HIGHLAND DROVER: SCOTLAND BIKEPACKING EXPEDITION
Join us in stunning Scotland to journey amongst the Highlands’ finest moorlands, munros, historic gravel tracks, lochs, glens, and distilleries…
Tour Difficulty Rating
Location
SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
# Nights
4/5
Distance / Climb
370KM
Group Size
10-12
Join
£895 (€1025)
For our Highland Drover tour, we’ve connected our favourite gravel tracks, roads, munro mountains, special places to stay, and a whisky distillery on the edge of the Cairngorms National Park, to bottle the best of Scotland into four-days of ace cycling through her Central Highlands. Bikepacking doesn’t get much better.
For more on the Highlands area you’d be exploring on this trip and the Drover route recce story, have a read of this Pannier Journal from 2019…
Third Edition:
7-11 September 2024
Meet:
Aberfeldy (/Pitlochry)
…for our Pannier Expeditions to ride, we need to reach the minimum group size, at least sixty days before the start date. Post booking, we’ll keep you informed as to numbers until we can confirm the expedition can go ahead. Please don’t book travel until then.
MEET – late afternoon/early evening
Meet at the base bunkhouse in the hills above Aberfeldy. Check-in, sort kit, build bikes and option for a short intro/social trail ride around the grounds before dinner and drinks.
Accommodation: Bunkhouse
Food: Dinner
[Note. there is an option to arrive and stay on Friday (6th) night, if you’d like to make the most of your time in Scotland. We can arrange a self-guided loop ride from the start bunkhouse for the day on Saturday, etc]
110KM
We start the Drover tour by riding north on the old Drumochter Pass military road, nipping into the wilds of the Cairngorms National Park on an early section of the Cairngorms Loop, to one of the highest whisky distilleries in Scotland for a tour and tasting. Start as we mean to go on.
Accommodation: Bunkhouse
Food: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
85KM
Discover the moorland gravel wilds of Loch Pattack before dropping down towards Laggan for an optional run at Laggan’s Wolftrax forestry trails. After that, we head back into the hills – through the Arverikie and Corrour Estates on an amazing gravel estate road tracking Strath Ossian to one of our favourite places to spend an evening, on the shores of Loch Ossian, with the iconic Corrour Station restaurant a close ride away.
Accommodation: Bunkhouse
Food: Breakfast, Lunch
80KM
Ride the windswept ‘Road to the Isles’ old drover route before crossing the infamous Rannoch Moor and making our way back to the heart of Glen Coe for a well-earned rest, beneath the “the herdsman of Etive”. Optional out-and-back ride down through Glen Etive to the loch shore for a brew.
Accommodation: Bunkhouse
Food: Breakfast, Lunch
100KM
The last day is arguable the best full day riding! Along a stunning section of the West Highland Way on the historic old Glencoe drove road, before heading East on loch-side gravel tracks through Glen Lyon back towards Aberfeldy…
FINISH 17.00-ish
OPTION TO STAY / DEPART
Accommodation: Bunkhouse
Food: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
[Note. there is an option to stay on with us for another night (11th), if you’d prefer to travel back the following day.]
– 4 days hosted and supported bikepacking
– 4 nights accommodation in bunkhouses
– All food listed, plus majority of drinks
– Distillery Tour & Tasting
– Pannier.cc Tourer Pack
– Travel to and from Aberfeldy
– Riding/Travel Insurance (required)
– Out-of-pocket expenses, like extra alcoholic drinks
– Dinners not listed in the itinerary
– Bike/Equipment Hire
Join Us
The boring stuff. Sorry.
To confirm your place(s) on the Camp, we require a 50% deposit. At which point, we’ll be in touch via email or over the phone to have a chat about your requirements / arrangements. Please don’t book travel to Wales until the Camp is 100% confirmed by us 🙂
Pannier (Pannier Ltd) is a Tour Operator, and is compliant with the Package Travel Regulations 1992. We do not arrange or book travel to and from our Camps/Tours.
Our Booking T&Cs need to be agreed to/signed in order to secure a place on our Camps.
Our Hire T&Cs will need to be agreed to/signed on arrival at a Pannier Basecamp, if you are hiring anything from us.
In accordance with the Package Travel Regulations, Pannier Ltd is is a company committed to customer satisfaction and consumer financial protection. At no extra cost to you, and in accordance with The Package Travel, Package Tours Regulations 1992 all passengers booking with Pannier Ltd are fully insured for the initial deposit, and subsequently the balance of monies paid as detailed in your booking confirmation form. The policy will also include repatriation if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Pannier Ltd. This insurance has been arranged by Towergate Chapman Stevens through Zurich Insurance PLC. Exclusions: Travel Insurance, and any claim relating to Air Flights.
FAQ / Field Notes
‘Highland Drover’ Scotland Bikepack
Joining instructions >>
This tour starts and finishes at a bunkhouse just outside Aberfeldy. Detailed joining instructions will be issued 2-3 weeks before the tour starts. The start is a short ride / transfer journey from Pitlochry train station. There is a small amount of parking available at the start/finish point, for those looking to travel by car.
We recommend you arrive at the start around 16:00 at the latest to allow time to meet, sort bikes and kit out, and meet the Pannier team. Please let us know if you plan on arriving later than this. We’ll aim to eat around 19:00.
Please do not book non-refundable travel before a tour has been guaranteed to go ahead [see our general FAQs]
Getting there >>
TRAIN – Pitlochry is the closest station to the start/finish point. It’s well connected and is a stop on the Caledonian Sleeper from London.
DRIVE – A small amount of parking is available at the start/finish point. There might be opportunities for car shares, once we know who has booked on.
FLY – Head to either Glasgow or Edinburgh, then connecting via train to Pitlochry, and then booking a transfer or ride to/from the start.
Food & Drink >>
All meals are included during your time with us, other than two evenings when we are at Corrour and Kingshouse. In our experience as hosts, this is best to allow freedom of choice. Vegetarian and vegan diets can be catered for, of course, we’ll ask for any dietary requirements and allergies once booked on.
Riding snacks are included throughout but please bring a selection of your favourite snacks with you as well.
Cafes and alcoholic beverages are sporadically available during the trip!
Accommodation >>
We spend four nights in basic bunkhouse accommodation. The accommodation is clean, comfortable and warm and set in spectacular locations. Please note all rooms are dorm style and no single rooms are available.
What to bring >>
Adventure bike (Off-road tourer, gravel bike, CX bike, XC mountain bike), unless hiring
Bike packing bags, unless hiring
Cycling kit, shoes, helmet, pedals
Off the bike clothes – warm layers for mornings and evenings + clothes for travel days
Waterproof jacket
Cold / Wet Weather Riding Kit
Cold / Wet Weather Gloves
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Bag Liner
Head Torch / Flashlight
Wash Kit
Pack Towel
Bikes & Bags >>
The hire bikes on this tour are Surly Straggler gravel bikes. If hiring bags you will receive a full set of Ortlieb Waterproof bikepacking bags for the duration of the tour.
Visa >>
Other nationalities should check with your relevant Embassy before travel. It is your responsibility to obtain the relevant visas (if needed) before travel.
Passport >>
Passports must be valid beyond the intended length of stay. It is your responsibility to make sure your passport is valid before travel.
Vaccinations >>
N/A
Weather >>
Average temperatures in the Scottish Highlands range from highs of 15degC – lows of 5degC. The mountains can be cold / wet / windy, especially in the evenings, but we would expect to be cycling in shorts and single layers during most of the day. Bring appropriate layers for adverse weather…
Money / Local Currency >>
GBP£
Local time >>
GMT
Route info >>
The route is roughly 50% on paved roads and 50% on gravel/unsurfaced roads. The unsurfaced sections are well maintained but some previous experience of cycling on gravel would be recommended. There are some sections where you will need to push your bike, these are only short sections but allow us to link up some incredible off-road routes.
Health and fitness >>
Please read the full tour information regarding distances and elevation before booking. The route is undulating with some long climbs and descents, some on gravel, so previous cycling experience is required.
You will need to inform us of any ongoing injuries or health issues once booked, this information will be requested before departure. It is vital for us to know about anything before traveling into remote areas.
