Gravel Rides Scotland: 28 gravel bike adventures in the wilds of Scotland

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Plan your own Highlands adventure Meet Neil Henderson, the Komoot Pioneer who organised the team’s Highland fling. To fill the considerable holes in our knowledge of the region, we had recruited the planning expertise of Komoot ‘Pioneer’ and local rider Neil Henderson. The path to Pioneer level involves having ridden a lot in a particular area and knowing every nook and cranny. Stitz’s companion for this ride was gravel rider and furniture-maker Andy Dix. We actually rode this route on wooden gravel bikes... Our stunning routes take riders on three challenging stages though the Galloway Forest Park, witnessing its stunning beauty and wildlife, with almost every kilometre off road. And while each of the three days are different, all will touch Raiders Road, a 16km gravel trail running east to west which lends the event its name. The other thing that I found really interesting is that we passed a house which used to host a recording studio, where Jamiroquai and Portishead recorded albums. So you get routes in the book that have all these big landscapes and stories centred around them, and then you have these more urban routes where popular culture creeps in.

Scotland is home to trails and routes galore that allow you to safely explore the country away from busy main roads, using a mix of railway path, canal towpath, forest road, shared-use path, and cycle lanes. If you like ferries, you’ll love this circular route that starts in Ardrossan on the mainland under an hour for Glasgow. The route is inspired by an old Drovers trail – the Drovers being men who would bargain for cattle, then form a herd to take south to towns like Falkirk or Crieff to sell as summer arrived. It’s a particularly unusual inspiration for a route, and a ride that follows historic footsteps through lesser seen parts of Scotland. Gravel Rides Scotland by Ed Shoote contains 28 routes, ranging from 31 to 128 kilometres in length, exploring the very best gravel riding that Scotland has to offer.The days are so long in the summer that you’ll probably never need lights while riding, although they may be useful in camp. In winter, you’ll definitely need some extra illumination on your bike though. Trains offer a great way to link up routes. Scotland is home to some iconic train lines like the West Highland Line and the Scot Rail from Glasgow to Oban (and soon extending to Fort William), which has dedicated bike carriages. Some routes rely on trains, such as Beauly to Ardgay, so train stations are indicated to help you link up the rides. Markus describes Milton Keynes as a busy place. “It’s a typical big town,” he says. “But it's an interesting town, built in the 60s, with good cycling infrastructure. It’s a new town, so there's not a shiny castle, but it was a great day out on bikes, passing canals and these picture-perfect, wide gravel paths which if you took out of context, you would be saying 'this is amazing'! The area around Hay-on-Wye is stunning,” says Markus. “The countryside is absolutely amazing. This is also one of those routes which is very green, very enjoyable and it's got everything that gravel riding is all about. It is quite a difficult route as well, but there is some very nice stuff there.”

We had planned to ride with Andy and Robert Penn originally. Robert has written a book called 'It's All About the Bike', where he travelled the world to assemble his dream bicycle. I have a German translation and watched a documentary about it as well. I got to stay with Robert when I was in Wales researching the route. He's a super interesting character and the story of [Andy's business] Twmpa Cycles is really interesting - they make bikes out of wood. Adventure … gravel biking lets you explore remote places and discover incredible sights on your own steam, what could be more thrilling?Weather is a major factor in planning any outdoor activity, but the fact that gravel routes are mostly all-weather surfaces holding up against most rain or snow conditions means they can be ridden in most conditions if you’re prepared with the right clothing and considerations. Raiders Gravel is all things to all cyclists. Race it or simply ride it, we have three stages on some of the UK’s best gravel trails through the heart of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere.

For each route, Markus sought out a gravel rider based in the area, from GBDURO winners Josh Ibbett and Gail Brown in East Anglia to Markus’ fellow round-the-world record holders in Scotland, Jenny Graham and Mark Beaumont. The end result is a guidebook which is not only full of local expertise and exceptional bike routes, but which also has more of a human edge. Stitz 26 routes are split between Wales, England and Scotland, and each is based on the expertise of local riders. Photo: Markus Stitz After a day in the rain, you’ll probably not want to ride a second day in wet kit, so take several changes of clothing. If you’re camping, make sure that it’s all well wrapped up in dry bags. Take something to wash out wet, dirty clothing with too. Ed Shoote and his wife, Marion, have ridden in over fifty countries. Their latest and on-going mission is exploring all the nooks and crannies of Scotland to find the very best bits of gravel riding available.The Scotrail network is extensive though and can get you to some far-flung areas, although it too peters out towards the northwest. Look out if you’re planning to take your bike on the train north of Inverness, to Oban and on a few other routes, as some services require a reservation to be sure your bike will be carried.

Filled with practical tips and advice on all aspects of gravel riding, including the bike itself, essential kit to carry when out on a ride, as well as a brief history of gravel riding in Scotland.

Start from the south and head north to take advantage of the, potentially strong, prevailing winds rather than spending your days riding into a headwind. The route is waymarked so it’s easy to follow.