Coast-2-Coast
Scottish highlands
Scottish Highlands – MTB Coast-to-Coast trip in 6 days from Fort William to Spey Bay
We have another great Scotland trip planned for 2026: Coast-2-Coast Highlands. You start at Fort William where you traditionally dip your rear tyre into Loch Linnhe to dip your front wheel (or yourself) into the North Sea 251km and 3480 altitude metres later at Spey Bay.
This Trans Scotland tour takes you to a new part of Scotland every day and passes the highlights of the Scottish Highlands such as Fort William, Loch Laggan, Cairngorm Mountains, Glenmore, and Spey Side.
Scottish and Dutch guide included!
This trip is including boat trip from the Netherlands to the UK, transfer to the start location and transfers from the finish location to the boat.
Please note that we will be travelling through rugged parts of Scotland. It is important to be in good physical condition and health and have a well maintained mountain bike.
Day program
We will depart from IJmuiden and sail to Newcastle, UK. The boat leaves around 17:30 and offers you the opportunity hour to enjoy a communal dinner, drinks, a visit to the cinema or a refreshing walk on deck.
Day 2 Arrival Newcastle – Fort William – Kinlochleven:
After breakfast and customs we take our bus and MTB trailer to Fort William where our Trans Scotland will start.
Today 23 km and 540 hm climbing – over the West Highland Way so a mix of single tracks alternating with wide gravel paths to arrive at a technical single track descent to Kinlochleven. A good warm up day!
Day 3 Kinlochleven – Loch Laggan:
51km and 570hm.
A short steep climb from Kinlochleven and a climb to Loch Eilde Mor. A traverse across the Lochs between the Mamore Mountains with views over the back of Glencoe to Luibelt. A river crossing and then rough singletrack for about 4km to the head of Loch Trieg followed by a climb on singletrack to Loch Ossian. From Loch Ossian and the level crossing, doubletrack over open hills and then into forest to Moy – Loch Laggan.
Day 4 Log Laggan – Cairngorms
67 km with 660 hm – We return to Moy and enter the forests on the south side of Loch Laggan around the back of Binnein Shuas, past the fantastic castle: Arderikie (Scotland's second most beautiful after Balmoral) Take the double track around Carn Ban to reach Laggan and then continue on the road for a short distance until you reach Glen Calder. There will be a river crossing are in Glen Calder to take the estate path down to Newtonmore. From Newtonmore to Kingussie. Then we use the local road to get to Ruthven Barracks which was built for the “Redcoats” to fight the Highlanders at Ruthven (1719). We now ride on a narrow country road to get to Abernethy forest and from there a mix of single and double track and bits of the Speyside Way to get to our final destination Feshiebridge.
Day 5 Cairngorms – Tomintoul
46 km and 620 hm
We start in Feshiebridge and use a collection of old logging tracks and paths through the Abernethy Forest and Rothiemurchus forest to reach Loch Morlich in Glenmore above Aviemore.
While we are in the forest, we get beautiful views of the Cairngorm Mountains, so we have to keep our eyes open. From Loch Morlich we ride up the old logging road to Glenmore, past the Green Loch (Fairy Loch) and to the lonely hut at Ryvoan, and then over wide singletrack over the moorland at the foot of the Cairngorms (rough in places) to Nethiebridge. From here we go up via parts of the Speyside Way and over remote moorland with a gravel doubletrack through forests and “shooting estates” to the remote village of Tomintoul.
Day 6 Tomintoul – Spey Bay
63 km and 850hm
The longest distance but mostly downhill. From Tomintoul we initially use the road, but soon we are back on gravel double tracks as we head north and take the Speyside Way for a large part of the day. The Speyside Way uses mainly double track and small quiet roads, but also a stretch of old railway that takes us over old bridges crossing tributaries of the great River Spey – the birthplace of Speyside whiskies.
Leaving Speyside at one of these distilleries, we head north again towards the coast on an old causeway – the Mannoch Road – a mighty gravel and tarmac track that follows an almost unwavering northerly course through the countryside until we eventually turn off into the village of Fogwatt. From here we continue on minor roads to Lhanbryde and on to Garmouth where we head off-road again onto the path of the Spey Viaduct Walk, which allows us to cross the River Spey one last time as it widens in preparation for its mouth into the sea, and we finish on a minor road into Spey Bay to finish on the steep shingle beach of the north coast. Who would dip themselves in the North Sea here?
Day 7 Spey Bay – Newcastle
The bike trip is over but the enjoyment is not yet. We descend slowly with the mini bus to Newcastle while the Scottish Landscape passes you by. Possibly we stop at an authentic Whiskey Distillery for a nice souvenir of the trip. At 16:30 the boat leaves Newcastle to the Netherlands.
Day 8 Back in IJmuiden:
Arrival in IJmuiden 09:45. The journey is over, but we take the experiences with us.
Details
This is included in the trip:
Not included:
- Boat crossing from the Netherlands to the UK
- Transport around Scotland for you, your luggage and mountain bike
- 7 Overnight stays (2 on the boat and 5 in hotels)
- Scottish and Dutch guide
- The hotel stays include breakfast
- FREE MTB clinic before the trip
- Drinks
- Use of a single room (only possible based on availability, price on request)
- Meals other than “included”
- Travel insurance and cancellation insurance
Bring your own:
- Mountain bike, clothing, protection and other cycling outfit
- spare parts
- Tools, maintenance and cleaning products
Important information:
Attendees
The minimum number of participants for this trip to go ahead is 6 people. A maximum of 14 people can participate.
Travel and accommodation
We travel through the UK with a passenger bus with a mountain bike trailer equipped with a system to secure mountain bikes within a few seconds. The hotel overnight stays are based on double occupancy, so no dormitories. The hotels have been carefully selected by us and are ideal for mountain bikers (locked bicycle storage). The rating of the hotels on Tripadvisor is 4.5 out of 5 stars. The cabins on the boat can accommodate a maximum of 4 people. All accommodations can be adapted to your wishes in consultation.
Price and (down) payment
After registering for this trip, you will receive additional information and an invoice for paying the travel sum within a few working days. The stated price is based on registration of two people sharing a room and excludes 25 euros administration costs per booking. If you register for a single person, you will be assigned to a room with another participant (separate beds). The down payment (30% of the total travel price) must be paid within 14 days after the invoice is sent. The remainder must be received by us no later than 49 days before departure.
Guarantee
VZR Guarantor
To comply with the legally required guarantee, Orange Mountain Experience uses the VZR Garant guarantee scheme (www.vzr-garant.nl). You can check this via the participant page of the VZR Garant website. Within the limits of the Guarantee Scheme (found on the VZR Garant website), VZR Garant's guarantee applies. In the Guarantee Scheme you can read to which (travel) offer the guarantee of VZR Garant applies exactly and what this guarantee entails. If services are not provided due to financial insolvency of Orange Mountain Experience, you can contact VZR Garant, located at Torenallee 20, 5617 BC in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, at info@vzr-garant.nl or +31 (0)85 13 07 630.
Travel insurance
Good travel insurance is very important for a mountain bike trip. Not every travel insurance covers high-risk sports such as mountain biking or activities in mountainous terrain. When participating in this trip, it is mandatory to take out travel insurance that covers mountaineering risks. Check carefully whether your travel insurance covers this!
Experience: Your fundamental MTB skills are up to scratch. For the best Scotland experience, master MTB Flow and Obstacle Techniques -. more info.
Condition: Good basic fitness is required.
Mountain bike: Suspension travel: 110 to 170mm - hardtail or full-suspension, dropper post (recommended).
€1950,-
- 22-06-2026 to 29-06-2026
