Scotland: Highland Odyssey

This was my 3rd trip with H+I. I keep coming back because they do a great job setting everything up. They make it easy to have a great time. Our guide went above and beyond when we had mechanical issues. He might be the fittest biker I know. We appreciate all the hard work you guys do to make these tours an exceptional experience.

The best fun you can have sopping wet! What a beautiful part of the world, rugged, wild, resplendent. We rode a bit of tarmac (sorry Andy!), a bit of double track and glorious single track. Rocks, roots, bogs, water bars, lochs, forests, even a river crossing. Tony Yule set expectations appropriately and handled a range of skills with encouragement and safety mindfulness. Each accommodation was warm and clean. The size of the group was perfect. And, I loved my rental bike (a first for me and my biggest concern!) As my second H+I Adventures trip, I give my highest recommendation to try this company and I can’t wait to do another tour!

I just can't say enough about how incredible our Highland Odyssey experience was!

First, on the logistics front, Victoria's organization and responsiveness meant that we knew what to expect and were perfectly prepared for the trip. She checked in with just the right frequency and answered every question we had in a timely manner.

Second, the accommodations and the food (the FOOD!) were just top notch. Each of the lodgings was wonderful in its own unique way, and all were clean, comfortable, and surrounded by true Highlands beauty and charm. Every meal was nothing short of amazing, and we definitely enjoyed getting to know the gins and whiskeys of the region.

Last but certainly not least, it was Chris who truly made this experience what it was for our group; he is truly a master of his craft. When we were riding, he was able to balance sharing about the history and culture of the areas we visited, giving us time to rest and refuel, nudging us along when needed, giving us tips on navigating the unique Highlands terrain (the water bars!) and genuinely getting to know each of us. He went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and supported - ask him how he saved the day when one of our group members busted a derailleur 🙂

My first (but hopefully not last!) trip with H+I was the experience of a lifetime and I cannot recommend the company and this specific tour highly enough.

I cannot say enough good about this experience. From the start, Victoria was helpful through multiple re-bookings as the world dealt with the pandemic. We never felt pressured and once travel was again open, no detail was left un-addressed. Victoria was always available for questions and always had an answer.

Chris, our guide, was professional and someone that gained our trust from the start. I had the utmost confidence that no matter what met us in the wild and remote Highlands backcountry, he would have a solution. And the bike trails to which he lead us were amazing. I felt challenged in some way every day. In that challenge, Chris did a great job of patiently keeping us informed of the trail features and dangers so we could confidently ride within our comfort level.

While in the Highlands you can expect a warm welcome, delicious food, and exposure to some truly unique gin and whiskey. Chris has curated delicious meal opportunities and is more than willing to share his knowledge about the local history and whiskey. He never steered us wrong when it came to dining or drinking choices. He went above and beyond to show us the Highlands in a way only a real local could.

Once our time with H&I had ended, Victoria stepped back in to be sure the remainder of our stay in other parts of Scotland were just as great. I would call this an adventure of a lifetime with all the warmth of the Highland welcome. I highly recommend.

The Highland Odyssey MTB tour was a once in a lifetime experience and could not have been duplicated without the planning by H+I Adventures and the specific help of Victoria on logistics and Chris, our guide.

Make no mistake about it - Chris will immerse you in Highland Scottish culture. His knowledge and connection to the trails and local villages we traveled to immediately made us feel welcomed and it didn't take very long to realize that we were seeing a special, real, part of the country. Our tour was as far as one could get from cookie-cutter.

We rode amazing trails to remote places, ate and stayed in small inns run by fantastic local people serving fresh ingredients, and felt welcomed at every turn. On top of that, Chris not only kept us safe and motivated in the backcountry, but also took the time to connect with each one of us on a personal level throughout the week. He is truly a master of his craft and the trip would not have been the same without him. While it is immediately easy for anyone to see and appreciate Scotland's immense beauty and wonderful culture, the perspective given and gained through Chris's input was invaluable and truly made this a one-of-a-kind trip.

The riding is breathtaking. The trails and routes are perfectly curated, challenging, and unique. The accommodations and local fare are charming, authentic, and the stuff of life-long memories. Stop reading this review and book this trip right now!

Roots, rocks, bogs, more rocks and fantastic beauty.

This trip had it all. I am very impressed with the tour and the team at H+I, very professional and accommodating. Chris is a great guide and host for 7 days in the wilds. He is very knowledgeable and passionate for his craft. He seems to know every nook and cranny of every inch of trail, and is able to crisply describe the various upcoming "features" and the preferred lines etc. so you can take them blind with confidence.

This is a trip where one gets wet and muddy every day... I loved it! Definitely on the adventurous side of the spectrum.

Word of advice - Scottish water bars are no joke... Did someone recommend double downs?

Great time and I highly recommend H+I.

This was my first trip with H+I and first of this kind, and the bar was set very high right away!

Trails and riding: The choice of trails corresponds well to the skill level required by H+I. This is a technical ride on both climbing and descending. The milage done daily does not represent required fitness level - you will need to be ready for some heavy rock punches. The choice of trials is amazing and gives a great overview of what Scotland’s MTB is all about. It gets harder day by day so you learn gradually what is expected from you towards the end 🙂

Staff: We were lucky to have an amazing guide, Chris G, who exceeded my expectations on every possible level. Very passionate about mountains and riding, knowledgable and skilled with bikes, but most of all, a great companion along the way.

Many thanks to Victoria who runs the show from the office, and leaves no stone unturned. Everything said gets delivered beyond expectations.

Overall: This trip is a true adventure, run by a fantastic group of people. If you like technical and diverse trails, and Gin’n’Tonic, this trip is for you!

The Highland Odyssey was certainly properly-named! It was an awesome journey and a ton of fun! The mileage was +/- 1/3 asphalt (albeit through amazing country), 1/3 double track and 1/3 single track, so set your expectations. The single track was a broad range, but if you're looking for purpose-built flow trail, this isn't it. You'll be riding ancient walking trails, many of which are rocky, steep and require full concentration. Pay attention to the skill requirements - if you're not riding technical single track regularly, you will not do well and will slow your group down and may even force the guide to change the itinerary! We had a great group that all got along well and supported each other. Tony Yule was a great guide - the right mix of stern, funny, empathetic, safety-conscious and knowledgeable. Oh, and we had awesome weather, so that helps!

This was my first MTB trip and my first time with H+I. All I can say is I was completely blown away!

Victoria was amazing and answered all of my questions before the trip and was phenomenal when my bike was delayed on the trip over. Chris was outstanding and I could not ask for a better guide and person to spend a week biking with.

The terrain in scotland was unreal, this was by far the best week I've had on my bike. I would recommend this trip and H+I to anyone looking for a superb trip. I'm already looking forward to the next one.

An absolute fantastic adventure that you can not properly describe in words. Highly recommend to anyone will to take on an journey of a lifetime. You ride hard, eat well, and have great accommodations!

Chris (our guide) is without a doubt a true master at his trade and is a true professional. Not to mention an unbelievable ridder! He gave me some great direction on my ridding that I can continue to use moving forward.

Victoria is rock star with all the logistics. Also, went above and beyond with the issue I had with the airline (lost luggage). Thank you very much!

Just had an amazing week in the highlands with H+I.
Admittedly my MTB skills were left in the cupboard for around 2 years prior to coming on the Odyssey tour - I had booked this pre-lockdown and had since focussed more on fitness. We had Chris Gibbs as our main guide and instructor. An absolute professional, very knowledgable, a superb guide and a great person as a whole. His attention to detail and to each individial on this tour was commendable and he gained respect from all group participants. Would I do this again?? Too right, and will be booking another trip in the not too distant future. Well done all!

Ps. Sorry, Victoria also very lovely and kept in touch from start to finish, again huge attention to detail and all persons on the tour. Thank you for the memories!

Perfect planning, meticulous judgement of weather conditions, prepared for nearly all on trail repairs and never ending energy resources. Mix that with good vibes and gorgeous scenery - that’s the of Highland Odyssey!

This is my third trip with H+I. All have been fantastic. The riding is great, but that's just part of the adventure. Staying an dining in some of the most remote places, all with a like minded group of mountain bikers brings it all together. The local mountain bike guides bring the culture and history out in a way that is magical.

Thanks H+I for another great trip.

This all started with a video of Steve Peat! My husband wanted to go to Scotland. I was not as convinced as him, as riding in the rain is not my thing. Oh well! Here we go. We took part of the odyssey this month. Yes, we had rain! And lot’s of it. But, I found myself really enjoying the tour. The Highlands are even more spectacular in the rain. Our guide, Tony, was also very helpful in planning, guiding and helping us. The trails are challenging, xc type, and very demanding. The climbs are hard and the descents…A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! But at the end of each day the group celebrated an other little victory. It is my 4th H+I tour and every times, we meet fantastic people.
Thank you H+I for an other great adventure. Now, where is next?

We’ve been planning (and waiting) for our Highland Odyssey since 2019! And we weren’t disappointed. What an amazing journey we had in Scotland.
As expected, we experienced rain, wind, wet shoes and few midges. But we mostly experienced spectacular landscape, long and rewarding downhill trails, warm and welcoming hostels, tasty food and… beverages. We’ve also met a great group of riders and a fantastic guide. In short: a challenging but really rewarding mountain bike journey.

We came from Germany on the Highland Odyssey which is our first tour with H+I. When we arrived, our luggage, nor our bikes arrived with us! But everyone at H+I went out of their way to make sure we got our things delivered afterwards. Thank you so much to Victoria, Chris, Catherine and Euan for the help. In the meantime we were able to rent super bikes, and Chris sorted a bag full of bike clothing for us to use until our kit arrived.
The weather was not to good for May, but who expects 7 days of sunshine when traveling to Scotland? We got completely wet, top to bottom, outside to inside! (Not forgetting the river crossings!) But we were able to dry our clothes out each night, and rarely got really cold, thanks to the pedalling!

At this point I would like to give Chris a huge compliment and say thank you - he always had an eye on everyone in the group, immediately sensed when someone needed support and stayed close to them. He made stops to describe the next section of the route or trail and to give tips ("black rock slippy, red rock grippy”!) and nothing could shake his friendliness! His exuberant love for his country was also expressed in the fact that he drew our attention to the large and small peculiarities along the way. Great views (that we might have missed if we were so focused on the trail), small plants, interesting anecdotes. He didn't shy away from jokes either, and made time to photograph everyone in the group when there was a great backdrop with an awesome downhill position for the memories!

Everything was perfectly organised. The hotels are very well selected and in beautiful places. If there ever was a problem, Chris solved it. There is certainly a lot of work that goes on by the whole team when it comes to the planning, so thanks also to the back office!

Last but not least, we were really lucky with our group. Very international, everyone was happy to meet interesting people and was friendly and helpful. I think we also benefited from our little "grandma and grandpa status" 😉

Just finished a fantastic 7 days riding the most epic single tracks in the Highlands. From the jaw dropping scenery on challenging remote trails, to the amazing meals replete with the best locally sourced seafoods and meats — each day was a real adventure that ended with full bellies, aching bodies and wide smiles from our squad of 7 happy bikers.

Shout out to Chris, our intrepid guide who took great care of all details. A fixer of all things big and small: from flat tires to inclement weather … yes we are in Scotland but kudos for always putting us in the right “weather window” to avoid the worst of what the weather gods meant to throw at us!

And Victoria — whose enthusiasm and attentiveness shone through even before the trip started. She was a real spark behind the scenes, and an invaluable source of advice navigating the covid rescheduling and seamless logistics of this trip. Well done to the H+I team!

Highlands Odyssey has been a true scottish adventure. Chris, our guide, has been an amazing guide, skilled mtbiker and friend.
Wish we could have only stayed longer.

Hope to ride with you guys soon!!

Giorgio

There's only one guide like Ross,
There's only one guide like Ross,
Riding with Ross,
Riding with Ross,
Riding in the HighlandsWonderland!!!
Thanks Ross, Chris and Victoria for this amazing adventures "Highland Odyssey" #amazingwettrails#finestwishky#slàinte#greatlandscaps/nature#greatguides/fantasticorganisation#
five stars ++++

Cheers from Austria #Trail Riders Retz#

Couldn’t find 10 stars in the ratings, so I will settle for the 5 maximum I can select. H+I is something special. A rare gem. This was my second trip with them and I will probably do every single destination they have. The organization, the accommodation, the places they take you, the diversity, and of course above all the trails.

This is riding at his best. I still wake up and dream about it. Scotland is beautiful. I do not know where to start. And did I mention single malt yet? GO. You will be blown away.

It was simply an awesome trip. The organization, the guide, the fellow riders, the food, the views, everything was just amazing. An opportunity to disconnect and ride some of the best trails of the world. I must say, I’d never ridden trails like these, they are just unique. Places where bonding with your bike is the only way to deal with the terrain.

Team effort and a knowledgeable guide are crucial, and we had them both. Our spiritual leader :), Chris, is just great. I felt comfortable knowing we were in good hands!

Would I do it again?, oh Yes!, would I do something different? Yes, I’d probably eat less. Food is just delicious everywhere we went. My fellow riders, oh boy !… All great, Mark J, Mark W, Mike, Ian, Scott, Evan… Superb people !… It was not just about the ride, but an opportunity to connect with people passionate about MTB and nature…. Great combination.

Last but not least, Victoria was the backbone of the entire trip, the logistics guru running the show. She did not miss any detail and made sure I had a wonderful experience from the moment I emailed her to inquire about the tours, to the moment I went back home.

My recommendations ….. bring socks, and socks, and more socks … did I mention socks?

What an awesome week of mountain biking in glorious Scotland. Chris worked hard all week to give us all the best possible experience.

Great trails, some hard, technical riding, Chris balanced the information for the trails perfectly letting us know what to expect but with a couple of nice surprises too.

Accommodation – first rate – food – first class.

As a mountain bike guide Chris makes a great tour guide, cuisine and beer advisor, and importantly for our week, weatherman, his hard work put us in the right place at the right time, dodging the worst f the weather and affording us some stunning views.

Well worth mentioning Victoria’s hard work too, thank you so much for making tis trip happen in what can only have been very difficult times with everything that has been going on in the world.
Finally a thank you to the team I rode with, cheers guys, a great pleasure to be out there with you.

Would I do the trip again, yup, in a heartbeat.

This was my second tour with H+I. I’ve already reserved a third.


Over the course of this tour, the magnitude of the vistas and technical difficulty of the riding will progress. None of it is less than stunning. This tour delivers.


The food is excellent. The accommodations are great and varied. The new friends I made, I’ll take with me and I hope to ride with them again. A real standup group.


Chris is a consummate professional. An exceptional guide who is able to push your riding abilities, keep everyone safe, handle diverse challenges gracefully, and deliver the fun. Mountain biking in Scotland is indeed a “living thing,” as they say. Bring an attitude of adaptability, resilience, and good gear and you’ll have an extremely fun and fulfilling tour.


Other things to bring: a wide-angle lens, respect for the packing list, more socks than you think you need.


Things to leave at home: waterproof socks.

This was an awesome adventure through Scotland, taking in amazing trails, landscapes and history. Technically and physically testing mountain biking whilst in a fantastically welcoming environment.


Victoria was great at organizing (and reorganizing due to covid restrictions) our trip, which made the whole experience really enjoyable.


Chris our guide was personal, professional and knowledgeable. I got far more out of this week because I travelled with H+I. The route selection was amazing with a few surprises thrown in along the way. Chris also timed and positioned our rides to make the most of the dry weather.


I'd happily of stayed and done the trip all over again this week it was so good. I'll be phoning soon to arrange the next trip.

What a fantastic week! The riding was quite simply awesome, the scenery breathtaking, the accommodation superb and the food delicious.


Chris, our guide was professionalism personified. His love for the Highlands and it’s people is obvious. His knowledge of the Highlands geography, it’s flora and fauna, and even the local weather patterns is quite superb! He’s also pretty good on the local craft beers!


Special mention must also go to Victoria for all her work in the background. Thank you very much to both of you!


I could go on and on about how excellent this trip is. But, all I can add is I would happily do it all over again, right now!

5 Star , Great biking to challenge anyone , option to walk pieces if knackered or fearful , great weather , great scenery , well organised by Victoria , expertly led by Chris , mentor, serial bike fixer , philosopher, salmon enthusiast, beast on hills, punctuality personified.

Accommodation and food great.

Company great fun, the Swindon and Spanish speedsters and Edinburgh enthusiasts. Great trip expertly crafted by Chris, attention to detail makes things work

Wow, day after day of amazing technical riding, top notch hotels and guesthouses, 5 star seafood and perfect company!!

Being so looked after by our guide "the bear" it was easy to have such a great trip, what a guide...some would say the best!

Pretty sure if you google epic adventures it tells you to do this trip! Will be back!

What a amazing week, before the trip, Victoria was fantastic getting the booking sorted out. The true hero of the week was the guide, Chris the bear, his knowledge of the mountains guiding and MTB is second to none. Super helpful both on and off the mountain and when I crashed day one wrecking my seat post he went above and beyond to get it fixed. Got Nepal booked for next year and can’t wait

Amazing. Still lost for words. Would honestly like to spend the rest of my life doing the highland odyssey every week!

Very good routes. A privilege and an honour and an education to meet Chris. I was a much better rider at the end of the week than at the beginning, for sure. Perhaps even a better person! Great to meet Victoria and a big thank you to her for encouraging me to sign up.

And a big shout out to my fellow riders in the group. It was very good to meet and spend time with you. Lucky to have such a nice group.

Perfect accommodation. Clean, understated and very comfy. Dinner and breakfast perfect. And the rental bike was transformational. Thank you.

Just got back from the Highland Odyssey tour with a fresh set of aches and one or two bruises and I couldn’t be happier.

The scenery was both spectacular and humbling, the riding challenging and rewarding in equal measure.

Our guide Chris was always on point, whether showing us the very best trails to ride, places to eat, or performing impromptu bike surgery.
Always ready with a ripping yarn to lift our sprits, an uncanny ability to divine the weather on a minute by minute basis, and more than a few surprises up his sleeve.

And whilst we all kicked back in first class accommodation, he’d be outside making sure our bikes received some love after their days punishment.

As my riding skills progressed each day so did the challenge, reaching a crescendo with what Chris said that for some of us would be “the hardest day we had experienced on a bike so far”. Yep, I’ll give him that!.

All in all the whole trip was everything I’d hoped it would be, knowing the fantastic H+I team had everything covered. All I had to think about was riding my bike. Big love to the whole H+I team for taking such good care of us all.

Now that Im back can’t wait to put my new found riding skills into action, that is as soon as I stop walking like John Wayne.

I have been on many biking holidays with H+I and they are always outstanding .The trails are challenging and there are great places to visit.

The accommodation is very comfortable and the people are friendly. Chris the guide takes great care to plan good routes to suit the group and the weather. And he even fixes bikes on the trail when needed. A great holiday.

If you don’t like lounging by lochs, enjoying perfectly procured local produce, after thigh busting hike-a-bikes and all-natural terrain descending, I wouldn’t recommend this trip. You’d hate it.
That said, if you’re anything like us and thought that you had been spoilt by the French Alps, or some of H+I’s other trips including Norway’s Fjords and the Mountains of the Himalayas, you’d be forgiven for having expectations about Scotland which match that of standard TV footage or friend’s photos on Facebook.

The parts of Scotland you’ll see on this tour, are far from standard. In just one week, we saw wildlife we didn’t know existed, marvelled at the natural landscape we didn’t know could be so breathtaking, and our bodies jostled by the often untouched and rugged terrain. Our skills were pushed, our minds were expanded, and our muscles soothed by evenings spent sharing a meal together over beers and the luxury of a comfy bed each night.

I can’t decide what hurt more – our bodies from the exercise (most days were 5-8hrs in the saddle, seven days straight) or our faces from laughing so much. We felt far from broken, we ended the tour desperate to return, to do it all again.

What H+I do so well (and a special shout out to Catherine, Victoria and especially our guide Chris) is the combination of extremes. Extreme beauty, fun even in all weathers, all underpinned with expert local knowledge and coupled with the comfort of a well-tested and respected local guest house/hotel/B&B. The owners at our accommodation and rest stops greeted Chris with open arms like family because they know that this trip will draw only the most welcome of guests, who are there to immerse themselves in Scottish culture, history and of course the precious and unique environment.

The riding was like a tour of Europe, but all in one place and without the carbon footprint. One minute I felt I was riding on the Brecon Beacons or the Peaks, by feeling up high with no trees, just rocks and peaty soil. Then I was in the Alps, with bouldering terrain and small untrodden paths riding the full sus like a bucking bronco, or swooping through dense pine, spruce and Larch woodlands.

Next, I felt I was peaceful by a quiet stream, leading to a river and eventual loch, similar to shouldering a ridge in the Lake District and seeing what is on the other side. We were on summertime, so we had long hours of daylight to get up high, over 900m on one day and often 600-800m on the others. The temperature was mild in June, and the winds were high, which kept the midgies away! (Sort of…) But the most notable element, had to be Chris.

Chris is a local guide and there is little to nothing he doesn’t know. He is highly prized and dripping with qualifications, but works as a team with all the members of the tour. His ability to keep us safe, keep us on track and to time, to enthuse about the surroundings and adapt/adjust the week to our level of riding ability was greatly appreciated. The H+I tours are like being part of an evolution, with each trip changing every time and none the same as another. I ought to stop enthusing now, and get back to work, but if nothing else – just know – if you want something that no one else can have, have Scotland. The Highland Odyssey will not disappoint.

A few weeks have passed since I took part in the Highland Odyssey and I gladly look back on the amazingly great time in Scotland. For me it was the first trip of its kind. I expected to take part in some guided trips during the tour and experience the Highlands by bike. What I got on the trip was a lot more.

Our guide Chris did all his best to tell us as much as possible about his homeland and show the most beautiful sides of the Highland Trails. In addition to the impressive nature, I was particularly touched by the hospitality and warmth of the people. I was absolutely thrilled by the diversity of the Highlands. Forests, heathland, rivers, lakes, the sea, mountains, everything was there.

In addition to the great trails, H + I had put together great accommodations and selected really great restaurants for dinner. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you again for the really great service.

It was a fantastic experience and I will definitely do my next MTB trip with H + I again!

After 5 years we're back again in Scotland for a tour with H+I. What a week and what a tour experience we had under special pandemic circumstances. We felt very welcome and well supplied, in addition lucky with weather and wildlife spotting. And as always, guide Chris with full speed ahead and always in a good mood.

For all of us of our private group it was very special to join H+I in their home territory and execute their first tour in 2020 (corona conditioned) and launch the Highland Odyssey trip incl. highlight stage with two hike-a-bikes and long technical and joyful downhills.

We are grateful for H+I team to have made this happen and we will definitely join you on another tour hopefully soon!