Bikepacking The Scottish Highlands: A Solo Adventure

Words and photos by Allen Boardman

I’ve not been out on an overnighter for a good while, and it was becoming very easy to not make any plans or put in the effort to get out. I noticed that I wasn’t looking at maps, making plans, or even watching any bikepacking videos, but I didn’t do anything about it. Then I saw a post from Charlie van Poppel (aka Charlie Loves Gravel) from her 90-kilometre route that took in Dalwhinnie, skirted Ben Alder Forest, dropped down towards Loch Laggan, and back returned around. My brain started working overtime, and Scotland appeared to be the catalyst that would get me back out there. I had some time off during Easter, so a bike trip was now on the cards.

I asked for the GPX file and started looking at how to make a four-day adventure out of it. Blair Atholl appeared to be the best starting point as it’s a gentle ride up to the distillery before heading into Ben Alder Forrest for a camp spot before the Bealach Dubh climb over to Ben Alder cottage.

Once I reached camp and relaxed for a few hours, I decided I wanted to jump on the Badger Divide route and see the section that links Corrour to Rannoch. Not expecting to see anyone, I bumped into around 20 other bikepackers also on their way to the station; they were all smiling, happy, and loving being out there. It lifted my spirits so much.

The weather turned just as I headed for camp in the woods. It rained for 13 hours straight, so watching videos and relaxing was the best option. Corrour station for breakfast was a must as it would be rude to not visit the iconic bridge from Trainspotting. Breakfast turned into lunch with cake for desert. I thought about heading back to the van as I was around 70 kilometres away, but loving the adventure and now glorious weather, I opted to camp again. After a couple of coffees and a toasted tea cake, I was given a tip for a camp spot that was right on a beach of a loch. Even though it was around 4 p.m., I headed for camp and was set up before 5 p.m.

The warmest night of the trip allowed me to sit outside for hours without really using my sleeping bag. It was glorious. A revisit to Rannoch station for breakfast helped me plan the next leg of the ride. Loch Garry was the obvious choice for the return route. This section felt more remote than I expected, and I even stumbled across Craiganour Skyspace and a bothy that I didn’t know was on the route. The sun was the hottest it had been all trip—even the bogs weren’t that boggy, resulting in very little hika-a-bike. A wrong turn and a cycle down NCN number 7 took me back to Blair Atholl to the van for my dinner. This trip has completely ignited my adventure flame that went out without me realising.

You can find more fantastic videos from Allen via his YouTube channel.

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