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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Travel
Ailsa Sheldon

‘Smiles not miles’: a Scottish cycling tour all about enjoyment, not endurance

Five people cycle through countryside on a Comrie Croft Journeys tour
The off-grid cycling adventures immerse visitors in Scotland’s wild landscapes while providing everything they need, from food to equipment. Photograph: Pete Scullion

‘Wake naturally. Ride bikes. Wild camp.” I’m in Perthshire on a three-day bikepacking trip – cycling with all my gear – and this is my itinerary for the day. For an endlessly calendar-checking parent of three, the simplicity of this schedule is almost dizzying. I feel like a child with my summer holiday stretching out ahead of me.

Comrie Croft Journeys is a new initiative from eco-camping and mountain-biking destination Comrie Croft, started by experienced mountain bike instructor Emily Greaves. The off-grid cycling adventures aim to immerse visitors in Scotland’s wild landscapes while providing everything they need, from food to equipment. Guests can choose to be self-guided or led – and I’m heading out with Emily to explore on a mountain bike for the first time in my adult life.

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