Self-Guided
Cycling Holidays
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9 days from
£1349
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7 days from
£995
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5 days from
£695
11 days from
£1575
SELF-GUIDED TOURS
As self-guided cycling tours are becoming a popular alternative to traditional group trips, we've decided to include a selection of unguided tours in Scotland for 2023.
Starting every Saturday from May to October our Scottish self-guided tours are a perfect balance of support and freedom to discover spectacular Scotland at your own pace. There are a range of accommodation options which have been chosen for their character, facilities and services or location. A minimum of 2 bookings are required to set up the tours.
Here are some more details on our cycling holidays in Self-Guided
Far North - Self Guided
The far north of Scotland is one of the last great scenic cycling secrets in Europe; a vast wilderness of extraordinary mountains set in ancient rock and moorland. On your self-guided tour you will enjoy biking on quiet narrow roads that wind through beautiful heather clad hills, high sea cliffs and waterfalls.
Your tour sets off from Inverness with a ride across the Black Isle to Cromarty, a beautiful 18th Century fishing town. Poised on the edge of the Black Isle, at the mouth of Cromarty Firth it is the best-preserved historic town in the Highlands. Here we catch the Kings Ferry, one of the world’s smallest car ferries to the small village of Nigg. Here we’ll find the Old Parish Church which is home to one of the finest surviving Pictish Cross-Slabs, carved with Pictish symbols and early Christian imagery.
You continue past Glenmorangie distillery riding to the Edwardian seaside resort Dornoch and follow the shores of Loch Fleet cycling through the national nature reserve to Rosehall.
You'll enjoy rugged scenery on our ride towards the west coast fishing village of Lochinver, through a landscape which becomes more spectacular with every turn of your wheel. We pass picturesque lochs and rivers teeming with fish, surrounded by the rugged grandeur of mountains rising from glens gouged during the last ice-age.
Your tour will cross hilly terrain and loch side to reach Ullapool, cycling the Achiltibuie loop. After a rest day in Ullapool, a picturesque white fishing town, your refreshed and ready to cycle to Corrieshalloch Gorge Nature Reserve. This is a beautiful, forested area where the River Droma rushes along a series of tumbling waterfalls and where Inverewe Garden is located, a unique Atlantic Coast botanical garden.
There are red squirrels, red deer, otters, golden eagles and sea eagles in the area. Reaching the shores of Loch Maree, we cycle a final undulating stretch and finish at Achnasheen where there is a short transfer back to Inverness.
Beaches, mountain passes, green valleys, lochs and fast flowing rivers. Scotland has them all and what better way to see them than from the saddle of a bicycle on a self-guided cycling tour?
Cairngorms & Speyside - Self-Guided
redspokes' Cairngorms & Speyside self-guided cycling tour is a journey through one of the most scenic and historic parts of Scotland. The Cairngorms is the largest national park in the UK with a hugely diverse landscape – from soaring mountains and dense forests to wild heather moorlands, interspersed with trickling streams and rushing rivers. Speyside boasts more distilleries than anywhere else in the nation. Its fertile farmlands are perfect for growing barley, which produce exceptional malt whisky when combined with soft spring water from the surrounding mountains. A wee dram is highly recommended after a day in the saddle.
Your Scottish cycling holiday begins in Inverness, the beautiful capital of the Highlands. Leaving the city, the first stage of the ride is packed with history, culture and stunning scenery. You cycle on quiet back roads past the famous battlefield at Culloden and the Bronze Age cemetery at Clava Cairns en-route to Grantown-on-Spey. Located at the northern edge of Cairngorms National Park, this picturesque town overlooks the River Spey which is central to the country’s salmon and whisky industries.
The ride continues along the Speyside Malt Whisky Trail, taking in Ballindalloch Castle, and Glenlivet and Glenfiddich distilleries along the way. Heading north from the world's malt whisky capital of Dufftown, you arrive at Spey Bay. This river estuary is one of the best places in the UK to watch dolphins and home to the Scottish National Dolphin Centre.
Other highlights of your cycling tour in Speyside include the town of Elgin – where you may want to climb the majestic cathedral for panoramic views – and visit Forres which lies on the south coast of the Moray Firth. The final day of cycling back to Inverness takes you past castles – including the imposing Cawdor Castle immortalised by Shakespeare in Macbeth – coastal towns and championship golf courses.
Ancient woodlands, whisky distilleries, historic landmarks and scenic backroads all come together in redspokes’ Cairngorms and Speyside self-guided cycling tour. We look forward to welcoming you on this spectacular adventure through one of the driest and sunniest parts of Scotland.
Loch Ness & The Great Glen Way - Self-Guided
redspokes Loch Ness & Great Glen Way self-guided cycling holiday begins in Inverness, capital of the Highlands. The city is also the starting point of the Great Glen Way and gateway to the world-renowned Loch Ness.
The Great Glen Way follows the major natural fault line which divides Scotland from coast to coast. It stretches for 73 miles (117km) across the length of the country’s longest glen all the way to Fort William. Your circular cycling adventure sets off from Inverness Castle which is the start of this famous long-distance path.
Leaving the city, you climb to the forested area around the village of Abriachan before descending to the banks of legendary Loch Ness. Known for its mythical monster, Nessie, this iconic loch is the setting for your cycling holiday in Scotland. Over the next 3 days, you’ll experience the highlights of Loch Ness at your own pace. Our carefully-planned cycle route is a balance of well-known landmarks and remote riding through dramatic Highland scenery.
On the western shores of Loch Ness, marvel at Urquhart Castle which remains an impressive stronghold despite its ruinous state. Then cycle through Drumnadrochit, home to the Loch Ness Monster exhibition, and continue riding along the Great Glen Way to the quaint village of Invermoriston with its gently tumbling waterfalls.
At the southwest end of the loch lies Fort Augustus, a popular tourist destination on the impressive Caledonian Canal. There are spectacular views from the waterside along the 23- mile (37km) length of Loch Ness. The Caledonian Canal Heritage Centre gives a fascinating insight into the history of the canal.
The remainder of your self-guided Loch Ness tour is along its eastern shores. One of the highlights of the next section is ascending the rocky summit of Glendoe – the views across Loch Ness and nearby Loch Mhòr are breathtaking. The Falls of Foyers are also worth a visit on the journey back to Inverness. The impressive waterfall drops 165ft (50m) into a gorge that winds its way through the trees until it spills out into Loch Ness.
Highland villages, ancient woodland trails and spectacular waterside biking come together in redspokes’ Great Glen Way & Loch Ness self-guided cycling tour. This is an unparalleled adventure through some of Scotland’s most beautiful scenery.
Whisky and Castles - Self-Guided
Embracing two of Scotland’s most iconic characteristics, redspokes & Whisky & Castles cycling holiday is a journey through Moray Speyside and Aberdeenshire. In Speyside, you’ll find the nation's greatest concentration of malt whisky producers and more than half the distilleries in Scotland. In Aberdeenshire, there are more castles and fortifications per hectare than anywhere else in the UK. You’ll enjoy cycling on well-surfaced, quiet roads while taking in the rich history and culture of this stunning region. At the end of a day in the saddle, a few wee drams will warm the cockles.
Your self-guided cycling holiday begins in Inverness, capital of the Highlands. You set off on a warm-up ride to legendary Loch Ness, making a stop in Dores for sweeping views of the loch before looping back to Inverness. The next stage of your adventure is cycling across Moray to picturesque Grantown-on -Spey, located on the edge of Cairngorms National Park. Grantown is set in ancient woodlands that provide a unique habitat for local wildlife. The River Spey is Scotland’s fastest-flowing river and central to the nation’s salmon fishing and whisky production. You continue your Scottish cycle tour by exploring the Speyside Malt Whisky Trail, stopping off for castle visits and distillery tours along the way. You encounter some dramatic climbs, including following the scenic Snow Roads to the Lecht Pass at 2090ft (645m) and descending into swooping valleys through some of the most spectacular stretches of road in Scotland.
After a rest day in Ballater, you ride towards the picturesque coastal town of Banff, where on a fine day, a myriad of white horses break the clear blue waters of the North Sea. You follow the Moray coast, cycling through an area well known for sightings of dolphins. Then, it’s onto the magnificent medieval ruins of Elgin Cathedral, the battlefield at Culloden and the Bronze Age cemetery at Clava Cairns before cycling back to Inverness where redspokes’ Whisky & Castles self-guided cycling holiday ends.
There’s no better way to experience the great Scottish outdoors than by bike and this tour has it all – historic castles, whisky distilleries, mountain passes and coastal views.