Scotland 2026

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Our morning  began with  a relaxed breakfast where we chatted about the wonderful adventure we  shared. Afterwards, we headed out for a final short ride, pedaling the back roads and trails to the village of Aviemore.  Aviemore is the home of Wilderness Scotland, our tour operator.  Using the term “tour operator” does not do justice to the wonderful trip they led through Northeast Scotland. The guides Paul, Scott, and William treated us as royal guests and friends.  It was sad to leave them and our fellow cyclists.  After a tour of the Wilderness Scotland facilities, William drove us to the Aviemore Train Station. There Joe and HP got an up close tour of a steam engine that was soon to pull an excursion train through the wilds of Scotland. They watched the stoker shove coal into the fire and felt its heat. Eventually Jeff and Joe headed to Glasgow where they plan to spend an extra day touring that city. HP headed to Edinburgh for his flight back to ...

Our journey to the coast began in the fresh, damp morning air. We started in the van, leaving Grantown-on-Spey and the Cairngorms behind to cross the vast Dava Moor. Just a few miles out, we unloaded the E-bikes on a side road flanking a tern habitat. Fortunately, the hundreds of birds kept their distance—and their droppings—to themselves! The wind was brutal, but thank goodness for electric assist. It was a wild ride across a barren landscape, emphasized by the massive, crashing whitecaps on a loch we passed along the way. Seven miles later, we took refuge at a bustling cafe tucked a quarter-mile off the main road. It was packed to the gills with, motorcyclist,  bicyclists, drivers, and tourists seeking the same caffeine fix and relief from the wind. Like most days, it started to rain when we were leaving the cafe.  But, unlike most other days, this rain pounded us and by the time we reached Forres, about 8 miles later, we were soaked through to our skin.  Our guides dec...

While the sun had already risen at 4:16 a.m. due to our northerly location, our second day in Cairkroms National Park officially began at 8:00 a.m. with a breakfast that left nothing to be desired. In addition to the generous buffet, there was a wide variety of hot dishes available à la carte. Outside, the weather was cool and windy at 11 degrees Celsius, but sunny apart from a few passing clouds. We were happy to be able to swap our rain jackets for sunglasses. At 9:00 a.m., our bikes were ready to go. Our co-leader, Will, had prepared them with charged batteries and GPS devices. He would now drive our support vehicle in stages to our destination for the day. Led by our guide, Paul, we set off: over 70 km and 1100 meters of elevation gain, heading north along the eastern foothills of the Cairkroms Mountains. Paul, a former Royal Marine, is in top physical condition and always communicates with impressive and expressive facial expressions. His explanations and instructions are precise ...

The first big climb of the day weighed heavily on our minds as we cycled through the pretty village of Fettercairn. Though it’s a quiet place with a population of only about 250, we knew something challenging was waiting just beyond its borders. As the road began to tilt upward, we were immediately hit with a grueling 16% grade. It was a painful start, though thankfully, the incline gradually lessened over the course of our two-mile ascent. When we finally conquered the climb, any lingering pain vanished. Cairn O’Mount rewarded us with spectacular, sweeping views that made our struggle worthwhile. At the true summit, we celebrated by the ancient stone cairn—a monument said to be 4,000 years old. To mark the achievement, we indulged in ginger cake and cherry juice, the latter supposedly being the "magical" potion used to restore tired professional cyclists. Looking out, we took in the panoramic views of the wind-swept, heathery hills before gearing up for the exciting descent...

We cycled out of the Dundee today, following a route that snaked along the East Coast. It offered wide-open views and the fresh, salty air of the North Sea. It was truly a ride of two halves. The morning was mostly a steady, relatively flat pedal right along the water's edge, leading us to a fantastic stop for excellent coffee and pastries. We even lucked out with the wind—it was mostly pushing us along, a rare miracle for cyclists! For lunch, we stopped at Roos Leap in Montrose. The food was great, but we skipped dessert since we had pastries earlier. Just as we were packing up to leave, the sky opened up with heavy rain, sleet and hail. Luckily, the storm passed in about 30 minutes, but we still had to navigate the aftermath. The roads and trails were flooded with lake-sized puddles three to four inches deep, and storm sewers were bubbling onto the street, which definitely slowed our pace. The afternoon brought us to the undulating half of the route. While it was billed as "...

 Today was a classic introduction to Scotland's fickle skies. We started under cool, bright sunshine, but spent the rest of the day playing a constant game of wardrobe roulette. The sun would break through the clouds, prompting us to strip off our jackets, only to duck away moments later, forcing us to layer right back up. Occasional light showers drifted through, but they were a minor inconvenience. We laughed off the unpredictable weather all the way until the final five miles. Our journey actually began at Loch Leven's Larder, a fantastic farm shop and café where the van dropped us and our bikes. Resisting the intoxicating scent of warm, baking pastries was our first major challenge of the day, but we managed to hit the road. We skirted the fringes of Lomond Hills Regional Park, a stunning 25-square-mile expanse of rolling hills, lochs, and moors that became Scotland’s first Regional Park in 1986. Joining the National Cycle Network, we coasted past the striking Falkland Pala...

We took a 30-minute Uber ride to Edinburgh Gateway Station, where we met our Wilderness Scotland tour guides and a Canadian couple who would be joining us. From there, we hopped into a van to head to the start of our cycling adventure at The Kelpies in Falkirk. As the largest equine sculptures in the world, this impressive monument designed by sculptor Andy Scott and completed in 2013 represents both mythical shape-shifting water spirits and the Clydesdale horses of Scotland's industrial past. Our intimate group consisted of guides Paul and Craig, alongside participants HP, Joe, Andre, Krista, and Jeff. With such a small group, we were all looking forward to getting to know each other. Adrian and Kristine cycled on traditional road bikes, while Jeff, Joe, and HP rode e-bikes—a first-time experience for Jeff and Joe, though HP is an experienced e-bike rider. After a bike fit and some quick test rides, we set off on the first leg of our adventure. Leaving the massive horse sculptures...

Chasing Sunshine and History: Our 5-Mile Edinburgh Walking Tour After a good night’s sleep, we set out to explore Edinburgh in more detail. Joe, our resident techie, had planned an ambitious 5-mile walking tour of the city. We left our hotel dressed for the predicted cooler weather and were initially greeted with warm sunshine. However, in true Scottish fashion, it didn’t take long for the sun to disappear as the wind picked up. Ideally, this narrative would tie directly to our pictures, but between the limitations of Blogger and our dwindling energy levels by the end of the day, we're going with the flow! Here is a look at what we discovered on our urban hike. Part 1: The Historic Grassmarket & Atmospheric Old Town Our journey truly began as we stepped into the historic depths of the city. We first passed the White Hart Inn , Edinburgh's most ancient tavern. Founded in 1516, it is famous for centuries of literary patrons—including Robert Burns and William Wordsworth—and it...

While Joe, HP, and Jeff were tired they set out to explore the area around our hotel.   The Grassmarket is a vibrant, historic marketplace in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town , renowned for its stunning castle views, cobbled streets, and lively atmosphere. It offers a mix of independent shops, unique boutiques, and a diverse selection of pubs and restaurants. This area earned its name in the 15th century because of its original u se an open pasture and bustling marketplace for grass-eating livestock, specifically horses and cattle We had a late lunch/early dinner at the The Last Drop Inn--a traditional pub of unique character , revered for its eclectic range of real ales and its heartily classic pub food.  Legend has it that The Last Drop was where condemned men enjoyed their final meal before facing the gallows across the road. Aptly named after the last hanging in 1864, this restaurant draws crowds and we had to wait for a table.. After we finished eating, Jeff and HP ...