Explore the Best Mountain Biking Trails in Torridon & Skye on our Scottish highlands 4 day epic mountain bike tour taking in some of the most breathtaking scenery in the UK. From the towering peaks of Torridon rising 1100 meters from the sea, to the remote and exposed Isle of Skye and the famous, imposing Black Cuillin ridge which lies to the east of Glen Sligachan this is bucket list stuff.
Our local guides know this destination inside out and will be there from the first night to the last dram and anything in between. From singletrack to ancient horse & cart roads we ride it all.
With endless rocky descents, technical climbs and some tough hike this trip is the definition of maximum effort, maximum reward. Around every corner is another incredible view, another trail flowing down the mountain as far as you can see. See more info on these incredible Scottish mtb trails here
If our Torridon & Skye Epic Mountain Bike Tour sounds like your ticket to ride then drop us an email or simply book live below. #FREEYOURRIDE
(Everything but evening meals, beer & spares!)
“Believe the hype! Torridon and Skye has some of the best, if not the best riding in the UK.” Neale Brodie, Brighton
This is one of the tougher trips we run, suitable for strong intermediates / advanced or more experienced riders. Natural trails of a black grading are unlikely to phase you and you’re happy on even tougher natural terrain. Everyone can walk certain sections and this is just fine. It’s an adventure!
Fitness:
You’re comfortable out all day at a reasonable pace, and will even manage a few real epics if you pace yourself. There’ll be some big ups (including a fair bit of hike-a-bike) and some big technical downs. Some long days and Scottish weather might required a sense of at times but our expert guides will help with that. The trip involves riding 4 days back to back (but voluntary rest days are possible if needed). See our partner ability accessor here for more info
Exploring the Best Mountain Biking Trails in Torridon & Skye means riding some of the best mountain bike trails in the world. But logistics aren’t easy, and any trip needs planning, commitment and a few days off work. Our aim is to cram the best riding and scenery into a 4 day trip that gives maximum riding for minimum time away from home.
What to expect
Getting ready for 4 days of mountain biking in fairly full-on, remote locations can be a major task. With 7 riders (plus 2 guides!), all with different levels of fitness and ability, there’s plenty of room for misunderstanding. These notes will help everybody know what to expect from the trip and what to bring. If there’s anything else you need to know, or want to check, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Please note that this is totally dependent upon the weather and trail conditions and could alter considerably.
Day 1:
Sligachan, Skye
Riding distance: 18km
Ascent: 270m
We will meet at Fort William at around 10:00 (Exact time and place to be confirmed)
The day starts with a 2.5 hour drive to Skye, so we won’t begin riding until early afternoon. The ride starts with a rocky climb and an even rockier descent to the beautiful and remote Camasunary beach. From there, we’ll ride the singletrack through Glen Sligachan, with amazing views of the imposing peaks of the legendary Cuillin Ridge. Although this ride is fairly short, the trail is technical and average speeds will be low. The ride ends at the Sligachan Hotel, where a celebratory pint or coffee will be in order, before a 1.5 hour minibus ride to Torridon. On Thursday night we stay in the Torridon Youth Hostel and eat in the fabulous Torridon Inn.
Day 2:
Torridon
Riding distance: Various
Ascent: 800m-1600m
We have a few choices for the mountain days in Torridon – we can make a final decision on the day based on the weather and how the group is feeling. Ideally, on the first day we’ll ride the 4 cols route, climbing from Annat to over 650m before dropping back to sea level at Achnashellac – one of the best descents in the Highlands. It’s a big climb out from there. But it’s worth it for the return descent from Bealach na Lice to Annat. We have an alternative loop that is a little longer but stays a little lower – ideal if the weather isn’t on our side.On Friday night we stay in the Torridon Youth Hostel and eat in the fabulous Torridon Inn.
Day 3:
Torridon
Riding distance: Various
Ascent: 800m – 1,600m
Again, we have choices. The Ben Damph loop is favourite – a shorter, slightly lower version of the previous day’s exploits with some great technical riding at the end. But there are other options including a few exploratory routes. We’ll make a final choice based on the weather and how the group is feeling.On Saturday night we stay in the Torridon Youth Hostel again and eat in the fabulous Torridon Inn.
Day 4:
Applecross
Riding distance: 17km
Ascent: 280m
We’ve only got half a day to play with here but Kenmore to Applecross is a great way to wrap things up. The ride is short but totally exhilarating with plenty of sinuous singletrack across remote ground and an awesome technical final descent. It also finishes at a great pub where we’ll grab some lunch before we hop on the minibus for the 3 hour drive back to Fort William.
(Everything but evening meals, beer & spares!)
It’s quite likely that no 2 days on this trip will be the same. But we can try…
We’ll have breakfast together at a time agreed the previous evening – usually quite early. Sorry, I know it’s a holiday but we have a lot to cram in. This usually includes a short final briefing and a check on how everybody’s feeling.After breakfast we’ll load the bikes onto the trailer and hop on the minibus. Please be pretty much ready to ride at this stage so there’s no major faffing when we’re dropped off.
Remember to bring a small ‘hand luggage’ bag with you with dry clothes and shoes for when we’ve finished riding. On day 4 when we’re leaving accommodation, we’ll obviously have to pack all our stuff into the minibus again.In the evenings, we’ll meet for a pre-dinner drink and chat about the plans for the next day. Armed with the latest weather forecast and a few maps we’ll plan a ride that suits everybody. We’ll also discuss what we need to carry.
Many people ask us about the riding and their skills and fitness. It’s a hard one to answer as difficulty is so subjective and we can have up to 7 different riders, all with different fitness levels and technical abilities.
Riding skills
Firstly, the riding isn’t as tough as it sounds. We’ve chosen routes that give a real Scottish flavour but still make for an enjoyable holiday.
There will however, be some big ups (including a fair bit of pushing for sure), some long days (possibly 6-8 hours or more) and some technical downs (some of which probably everybody will walk a few metres). As long as you can keep smiling when you’re tired and pushing your bike then you’ll be fine.
In terms of riding ability, this trip won’t suit anyone who isn’t happy riding red grade trails in typical UK trail centres (please ask us if you would like more detail).
It’s much more about stamina than speed or strength. There are some long days and we won’t be racing anywhere. On the bigger days, we’ll ride at a relaxed pace that can be kept up all day. We’ll also take more care than we would at a trail centre as a bad fall in a remote place is not good news.
The best training for this kind of trip is actually just getting out riding – preferably longer distances at a steady pace. 30km at a steady pace will be more useful than 15km at racing speed, so if your local trails are short, slow it down and do 2 laps! Check out this blog by Matt Mooney of MTB Fitness regarding preparing for this kind of holiday https://mtbguiding.co.uk/uncategorised/guest-blog-6-top-training-tips-get-mtb-holiday/
I’m sure everybody will have their own strengths and weaknesses and everybody will have good days and off days. If we pull together as much as possible, a strong team will achieve way more than a bunch of fit individuals.
Bike cleaning and maintenance
We’ll have secure storage for bikes overnight at the hostel and a hose, brushes and a full cleaning kit, supplied by Fenwick’s Bike Products, so you can clean your bike after riding. We’ll also have a bike stand and some tools for fettling and repairs. Please bring any tools that are specific for your bike.
Maps
Yup, we’re guiding so you don’t need them. But if you like following routes on your own maps, it’s best to discuss that with us in Scotland in case plans change and you bring the wrong ones! If you just want printouts or GPX tracks of where we’ve been when we get home, let us know and we can sort it.
There’s no getting around it, 7 mountain bikers will be pretty conspicuous and we’ll have some impact on the landscape and other trail users.As a company, we’re 100% committed to minimising our impact in every way we can.
We operate a strict ‘pack it out’ policy for all litter (including banana skins and orange peel), and we try to leave as little trace of our passing as possible.While we’ll enjoy some epic descents and trails, please ride in control and at a speed that reflects your line of sight and abilities.
We’ll certainly meet walkers and we want any interactions to be as positive as possible. It’s important to give mountain bikers a good name. For more information check out Do the Ride Thing and also the websites listed at the end of these notes.
Weather
In the Scottish Highlands we could experience everything from hot sunny days, wet and windy days to full on winter blizzards. We’ve made many trips to Scotland at this time of year and had a real mix. When packing, please bring winter and summer clothing so we can make more informed decisions about what to wear and carry on the day or the night before. Midges could possibly be an issue at this time year so please bring a good repellent – we recommend Smidge
Insurance
We don’t need medical insurance in Scotland, but I strongly recommend travel insurance just to cover you should you get injured or fall ill before the trip or during it. Try YellowJersey and use the discount code – MTB75
Useful websites
This is a lovely hostel in the heart of the glen. We ride straight from the door and the superb Torridon Inn is a mile up the road.
The weather can be very varied in Scotland so we need to be prepared. We’ll have a briefing every evening to give you an up to date weather forecast and plan the next day. We can share some of the kit to keep packs as light as possible, although on very remote days we need to cover all eventualities.Riding kit. Some items can be shared between the group. If you haven’t got all the kit please let us know at the first night’s briefing.
Recommended clothing
Your guides will carry
Torridon Youth Hostel
This is a lovely hostel in the heart of the glen. We ride straight from the door and the superb Torridon Inn is a mile up the road.
Kit List
The weather can be very varied in Scotland so we need to be prepared. We’ll have a briefing every evening to give you an up to date weather forecast and plan the next day. We can share some of the kit to keep packs as light as possible, although on very remote days we need to cover all eventualities.Riding kit. Some items can be shared between the group. If you haven’t got all the kit please let us know at the first night’s briefing.
Recommended clothing
Your guides will carry
There are only 7 spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis. A 30% deposit secures your place with the balance payable 8 weeks before your travel date. We’ll also keep a waiting list in case anyone drops out.
The weather and conditions will have a huge bearing on what we can actually do –the itinerary is likely to change from day to day.
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©: Tom Hutton 2022.
