Days 4-5, Scottish MTB Expedition: Journey Into The Imposing Peaks Of The Cuillin And Torridon Mountains
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
If you're here, chances are you already read our last blog post exploring days 0-3 of the Scottish MTB Expedition, and if not, you can check that out here.
DAY 4
Today marks the start of our adventurous and remote riding. From the hand-built enduro trails of the Cairngorms, we now journey into the rugged west coast. We start with Jake’s Mental Strategy Workshop over our breakfast, where the group learns practical tools to manage nerves and stay calm and present as we approach the pointy end of this adventure. After an engaging workshop, we'll load into the van and board a ferry at the small coastal fishing town of Mallaig, crossing over to the Isle of Skye, where we'll drive to Sligichan and the starting point of today's ride.
This out-and-back route takes us through a glacial valley that gives us spectacular views of the black cullins on one side and the red cullins on the other. These awe-inspiring mountains are steeped in mountaineering history and will try to steal your attention as you keep focus on the challenging natural trail ahead of you. With river crossings and the formidable Scottish waterbar to contend with, this ride is all about finding your flow and riding efficiently to reach a ‘hidden gem’ at the far side of the island.
Upon returning to our starting point, we'll have time to step into the historic Seumas' Bar, where the wall of whisky towers and a well-deserved dram await.
DAY 5 We'll enjoy a slightly later start today as we tuck into a delicious cooked breakfast and soak up the coastal views from our idyllic guest house.
Once ready to roll, we'll make the short drive to the Torridon Mountains - the home to Scotland's most spectacular mountainous riding. This is our chance to sample this type of terrain as we prepare for our epic adventure to come. While these trails are not purpose-built for mountain bikes, they do offer lots of flow and endless fun to those who have the skills to find it. We'll start this ride off slow as we winch ourselves to the top of a forestry road climb that leads us into the mountains and a quintessential highland landscape.
As the trail narrows and we head further into the mountains, we'll face technical climbs with large steps and rocks to navigate. Thoughts of this challenging climb are soon forgotten as you reach the highpoint and the true grandeur of Torridon opens up in front. From here, you'll be glad to know that all that lays ahead of you is arguably Scotland's best natural descent! This taste of Torridon will leave you excited and even more thrilled for tomorrow's big adventure, where we'll get to retrace the tyre marks we’ve left on this epic descent again.
This evening we'll be hosted at the home of two locals who have created a spectacular guest house that will be our home for the next two nights. With a large dining table and private chef, we'll come together for a group meal like no other. This unique setting offers the comfort and space to relax as we prepare for our circumnavigation of the Torridon Mountains tomorrow.
That's all for now. You can sign up for our email list to hear about the rest of the Scottish MTB Expedition - or check out the expedition webpage here! - Jake