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500 Miles Charity Mountain Biking Challenge
offered by supplier M16410 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 10
day(s)
Group Size: 2
- 10
people
Destination(s):
Scotland
Specialty Categories:
Bicycle Touring
Archeology/History
Season: January - December
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Minimum Per Person Price: 730 Pound Sterling (GBP)
Maximum Per Person Price: 1395 Pound Sterling (GBP)
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A pioneering route covering a total of 500 miles, from a tiny, picturesque fishing village in bonny Galloway to the capital of the Highlands, Inverness. This trip takes in the highlights of all of our Scottish mountain biking adventures, together with the added thrill of raising much needed cash for 500 miles, a charity which aims to provide medical help and support for amputees and other disabled people in Africa.
Highlights, too many to mention, but include:
- Riding some of the world famous 7Stanes singletrack in the rolling Galloway Hills
- Soaking up the atmosphere in beautiful historic Edinburgh
- Mountain passes and stunning scenery around Loch Lomond
- Riding along the ancient drove roads leading to Glen Coe
- Trying to spot the Loch Ness monster whilst cruising along the banks of the loch
- Experiencing an unforgettable mountain biking adventure of a lifetime whilst raising money for a great cause.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Scotland. We can help you with transport to our start point, get the bikes organized and talk through the trip. We stay overnight in Portpatrick, a beautiful fishing village on the west coast.
Day 2: Weaving along an interesting coastline we pass old lighthouses and cliff tops before heading inland across open moors where the smugglers and covenanters used to roam. The scenery changes as we approach the Galloway Hills on our long descent into the market town of Newton Stewart for our overnight stop.
Day 3: We head off-road through the UK's largest forest park and on some of its finest single track. We take on the granite outcrops at McMoab then head into the hills where wild goats and deer still roam. Climbing higher into the hills a roller-coaster of a route takes us into the valley of the Shinnel Water before reaching the birthplace of the bicycle at Thornhill.
Day 4: Leaving Thornhill, we head east to take on some world class, manmade trails through Ae Forest. From here, we follow the ‘Crooked Road’, dropping down into the pretty town of Moffat. After lunch we link up with the Southern Upland Way, climbing into the Moffat Hills with arguably one of the biggest views in Scotland. We’re rewarded at the end of the day with a stunning descent and warm welcome in the Ettrick valley.
Day 5: We’ve got a tricky climb to start the day, rewarded by a blistering descent into the bustling Borders market town of Peebles. We sneak into the fantastic Glentress trails before winding our way through farmland on old drove roads towards the outskirts of Edinburgh. From here there is one final push up and one fantastic descent down the Pentland hills to drop us into Scotland’s beautiful capital city.
Day 6 : After the epic climbs of the previous day, it’s a relief to have a day of flat, easy cycling! Following the Union Canal west from the heart of Edinburgh, we dodge the pedestrians and dog-walkers and head for Linlithgow, where we’ll see the magnificent, roofless remains of Linlithgow Palace. Next stop is Falkirk, home of the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s first and only rotating boat wheel! We then hook up with the Forth and Clyde Canal which takes us all the way to the cosmopolitan west end of Glasgow.
Day 7: We head out of the city via some scenic cycle paths and through Mugdock Country Park. Our first major challenge is Conic Hill, which is worth the effort for stunning views over Loch Lomond. We follow the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond along some tremendous single-track and spend the night at the northern tip of the loch.
Day 8: Today we begin by charging headlong into the Highlands on old military and drove roads, surrounded by some of Scotland’s most impressive, towering peaks. Remote moors lead us through to Glencoe and some of the most magnificent scenery to be found in Scotland. Tonight we stay right in the heart of this magical place!
Day 9: Leaving the majesty of Glencoe behind we tackle one of the biggest climbs of the trip from Kinlochleven to Fort William. The trail is challenging and technical and we are totally enclosed by mountains as we head ever forward towards Ben Nevis. We cycle in the shadow of ‘The Ben’ and continue into the Great Glen and some quick miles along the Caledonian Canal. Our day ends in Fort Augustus at the southern end of Loch Ness.
Day 10: Today is the last on this epic journey and we cycle the full length of Loch Ness. Remember to keep your eyes peeled for the monster! Great trails and superb scenery take us along the banks of the loch. One final climb out of Drumnadrochit followed by a fantastic descent and a final stretch of the Caledonian Canal take us to the Capital of the Highlands and our journey’s end at Inverness. Tonight we stay in the lap of luxury in the capital of the highlands. For those with any energy left a Saturday night of live music and lively bars will keep you going until the small hours and for those that just want to collapse a luxurious bed and hot bath awaits!
Notes:
- Available on request: Bike and equipment hire
- Average Daily Distance: 55 miles or 89 km
- Trip dates for 2010 : We can run the 500 miles Charity Challenge at any time for groups of 4 or more. Contact us with the dates you have in mind.
- This trip is very ambitious in terms of distance and we are aiming to cover an average of 55 miles a day. A good level of fitness before the trip begins is essential.
- This trip is the longest continuous mountain bike route that we know of in Scotland and perhaps the UK. We strongly advise that you gain some off-road mountain biking experience and before the trip.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Transfers as needed from local bus/train stations, airports or ferry terminals to Portpatrick
- 9 days breathtaking biking in Scotland
- 9 nights bed and breakfast accommodation in B&B or hostel
- 1 nights accommodation in a luxury hotel in Inverness
- Baggage transfers
- Full guiding by an MBLA qualified, first aid trained knowledgeable guide
- Vehicle back up.
Price Excludes:
- Flights
- Lunches
- Evening meals and drinks.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Scotland
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Bicycle Touring
Archeology/History
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, ext: 16410
