Road Cycling. View Trip Dates Book Now. Casks and Castles. Trip Grade: Green 2

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1 Road Cycling Casks and Castles View Trip Dates Book Now Trip Grade: Green 2

2 Casks and Castles On this relaxed cycling trip to the Cairngorms National Park you will enjoy beautiful cycling on quiet Highland roads at an easy pace. Like the spokes of a wheel, each day s ride radiates in a different direction from our hotel, and takes us to a place where we can experience the culture and heritage of the National Park. In the afternoons you can then enjoy visits to some of the special sites of interest that are vital to this area s fascinating history and culture. There s no better way to get under the surface of this wonderful part of the Highlands. Highlights Enjoy a mixture of cycling and culture on a laid back itinerary in Highland whisky country Ride quiet roads through beautiful scenery in the mornings, before relaxing in the afternoon with visits to local sites of interest Book with confidence We guarantee this trip will run as soon as 2 people have booked Maximum of 8 places available per departure PLEASE NOTE The itinerary may be subject to change at the discretion of the Wilderness Scotland Guide with regard to weather conditions and other factors.

3 Planned Itinerary Day 1 Glenlivet Circuit Day 2 Grantown to Aberlour Day 3 North to Findhorn Day 4 Across the Moors to Culloden Battlefield Day 5 Riding Strathspey Day 6 West to Loch Ness Day 7 North to Cawdor Castle Arrival Info Your Guide will meet you at Aviemore Railway Station 11:00am on Day 1 of your trip Departure Info You will be returned to Inverness Railway Station 4:00pm on the final day of your trip PLEASE NOTE The itinerary may be subject to change at the discretion of the Wilderness Scotland Guide with regard to weather conditions and other factors.

4 Day 1 Glenlivet Circuit This morning we meet in Aviemore station at 11.00am and transfer to the Highland village of Tomintoul in the Cairngorms National Park. Here we enjoy a café lunch before doing a bike fitting to make sure everyone is happy on their machine. We then ride a circuit from Tomintoul into whisky country, passing by several distilleries and cycling alongside the river Avon. Afterwards, we transfer to our country hotel and enjoy a welcome dinner. (L, D) Ride details: 36km/ 21 miles 361m/ 1184 ft elevation gain 2-3 hours riding Day 2 Grantown to Aberlour This morning we start from Grantown and follow the north side of the River Spey. The beautiful and scenic back road winds it s way downstream with great views over the river valley (or strath ). We end the ride by crossing a Victorian footbridge which takes us into the Speyside village of Aberlour. At Aberlour we have lunch and then a tour of a local whisky distillery. Afterwards, short transfer back to Grantown. (B, L) Ride details: 37km/ 23 miles 335m/ 1099 ft elevation gain 2-3 hours riding Day 3 North to Findhorn This morning we ride from the door of the hotel, heading west for a short distance before turning north and taking the road over the rolling heath of Dava Moor. After crossing the moor we follow the course of the river Findhorn north to the Moray coast at the village of Findhorn. After lunch in a local café, enjoy a tour of the community and then a legstretching walk on the beach. Afterwards, short transfer back to Grantown. (B, L) Ride details: 57km/ 35 miles 321m/ 1053 ft elevation gain 4 hours riding

5 Day 4 Across the Moors to Culloden Battlefield Starting again from Grantown, we head across the Dava Moor by a different road that bisects yesterday s route to reach the historic Dulsie Bridge over the Findhorn. From here, we ride through forests and farmland to reach the famous battlefield at Culloden where the last Jacobite rebellion was crushed in We have lunch at the visitor centre, then enjoy a privately guided tour of the battlefield. Afterwards, a short transfer takes us back to our hotel. (B, L) Ride details: 50km/ 31 miles 433m/ 1420ft elevation gain 3-4 hours riding Day 5 Riding Strathspey A short transfer takes us to the picturesque old station of Broomhill, now only used as part of the Strathspey Heritage Railway. From here we follow the beautiful and quiet roads along the east bank of the River Spey. We ll pass through the villages of Nethy Bridge, Coylumbridge, Kincraig and Feshiebridge before we cross over the River Spey to reach the town of Kingussie. A couple more miles and we reach Newtonmore, where we finish the ride at the Highland Folk Museum. After lunch in the café, enjoy some free time to explore this fascinating outdoor museum. Afterwards, short transfer back to the hotel. (B, L) Ride details: 55km/34 miles 429m/ 1407ft elevation gain 3-4 hours riding

6 Day 6 West to Loch Ness From the hotel our route takes us to Carrbridge before we gradually climb to the high pass of the Slochd and the nearby village of Tomatin. We then cross the moors before enjoying a wonderful descent to reach the banks of Loch Ness and where lunch awaits. At the loch s edge, we ll enjoy a pint in the Dores Inn followed by a 1 hour leisurely cruise on the loch. Afterwards, a short transfer back to Grantown for a final night celebration dinner. (B, L, D) Ride details: 33km/ 21 miles 542m/ 1778ft elevation gain 4-5 hours riding Day 7 North to Cawdor Castle Riding from the hotel door, we once again cross the Dava Moor, but this time diverting past Lochindorb with its iconic castle on an island. We then follow a rolling route across farmland to finish at the historic Cawdor Castle. We enjoy lunch in its café and explore the castle and its grounds before a short transfer takes us into Inverness for the trip end. (B, L) Ride details: 49km/ 30 miles 369m/ 1210ft elevation gain 3-4 hours riding

7 Trip Grading Green 2 Green graded trips are suitable for people with a reasonable level of fitness who enjoy cycling and are looking for an active but relaxed trip. They are also suitable for active people who are new to cycle touring and looking for a new way to explore the countryside. Distances each day will be between miles, cycling at an average speed of around 12mph. We will ride on mostly straightforward rolling terrain with one or two more notable climbs during the trip, where some riders may opt to ride in the support vehicle. We will be in the saddle for 4-6 hours each day plus the odd longer day. There is also time each day for breaks and lunches, plus visits to sites of interest. The weather in Scotland can be unpredictable and at times can make activities more challenging. Please do bear this in mind when thinking about what trip to join. If our guides feel that you are not able to complete a scheduled ride they may ask you not to join in that day. If you have any questions about the grading, then please do give our Adventure Consultants a call to chat through your experience and suitability for this trip. It is your responsibility to ensure you are appropriately fit and capable of doing the described rides in the expected times. Please refer to the grading section on our website for more details. If you are unsure we encourage you to speak to us first.

8 Accommodation and Meals During this trip we will be based from a country house hotel on the outskirts of Grantown on Spey. We will be based here for the entire trip so you can settle in and not have to repack during the trip. Accommodation is on a bed and breakfast basis, and lunch will be provided each day either at a local cafe or a Wilderness picnic. Dinner is provided on the first and last evenings. On the other nights we will normally eat as a group with the guide recommending a local restaurant. Specific dietary requirements are happily catered for - please just inform us at the time of booking On this trip we generally eat dinner as a group however if you would like to make alternative arrangements you are free to do so. Your guide will have an evening off during this trip where they do not eat with the group. They will recommend options for dinner that evening and will help you make any necessary reservations. Single Rooms There is no supplement charged to solo travellers, however you will be required to share a room with another person of the same sex. If you request a double room for single occupancy, a supplement of 390 is charged. Due to the nature of the accommodations we use, single supplements are limited and are allocated on a first come first served basis.

9 Inclusions This trip includes the following: 6 nights accommodation in a 4 star country house hotel Breakfast and lunch each day plus dinner on the first and last evenings - meals as stated in the itinerary (Meals included indicated as B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner) 7 days professional guiding with a qualified and experienced Wilderness Scotland road cycling guide and support driver Entrance to historic sites and attractions as stated in the itinerary All transport throughout the trip beginning and finishing in Inverness

10 Your Guide During this trip you will be accompanied and led by one of our professional guides. Our guides are among the most highly experienced and qualified in the country. Defined by their passion for Scotland s wild places, they have an intimate knowledge of the natural and social history of this land which they will be delighted to share with you. For more info and to meet the team please see our Guide Pages. Sustainable Travel Wilderness Scotland is committed to the principles of ecotourism. We work very hard to ensure our engagements with local communities, wild lands and wildlife are positive. We are a proud partner of the Leave No Trace Centre for Outdoor Ethics, which enhances our commitment to responsible activity in Scotland s wild lands, as enshrined in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC). We are also proud to be a John Muir Trust Peak Partner. Thanks in part to the generosity of our clients though our Conservation Contribution scheme the John Muir Trust can rely on our investment to go towards conservation projects that have a deep connection to Wilderness Scotland and the areas we adventure in. You can learn more about the work we re doing with the John Muir Trust and the other ways we care for the wild places we love here.

11 Equipment List Check out our guide on what to wear when adventuring in Scotland. Eat Stay See Looking for accommodation for before or after your adventure with us? Check out our list of where to stay and what to do Eat Stay See Aviemore.pdf Eat Stay See Inverness.pdf General Info Scotland From food and drink to the Loch Ness Monster, our General Info for Scotland guide has got you covered for all your need to to know facts. General-Info-Scotland.pdf

12 Travel Insurance It is your responsibility to take out appropriate travel insurance to cover you during your trip. This should include cover for cancellation prior to the trip, the activities undertaken (i.e hiking), curtailment, and adequate medical insurance for sickness/ injury and medical repatriation. We also strongly recommend you have cover for your other travel arrangements such as flights, and your personal possessions. We suggest you do your own research to find the best insurance cover for you however the following companies offer suitable policies. Campbell Irvine Direct campbellirvinedirect.com Journeyman Insurance Services journeyman-services.com/travelinsurance If you cancel your holiday charges will apply. Please see section 2 of our terms and conditions for a breakdown: wildernessscotland.com/make-a-booking/booking-conditions Travel With Confidence You can book with us in complete confidence that all trip payments made to us are fully protected. Wilderness Scotland Ltd is a licensed and bonded tour operator. Your financial security is guaranteed through our membership and bonding with ABTA.

13 FAQs Looking for more information? Check out our frequently asked questions page. wildernessscotland.com/faq Questions To Ask? Ready to Book? If you want to get in touch please send us an or give us a call. We accept bookings online, by , or over the phone. A deposit of 25% is required at the time of booking to secure the trip with the balance payable 8 weeks (56 days) before departure. If booking less than 56 days before the trip start date, full payment of the trip price is required immediately. We accept payment by credit or debit card, or bank transfer. info@wildernessscotland.com Tel (UK and Europe): +44(0) Tel (US and Canada): View Trip Dates Book Now