Get organised

We advise arriving in Inverness the day before the tour start date to make sure any flight or luggage delays don’t spoil your adventure.

Your guide will meet you in Inverness the following morning, and we have a handy guide of how to spend 24 hours in Inverness.

Your guide will meet you in Inverness and we’ll head to H+I Adventures HQ, just a 10 minute drive from Inverness, to set-up bikes and go through our welcome briefing over coffee and cake.

Once everyone is happy with their bikes we’ll make the 45 minute journey south to Aviemore for our first ride in the Cairngorm mountains. We’ll warm up our legs riding through the forests of Rothiemurchus, described by acclaimed naturalist Sir David Attenborough as “One of the glories of wild Scotland”.

The Rothiemurchus Estate is home to a great diversity of ecosystems and wildlife habitats, as well as excellent singletrack. This first ride will introduce you to our Highland terrain and set the scene for the week ahead. We’ll start things gently with really enjoyable trails, that have some roots and rocks, to get you excited and your bike dialled in.

After our ride, we’ll make our way into Aviemore where, for the first four nights of our adventure, we’ll be based at a welcoming guest house. We’ll sample some beers from the local brewery before walking just a few minutes to one of our favourite riverside pubs for dinner.

Today, we’ll adventure deeper into the Cairngorms and ride a circular route through the Abernethy Forest. Throughout the day we’ll ride a mixture of doubletrack and rolling singletrack trails, where your guide can offer some tips to help find your flow. We’ll ride through magnificent valleys and ancient forests that are steeped in history and folklore. 

As we circumnavigate this route, we’ll explore the charming villages that can be found within the National Park. We’ll weave our way through 300-year-old Scots pine, and enjoy flowing descents at the foot of the Cairngorm mountains. This area is home to a pioneering land-restoration project that is committed to a 200-year vision to enhance habitats, species and ecological processes. As we journey through the landscape and uncover the lesser-known trails, it won’t take long for you to see why this landscape is worth protecting.

After a morning of exploring off-the-beaten-track we’ll pop out at the village of Nethy Bridge, where we’ll stop for lunch and refuel in our favourite local cafe. With energy levels topped up, we’ll journey onwards to discover more of the epic singletrack that is hidden in these ancient forests. 

After some time to relax and shower at our accommodation, we’ll make our way to another small village to satisfy appetites and share stories of the day.

Today, we’ll have a change of scenery and head to our favourite ‘bike park’, Laggan Wolftrax. As we climb up to higher elevations today, we’ll be met with unspoiled views of the nearby Monadhliath Mountains and introduce you to some more technical trails.

The trails here are purpose-built but have a very natural feel to them. With blue, red and black options available, some flowy and some more technical, your guide will help you to progress your skills on rocky climbs and descents, rolls and roots. These are all classic Scottish features that you’ll become accustomed to as the week goes on! 

A small café will provide a much needed lunch stop, before continuing the fun into the afternoon. 

Once we’ve had our fill of riding we’ll drive back to Aviemore and get freshened up for another delicious dinner of locally sourced produce.

When you’ve had enough we’ll drive back to Aviemore and get freshened up for dinner.

Today we set our sights high, and aim to ride the upper reaches of the Cairngorms’ glacial landscape. After a successful day on the trails of Laggan, we’ll apply our skills to the rugged mountain paths that stretch out over this vast landscape. As we climb higher and take in the panoramic views, you’ll be adventuring deep into the Cairngorms, to where few have ridden before.

If the weather allows, we’ll aim to summit Sgòr Gaoith – one of 282 munros in Scotland. After a solid climb, we will be firmly in the middle of the glacial landscape. Here we’ll enjoy a well earned break to take in the incredible views of Glen Feshie that surround us, before setting off on our thrilling descent. The trail begins by tracing a ridge line with views down into hidden valleys and lochs left over from the ice age. As we gain momentum, the trail plummets from the mountain top and begins to weave between the heather, before finishing on pristine singletrack leading all the way back to the valley floor. 

We’ll have a quick freshen up back at our accommodation before heading to a local favourite for dinner. This quaint country hotel always promises good whisky, gin and the classic Scottish dishes.

Today it’s time to see a different face of the Cairngorms! As we leave the Western side of the Cairngorms and Aviemore behind, we say hello to the beautiful and vibrant Royal Deeside, home to His Majesty King Charles Highland residence. 

After a scenic drive of around 1.5hrs, we’ll stop at the village of Ballater. This beautiful area is steeped in royal history and surrounded by some of the best riding in the Cairngorms.

Crossing the River Dee (famous for its spring water that is believed to have healing properties) we’ll begin the long climb up and out of the village. Gaining height quickly we’ll be treated to views over Lochnagar, and almost all the way out to the North Sea.

We’ll have a rest in a shepherd’s hut to re-fuel and take some photos, then follow singletrack all the way along the ridge high above Ballater. Our goal is a phenomenal trail known as “Heartbreak Ridge”. This seemingly endless trail dances across the moors before turning into grippy slab rolls and rocky corners.

After this spectacular descent and inevitable high-fives, we’ll meander our way along the banks of the river back to the van. We’ll have a quick outfit change and then it’s on to dinner. We’ll spend the evening at a traditional Scottish hunting lodge, rich in local heritage and known for its fantastic food—a perfect way to conclude another epic day. After dinner, we’ll head to our next accommodation, a charming inn nestled along the banks of the River Dee.

After the rocky mountainous trail of yesterday, we’ll switch things up and go on the hunt for flowing singletrack today. We’ll enjoy a slightly later start this morning as we get ready to explore the enduro-capital of the East-Coast. Riding straight from our accommodation, we’ll explore ‘both sides of the village’ and discover everything Aboyne has to offer! 

This area has quickly become the hottest MTB destination in the UK, and for good reason! With something for everyone, the village has a prolific network of world class trails. We’ll pedal up, across and down to link everything from flowing ribbons of gold dirt, to fast-yet-technical trails with roots. This day will leave you grinning from ear to ear!

Once we’ve had our trail fix for the day, we’ll return to our accommodation in time to relax and get showered before enjoying dinner in the hotel restaurant.

As we make our way back towards Inverness, we’ll reveal even more flowing trails that we’ve been keeping up our sleeves. The grin-inducing, purpose-built trails of Glenlivet are the perfect way to wrap up your Cairngorm Adventure.

With the perfect balance of natural tech and fast flow trails, this network gives you the opportunity to put all the progress you’ve achieved over the week into practice and end on a high. The relatively easy climbs lead to a multitude of options that will have you dancing through the forests one last time.

Once we’re refuelled at the trailhead café, we’ll make our way back to Inverness and sadly pack bikes away.

We’ll have our final celebratory meal in our favourite restaurant on the banks of the River Ness, and raise a glass to an incredible week of riding in the Cairngorm mountains.

Sadly this is the end of your Cairngorms Scotland adventure, and we will bid farewell after an unforgettable time biking in the Highlands.

Having spent the night in Inverness, you can depart from the airport or train station whenever you wish today.