Gravel Rides Scotland: 28 gravel bike adventures in the wilds of Scotland

Product Information

From our earliest products, the objectives at Kinesis UK have always been to create bikes, bike frames, wheels and components for road, cyclocross, adventure and mountain bikes that excel in UK riding conditions. For us to put a Kinesis UK badge on any product it must be well made and dependable all year round, perform at a level beyond its price point and help people have fun while riding or in use. Along the way, you’ll pass Cowper’s Alcove, Cowper and Newton Museum, the Emberton Country Park, Great Linford Manor Park and Bradwell Windmill. The Scotrail network is extensive though and can get you to some far-flung areas, although it too peters out towards the northwest. Look out if you’re planning to take your bike on the train north of Inverness, to Oban and on a few other routes, as some services require a reservation to be sure your bike will be carried.

The best months for riding in Scotland are usually May-June, and September-October, avoiding midges and tourists in the peak summer months, and snow and unpredictable weather over the winter. I follow lots of people on Komoot that I find really inspiring and they get me amped up to explore and ride more. That’s really useful if you’re all out of ideas.” Oban to Fort William (route 78) - these popular Highland towns are connected by 48 miles of mostly flat paths that take you past lochs, castles and the picturesque coastline.It’s perfect for beginners. It’s straightforward and easily accessible with so many routes to choose from. You don’t have to include technical riding or massive inclines unless you want to. Beautifully illustrated, easy to use and with a ton of useful information … perfect for exploring on two wheels.’Richard Bath, Scottish Field The book is extremely well illustrated as he is not only good at plotting routes, but Markus is a fine photographer which adds to the tease of the book.’ Jeff Price, fat-bike.com Weather is a major factor in planning any outdoor activity, but the fact that gravel routes are mostly all-weather surfaces holding up against most rain or snow conditions means they can be ridden in most conditions if you’re prepared with the right clothing and considerations.

Contains 28 routes, ranging from 31 to 128 kilometres in length, exploring the very best gravel riding that Scotland has to offer. We had planned to ride with Andy and Robert Penn originally. Robert has written a book called 'It's All About the Bike', where he travelled the world to assemble his dream bicycle. I have a German translation and watched a documentary about it as well. I got to stay with Robert when I was in Wales researching the route. He's a super interesting character and the story of [Andy's business] Twmpa Cycles is really interesting - they make bikes out of wood. From the bluebell woods and west country ridgeways of Wessex to the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales, we head to some of the most stunning corners of the UK in 2023. Markus says: “I find Kinross quite an interesting place. There used to be three railway lines going into it and now it has none. That's partially because someone decided to build a big motorway from Edinburgh northbound, and the railway line had to give way to that. So in a way, Kinross as a town is a place where public transport has been going in and out for decades.

If you like ferries, you’ll love this circular route that starts in Ardrossan on the mainland under an hour for Glasgow. Each of the stages will have two starts, racers heading off well ahead of those who want to test themselves but not at the expense of seeing the surroundings and having a chat!

Gravel riding offers something to every cyclist. If you’re a mountain biker, gravel riding allows you to explore further than you could on a mountain bike, while if you’re a road cyclist, a gravel bike let’s you leave traffic far behind you.If you fancy island hopping, the Hebridean Way is a road ride that takes you from one end to the other of the wild and remote Outer Hebrides. It takes in ten islands including Vatersay, Barra, Eriskay, South Uist, Benbecula, North Uist, Harris and Lewis. On the way are six causeways and two ferry rides. Gravel Rides Scotland by Ed Shoote contains 28 routes, ranging from 31 to 128 kilometres in length, exploring the very best gravel riding that Scotland has to offer. The Highland Perthshire Drovers Trail is just one route that proves if you miss out on Perthshire, you’re missing out on some of the best of Scotland. The route takes in everything from Glen Fearnach and Glen Tilt to the Cairngorms, the River Tay (Scotland’s longest river) and even passes the last surviving oak tree from the wood that inspired Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

This route is a loop from Kinross, which the book says spans “from faster sections on rural roads and the cycle path along the shores of Loch Leven to more technical off-road passages.” The Lomond Hills are a really nice place to ride. You're not going high up, so you can ride the route year round... Start from the south and head north to take advantage of the, potentially strong, prevailing winds rather than spending your days riding into a headwind. The route is waymarked so it’s easy to follow.Great British Gravel Rides is not your ordinary cycling guidebook. Instead of simply compiling a variety of routes to ride, I (Markus Stitz) took a different approach and introduce you to key people in the gravel riding world, understand their motivation for cycling and to ride their favourite routes in Britain. The book features a total of 25 different routes for beginners, intermediate and expert riders, spread across England, Scotland and Wales. The mountain biking trails on Cathkin Braes in Glasgow were developed for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Simon Wilkinson / SWPix.com Big Rides: Great Britain and Irelandis an inspirational guide to the most iconic, epic and popular long-distance cycle trails in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, including two excursions from mainland Britain to Northern France. The twenty-five featured routes showcase the best of Britain on two wheels. For those who prefer to pedal on-road, the routes take you along the historic Way of the Roses trail through Lancaster and York, as well as across Scotland’s Atlantic perimeter on the Hebridean Way. The trails head off-road to Northern England’s hills on the Sea to Sea (C2C) and past iconic monuments in Southern England on King Alfred’s Way. Mountain bike enthusiasts will find plenty to challenge them in the Sarn Helen and through the Scottish Highlands on the renowned Highland Trail 550. The routes then head offshore, to Ireland’s coast on the Wild Atlantic Way and from Devon and Dorset’s Jurassic Coast to Normandy’s alabaster cliffs on the Tour de Manche. Vertebrate Publishing’s Big Rides books are designed to inspire big adventures. Rather than being carried along the route, this guide provides everything you need to plan and explore further, including a general overview of the trails, specific technical information, overview mapping, key information and stunning photography. As well as this, each route specifies approximate timings which allows for you to plan your adventure at your own pace. Whether you’re completing routes at a leisurely speed or racing towards the finish, let Big Rides: Great Britain & Ireland be your guide.