Highland Discovery

Ride through peaceful glens

Starting at Pitlochry, this tour follows the course of the River Tay, towards it’s source. As well as the fantastic scenery we travel through, this is also an incredibly historic area and was formerly home to the famous Scottish rebel Rob Roy MacGregor. There are many places we pass which bare witness to his adventures, including the isolated Glen Lyon and the stunning Falls of Dochart in the highland village of Killin. We also pay a visit to the oldest tree in Europe – the Fortingall Yew – which is estimated to be between 3000 – 5000 years old!

Highland Discovery Itinerary (HDI01) – Moderate

Day 1 – Pitlochry

The first day is spent in and around the pretty highland town of Pitlochry, famed for its salmon ladder (to help wild salmon get to their spawning grounds) and whisky distillery (the smallest in Scotland). Guests can explore the town or perhaps take a spin up to the famous battleground of Killiecrankie, the site of a famous Jacobite victory over the forces of the English King.

The Falls of Dochart in Killin

Day 2 – Pitlochry to Bridge of Balgie (33 miles)

Leaving Pitlochry behind us, we travel upriver following the course of the Tay. On the way we pass the oldest tree in Europe, the 3000-5000 year old Fortingall Yew, situated in a lovely valley and satisfyingly, right next to an excellent pub! We then journey up through the isolated and serene Glen Lyon until we reach the tiny hamlet of Bridge of Balgie and our well-deserved rest stop.

Day 3 – Bridge of Balgie to Killin (20 miles)

After a refreshing night deep in the wilderness we do a spot of climbing today, in order to cross into the neighbouring (even more isolated) valley, Glen Lochay. We follow the river downstream, past ancient standing stones, traditional longhouses and spectacular waterfalls, eventually arriving in beautiful Killin. There is much to see here, and guests have the option of extending the day’s ride in order to visit the grave of Rob Roy Macgregor (known as the Scottish Robin Hood).

Day 4 – Killin to Dunkeld (41 miles)

Dramatic Loch Tay

The final day’s ride is a slightly longer one, by virtue of the relatively flat terrain. We cycle the length of Loch Tay, following the Rob Roy Way and passing a couple of traditional Crannogs (houses built on stilts over the water). After travelling through Aberfeldy, we meet part of the trail we cycled on day 2, before turning off and skirting Craigvinean Forest on our final descent into Dunkeld.

Please Note:

This tour can be adapted to become either an Easy or Challenging trip by adjusting the daily distances. Please contact us for further details.

Additional Activities

We are able to organise a range of additional activities for you to experience on this tour, these include:

Adventure sports (white water rafting, sphereing, canyoning, and many more)
Golf
Highland Safaris
4×4 Off-Road Driving
Distillery Tours

If you are interested in any of these activities, please mention them when making your booking enquiry.

The price quoted below is based on two sharing and dependent on availability of accommodation – a detailed quote will be made once an enquiry has been submitted.