(No availability) 4 Days Drift Mountain Royale Biking Tour in Scotland, UK

Although Go Where Scotland thinks the guided mountain bike tours of Scotland provide the absolute ultimate authentic mountain bike travel experience in Scotland, they also know exactly how exciting it can be to strike out on foreign soil alone or with a group of friends - to roam and drift as your schedule and preferences desire.

The drift self-guided mountain bike trip is the ultimate in flexibility and budget-conscious mountain bike travel in Scotland. Go Where Scotland provides a curated package including GPS routes, their favorite accommodation, and best eatery listings and a host of secret gems you'd never find alone. Simply use this to make the arrangements that suit you.

This trip is extra special - it feels like you've been riding here forever and the mountain biking never gets stale because there's so much to choose from. Each day on this mountain bike tour, you can venture into the wilderness from picture postcard Highland villages in Speyside and Deeside to pick up sweet ribbons of singletrack, ancient drove roads and long forgotten tracks we've uncovered over the years.

The mountain royale mountain bike trip is something Go Where Scotland is very proud of, not least because it’s in one of those areas that's still very much under the radar of the mountain biking public so it comes as a big surprise just how fantastic the riding is, but also because it offers up such a huge variety of riding from big mountain epics to sweet forest singletrack (plus a healthy slice of 'apres-biking' too). You'll experience every kind of natural trail feature imaginable, and the sheer variety of riding in the area means this is one part of Scotland where the riding can be pitched according to ability and preference.

Day 1

Trucking north to your Deeside accommodation, you'll be treated to a tasty ride on some lesser-known trail delights in this slice of mountain biking heaven. By the time you swing into the village, it'll be time to crack open the beers and rustle up a hearty dinner at your accommodation or nip out and enjoy some local pub grub and ale of course!

Day 2

Five minutes out the door of your fantastic accommodation, you’ll be picking up your second taste of what’s on offer. Big ups for big downs and wide smiles. Take it easy on the climbs though, keeping plenty in the tanks for the good bits. A mix of fast natural heathery singletrack, granite slabs, and long steep descents are the rewards for today’s efforts. That evening, you'll probably give in to the lure of the local pub and enjoy some great grub, a tasty ale, and the buzz from shredding some of the most fun descents anywhere.

Day 3

Big mountains and big flow. Epic panoramas are just one reward for reaching the plateau, the real dessert comes when you tackle the maze of pristine singletrack below. However, before you focus on the trail, take a minute to soak it all up, in this landscape of giant rolling mountains, the mountain bikers are nothing but insignificant dots. It’s the perfect environment to forget the daily grind.

Day 4

Just as you’re getting into the groove, you realize it’s your very last day. After a relaxed breakfast, sort out your kit, take one last look at this incredible part of Scotland before starting your homeward journey.

Type of trip

Mountain biking by another name is riding the whole hill and sometimes getting off and carrying or pushing to reach those tricky to access (but oh-so-worth-it) descents. This is the kind of riding most regular mountain bikers are familiar with - you’ll encounter almost every kind of terrain and gradient and may include some hike-a-bike.

Technical rating: 3 / 5 (can be tailored to suit you)

You are a confident mountain biker and have been riding technical terrain for at least two years including exposed singletrack and rough landrover track, on uneven, loose, and frequent steep gradients, with frequent variation in trail surfaces from rocks to roots. You are comfortable riding on trails approximately 12 inches wide that vary greatly in their stability and may be unpredictable including loose rock. You are comfortable regularly traversing unavoidable obstacles such as roots, rocks, logs, and drop-offs up to 15 inches tall, and some obstacles encountered may exceed that.

Endurance rating: 3

You are an avid mountain biker riding twice a week or more, and the weather isn’t a big factor for you. You are at an above-average fitness level and regularly do other activities that qualify as exercise. You usually find yourself riding for three hours on the trails, you’ll ride on consecutive days, and you ride at a moderate pace.

Skill level

Advanced:

• can cycle for 5 - 6 hours
• extensive riding experience
• assistance on demand (if required)
• experienced with riding a variety of bicycles
• comfortable with any terrain and weather conditions

On this biking holiday, you will sample the incredible riding in the Queen’s ‘backyard’ - the splendor of the Cairngorms, Angus Glens, and Deeside in Scotland. On each day of this mountain biking tour, you will spider out into the wilderness by bike or in the vehicle from the picture postcard highland village of Braemar in Deeside to pick up sweet ribbons of singletrack, ancient drove roads, and long forgotten tracks Go Where Scotland has uncovered over the years.

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• 3 days of self-guided bike tour around Cairngorms, Deeside, and the Angus Glens
• GPX route files and notes for all the fantastic rides (just upload them to your preferred GPS device!)
• Curated local hospitality secrets we've tried and tested over the years
• Detailed pre-departure information
• Telephone / WhatsApp support throughout the trip

• Accommodation booking service
• Personal equipment
• Equipment rental
• Vehicle rental
• Transportation
• Baggage / bike box collection and storage

• A reservation requires a deposit of 25% of the total price.
• The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
• The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.