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Mog-jog - Supported Mull Of Galloway - John O' Groats (8 Days)
Route: End to End Scotland
Duration: 8 days, 8 nights
Total Cycling Distance: 438 miles (Average cycling distance is 55 miles per day.)
Departures: This tour departs on Monday 31 August 2010.
Price: From £1259 (2010) per person sharing a room. Price includes 7 nights hotel accommodation, luggage transfer, vehicle support and cycling guide/backmarker. Optional extras include bike hire and additional nights accommodation (pre and post tour).
Accommodation: Largely 3-star hotels and 4-star Guest Houses
Scotland's (unofficial) National Cycle Route. The first 130 miles cover the south of Scotland - it's a scenic area with some lovely small villages along the way. The central belt of Scotland is the industrial heartland is not a traditional tourism destination. However, there are some great roads for cycling here that stay well away from the big cities. The roads climb higher than some might imagine before dropping down to Perth. Pitlochry, is the half-way point and from here you really start to enjoy the Highland scenery. North of Inverness the landscape begins to change heading towards the wilds of Caithness and the famous northern outpost of John O'Groats.
The route is far from flat, but has no extreme climbs. The whole route has been designed to take in the great Scottish scenery, but keep you away from heavy traffic. You will cycle some roads that carry only the occasional motor vehicle, while the northern sections largely follow Route 7 of the National Cycle Network - a combination of minor roads and some well-surfaced traffic-free paths to connect them.
Arrival Day
Arrival at the Mull of Galloway on the very south west tip of Scotland.
Day 1: Mull of Galloway - New Galloway
A journey through Scotland's southwest - an area that is great for cycling and mountain biking. The route heads north east to New Galloway.
Day 2: New Galloway - Lanark
A tough day as you climb into the isolated hills of South Lanarkshire. There are no extreme climbs anywhere on the route, but anyone who thinks the Scottish hills might be in for a surprise! The county town of Lanark is the final destination for the day.
Day 3: Lanark - Kinross
The central belt of Scotland is the industrial heartland is not a traditional tourism destination. However, there are some great roads for cycling here that stay well away from the big cities. The roads descend down to the Forth Road Bridge and then a tough climb to skirt around the historic town of Dunfermline. The market town of Kinross is the final stop.
Day 4: Kinross - Pitlochry
This stage is the transition into Highland scenery. First there is a drop back down to near sea-level in the small city of Perth, where our route picks up Route 7 of the National Cycle Network. The journey to final day and a round 100 miles to take the long road north through Ross-shire and Caithness. The Berrydale braes near Helmsdale provide a reminder that coastal roads aren't always at sea-level.
Day 5: Pitlochry - Aviemore
Pitlochry there is a tough climb into the heart of the Cairngorm National Park. Much of the route is spend, not on the busy A9, but on the old road that runs parallel and is now the Sustrans National Cycle Route. Aviemore is Scotland's winter sports capital but the terrain around the town is perhaps not as tough as this might suggest. After Inverness, we cross the water and head for the village of Evanton.
Day 6: Aviemore - Evanton
After the Slochd summit it's a drop down to Inverness, capital of the Highlands. After Inverness, we cross the water and head for the village of Evanton.
Day 7: Evanton - Helmsdale
The road sticks close to the east coast, but that doesn't always mean that it's always flat. The penultimate day ends in the village of Helmsdale.
Day 8: Helmsdale - John O'Groats
The final day and a journey through the wilds of Caithness on the way to John O'Groats. There are some pretty nasty hills out of Helmsdale just to make sure that the final day provides a little sting in the tail.
