Find a Route
in The Highlands and Skye
For many people the Highlands of Scotland are Scotland. The region contains the most dramatic scenery in all of Britain, but for the cyclist this astonishing beauty comes at a price: the Western Highlands are the wettest area in the whole country and because there are so few roads, the principal through routes will be busy with traffic in the height of the season (this mainly affects the southern half of the region). However, the area is so large that it is not hard to find quiet rides that avoid any busy roads and the days are so long in late spring and summer (there are up to 20 hours of daylight in mid-summer) one can easily wait for a weather front to pass and make the most of the drier spells. There are routes for all abilities, in the forests, through the mountains and glens, along the spectacular coastline and even along a canal towpath through the Great Glen.
Retrieved 32 results.
Easy [1 routes]
This first section is quite easy - first part is on canal towpath.
Varied [8 routes]
An easy start in wooded country - no difficult hills.
Mostly a gentle climb into wonderful scenery
This section is a diversion from the main route, beautiful beaches and wonderful views.
Long distances here with few food stops - take some sandwiches!
This final section takes in part of the National Cycle Network, Route 1.
Long distance routes in other parts of Scotland.
Read this overview before going to the 5 other route sections.
Quiet river valleys with natural woodland
Hilly [12 routes]
Extremely hilly at times, but very easy on the canal towpath; good views
Interesting mountains and wild scenery, narrow roads with passing places.
Extremely hilly, the final part is on public roads, see also alternative route (5)
Back to the main route again - extremely hilly!
Quiet road alternative. A big hill to start with but after that can be fairly easy with good views of the loch.
This is certainly the most hilly road in Scotland
Long climbs with impressive views of sea-lochs and mountains.
A steady climb then a long descent to Durness, the most northerly point of the route.
This trail is for novices or families who want some relatively easy, sociable cycling on gentle slopes.
An eleven mile journey to the north-west tip of Scotland.
Starts at the famously pretty village of Plockton
A loop through the dramatic scenery of Skye’s northern peninsula
Moderate [4 routes]
A fairly gentle forest road by Loch Lochy.
Interesting mountain biking in native pine forests.
A long circular mountain bike route with great views.
A fun route with great variety and beautiful scenery - 12 or 24 miles.
Difficult [5 routes]
Hard work but views of the mountain and lochs all around - includes an off-road section.
Interesting mountain biking in native pine forests.
The trail includes a wide range of challenging, steeper climbs and descents.
190 miles in the wildest and most rugged scenery in Scotland. If you like hills to get your teeth into, this is for you!
A remote high level route between Perthshire and the Spey Valley.
Very difficult [2 routes]
A high difficult route joining the Great Glen to Speyside.
This is a physically demanding route for expert mountain bikers.
