Cycling in Scotland travel guide

What do cycling holidays in Scotland involve?

Number one: you can expect “a bit of weather”. As Gordon Steer from our partner World Expeditions puts it: “With cycling holidays, and Scotland in particular, you really do need to plan carefully for the weather. It’s true what they say about four seasons in one day, so waterproofs are essential even in summer. I think Scotland is overlooked by many people as a holiday destination, but when the sun is shining there are few better places to be on Earth.” Go prepared and the going will be a lot easier.

Scotland is a mountainous country, and although these holidays are suitable for any active, regular cyclist, a few weeks of preparation won’t go amiss. On long-distance point-to-point routes such as the Great Glen Way or the North Coast 500, you can expect to be in the saddle for around 6-7 hours each day, and to encounter a fair few challenging climbs. So a bit of practice beforehand to get the kinks out of your muscles and joints is advisable.

If you’re looking for low carbon holidays, it’s tough to beat cycling your way round a destination. And Scotland is brilliantly accessible by train instead of flying or driving. The overnight Caledonian Sleeper from London Euston is a very pleasant way to travel up to Inverness, Aviemore or Fort William. As for your bike, you can either bring it up with you, arrange with your holiday company for them to transport it up separately, or allow them to have a hire bike waiting for you on arrival. Plus, our responsible holiday partners take care to recommend wherever possible accommodations and restaurants that use locally sourced produce, cutting the food mileage and carbon footprint of your trip.