 810 Metres Approx.

Following a hearty Scottish breakfast, we leave our accommodation and follow a route via lochs and glens to Callander, our second night’s stop. The route takes us out into the solitude of the countryside from Loch Lomond to Loch Venacher via quiet country roads. After Aberfoyle we enter Achray Forest from where we will weave our way to Callander along the southern shore of Loch Venacher. Some climbing, with the inevitable descents, but plenty of time to enjoy the views, tranquillity and great cycling.

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Day 3
Callander to Killin
25 Miles / 41 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 510 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 510 Metres Approx.

The countryside is different to yesterday's riding, with a gentler landscape of farmland and woodland. A real combination of surfaces today, quiet lanes, cycle paths and a disused railway line through the beautiful Glen Ogle. You are now close to the birthplace of folk hero and latter day Robin Hood, Rob Roy Macgregor, whose grave may be found in Balquhidder. The final stretch is to Killin (or nearby) where we will stop for the night.

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Day 4
Killin to Pitlochry
39 Miles / 62 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 690 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 690 Metres Approx.

The start of the day follows the 15 mile long Loch Tay to Aberfeldy the home to Dewars World of Whisky Distillery. All road today, as we pass through Aberfeldy and Strathay, before arriving at Pitlochry - watch out for those leaping salmon! An optional detour can be made from here to the Edradour Distillery (2.5 miles from Pitlochry) – you'll need no persuasion to visit Scotland's smallest distillery, established way back in 1825. The wide glens of the river Tay and river Tummel guide us to Pitlochry and our accommodation for the night.

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Day 5
Pitlochry to Kingussie
44 Miles / 71 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 615 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 615 Metres Approx.

Today we ride through Glen Garry and over the Pass of Drummochter, the main mountain pass separating the southern and northern Highlands. Not to worry as it's a gradual, undulating climb with lovely Highland vistas. Early sights include impressive Blair Castle, ancestral home of Clan Murray in the pretty village of Blair Atholl. Soon we ride on a traffic free path adjacent to the River Garry with a waterfall or two spotted on the way. After conquering the pass on undulating cycle path, we‘re rewarded with 20 miles of gradual downhill to finish the day in the town of Kingussie, passing Dalwhinnie, the highest village (and distillery) in the Highlands, and time permitting, a visit to the Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore, Britain's first open air museum and a glimpse at how locals have lived and worked here since the 1700s.

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Day 6
Kingussie to Inverness
55 miles / 89 Kms Approx.
Ascent: 750 Metres Approx.
  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch
  • Ascent: 750 Metres Approx.

The first impressive sight of the day comes immediately after leaving Kingussie. Our route passes directly by the well-preserved Ruthven Barracks, built in 1719 after the Jacobite rising, sitting on an old castle mound. We will take a few minutes to explore the complex and take photos at this picturesque site. Continuing up Speyside through quieted forested roads we soon reach the ski resort town of Aviemore with terrific views of the Cairngorm Mountains. More traffic-free sections follow on a stretch of the Speyside Way, through pleasant forest and moorland track, you might see one of the local golden eagles or osprey if you're lucky! A few miles further we reach Carrbridge with its packhorse bridge, the oldest stone bridge in the Highlands. Following the Slochd summit it's mostly downhill to the capital of the Highlands, Inverness, with glimpses of the Moray Firth ahead. The final miles are steeped in history, passing the 4000 year old Clava Cairns and the Culloden Battlefield before finishing our journey on the Ness Bridge in the heart of the northernmost city in the UK. We'll have a celebratory evening with a wee dram or two before a good night's rest and departure the next day.

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Day 7
Depart Inverness
Non Cycling Day
  • Meals: Breakfast

After our final hearty Scottish breakfast of the trip, time to say farewell to our fellow cyclists and start our return journey home. Transfers to the train station at Inverness and back to cars in Balloch will be provided.

Understanding Profiles

Use these profiles to see:

  • Distance in Km (horizontal axis)
  • Ascent / Descent in metres (vertical axis)

Click 'see gradient' to see:

  • Distance in Km (horizontal axis)
  • % Gradient (vertical axis)

Please check the scales on both graphs, and both axes as they both may differ from day to day.

White vertical lines indicate unpaved sections or slightly rougher terrain. Using both graphs, alongside the grading and terrain information provided, will give you a full picture of how flat, bumpy or steep the climbing on your particular tour is going to be. Please keep in mind this is an indicative guide and GPS units and software produce different statistical information.

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The Cycling

Terrain

The route follows traffic-free paths and quiet roads. There are forest trails with some roots and stones, and forestry roads with small sections of rough track with chunky, looser gravel. We recommend either a hybrid bike, or a mountain bike fitted with semi-slick tyres, as parts of this route are not suitable for a road bike.

If you’re wanting to spend more time exploring the sights along the way, then an e-bike is perfect to cover the miles a little quicker. Take advantage of the pedal assist on the climbs. Please note – E-bikes are normally heavier than standard hybrid bikes, so worth considering when handling the bike on rough tracks.

For more information about riding an electric bike on our holidays please click here

Lochs and Glens uses a part of the National Cycle Network, a route from the charity, Sustrans, who are working to make it easier for everyone to cycle in the UK. Skedaddle will donate to Sustrans for every mile that you and others ride on this route with us. If you fancy donating more to Sustrans, you can choose to make your own donation for the development of the National Cycle Network when you make a booking with us.

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Leisure Cycling Grade

1
2
3
4
5
Grade 3-4 : Moderate/Active

Aspects of both our grade 3 and 4 trips

Suitable for the leisure cyclist who rides frequently, and who’s comfortable with some moderately challenging climbs

Some of the terrain may vary, potentially including sections of uneven or unpaved ground

Our grading guidelines have been carefully created based on our many years of cycling experience, as well as customer feedback from our trips. Of course, if you're still struggling to figure out where you fit on the scale, do feel free to give us a quick call and we'll be more than happy to help!

For more information about our grading system click here.

Is this suitable for you?

Trips that are graded as a 3-4, will have aspects of both our grade 3 and 4 trips. These tours are suitable for those who keep themselves relatively fit and maybe enjoy an afternoon out on the bikes at the weekend. Your preference may be for flatter terrain, but you don’t mind tackling some hills, the occasional steep climb and some varying terrain (forest tracks, gravel paths etc.). It might be however that on some days the distances will be longer than a standard grade 3 trip, or some of the climbs may be quite challenging. You may also require some previous experience of tackling some uneven / unpaved ground to comfortably and safely ride certain sections of the route.

For more information about the grading of this holiday in particular, please check out the terrain section which will give you some specifics of what to expect on this tour.

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Dates & Prices

Secure Your Holiday With A Deposit

Book now with a $375 deposit and nothing more to pay until 60 days before departure. Choose a date to start your booking and see all prices, including bike hire and single room supplements.

Select a date to view prices and book
Start Date
End Date
Duration
Price p.p.
Start Date
04/05/2025
Return Date
10/05/2025
Duration
7 days
Price
$2,110.00
Start Date
08/06/2025
Return Date
14/06/2025
Duration
7 days
Price
$2,110.00
Start Date
03/08/2025
Return Date
09/08/2025
Duration
7 days
Price
$2,110.00
Start Date
14/09/2025
Return Date
20/09/2025
Duration
7 days
Price
$2,110.00

Whats Included Tick

A) Accommodation (shared twin / double en suite rooms)

B) Meals as itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)

C) Full support service including a guide qualified in First Aid and a back up vehicle carrying spares, snacks and extra equipment not needed on your bike

D) Access to the Skedaddle App for holiday information

E) GPX files available upon request

E) Scheduled train station transfers on arrival and departure days

F) Financial Protection through ABTOT

What's not Included Cross

A) Bike and helmet rental (available if required)

B) Travel or flight costs or charges for travelling with your bike (if applicable)

C) Meals not stated in the itinerary

D) Single room (available if required)

E) Travel insurance

F) Personal clothing and equipment

G) Personal expenditure (souvenirs, bar bills, hotel facilities etc)

H) Entrance fees to cultural or historical sites and visitor centres

I) Other optional activities

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Private Departures

Private Departures

Are you keen to only travel with your family or friends? Struggling to find the right date? Well, we can organise a private departure for this tour and tailor aspects to suit your group's specific needs. Contact our friendly team and we'll help you turn your dream into reality.

The Essentials

Travel Options

The nearest airport is Glasgow (GLA) which is accessible from North America with one stop over in an intermediary airport, with airlines such as Norwegian or Aer Lingus. There is then a 40 minutes train journey from the airport to Balloch and the accommodation is just a short walk away from the station.

If travelling by train we ask that you arrive into Balloch train station and depart from Inverness. There is also an International airport at Inverness (INV).

If you are hiring a car whilst in the UK on-street parking is available in Balloch where you will be able to leave your vehicle for the duration of the trip.

Please contact us for more detailed information on the specific schedules that we recommend for your holiday and please check with us before booking your travel so that we can ensure it fits with the trip schedule.

Accommodation

In the UK we use good quality 3 or 4 star hotels, B&Bs, inns and family-run guesthouses that are cycle friendly, located close to the cycling route and showcase the style and hospitality of the area you are visiting.

Where possible we prioritise locally owned businesses and those offering locally sourced food, drink and speciality products. This all promotes sustainability in-line with our responsible travel policy.

All our UK trips are operated on a double/twin-share basis. Single occupancy rooms can be provided for a supplement and are subject to availability at the time of booking.

Bike Hire

If you would like to rent a bike we have both hybrid and electric bikes available.

The hybrid bikes are generally Giant Roam (male frame) or Liv Rove (female frame) with a wide gear range suitable for the route and terrain, semi-slick tyres, hydraulic disc brakes and a relaxed riding position.

Our electric bikes are generally Giant E+ pedal assist bikes with batteries suitable for the daily distances on this holiday and hydraulic disc brakes. E-bikes come with step through frames as standard but some cross bar frames may be available if preferred. Please let us know if you have a preference.

A rack and two panniers, and one bottle cage are provided with all our rental bikes, along with an emergency repair kit in a seat-post bag containing a puncture repair kit, a multi-tool, a spare innertube and a bike pump.

We are also able to provide helmets, if you’d like one to be provided, please request this at the time of booking.

You are welcome to bring along your own saddles, or own pedals if renting a hybrid bike, but please let us know if advance if you plan to do so.

If you are planning to bring your own e-bike, please let us know the make and model of your bike and we can check its suitability.

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