Loch Lomond to Edinburgh: Lakes & Valleys of Scotland

Overview

Cycle through the heart of Scotland and discover stunning scenery and iconic landmarks. From the shores of Loch Lomond, through to the dramatic lochs and glens of the Trossachs National Park, to Pitlochry in the Highlands and onto Edinburgh, this is a stunning vacation. The Trossach hills provide a fabulous backdrop to your route, which leads you through stunning wooded glens and beside quiet lochs to the highland town of Pitlochry. Float along the serenely beautiful Loch Katrine aboard a steamboat and ride along the water's edge of many a loch, where little breaks the silence. Pedal along the dramatic Glen Ogle Viaduct using a former railway line with views to die for. Forests alternate with sheep-clad slopes, isolated hamlets, classic Scottish towns, castles, and distilleries where you can stop for a "wee dram" of smooth Scottish whisky. Feasts for real foodies await, too; not only is this area of Scotland known for its beauty, landscape, and wildlife, but recently its cuisine has been garnering attention. Your cycling adventure ends in Pitlochry. From here, you ride the train to Edinburgh and explore this vibrant capital with an overnight stay in the heart of the city. This trip was a pilgrimage for me and it exceeded any expectation beyond! Our tour operator Nick Green was great! He rode to our lunch spot in Drymen just to check on us as we rode hybrid bikes (not e-bikes). The routes were extremely challenging but so worth the effort as the landscapes we covered on our self guided tour was spectacular!! The rides were multi-terrain so the bikes were great for the variety of terrains we covered. Our accommodations were wonderful and the people we meet in Scotland were warm, friendly & helpful. I am so glad we upgraded to king size bed rooms as after a challenging day of riding it was so nice to stretch-out and sleep! I would definably confirm check in times at each hotel as they vary. It truly was a trip of a lifetime!! Scotland has it all: beautiful scenery, warm and helpful people, dedicated bike routes. The tour operator booked us into lovely hotels/B&Bs that were conveniently located, and we were more than satisfied with the hearty breakfasts. Upon the recommendation of the tour operator, we booked dinner ahead of our trip at each accommodation, a useful suggestion as there were occasionally limited dining opportunities. Yes, it rained some, but the sun also shone brightly. We were wise to rent e-bikes as the route was occasionally quite hilly. My only suggestion to the tour operator is to equip the bikes with front and rear fenders to keep rain gear clean and also front and rear lights to improve safety when riding in traffic during rainy periods. We secured tickets to a performance at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, a short walk from our hotel, adding to our enjoyment of the town. A very authentic taste of Loch Lomand and beyond. The accommodations were varied but all were good. The distances were doable and the scenery was always changing. Some of the trail signs were confusing or obscured but with technology we always got to our destination. The bikes suited our needs and were well maintained. Fortunately we did not need the tools provided often but came in handy for minor adjustments. How great to be in Scotland during their FIFA win! Classic Hotels: Loch Lomond: Tullie Inn, Gartmore: Black Bull, Callander: Poppies Hotel, Killin: Killin Hotel, Aberfeldy: Townhouse Aberfeldy, Pitlochry: Dundarach Hotel, Edinburgh: Motel One Edinburgh Royal or Motel One Edinburgh Princes St. Luxury Hotels: Loch Lomond: Cameron House, Kinlochard: Lake of Mentieth, Callander: Thackray House, Ardeonaig: Ardeonaig Hotel, Fortingall: The Fortingall Hotel, Pitlochry: Fonab Castle or Atholl Palace, Edinburgh: The Kimpton Charlotte Square. Standard touring bike - Ridgeback Motion, or similar. Electric bike - Ridgeback Advance, or similar. Accessories: Pannier, Pump, Lock, Toolkit which includes spare inner tube and pump, Handle-bar mounted waterproof phone holder, Helmet (upon request). Included services: 7 nights accommodation in the booked hotel category, Breakfast each morning, Luggage transfers between hotels, Adventure Handbook - packed full of information, history and photos of the area your tour covers, Emergency service phone line, Local host to welcome and brief you, Standard touring bike, Train tickets to Edinburgh on Day 7, Transfer and steam boat on Loch Katrine on Day 3, Navigational app and waterproof mobile phone holder. Surface and terrain: While two of the days are mostly flat terrain, the majority of the tour has undulating hills--only two longer climbs of note. 33% will take place on bike paths and, 67% will take place on back roads. How to get there: Tour start Nearest airport: Glasgow or Edinburgh airports, Nearest train station: Balloch station. Tour end Nearest airport: Edinburgh airport, Nearest train station: Edinburgh Waverley station. The company was very accommodating! We attended the Scottish Wild Foods Festival before the start of our tour and this just made the trip! We were shuttled from our hotel to the start of the tour at the Hotel in Balloch on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond and pretty much from there had the smoothest trip! We had rain, yes, but we had the appropriate gear and we were in Scotland!!! The route took us past all sorts of gems, castles, distilleries, standing stones, stone circles, historical sites, gravesites, and amazing eateries. The hotel choices were top-notch! We loved every hotel each was different, unique, and had character (but not too much character!). The drivers who transported our luggage were prompt, attentive, and helpful. We really could not have enjoyed ourselves more. We found all sorts of treasures to stop and admire along the way, botanical gardens, ruins, waterfalls, and ancient archeological sites. Wow! I have fallen in love with Scotland! The train back to Edinburg at the end was perfect the station was close to our final hotel and the driver was there to collect our bikes literally right as we pulled in. When we arrived in Edinburg, the hotel was so close to Waverly station, so easy! The one suggestion I would make to make the trip a little more stress-free...Puncture-resistant tire liners and "slime tubes" just switch them out before you start off on your journey. We did have a couple of flats, but we had spares, a pump, and a puncture kit, however just started off in a nice dry and warm place by switching out the tubes and putting in some liners. That was really the only thing I wish I'd had. Note: I did bring my own saddle (Terry Butterfly Ti gel) and the bike shop switched that out for me as well as my own clipless pedals. I also had rain shoe covers (which many folx stopped me to ask where to buy them). I was comfortable, dry, and warm. Could not have been a better trip! Thanks so much!

Daily Ride Schedule

Accommodation & Services

Accommodation

Hotel

What's Included