Words by Scott Laughland

Now I might be biased but I think Scotland has got some of the best mountain biking in the World. My name is Scotty Laughland and in this Chasing Trail episode, I’m going to bring you on a whirlwind tour of my favorite trails right here at home. We’ll take in the expanse of the country in a road trip-esque style starting in the North and finishing in the South.

LOCATION: Torridon

The variety of trails in Scotland is vast and our journey will start in one of my all time favorite riding locations, Torridon! Here it’s the home of big mountain riding, it’s remote, it’s out there and you’ve got to be prepared for a full day out on the bike - riding through Glens, descending on and through sections of ancient rock and even stopping by bothies to refuel.

Local suggestion

Check out the Torridon Inn for local cusine and an after ride pint or dram - the route finishes less than a 1km from it.

LOCATION: Fort William

Next, we’ll stay on the West Coast and head southerly to Fort William. Nevis Range might be famously home to the World Cup Downhill Track but that same gondola can be used to explore some other trails on the mountain. Starting off with Top Chief; a black grade trail beneath Ben Nevis - the highest mountain in the UK. After that, we'll ride the destination's latest addition; Blue Doon, Scotland’s longest uplifted flow trail. 8kms of long sweeping turns, jumps and rollers - it’s the perfect ride to discover Lochaber’s landscapes.

Local suggestion

The Ben Nevis Inn does hearty meals and after a day on the bike can be exactly what you’re looking for.

LOCATION: Cairngorms

From the West, we start to make our way Easterly and as the landscape changes again, we arrive in the Cairngorms, home to Scotland’s largest National Park. In Scotland, there are 282 Munroes, here it’s home to 55 Munroes and each peak has to be over 914m. Some are incredible descents, others are not. This time though, we climb and descend Sgor Gaoith - this summit has one of the most impressive views I know and is also a super fun descent.

Local suggestion

Aviemore is an amazing base to explore the Cairngorms - in the small village there’s a great selection of accommodation and restaurants.

LOCATION: Aberdeenshire

Continuing Easterly, we head to Aberdeenshire which is Scotland's latest MTB hotspot thanks to its ever evolving network of trails. We’ll use the picturesque town of Ballater as our base and ride the now famous HeartBreak Ridge and Master Mind. To me, HeartBreak Ridge is a little taste of Scottish Mountain Biking in a nutshell with big slabs of granite, fast sections along a panoramic ridge line and finishing through a Pine forest with malchy dirt - it’s a trail for every rider's bucket list.

Local suggestion

Not far from Ballater is Tarmachan, a small independent coffee shop which focuses on local produce and bakes up some delicious treats as well as amazing breakfasts and lunches.

LOCATION: Dunkeld

Starting our journey south, our next stop takes us to Dunkeld, here the trails are rocky, rugged and raw, they’re steep, they’re loamy, and there’s even this kinda Jurassic feel about it. This is one of my all time favourite places to ride and if you love technically challenging descents then this is a place for you - the deciduous forests are littered with trails.

Local suggestion

Check out Aran Bakery - some of the best baked goods in Scotland.

LOCATION: Tweed Valley

Finally, we’ve made it to our most southerly point, the Scottish Borders and we’ll be riding in the Tweed Valley - this is Scotland’s epicentre of Mountain Biking. Here there’s something for everyone but we’ll be hitting up the golfy, loamy, steep and handout trails amongst the forest is what it’s renowned for.

Local suggestion

No.1 Peebles Road is a rider owned speciality coffee shop, perfect pre or post ride to fuel or refuel.

Guiding suggestions

Mountain Bike Worldwide - based out of Scotland, they can slot you on to a pre planned trip or create something bespoke.

About Scotty Laughland

Scotty Laughland is a Scottish based Mountain Biker, riding since the age of 12 - he became hooked on riding after watching the first ever MTB World Cup in Fort William. Having raced that World Cup himself, he’s transitioned through the Enduro World Series and now spends his time exploring wherever he is in search of the best Mountain Bike trails.

Find more about our Scott Mountain Bike Ambassador