Scotland. A land known for its misty mountains and distilleries with history hiding behind every corner. But beyond the castles and bagpipes there’s a whole world to be explored–by bike!
A land with a population of a mere 5.4 million, Scotland can feel very tranquil, especially in comparison to London’s 9 million residents. When you leave the Scottish cities of Glasgow or Edinburgh, you’ll often see more free-roaming sheep or highland cows on the roads than cars. These landscapes may look familiar if you’re a fan of Outlander, but what the television series doesn’t show is how much more beauty there is to experience from the seat of your bike.
Scotland is, in my opinion, a hidden biking gem. It’s an incredibly unique country because of the difference in landscapes over such a condensed area. The borders of Scotland below both Glasgow and Edinburgh have rolling hills that hide a paradise of swooping mountain bike routes and chunky gravel. In the north of Scotland, where you’ll find the highlands, there’s expansive heather-clad moorland with quiet roads traversing beautiful glens and unforgettable hill climbs. Over on the east side, you can wind your way through world-renowned golf towns such as St Andrews and visit historic universities and 13th-century cathedrals. Or, if you find yourself on the remote west coast, why not catch a ferry over to one of the small islands and see the abundance of castles, puffins and white-sand beaches. For a land roughly the same size as South Carolina, Scotland has an incredible diversity of landscapes, which is why it’s one that personally (as a Brit) I still actively choose to holiday and bike in yearly.
A favorite ride of mine is one that I discovered through leading the Backroads Scotland Bike Tour. During that trip, we spend one of the days riding from Pitlochry in the south of Cairngorms National Park and over the Glenshee Pass before dropping down into the beautiful Balmoral valley. Recognize the name Balmoral? You’re not mistaken. The end of this ride takes you straight pass the gate of the famous Balmoral castle! When you ride past, be sure to see if there’s a flag flying high to indicate whether there’s a royal vacationing just meters away. A bike ride like this is typical in Scotland. It has the promise of a challenging hill with a fresh Scottish picnic at the top, as well as a swooping descent through the very moorlands, glens and castles that the royal family holiday in, with history and sheep around every bend.
In the past few years, the world seems to have experienced a resurgence in a love for biking, and Scotland is not exempt from this newfound passion. Bike paths have been resurfaced, new cafés specifically targeted at cyclists have popped up and on Sunday mornings, pelotons of Lycra-wearing bike enthusiasts line the country lanes. The cycling culture in the UK is special, and that is in no doubt influenced by the café culture that goes hand-in-hand with a long weekend ride. Is there anything better than pausing for a hot cup of tea on a ride through blooming wildflowers? I highly recommend trying one of those many traditional British cakes that you may have heard about too, such as a sticky toffee pudding, a Bakewell or even a Battenburg. They all pair perfectly with a tea and a bike!
And what better way to soak those muscles after a day of sightseeing via bike than at a luxury hotel – it's no secret that Scotland has quite a few. But Scotland does luxury like no place else. Many of the hotels are built into castles or historic buildings. In fact, it’s very rare that a hotel was originally built to be a hotel! These quaint hotels link up hundreds of miles of back country lanes and tea and cake stops.
I may be slightly biased, but Scotland is a land of unrelenting history and culture, and it feels limitless in its capacity to offer adventurous vacations via bike. Both E-bikers as well as cycling enthusiasts regularly both find joy and happiness here. So why not take a trip through the glens of Scotland, ride past the endless sheep and finish it all off with a glass of Scotch and maybe even a wee bit of haggis? Who knows, Scotland may hold the key to your biking happiness.
