Scotland – Far North – Self Guided

The first day of your cycling tour from Inverness to Loch Ness starts with a gentle ride along mostly flat terrain for the initial 20 kilometers. The route gradually climbs as it reaches Dores, offering beautiful views of the loch. However, the real challenge begins after Foyers, where the profile reveals a series of steep ascents, peaking at around 300 meters. The demanding climbs reward cyclists with panoramic views before rolling over undulating terrain. As the route nears its end, there’s a long, exhilarating descent back to Inverness, a perfect way to wrap up the first day’s ride with a rush of speed and satisfaction.

Cycling Distance: 72 km (45 miles)
Cycling Ascent: 570 m (1,870 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel (B)

The first part of our day is a ride to Chanonry Point on the scenic Black Isle, one of the best coastal vantage points for observing dolphins, seals and porpoises. From here you continue to Cromarty, the Highlands’ best preserved historic town, where we take a ferry to reach Nigg. Known as ‘The King’s Ferry’, this route was taken by King James IV on pilgrimage to the shrine of St Duthac at Tain. This is one of the smallest car ferries in the world.

From Nigg you cycle to the village of Shandwick, passing the ancient Shandwick Stone, which is in a glass case on your left, before the run down into the village. You continue, riding through farmland via Balnagall. You drop downhill to reach a long straight, level road, then cross a railway line before making another climb back up into the ancient town of Tain where you stop for the night. There is a museum in Tain, and a display telling of the ancient kings of Scotland who visited this place.

Cycling Distance: 68 km (42 miles)
Cycling Ascent: 541 m (1,775 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel (B)

You start today’s self guided ride by passing the famous Glenmorangie distillery before crossing the Dornoch Firth on the A9 bridge. Next, you reach Dornorch, an Edwardian resort town. You ride up the coast northwards to Skelbo, cycling along the water’s edge following Loch Fleet inland. The area is a Scottish heritage nature reserve. The tidal basin is home to a wide range of habitats and species. You cross over the river at the tip of the loch and continue riding inland climbing over the next 9 miles to reach Muie, your route continues to follow the River Fleet. You ride a short drop before climbing again to your high point of the day before dropping down to reach your hotel at Rosehall.

Cycling Distance: 63 km (39 miles)
Cycling Ascent: 379 m (1,425 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel (B)

This morning your self-guided tour continues as you ride along back roads through lovely, wooded scenery beside the river Oykel. The Oykel flows down the slopes of Ben More and through an ice-gouged valley. This is a particularly rugged area of the Western Highlands and includes several nature reserves that foster a responsible connection between visitors, communities and natural environments. After approximately 25 miles you cycle alongside Loch Borralan before turning north towards “The Bone Caves” which are certainly worth a visit. They are a series of natural caves located high on a limestone cliff, Creag nan Uamh (Crag of the Caves). From here it’s fairly flat for 15 miles to reach your accommodation at Lochinver.

Cycling Distance: 64 km (40 miles)
Cycling Ascent: 594 m (1,950 ft)
Accommodation: B&B (B)

You’ll be riding a series of climbs and descents as you cycle south from Lochinver to Inverkirkaig where you skirt round the bay before heading inland again, following a stretch of water known as Elder’s Pool and then cross over the River Kirkaig. You climb again and head back downhill to Loch An Arbhair. You reach the coast and follow the waterside for a short while before riding back inland with more climbs and descents to reach Loch Osgaig. On a fine day you’ll have a clear blue sky view out to sea. You continue for a few miles on flat terrain to Loch Ra and then ride uphill to begin our loop around Achiltibuie.

From Achnahaird you set off in an undulating anti-clockwise direction; you ride on to Althandu and Polbain crossing moorland with little other than abandoned stone crofts and grazing sheep around you with views of the Summer Isles across the water, before you reach Achiltibuie. In Gaelic, romantically, Achiltibuie means ‘field of the yellow-haired boy’ and is one of the five fields that are collectively known as the area Coigach: an oasis of peace and scenic beauty.

You head on up passing Loch Ra and Loch Vatachan before you retrace our tracks passing Loch Osgaig again and take a twisting road climbing to Drumrunie with a few drops as you ride alongside Loch Bad a’ Ghaill and Loch Lurgainn with the dramatic Stac Pollaidh peak to our left. From Drumrunie you turn southwest towards Strathcanaird from where you continue making a steep descent enjoying clear views of the Coigach Hills. You reach the coast again just before Ardmair before one final uphill ride of the day before you roll down into Ullapool.

Cycling Distance: 74 km (46 miles)
Cycling Ascent: 915 m (3,004 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel (B)

You start the day cycling along Loch Broom, then turn and begin cycling inland and uphill along the Corrieshalloch Gorge National Nature Reserve. This is a beautiful, forested area where the river Droma rushes along a series of tumbling waterfalls.

You continue cycling on a downhill ride back to the coast reaching the banks of Little Loch Broom and Gruinard Bay, enjoying beautiful scenery. From here the ride continues along Loch Ewe and just before arriving at Poolewe, a visit to Inverewe Gardens, a unique Atlantic coast botanical garden is a must. This area is a good place to spot red squirrels, red deer, otters, golden eagles and sea eagles.

Cycling Distance: 79 km (49 miles)
Cycling Ascent: 998 m (3,275 ft)
Accommodation: Hotel (B)

Your last day of cycling is rewarded with a scenic ride to the picturesque village of Gairloch. Set amidst rugged moorland it has some of the prettiest scenery in the whole of the British Isles. A few miles from here, you get views of Loch Maree, named recently as one of Britain’s favourite scenic views in a national newspaper poll. Dotted with 30 islands and bordered by the mass of Slioch (3,215 ft) to the north and ancient Caledonian pine forest to the south, its home to the Black-throated divers, Sea Eagle, Otters and Red Deer, that are known to swim from the mainland. Your cycling finishes a few miles further on at the remote village of Achnasheen where you will be transferred by train back to Inverness. The journey takes about 1.5 hours, arriving into the city around 4.30pm.

Cycling Distance: 56 km (35 miles)
Cycling Ascent: 672 m (2,205 ft)
Accommodation: B&B (B)