THE PICTISH TRAIL

The Pictish Trail is a mixed-surface bikepacking route linking the most northerly point of the British mainland with Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh. Over the course of 750km of mixed-terrain riding, it traverses Scotland’s ancient Pictish kingdoms, weaving between the present and the past, the mountains and the coast. The terrain is varied, with everything from quiet lanes to mellow riverside singletrack, high passes in the Cairngorms and remote gravel sections in the far northern Flow Country.

Scotland's mountainous terrain is well-known for the many possible adventures it contains. People have lived here and travelled through the landscape for thousands of years, and the Pictish Trail meanders its way over the land, linking routes and trails that have meant many different things to many different people over the centuries. From ancient drove roads to disused railway lines and the modern steel of the Forth bridges, it's a way to get to know the place more deeply, in the way that bicycles are very, very good at allowing us to do.

It's an unofficial route, with no waymarking and no support. However you choose to ride, whether that's as a laidback tour or as a speedy ITT, make sure to take what you need to stay safe and self-sufficient. The beauty of the  Scottish Outdoor Access Code gives us a right to enjoy it freely, but only if we act responsibly and with consideration for other users.