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

Last month we organised a photo shoot for Evans Cycles in the South of Spain where we run our Southern Spain trips. Here’s the write up from Gareth at Evans.

A few of us went out to Tarifa, Spain for a flat out four day photo shoot. Organised through Saddle Skedaddle, we were met by our guide Dan at the airport and taken back to our accommodation where we got straight on to building up the bikes. Once all set-up we took a few mountain bikes out hoping to catch the last light of the afternoon and captured some great dusk shots.

On the second day we loaded up the van and hit the road early, finding a nice quiet road which stretched up a hillside leading to various rural villas off the beaten track. With the sun rising this was looking like the perfect spot for some road shots so we kitted up and pulled the Fuji Team 1.0 and Finest 2.0, BMC Racemachine RM01, and two Jamis’s (Xenith Comp and Ventura Sport) off of the trailer.    

    

Keith & Mark enjoying the rocky hillside

    

Keith on the edge

After a productive morning we grabbed some lunch and then decided to crack on with the mtb shots, shooting in the forest at the back of our hotel which sprawled along the coastline. However, it was day three that had us buzzing as our guide took us up to a huge limestone rock face. Sceptical at first, once we had climbed up we could see the potential, (not to mention the amazing views!) so it was out with the 2 full-suspension bikes (BMC Trailfox and Lapierre Zesty 514) for some breath-taking shots. Check out the behind the scenes sneak-peeks of Mark and Keith riding the ridge.

    

Mark & Keith admire the vista with our guide Dan

The focus for Thursday afternoon was the mountain bike images, and with the Vulture’s soaring high above the cliffs we discovered some great tracks weaving through the trees in the National Park region. The Trek Paragon’s large 29” wheels soaked up everything in its way, rolling down the rugged terrain with ease.

To close out the day we found a winding road that was perfect for a few last road shots and parked up at a small café which proved to be the ideal location for some stylish lifestyle shots, showing off brands such as Castelli, Gore, and Maloja. After his caffeine fix our photographer Geoff was back on it, snapping the guys (and Debs) riding up and down the scenic road, and myself winding down the twisty descents on the precise BMC.

    

Afternoon Siesta

After a long day we decided to ride the few miles back to the hotel which gave us chance to put the bikes to the test, with the Jamis Xenith Comp certainly impressing! Back at the hotel Keith and Mark pulled on the Maloja casual wear that we took out, grabbed a bottle of Cruzcampo and chilled out on the terrace for the all important après ride sunset images.

I travelled home Friday morning leaving the guys to get the product images and pictures for the GPS feature which we are running in the spring catalogue. After this all of the bikes had to be packed back in the boxes which they came out in with as much kit as possible strategically stuffed in around them.

    

Geoff & Stu get gnarly

Grabbing a slight lie in on Saturday the team headed home and in little under three hours were back in the UK, reflecting on an enjoyable and productive trip, and eager to see the final pictures. You can see these and the product features in our spring catalogue which is out on March 30th, or pay a visit yourself and contact Saddle Skedaddle at www.skedaddle.co.uk for great cycling at one of their magnificent destinations.

If you would like to receive a copy of the Evans catalogue click here to sign up.

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.