About the event:
At a Glance...
Day trips biking into some of the remotest Mountains in the Cairngorms
Centred around Braemar, accessible from Aberdeen to the east, Blairgowry/Perth to the South.
Generally good gravel tracks around the area - no specialist biking experience needed, just a good hybrid / mountain bike
Good tracks around the area but a few pathless sections and some boggy bits.
Individual day options available
Cairngorms National Park
Bus links to Braemar from Aberdeen and Perth. There are no rail links.
Where is Braemar?
Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, located in the centre of the Cairngorms National Park. It is roughly 58 miles west of Aberdeen (and 115 miles north of Perth).
Braemar is most famous for hosting one of Scotland's most prominent Highland Games (The Annual Braemar Gathering), which has been a tradition since the 10th century. It is regularly attended by the British Royal Family. The village is also known for its royal connections, especially with nearby Balmoral Castle, and its stunning setting in the Cairngorms, making it a popular destination for outdoor activities and a beautiful, historic place to visit.
About the Adventure:
The Cairngorms are huge - some of Britain's highest mountains are here. it is the coldest, windiest plateau in Britain. Of the 9 mountains over 4,000ft, five of them are in the Cairngorms (the others are Ben Nevis and the three surrounding it). The mountains to the north of Braemar are typically red granite - with vast distances and huge bulks while those to the south are smaller and a bit more typically Scottish (boggier!).
The aims of the weekend will be to bag some of the remoter Munros in the area using bikes to get to the start of the climb. Good tracks for the most part can help us cover the long distances into the remote areas. We won't need any specialist biking skills and will get off when the going gets too rough and walk the rest of the way.
The Munros we'll be aiming to bag (and a rough itinerary*) will be:
Day 1:
Carn an Fhidleir (1,112m / 3,648ft)
An Sgarsoch (1,054m / 3,458ft)
26km total on a bike, 14km hiking, 910m ascent
Day 2:
Beinn a' Bhuird (1,197m / 3,927ft)
Ben Avon (1,171m / 3,842ft)
13km total on a bike, 22km hiking, 1,220m ascent
Day 3:
Beinn Bhrotein (1,157m / 3,796ft)
Monadh Mor (1,113m / 3,652ft)
15km total on a bike, 22km hiking, 910m ascent
Meeting Point:
We'll meet at 0830 each morning.
For Beinn Bhrotein & Monadh Mor, and Carn an Fhidleir & An Sgarsoch we meet at the main Linn of Dee car park here. It costs £5 for a day (or £6 for a motorhome and there is a maximum of 1 night allowed).
For Beinn a'Bhuird and Ben Avon we meet further down the road at the Linn of Quoich here.
The links will open in a new tab and show you the start points in Googlemaps.
Difficulty:
These are long days. The cycling is on decent tracks though they get rougher as we get remoter. There are also some steep sections (Beinn a Bhuird/Ben Avon). We often get off and push the bikes when it gets too steep or rough.
The hiking is generally straight forward but the distances are long, relentless ascents and a river crossing (Beinn a Bhuird/Ben Avon).
Day 1 to Fhidlier & Sgarsoch: 26km total on a bike, 14km hiking, 910m ascent
Day 2 to Bhuird & Avon: 13km total on a bike, 22km hiking, 1,220m ascent
Day 3 to Bhrotein & Mor: 15km total on a bike, 22km hiking, 910m ascent
Prerequisites:
You'll need a good level of general hill fitness with experience of repeated ascent and descent. Being comfortable on a bike is essential.
Cost:
Coming for a single day costs just £50.
To come for two days it's just £90.
For all three days it's £120 and there are discounts for booking more than one person.
Numbers:
We can take a maximum of 10 and a minimum of 4 for the trip to go ahead.
Equipment:
Please see the All Activities section of the kit list here. Walking poles are recommended.
You will need to provide your own transport (though we always encourage car sharing), hill kit, accommodation and travel insurance. You will need a hybrid / mountain bike with a lock, helmet and spare inner tubes.
Images from Past Events
To Book
If you want to chat to me about the event then please feel free to do so - email is a good start as I'm often out and about with limited phone reception. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions too.
To book simply click 'Register Now' and follow the instructions (or on mobile, the link below). You'll get an automated confirmation reply but I'll follow that up when I get back to civilisation to say thanks and with more detail about the event.
Please ensure you've read the booking Terms and Conditions and you are aware of what you need to bring by downloading the gear list.
Please check carefully which tickets you are booking and for how many. We try and be flexible but of course that brings loads of options!