Cycle Scotland's Lochs & Glens
- Lochs, glens and bens of the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park
- Easy cycling on quiet roads and cycle paths
- Castles, whisky and history at almost every turn of the road
- Charming accommodation in authentic Scottish B&B’s, guesthouses and country inns
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive In CallanderCallander sits on the eastern edge of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and is a good starting point for the Scotland’s Lochs & Glens Cycle Tour. Arriving in Callander allows you to brush up on your knowledge of Scottish History with a visit to the Rob Roy visitor centre. Callander is easily reached by car from both Glasgow and Edinburgh, the town is also served by a frequent rail service.
A traditional Scottish theme is featured in The Waverley's bar and restaurant with various claymores, swords and targes hanging on the walls and the floor covered with the old favourite tartan carpet. The restaurant offers an appetising menu based on locally sourced food and includes some of Scotland's favourite and classic meals. The guest rooms are appointed to a modern standard, with tea and coffee making facilities, television with Freeview channels, free wi-fi internet connection, en-suite bathroom & complimentary toiletries.
Lubnaig Guest House is located within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park within walking distance of the centre of Callander. All bedrooms have modern, en-suite facilities, hospitality tray, luxury toiletries and hairdryers. Wrap yourself in Egyptian cotton linen along with feather and down duvets which will ensure a comfy night's sleep.
A pleasant day's cycling alongside the southern shore of Loch Venacher to the Trossachs Pier at Loch Katrine. Situated in the heart of Rob Roy country lies the pristine Loch Katrine, famous following the success of Sir Walter Scott’s narrative poem Lady of the Lake and novel Rob Roy. On arrival at the pier you have the option to step aboard the 100 year old steamer boat for the morning sailing to Stronachlachar, (booking in advance essential). You will enjoy the gentle cycle back along quiet forest tracks and lochside paths, with commanding views across the peaceful loch and Queen Elizabeth Forests and of course not forgetting a stop at Glen Ogle at the head of the loch, birth place of the notorious 18th century outlaw, Rob Roy.
Cycle: 49 - 69 km (optional loop around Loch Katrine)
A traditional Scottish theme is featured in The Waverley's bar and restaurant with various claymores, swords and targes hanging on the walls and the floor covered with the old favourite tartan carpet. The restaurant offers an appetising menu based on locally sourced food and includes some of Scotland's favourite and classic meals. The guest rooms are appointed to a modern standard, with tea and coffee making facilities, television with Freeview channels, free wi-fi internet connection, en-suite bathroom & complimentary toiletries.
Lubnaig Guest House is located within the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park within walking distance of the centre of Callander. All bedrooms have modern, en-suite facilities, hospitality tray, luxury toiletries and hairdryers. Wrap yourself in Egyptian cotton linen along with feather and down duvets which will ensure a comfy night's sleep.
Your journey today continues deeper into the southern highlands where you will be surrounded by stunning scenery. Your cycle will mainly be on cycle tracks and quiet roads passing by the impressive Falls of Leny, Loch Lubnaig and Loch Oich. A stop in the village of Balqhuidder at the head of Loch Voil will bring you to the final resting place of folk hero Rob Roy. Your final leg of today’s cycling, a gentle climb over Glen Ogle which offers rewarding views back over Loch Earn, then a pleasant descent to reach the charming village of Killin nestled beneath Tarmachan Ridge, where you will be greeted by the grandeur of ‘The Falls of Dochart’.
Dall Lodge is an old Victorian country house offering excellent B&B accommodation. Their Guest House has 10 en suite rooms including singles, doubles, twins and one family room. The rooms are traditionally decorated to a high standard and have wonderful views to the mountains or the adjacent park and garden. All rooms have free Wifi, a TV with DVD player and tea/coffee- making facilities.
Small bed and breakfast facility situated in the beautiful village of Killin in the historic area of Breadalbane within the boundaries of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. They have a dedicated guest wing with one double bedroom with ensuite bathroom containing a Jacuzzi bath and one twin bedded room with its own dedicated bathroom. Both rooms have their own basin and are provided with complimentary refreshments. The guest wing also has a small sitting room with television for the use of all visitors.
The Killin Hotel has established its fine reputation on a friendly smile, relaxed service, great Scottish food and comfortable bedrooms. The Killin Hotel boasts a choice of food venues and serves food from 12 noon until 10pm daily.
The fabulous Tartan room with all its splendour overlooking the picturesque river Lochay and the Munro’s beyond, with a dining menu that boasts some fantastic dishes, expertly created by their renowned chefs, using the finest local ingredients.
Your companions for much of today's journey will be the mighty Loch Tay and Ben Lawers as you travel eastwards towards Aberfeldy. Pedal along shadowed by idyllic trees before approaching a prehistoric loch dwelling known as a Crannog. Step back in time and experience the authentic recreation of ‘Iron Age Life’ on the Loch. Enjoy the remainder of your cycle to Aberfeldy following the River Tay stopping at the pretty 16th century conservation village of Kenmore, nestled on the banks of the Tay. An optional 3.4 mile (one way) detour to the village of Fortingall, at the entrance of Glen Lyon, is worth a visit to admire the Fortingall Yew, an ancient Yew, known as the oldest tree in Europe.
Cycle: 40 - 55 km (optional loop to Fortingall)
Balnearn is a Victorian style property set within approximately three quarters of an acre of grounds. They have 10 comfortable and well-presented rooms, 7 of which have shower rooms and 3 with bathrooms. All their rooms have flat screen televisions, tea and coffee making facilities and hairdryers. If you wish to keep in contact they provide free Wi-Fi access for your convenience. Each room has a high standard en-suite or private facilities with high pressure showers and the majority have heated towel rails and we provide Scottish Fine Soap toiletries.
Tigh ‘n Eilean is a stunning Edwardian house overlooking the River Tay and is a perfect place to relax after a day’s walking. Each bedroom has been individually decorated in its own unique style, whilst still maintaining the character of this traditional Edwardian house. To help you prepare for the day ahead you can look forward to a hearty Scottish breakfast served in their stunning dining room or conservatory overlooking the garden.
The Ailean Chraggan Hotel and Restaurant is all about Scottish hospitality in the heart of Highland Perthshire. Each of the five spacious en-suite rooms has been tastefully refurbished to make your stay as relaxing and comfortable as possible. Their restaurant has a reputation for consistently high quality traditional food, they use the freshest fish and shellfish, seasonal game and local produce.
A splendid cycle towards the Victorian town of Pitlochry where you will spend the remaining three nights. Meander by the quaint hamlet of Strathtay towards the Logierat Bridge, a listed railway viaduct where you will commence a steep climb, saying goodbye to the Tay whilst welcoming the River Tummel. A final run to the heart of Scotland will bring you to Pitlochry allowing you to spend the remainder of the day discovering the abundance of attractions that this enchanting holiday town has to offer.
Cycle: 24 - 54 km (optional detour to Dunkeld)
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.
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.
A warm welcome awaits you at this splendid 4 star Victorian Guesthouse. Conveniently situated in the beautiful Perthshire town of Pitlochry, our reputation for providing excellent Bed and Breakfast accommodation is confirmed by our recommendations in the prestigious Michelin Guide, Karen Brown's Travel Guide and the Rough Guide to Scotland. Our Bed and Breakfast accommodation is located just a few minutes walk from Pitlochry town centre. After an evening stroll around our Highland town you can tuck yourself up in a comfy bed and look forward to the scrumptious breakfast in the morning.
A truly unforgettable ride through Highland Perthshire's ‘Big Tree Country’ awaits you. Follow the Loch Tummel loop from Pitlochry to experience Scotland’s most majestic and prestigious scenery. Set high above Loch Tummel enjoy the panoramic view from Queens View (named after Queen Isabel, first wife of Robert the Bruce), with the seasonal woodland colours, combined with the tranquillity of Loch Tummel it is easy to understand why it is voted Scotland’s most outstanding beauty spot!
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.
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.
A warm welcome awaits you at this splendid 4 star Victorian Guesthouse. Conveniently situated in the beautiful Perthshire town of Pitlochry, our reputation for providing excellent Bed and Breakfast accommodation is confirmed by our recommendations in the prestigious Michelin Guide, Karen Brown's Travel Guide and the Rough Guide to Scotland. Our Bed and Breakfast accommodation is located just a few minutes walk from Pitlochry town centre. After an evening stroll around our Highland town you can tuck yourself up in a comfy bed and look forward to the scrumptious breakfast in the morning.
Set off for a relaxed and delightful ride by the River Garry as you head towards the 13th century Blair Atholl Castle, the ancient seat of the Dukes and Earls of Atholl. Today's cycle will be combined with two historic attractions. As you leave from Pitlochry you will cycle towards the dramatic pass of Killicranckie, a beautiful gorge steeped in history before spending the day at Blair Atholl Estate exploring the fascinating castle and wildness of the countryside. Cycle back to Pitlochry and what better way to complete your trip than the charm and intimacy of Scotland’s smallest whisky distillery, Edradour. Enjoy the smooth, creamy texture of this malt known as the jewel in the Highland Crown whilst reflecting on your weeks' adventure through Scotland's Lochs and Glens.
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.
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.
A warm welcome awaits you at this splendid 4 star Victorian Guesthouse. Conveniently situated in the beautiful Perthshire town of Pitlochry, our reputation for providing excellent Bed and Breakfast accommodation is confirmed by our recommendations in the prestigious Michelin Guide, Karen Brown's Travel Guide and the Rough Guide to Scotland. Our Bed and Breakfast accommodation is located just a few minutes walk from Pitlochry town centre. After an evening stroll around our Highland town you can tuck yourself up in a comfy bed and look forward to the scrumptious breakfast in the morning.
After breakfast your walking holiday will come to an end. See the Travel & Transfers section for some useful details for your onward travel.
This trip has a carbon score of 5kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 5kg is equivalent to 1 Neapolitan margherita pizza. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information about how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?An easy to moderate cycling route for individuals that enjoy cycling in breathtaking surroundings, steeped in history with an appreciation for good quality food from Scotland’s world famous produce, first class hospitality and of course a Scotch or two!
Classic Routes | If you’re the active, outdoorsy type, who’s interested in taking on the great routes of the world or looking for a challenge, then our Classic Routes are for you. We’re talking the West Highland Way in Scotland, the world renown Tour Du Mont Blanc and Germany's Moselle Cycle Path, to name but a few!
Leisure Cycling | Leisure Cycling
Solo Travellers
The minimum age for this tour is: 15 Years
The Scotland’s Lochs & Glens cycling trip is graded easy to moderate and offers cycling through the magnificent landscape of lochs and glens that make up the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park and Highland Perthshire. You will follow routes along quiet country roads, cycle paths and through towns and villages, so please always be mindful of other road users at all times, especially on those shared with traffic. Some days are longer so a better level of bike fitness required.
We specifically choose the hotels, inns, guesthouses and B&B’s to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. All offer a warm welcome to cyclists, with cycle storage, traditional hospitality and delicious local food.
Single Rooms and Solo cyclists
This self-guided cycling tour is available to solo cyclists though a single supplement would be applied. Any single rooms booked also incur a single supplement.
Meals
A hearty breakfast is included each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Most of your accommodations will more than happy to provide a packed lunch on request and this can be booked on arrival. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby pubs and restaurants and your guide book will have details.
You will have access to the GPX tracks via our Macs Adventure smartphone app. The route is part of the National Cycle Network and when you are on the network you will see Red for National Routes and blue for regional routes with the number relating to the route you are following. However, always refer to your Macs App and route notes when supplied.
Make sure that you pay attention at any intersections and if you do not find a waymarker at an intersection think back to the last junction and make sure you are on the right path. With the route information provided, you will have no problem following the route, but we would suggest carrying a compass and knowing how to use it.
- 7 Nights in hand-picked B&B's and guesthouses
- 7 Breakfasts
- Baggage transfers
- Information pack and access to maps & GPX tracks on the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
- 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our office
- Bike hire (Standard or E bike available)
- Lunches, dinners, snacks & drinks
- Boat crossing of Loch Katrine
- Travel insurance
- Personal equipment
- Bike hire (Standard or E bike available)
- Extra nights before, after or during your cycle
The Scotland's Lochs & Glens holiday is available from April to October. You can start your holiday on any date in the season. Option prices will be displayed as part of the booking process.
Callander is located on the A84, which is accessible by car from both Glasgow (50 minutes) and Edinburgh (1 hour 10 minutes). If you do plan to leave your car then Callander offers several free car parking options (which are subject to availability).
Scotrail offers direct trains from Glasgow (30 minutes) and Edinburgh (50 minutes) to Stirling where you can catch the bus to Callander. The journey time is 45 minutes and is operated by First Buses. Timetables can be viewed at First Group.
Pitlochry is located close to the A9 which is accessible by car from Glasgow (1 hour 40 minutes) and Edinburgh (1 hour 26 minutes)
Scotrail offers direct trains from Pitlochry to both Glasgow and Edinburgh (both 1 hour 50 minutes).
Rail tickets can be purchased directly with Scotrail Scot Rail. If you are taking your own bike then reservations must be made in advance with Scotrail on 08457 550033.
For detailed public transport, information see Traveline Scotland.
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.
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 walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack.
Bike Hire
We offer bike hire for this tour. Collect your bike from Callander. We organize the collection from Pitlochry to return your bikes. Our bike hire partner provides excellent quality Trek or Scott hybrid bikes with a rear pannier rack, repair kit, pump and lock.
An e-bike upgrade is also possible on this tour.
It is strongly recommended that you adequate secure travel insurance.
We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as Scotlands Lochs & Glens is extremely popular especially over April/May and July/August. You will find up to date availability on our website and we will always try and accommodate your plans.
Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved on to your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 15kg per person.
You will need a bike in good condition, we would recommend a hybrid or a mountain bike with semi slick tyres. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard cycling gear such as helmet, cycling clothes warm and waterproof clothes and a day pack.
Traditionally April/May has always been the most popular time of year because the theory goes that the weather is better. Although I believe any time between late March and October offers a wonderful experience.
You can use public transport or local taxis to continue to your next overnight stop.
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Why Macs
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At Macs, we don’t do tour buses, groups, or guides. Instead, we give you the freedom and confidence to have your own self-guided hiking or biking adventure.
This is active travel led by you.
You choose your departure date and who you travel with, we do the rest.
We sort accommodation and luggage transfers and provide your route in an easy-to-use app.
We give you everything you need to travel independently but we're here 24/7 if you need us.
Getting from A to B under your own steam is intensely rewarding. With Macs, you'll see the world, and yourself, differently.