Our 4-day MTB Tour Skye + Raasay is, in our view, the very best wilderness mountain bike experience you can have in the UK over one long weekend.
This is an adventure, in every sense of the word. You’ll ride rustic, natural trails, with rocks, rocks – and more rocks! There will be water bars, technical climbs, thrilling descents and hike-a-bike sections. All of this with a backdrop of the most spectacularly breathtaking scenery.
Starting with a warm-up ride around the fishing village of Plockton, on mainland Highlands, you’ll then head first to the Isle of Skye, then to the Isle of Raasay, taking in the most spectacular scenery and unique transport to get there.
To find out if this intermediate+ MTB tour on Skye + Raasay, Scotland is right for you, read more on the skill and fitness levels required.
This 4-day MTB tour Skye + Raasay is a unique glimpse into traditional Highland and Island life, coupled with some of the most breathtaking views and spectacular wild singletrack you’ve ever ridden.
£1,040 GBP / €1,248 EUR/ $1,404 USD per person (ex. flights, based on two sharing a room)
* Single supplement is only applicable if you are travelling solo and do not wish to share a room with another rider of the same sex. If you’re happy to do that, you need not add the supplement.
We want you to have the best experience in the Highlands, so it’s important to be sure that this is the perfect mountain bike adventure, with the right level of challenge, for you.
You ride your mountain bike on trails around once per week, and would be comfortable riding a variety of trails including: rooty singletrack through forests; rocky double track climbs; rocky singletrack descents; and muddy trails. You will also be required to hike-a-bike for up to one hour. Read more on our intermediate+ skill level.
Does this sound like you? Your vacation time is precious and we want to be absolutely sure that you’re making the most of it. Be honest with yourself, if this adventure isn’t right for you, we have other MTB tours that may be a better fit for your mountain biking ability.
Please note: The skill level required reflects an overall rating for the trails on the trip but you should expect to find sections and obstacles that push your ability levels.
Skill level: Intermediate+
Fitness level: 5/7
Typical trails you’ll be riding
Training for your Skye + Raasay MTB adventure
To get the most out of your mountain bike tour in Scotland you should plan plenty of training in advance of your tour.
The ideal bike for riding in the Scottish Highlands is a good quality full-suspension mountain bike with 29” or 27.5” wheels, a dropper seat post, and 130mm -150mm of travel front and rear. Enduro style tyres that have robust puncture protection, such as the Maxxis Minion with EXO+ sidewalls are ideal for this adventure.
If you wish to bring your own bike to ride you must ensure that it has been fully serviced before the trip. Here are some handy tips on how best to travel with your own bike.
If you would prefer not to travel with your bike, we can arrange rental of a high quality full suspension mountain bike for the duration of your mountain bike tour in Scotland.
We have a fleet of Yeti SB140 bikes available to rent in the Highlands, which may make your travel a lot smoother.
We only run small group mountain bike tours to ensure that everyone has the best experience possible, and there will be a maximum of eight people in each group. The minimum number of people we require to run this mountain bike tour in Scotland is four.
Our Skye + Raasay mountain bike tour caters for a wide age range; typically between 30- and 55-years-old. Regardless of age, you must have the appropriate level of physical fitness and mountain biking skills to participate in this adventure. Please refer to clause 14 of our terms and conditions of booking to find more information on rider age.
The Skye + Raasay mountain bike tour in Scotland is a guided mountain bike vacation, ideal for intermediate+ mountain bikers. It is a great mountain biking challenge, but it’s not a race to see who can finish each day the quickest. It’s about everyone making it to the finish line together, and your guides will be there to support and encourage you the whole way.
The distances we cover each day range from 20km to 35km, in accordance with the technical difficulty of the trails. The trails you’ll be riding are technical in nature, and on Raasay you will also have to carry your bike for around one hour.
Each evening your guides will chat with you about the following day’s mountain biking and give you an idea of the sorts of trails you can look forward to. If there’s anything you feel anxious about, your guides will be happy to discuss it with you.
No, you only need to carry a 20 litre back pack with you whilst riding. It is important to have a good-sized back pack to ensure you have everything you need for the changing conditions in Scotland.
Your guide will be very happy to give you some bike skills training during your trip to help improve your confidence and your enjoyment of your Skye + Raasay mountain bike adventure.
If there is a section that you would prefer not to ride, then you can simply hop off your bike and walk. You won’t be the only one to walk certain sections and it’s not a competition in biking ability; it’s a mountain bike holiday!
Your mountain bike guides are local, qualified, experienced professionals who have a real passion for mountain biking and for the fabulous outdoor playground that is the Highlands of Scotland.
Your safety is their number one priority, closely followed by your enjoyment of the tour. They will always be on-hand to answer any questions or requests you may have throughout your trip. Meet your guides in Scotland.
On this MTB tour Skye + Raasay you will be staying in a small guest house on the west coast. We use the best quality accommodation in each area, and favour small, family-run establishments over large chain hotels.
All breakfasts are included in the price of the tour, and you’ll enjoy a good breakfast at your accommodation which will set you up well for each day in the saddle.
Most days you will be staying fuelled with snacks and sandwiches on trail, rather than having a proper lunch stop.
Whilst lunches and dinners are not included in the tour price, so that you can choose what you wish from the dinner menu, we will eat together as a group every evening.
You should budget around £60 per day for meals.
The ideal bike for the Highland trails is a good quality full-suspension mountain bike with 29” or 27.5” wheels, dropper seat post, and 130mm -150mm of travel front and rear.
Read the full kit list to find out what you need to pack for your Skye + Raasay mountain bike tour.
There are no laundry facilities along the way, but you can hand wash kit and dry it at your accommodation.
Unfortunately not. We are working hard to provide each and every customer who rides with us an unparalleled mountain bike experience in every destination we ride. This takes years of experience, riding and planning to get right, and a drone adds a very real danger to the group’s riding experience and health & safety.
Inverness is well connected to the rest of the UK by good rail, air, and coach links.
If you are flying with your own bike we advise flying into Inverness via London Heathrow or Amsterdam Schipol. Travelling by train with a bike in Scotland is complicated.
If you plan to travel by train with your mountain bike, please note that you will need to book your bike onto the train in advance as there is very limited space.
It is also worth noting that if you fly into Edinburgh, you have to take a tram from the airport to the train station, and then the train to Inverness which takes approx 3 hours.
Visas
Visitors from certain countries require a visa to holiday in the UK. Please check the UK Government website before booking to see if you will need a visa for your Scotland mountain bike tour.
Arrival and departure details
Your Skye + Raasay mountain bike tour will start and end in Inverness. If you are flying to Scotland we advise that you arrive the day before and book an overnight stay in Inverness, in order to allow for any delays in flights and/or luggage.
We have created this handy guide to spending 24 hours in Inverness before the start of your Skye + Raasay mountain bike tour.
Our mountain bike guides in Scotland are of the highest level.
They are qualified in first-aid and they have the knowledge and experience to lead a group safely in these remote, wild and beautiful parts of the Scottish Highlands.
Our guides have years of experience in the saddle on the trails of Scotland and will be able to enhance your holiday with facts and fables on local history, flora and fauna. They’re also genuinely nice people and will do their best to make sure that everyone in the group has a great time.
One of the things that set our tours apart from other mountain bike tours in Scotland is the excellent accommodation we use. We understand that when you’ve had a big day in the Great Outdoors, you want a warm welcome, hot shower and a comfortable place to relax and unwind – because that’s exactly what we’re looking for too. This is why we only work with accommodation providers across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland whose standards of service match our own high expectations.
Food is a major part of our Skye + Raasay adventure, and we’ve worked hard to find the best local restaurants, cafes and pubs that produce the most delicious home-cooked meals using fresh, locally sourced produce.
Most days you will be staying fuelled with snacks and sandwiches on trail, rather than having a proper lunch stop.
Whilst lunches and dinners are not included in the tour price, so that you can choose what you wish from the dinner menu, we will eat together as a group every evening.
We’ve worked hard to choose the best local restaurants, cafes and pubs that produce the most delicious home-cooked meals using fresh, locally sourced produce.
No vaccinations are required for visiting Scotland.
You should always consult your own doctor or physician before travelling to new countries to seek their advice on matters concerning your health abroad.
You can drink the water from all taps in Scotland, and also from some of the rivers along your tour, following instructions from your guide.
Please let us know if you have any special food requirements, allergies or pre-existing conditions your guides should know about.
You should always consult your own doctor or physician before travelling to new countries to seek their advice on matters concerning your health abroad.
Your health and safety on tour is our top priority and when you travel with us you will be covered by Global Rescue emergency medical and evacuation services.
The official currency of Scotland is the Great British Pound (GBP) and is the only currency that will be accepted. ATM machines are available in Inverness.
Tipping
It is not compulsory to tip your guides or drivers in Scotland, but it is much appreciated. If you feel you’ve had a good service or experience on your mountain bike tour in the Highlands, you can tip at your discretion.
It is not compulsory to tip in restaurants, however should you wish to tip your servers, 10% – 15% of your meal cost would be acceptable.
You are required as a condition of booking to be insured against medical and personal accident risks. In this policy you must include cover for mountain biking and we recommend that you take out a policy which covers cancellation and baggage, including your bike.
We work with Global Rescue whose policies are specially designed for adventure travel and you can arrange your insurance cover directly with them.
To make this a private tour for you and your favourite people, complete the form and we’ll work with you to make it happen.
To make this a private tour for you and your favourite people, complete the form and we’ll work with you to make it happen.
Our local guides in Scotland are passionate mountain bikers, but their passion for the outdoors and their home country goes beyond two wheels. They have a deep knowledge of the culture, history, flora and fauna, and they’ll share this with you as you explore the Highlands with them.
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This tour was an incredibly unique experience and such a cool way to see some absolutely beautiful parts of Scotland. We both ride often and were excited to do this tour as a couple. Our pre-trip planning went very smoothly thanks to Jodie - we felt prepared and used everything we brought with us - we packed very intentionally.
On the tour, Angus showed us a great variety of riding and we hit some incredibly rugged and rural trails along the way, some of which required us to hike-a-bike for extended periods of time to get to different (epic) destinations.
It’s imperative to train for this trip so you’re in good physical condition - the H+I training guides were helpful here.
It’s also important to have a healthy appetite for adventure, be willing to challenge yourself, and to make sure you’re not coming into this trip with pre-set expectations - you’ll get the most out of this experience if you can take this approach.
Angus took such good care of us - making sure we were prepared for each day and leading us through different routes that were so beautiful, some felt completely untouched. The views and destinations we reached were unforgettable and were both so grateful for this experience.
What an adventure!! An amazing experience that was truly memorable.
Got to see the rugged landscapes of Scotland at their most dramatic the memories of which will stay with me for a long time. The ride is challenging but rewarding - ensure you put some decent time into preparing physically.
I came away a more complete rider from riding trails and landscapes that I hadn't been exposed to so much before but also due to the great tips from my guide Alex who was technically very strong but also a machine on the bike! He was also a great guy to be my riding companion!!!
I would highly recommend the H+I team for their great care in putting together such a great trip with everything all organised - thanks to Catherine for making my long planned Scottish adventure a reality.
