Despite generally returning home with a debilitating injury, I’ve always enjoyed my trips to Scotland. It’s a vast place with many ‘honey pots’ but even more little known and largely hidden corners. Once you add the very sensible approach to access and wild-camping, plus the large number of bothies scattered across the land, then it’s little surprise that Scotland is perhaps one of the best bikepacking destinations worldwide. However, it’s also a place that can be somewhat unforgiving and somewhere you can easily get lost, which also makes it the perfect candidate for a guidebook.
Someone who knows Scotland well is Markus Stitz and it is he who has penned the latest bikepacking guide from Vertebrate, which as I’m sure you’ve already guessed is called ‘Bikepacking Scotland’. It follows the established format of the previous guides to England and Wales which is a good thing as the layout is clear, easy to understand and engaging.
There’s twenty routes inside spread across the country with a healthy proportion situated above the capital. Each is graded easy, medium or hard but remember that weather conditions can soon alter any perception of difficulty. They range is length from just 38 miles to a somewhat more epic sounding 420, with the overall average working out to around 190 miles.
Besides the actual route description, there’s a map and a route gradient profile. Details of accommodation and resupply are also included, so you’ll at least be setting off with some idea of where the pockets of civilisation lie and when you might expect to reach them. They say a picture paints a thousand words and if that’s true then the photographs contained inside should provide both inspiration and motivation by the bucketful. Whether you’re planning your first trip to Scotland or are a seasoned veteran of life beyond the wall, Bikepacking Scotland will make a worthy and useful addition to your bookshelf.
Available directly from the publishers and costs £20.
