Mountain Biking in Scotland Books

Bike Scotland Trails Guide: 40 Best Routes in Scotland

Scottish mountain biking has exploded over the past five years, transforming a lively but small scene into a globally recognised phenomenon. Centres such as Glentress in the Borders now welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, and new bike-specific sites are popping up at a bewildering rate the length of the country. Throw into the mix some of the most spectacular wilderness in Europe and you can understand why the awards keep rolling in.

With so much riding to choose from, however, it can be tricky to know where to begin. For most riders, the easy solution has been to hit Glentress or one of its sister centres along the border - collectively known as the Seven Stanes - which have attracted levels of publicity befitting their global superstar status. But that has left some of the juiciest pickings undiscovered.

Now there is a guide that does Scottish cycling justice. Richard Moore and Andy McCandlish's beautifully produced book is part of the Pocket Mountains series, and combines insider knowledge of the landscape with McCandlish's excellent photographs. Moore's two-page descriptions of the trails are crisply turned but adrenalin-packed, giving readers not just practical information on the terrain they will encounter but also a deeper feel for the pace and flow of each of the 40 routes.

The guide offers instant expertise on all the Forestry Commission's specialist centres, not just the famous ones. So alongside the Seven Stanes, there are also routes like the Lochgilphead Fire Tower trail in Argyll, the Carron Valley Kelpie trails near Stirling and the Black Isle's Learnie Red Rock trails. You could get a decent road trip out of these sites alone.

But the most valuable feature is the coverage of Scotland's epic wilderness riding. This includes previously hidden single-track gems like the route on Morar in the far north. To access the ride, you start with a boat from Mallaig. Then you're on to two wheels to negotiate a thin ribbon of rock, hugging the hillside to stay clear of the near-vertical drop down to the country's deepest freshwater loch. With lung-busting, technical climbs and terrifying descents, this is backcountry mountain biking at its finest - and bravest.

The mapping on these natural routes could be a bit more detailed, but with similarly breathtaking trails on Skye, Harris and the mainland, the guide is an essential piece of kit for any bike trip north of the border.

Buy this book from Amazon