Great Glen Way

redspokes Great Glen Way mountain biking holiday begins in Inverness, the Highland capital city, located on the North Sea coastal waters of the Moray Firth (famous for its bottlenose dolphins and harbour seals). We ride to Atlantic coast Fort William: the ‘outdoor capital of the UK’, second largest city in the Highlands and a popular base for tourism. It has a rich military history from Cromwellian days through the Jacobite uprisings to becoming a naval base during World War II.  As well as marking the south west end of the Great Glen Way it is the northern end point of the West Highland Way.

The Great Glen Way follows the major natural fault line of which divides Scotland from coast to coast. It stretches for 73 miles (117 km) across the Highlands. We’ll begin riding from Inverness Castle, leaving the city with a climb up to the forested areas around Abriachan before descending to the waterside of legendary Loch Ness. The remainder of the ride mostly keeps to lower levels along a series of glens filled by lochs linked by the Caledonian Canal, harmonising human engineering and nature. Whilst admiring Telford’s feat of engineering spare a thought for the 18^th Century evicted Highland tenants, victims of the Highland Clearances who dug all 37 miles (59 km) of this canal by hand.

We’ll take in three of Scotland’s most widely known landmarks: Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle and Ben Nevis. Historic monuments, military history, ancient woodland trails and stunning waterside riding come together in redspokes’ Great Glen Way mountain biking holiday, making an unparalleled adventure getaway.