A new book by bikepacking enthusiast Markus Stitz launches next month and features 20 great multi-day off-the-beaten-track cycling adventures across the Scottish mainland and islands. Bikepacking Scotland: 20 Multi-day Cycling Adventures Off The Beaten Track is another guide book in a growing collection of adventure-inspiring publications by Vertebrate Publishing.
The book features bikepacking routes of different lengths – from 62km to 676km – and in many scenic locations, from Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway and the Borders in southern Scotland, north through the Central Belt and Perthshire, to the Highlands.
The west coast islands also feature with ferry-hopping adventures around Islay, a paradise for whisky connoisseurs, and Jura and Mull to spot golden eagles.
Additionally, the book suggests an alternative bikepacking route to the popular North Coast 500 route in north-west Scotland.
The routes – divided into Southern Scotland, Central Belt, Argyll and the Isles, and Highlands – include a range of terrain, from road to dedicated cycle path, path and singletrack. The detailed information makes it easy to work out which route you will enjoy, and what bike to use. Most routes can be accessed by public transport, and you can choose to ride the full route during one trip, or just a section.
The book provides maps, useful details for bikepackers, and an overview description of what you might see and encounter. Additionally, the routes can be downloaded as a GPX file, enabling you to follow them in real-time on a handheld GPS navigator, GPS watch, or your mobile phone.
Alongside further information on seasons and what to pack, there are portraits of Scottish cycling personalities including round-the-world cycling record breakers Mark Beaumont and Jenny Graham.
Who is the author of Bikepacking Scotland book?
The book was researched and written by the founder of Bikepacking Scotland, Markus Stitz, who rode a singlespeed bike around the world. He lives in the Central Belt of Scotland and spends much of his time on his bike and exploring multi-day routes in the UK and further afield. It launches on May 18, and you can order a signed copy.
Markus has also written two more books that will provide inspiration for bikepacking, Great British Gravel Rides and Big Rides: Great Britain and Ireland.
