Cycle Scotland's Castle Trail

Scotland's Castle Trail

6 Days & 5 Nights 4.2 Read 4 reviews

Easy-going cycling past the heather-covered hills of Perthshire
Enjoy a “wee dram” at Edradour Distillery
Visit the grand Blair Castle, one of Scotland’s finest
Explore at Scone Palace, where 42 Scottish Kings were crowned
Hand-picked inns and B&B's offering the warmest of welcomes

Discover the castles, palaces and history of Scotland as you cycle through the heart of the Scottish Highlands. Cycle from inn to inn on easy going country roads and bike paths through the heather clad hills of Highland Perthshire. Visit the romantic castle of Blair Castle and historic Scone Palace, crowning place of 42 Scottish Kings. From the historic city of Perth you head north along the Tay River Valley to historic Dunkeld and Birnam and then on to the Victorian Spa town of Pitlochry. Cycle the shoreline of Loch Tummel, take a tour of Blair Castle or take a wee dram at the Edradour Distillery overlooking the Perthshire Highlands.

What To Expect

Travel restrictions and resources, to and from any destination

This is the perfect trip for you if you want to discover the stories, castles and highlights of Scotland by bike. The cycling is generally pretty flat, although there are a few hillier sections. You will be following cycle paths, country lanes and a few busier roads close to town. Friendly, hand-picked inns and B&B’s await at the end of each day’s ride. If you prefer your adventure with some added comfort, we’ve selected the very best country houses and hotels for to end the day with a touch of luxury.

Tour Type:

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Activity:

Leisure Cycling | Leisure Cycling

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

As a guide, we would suggest that the minimum age of traveler this tour would be suitable for is: 15 Years

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Whisky
Accessible by Rail

Activity Level & Terrain

This trip is graded easy to moderate and follows a combination of paved, well marked cycle routes, quiet country roads, a few stretches of hills and some busier routes closer to towns, so please do be mindful of other roads users.

Navigation

Our tried and tested detailed routes notes and maps are easy to follow during your self-guided adventure. Should you require assistance, local 24/7 telephone support will also be available throughout your trip.

Accommodations

5 Nights accommodation is included in hand-picked B&Bs or guesthouses, of a 3 or 4 star standard. We carefully select small and friendly accommodation that offers great value, food and welcomes. Here you’ll see a selection of some of the properties we often book, however they are subject to availability and therefore alternatives of an equal standard may be offered.

You can add tailor-make your itinerary and add extra nights to suit your requirements —please contact us for details.

Accommodation Upgrade

Featuring stylish inns and country house hotels our superior accommodation option is perfect if you prefer your adventure with added comfort. If you wish to upgrade a supplementary payment can be made at the time of booking. Listed below are example's of our standard and superior accommodation.

Single Rooms

If you require single rooms within your party we will always try and accommodate you subject to availability. A single supplement is payable.

Meals

A local, traditional breakfast is included each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included. Most of your accommodation will be more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or at nearby pubs or restaurants.

Included

5 Nights in B&B's, guesthouses and small hotels
5 Breakfasts
Baggage transfer
Information pack
Route notes with maps
24/7 Emergency telephone support from our office

Excluded

Travel to Perth / from Pitlochry
Bike hire
Lunches, dinners, drinks & snacks
Personal equipment
Travel insurance (required)

Extras

Additional nights along the route
Bike hire (standard hybrid)

When To Go

This trip is available to start on any day, from April to October.

Scotland is known for its changeable weather, it is often said that there are four season in one day and quite regularly that's the case. You can get blazing sunshine or torrential rain and all points in between. Whatever the weather, the route and scenery are still spectacular. And the old Scottish saying goes, "there's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes!".

Getting to the Start

Perth is an easy train journey from Edinburgh (1h20), Glasgow (1h10) or Inverness (2h05), all of which have airports. Edinburgh and Glasgow airports are the best option if travelling from outside the UK.

Use the journey planner online at www.travelinescotland.com to plan journeys by public transport in Scotland.

Private transfers from Edinburgh or Glasgow can easily be arranged.

Getting from the End

Pitlochry has a mainline train station connecting through to Perth, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Train times and tickets can be booked via Scot Rail.

Luggage Transfer

Daily door to door baggage transfer is included in the cost of your holiday. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person. It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard gear such as warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.

Equipment

GT Transeo, 24 gear hybrid bikes are available for hire. Rental bikes come equipped with, 1 x pannier bag, basic repair kit, pump, lock and helmet (though we recommend using your own). Male and female frames are available. If you’d like to hire a bike, please let us know your height and frame size you currently ride.

If you’re only just getting into cycling or need a little assistance we can also arrange e-bike rental.

If you would prefer to bring your own bicycle please ensure it is thoroughly serviced and is an appropriate bike for this trip such as Scott Sub, Trek 7200 or similar.

Bike bags/cases can easily be stored in Perth but please do pack an extra soft bag for your personal belongings as bike bags/cases are too large for the daily baggage transfers.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Bike that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.

How far in advance do I need to book?

How fit do I need to be?

How do the baggage transfers work?

What personal equipment do I need?

When is the best time of year?

What are the midges like?

What happens if I can't cycle a stage?

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Perth Day 2 Scone Palace to Dunkeld 21 miles / 35 km Day 3 3 Lochs Cycle from Dunkeld 19 miles / 33 km Day 4 Cycle to Pitlochry 15 miles / 26 km Day 5 Loch Tummel Loop Ride & Pitlochry 28 miles / 44 km

The popular Victorian Spa town of Pitlochry is packed full of things to do. The loop ride around Loch Tummel leads to ‘Queens View’ one of Scotland’s most famous viewpoints. Before heading around the loch, take a cycle up to Blair Castle, which showcases 700 years of Scottish history across 30 rooms. On the way up you can also visit the battle site of Killicrankie and the delicious food hall at The House of Bruaur. If all this sounds a squeeze then we can easily arrange another night in Pitlochry to take a tour of the Edradour Distillery. Single malt as it’s best!

190m ascent

Overnight Pitlochry

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Craigatin House & Courtyard | 4 Star | Guest House

Tucked away in secluded wooded grounds in the Highland Perthshire town of Pitlochry, this beautiful early Victorian house has now been transformed into a 14-bedroom boutique B&B, providing a unique blend of the traditional with the luxury of contemporary design. The individually designed spacious deluxe rooms all have comfortable six foot wide beds and are decorated with stylish fabrics and furnishings.

Northlands B&B | 4 Star | Bed and breakfast

Northlands Bed & Breakfast, situated in the conservation area of Pitlochry, presents all the amenities expected of a deluxe bed and breakfast. Luxurious accommodation in individually decorated and furnished en-suite rooms, delicious breakfast served in an elegant dining room and friendly, unobtrusive hospitality. Centrally located with private parking and Wi-Fi throughout

Acarsaid Hotel | 3 Star | Hotel

The Acarsaid is a small family run 3* hotel in the heart of Pitlochry. Enjoy a great night's stay in one of their 19 warm and welcoming bedrooms. The hotel also has a cosy bar with a great range of whisky and restaurant serving delicious local Highland cuisine.

Day 6 Onward Travel