Having sampled a numerous Skedaddle weekends and mountain biking holidays in Europe, we decided it was time to try something a bit closer to home and setting aside all concerns about the Scottish weather, booked on the Scottish Highlands Coast to Coast mountain biking holiday. After the customary enthusiastic welcome from the Skedaddle guides in the form of Steve, Tony and Charley, we were immediately put to work trying to reassemble our bikes with the added interest of turning it into a bike building time trial - successfully completed from our point of view with only a minor need for adjustments by Steve !!  First place went to our token German but at least we didn’t come last (hey John !!)

The Flying V’s get ready for the action…
 
With the Skedaddle van and landrover being replaced by a comfortable bus we then headed northwards to the Highlands.  After a stop off in Fort William to stock up on Avon Skin So Soft (Tony and Steve preferred to keep their body soufflé to themselves) as a first defence against the midges, we arrived at our first hotel in Glenshiels which set the tone for the holiday – great accommodation, good food and a wonderful setting. Our first days biking: woke up, brushed hair, showered, dressed and went downstairs for bacon and eggs ……During breakfast we were informed the day would comprise a sample of all the riding we would experience over the week.  We weren’t disappointed - thrilling single track, rocky ascents/descents and the customary Skedaddle beer challenge - those impossible hills thrown in to perfect bike carrying techniques. After a great days introductory riding we arrived at Tomdoun.  A beautiful hunting lodge hotel with great views and some nice Spanish bar maids to keep the boys happy.Next up was an easier day with a beautiful ride along the Caledonian Canal ending the day at Fort Augustus, finishing early to prepare for day 3 and the Corrieyairack Pass – the start of the 3 best days of the trip. Despite some apprehension about the prospects of climbing the Pass for hours (can’t remember the time taken or the height gain) it was a great ride – taken in easy chunks with plenty of jelly baby provision from Tony. With great encouragement from the guides, it was a challenging but doable climb leaving enough energy to enjoy the scenery. The descent was without doubt one of the best descents we have ever ridden (or not) and waiting at the bottom was lunch.

       The next two days provided great diversity in the terrain covering technical singletrack, woodland paths and rocky ascents/descents not to mention the odd river crossing and swim in the case of Charley. Supportive as always, Steve proved unplanned exits can happen to anyone with an over the handle bars into a peat bog. The guides had again arranged great accommodation and evening meals in Tomintoul and then in Ballater.Starting to feel overfed (although over generous measures of recovery drink may have had something to do with it), we needed a mountain to climb and conveniently found Mount Keane en route.  There was no way we were going to ride all the way up this one – even with encouragement and jelly babies!!  After a good effort riding ¾ of the route – on and off – we put our practiced bike carrying skills in to play and were rewarded at the top with panoramic views of the Cairngorms National Park, Glen Tanar and the Spittal of Glenmuick (we think according to our reference map).  Again a fantastic descent and quite manageable despite Tony’s lecture on the drainage ditches !!

With only an easy 15 miles left for our last day - a distance for which apparently snacks are just plain greedy (although we know Steve was trying to prevent us from buying extra large shorts next time) we had a leisurely road ride to the sea and the end of our coast to coast tour. It was sadly over too soon and we’d had so much fun that we just wanted to turn around and do it all over again!!  Words and photos from Vicky A. (UK) and Victoria B. (Australia if they win any sporting event and UK if not).       For more photos of the trip click here              For feedback from the trip click here

It has been 10 years since I sent my first e-mail to the Skedaddle office boys, informing them that I was living and guiding in the Picos de Europa in Northern Spain, and offered my services to them. I did in fact embellish the truth a little as I expressed that I had a minibus (that oh so important tool for active holidays) that was ready for work, but in fact had an old school minibus that Sal and I were calling home! This is something that over the years, they haven’t let me live down!

So some trust was given and I was gifted with Skedaddle’s first European mountain biking destination, in the Picos, to look after. Wow, it felt like such a privilege and a door to the inner sanctum of Skedaddleness!

All these years on, after developing trips throughout Spain’s north and south, I still have to pinch myself from time to time when I’m out with a group or off finding new trails in the beautiful sierras. Sometimes I question whether I’m able to call this work?

A fun descent from the lofty peaks of the Picos

Considering how much time I spend on a bike I’ve never thought of myself as a cyclist, although I do consider the bicycle to be one of mans greatest inventions, I arrived at mountain biking around 20 years ago through a love of the hills and a need to be out in them. Mountain biking is just another way for us to move and interact in a natural environment.

I’ve been asked on many occasions which is my favourite trip in Spain and I’d always give the pretty unhelpful but truthful answer of ‘the one that I’m on’. If pushed for an answer I cannot for the life in me choose just one trip as they are all so different and are special to me in different ways.

The Camino de Santiago has miles upon miles of amazing trails all heading west through the fantastic scenery of the northern provinces of Spain. I love how you see tradition; culture and geography change all the way to the fantastic city of Santiago de Compostela for some of the best seafood in the world.

Enjoying a bit of post ride banter

Without doubt I relish when we run Sierras Singletrack and Picos Singletrack trips. The adrenaline rush with your heart in your mouth is an addictive feeling. But it’s getting into the more remote parts of the mountains that I enjoy the most, and especially spending the night like on the Trans Picos, when we stay in fantastic mountain refuge.

Made it!!

The more gentle trips around the southern sierras and Costa de la Luz like the Sierras to the Sea, White Villages and Coast of Light head through the beautiful area that I call home. With awesome limestone mountains, vast forests, the best beaches in Spain a relaxing culture and delicious local cuisine it’s a pleasure to show people around my local trails.

A sunny history lessons at Cape Trafalgar

I’ve recently been dabbling on the darker side of cycling, which, being a lycra-sceptic I’m finding myself ever more surprised at how much enjoyment I’m getting from it! I haven’t succumbed to doping like the pro’s, well apart from the odd glass or two of vino tinto!

Although wearing lycra for the first time was a surprisingly pleasant experience, nothing compares to topping out above the clouds on the feared and famed Angliru on the Picos and Vuelta Classics and Pico Veleta in the Sierra Nevada - Amazing!

Lycra and a new Skedaddle jersey - Life is Sweet!

All that said, it’s the bike that enables us to travel these journeys and being a self professed luddite, I sometimes feel people need reminding that a bike is a mode of transport and not something to fornicate over! Hee hee, sorry bike geeks!!

It’s just a mode of transport!

My time living in Spain and working for Skedaddle has flown by and enabled me to guide in amazing places and meet some fantastic people. The experiences I have are a forever changing picture  - last month I helped Evans Cycles find the best spots for their Spring Magazine during the Evans Cycles photoshoot in Tarifa and next week I’ve a bespoke group hitting the trails around Ronda.

The ever growing Skedaddle crew and of course a wonderful group of guides that I work together with in Spain - Philipp, Chris, Mike and Felix - top fellas every one of them  - all help to make me feel one lucky lad! 

Here’s to another 10 Years! and here’s a few photos from the last 10 that Andrew dug out…how time flies!!

Here’s to seeing you somewhere in the most diverse and BEST country in Europe - hey…I’m allowed to be biased!!

Dan

ps - I don’t still have the old school minibus, though it did make a wonderful chicken coup and I often see it during my time in the Picos.

 Sardinian Mountains - Sardinia is famous worldwide for its sea and its coasts, yet more than 80% of its territory is mountainous and hilly. There are diverse mountain ranges of granite, slate, limestone and volcanic rock and many are over 1000 meters high. The island is crossed by traffic-free mountain roads, many with excellent smooth tarmac just perfect for road cycling. The interior of Sardinia is very wild, there are no cities, just small and friendly mountain villages and the heart of island is also the most genuine and has best preserved the ancient traditions, even in the kitchen!We’ve been offering tours in Sardinia for more than 10 years and it has consistently been one our most popular destinations. This however is the first time we’ve ventured into the “real” interior on road bikes  - we can’t believe it has taken us so long!Massimo Says : “I was born on this island and I’ve lived here all of my life, I love living here. One thing I’ve never understood is why so many visitors spend their entire time by the sea. For a certainty our beaches are amongst the best in the world, but not to venture into Sardinia’s interior is to miss out – especially if you are a cyclist.  When I developed this tour I set out to create something to showcase the best of what my home has to offer; something to include the mountains, woodlands and deep canyons.The other thing I wanted was to appeal to riders who really love to ride so as well as admiring the fantastic scenery we will spend an average of 120km a day on the bikes riding on some wonderfully smooth and traffic-free roads. I think we have everything the cyclist needs, including great food and wine, here on our doorstep and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you on the Sardinian Mountains holiday“.

Our Channel to Med odyssey through France sees us cycling from the shoreline of St Malo in Brittany and only stops whenl we reach the dazzling glamour of Nice on the French Riviera. This is a journey of more than 900 miles and it takes us through no fewer than 21 of France’s 101 regional départements as we ride into some of the country’s most striking and dramatic landscapes and best-loved regions. We begin the ride from the abbey of Mont Saint Michel and make gentle progress on a carefully–chosen route which rarely strays from minor roads and quiet lanes. We venture into the Loire valley, the Cevennes National Park & through the Ardeche before our grand finale in Provence. This is a different kind of challenge which we will believe will appeal as much to cycling Francophiles as it will  to those who’ve previously enjoyed our Lands End to John O’Groats tours. John Says : “ When I was asked to create a new long-distance tour to appeal specifically to previous Skedaddle “end to enders” I knew immediately that it had to be in France. I’ve been leading the Lands End to John O’Groats trip since I started guiding tours and I’ve always believed that there is a place for a similar challenge on the other side of the Channel. I’ve always loved France and this tour covers so much ground and takes in so many different regions that you come away with a real “feel” for the country. I’ve lived and worked in France and have ridden quite a lot in Provence so I was already familiar with some of the latter stages of the route but for the most part this was new territory for me so I was delighted to be given the opportunity check out some new places. I’m dying get out there again in July (07 to 24th) - I hope you can join me!”  

Our most spectacular and ambitious road cycling trip to date, the Emerald Mountains tour takes us into some of the most dramatic Andean scenery imaginable. Beginning in the high altitude of Colombia’s cosmopolitan capital Bogota and finishing on the shores of the country’s idyllic Caribbean coast, this trip has been designed for experienced riders who genuinely enjoy a challenge. Our route takes us through some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes, entering the famous Zona Cafetera, one of Latin America’s primary coffee growing regions and an area of outstanding natural beauty. We’ll also spend a couple of nights in Medellin, the “City of Eternal Spring” a seductive city which will appeal as much to culture lovers as it will to those in search of nightlife.David Says : “I’ve been intrigued by Colombia for some time and have been toying with the idea of creating a tour since I joined the company 7 years ago. Aside from the obvious appeal of exploring another Latin American country on 2 wheels, Colombia has a long tradition and rich history in cycling and has produced some of the world’s top climbers and that has always drawn my attention. I’ve always had a yearning to attempt some of the legendary climbs which have given the Vuelta a Colombia such notoriety ; I’ve always been curious to see if I could manage them!

Like most people, having heard stories of troubles and unrest, I was a little apprehensive about visiting the country but things have changed dramatically over recent years and during my visits I have been pleasantly surprised and have experienced no difficulty whatsoever. I first took my bike to Colombia 2 years ago, met some local riders and came back with fantasies of running a Skedaddle tour in what I genuinely believe is one of the world’s most exciting countries. I returned earlier this year to turn the dream into reality .

It promises to be an absolutely superb tour and we’ve had a lot of interest so far. Due to popular demand we’ve had to announce a new date from 3rd to 14th of December and I’m looking forward to getting out there again to continue the adventure”

Our new Tour de Suisse is our answer to those of you who’ve already taken on our other Mountain Challenges and have been asking for something new. This tour is longer, and we think tougher, than our other mountain tours and we believe it will appeal to riders who really like to challenge themselves. Our circular route starts and finishes in Bellinzona, famed for its three castles, and takes in some of Europe’s most spectacular mountain passes including the Gothard, Furka and the infamous Stelvio with its 48 hairpin bends and 2763 meters. This tour is not for softies!Naomi Says :  “We’ve been talking about offering an alpine tour in Switzerland for a number of years now but with our existing and more traditional mountain tours still proving very popular we have been careful to avoid diverting away interest. But with so many regular Skedaddle customers coming back time and time again and many having already completed our tours in the French Alps, Pyrenees and Dolomites, now seems to be the perfect time to venture into new territory. I’ve spoken to many riders while I’ve been leading tours and there is a real appetite amongst our roadie customers for tackling the more challenging climbs & Switzerland ticks that box very nicely.

I live in Sardinia and whilst I love my Mediterranean home by the sea, there is a little piece of my heart that lives in the mountains and I’ve always understood why cyclists want to keep climbing higher. I’ve been popping over the border into Switzerland when I’ve been leading our Northern Italian tours for some time and the when I started planning the Tour De Suisse the itinerary simply fell together. Originally we were planning to offer just a weeklong tour but there was so much superb riding that I couldn’t choose what to leave out so here we are with a fantastic 12 day trip.”

Read the brochure blurb and heard our guides waxing lyrically about our biking holiday in Cuba, then why not take a peak at this great video from a recent trip.

Hope you enjoy watching it and cheers to Marie for loading it up on You Tube

Make yourself a drink …preferably a large Mojito, though if at work and it is Monday morning, this might seems a little out of the ordinary and sit back and enjoy!!

Click Here for the You Tube link

Whilst on our holidays people are frequently asking us the question…

“So how did Skedaddle begin?”

Well the answer is that Paul and Andrew cycled several thousand miles around South America in 1994/1995 and whilst stuck in a tent in a snow-storm thought it was a good idea to bring people to the amazing places they had visited along the way…and hence Skedaddle was born.

The first trip was a 3 week epic in Northern Chile, with a group of five people they somehow persuaded to come along and since then…well they’ve never looked back!!

Needless to stay Chile is still on the  trip schedule and remains the spiritual homeland of Skedaddle

During the trip, they shot a video and here’s a quick snap-shot of their time their.

Enjoy the ride!! - Click Here for the Video

Here’s Andrew at around 5,100 Metres…Paul took the photo - Honest!!

This superb desert biking adventure focuses on the deep south of Morocco, a land of big skies and stark mountain ranges where mud-brick kasbahs appear to rise up out of the desert, sitting in tranquil palm oases and framed by dramatic backdrops of snowcapped mountains. We ride along Morocco’s dirt roads, taking us from Marrakech to the Tichka Pass, the highest in the High Atlas, and then southward, descending along the Draa Valley to the fringes of the Sahara Desert.