An Turas Mor: Scotland's Great North Trail
Scotland, UK · Mar 22, 2024
The Scottish section of the Great North Trail: 544 kilometres of rough Highland riding from Glasgow to the Cape Wrath lighthouse. It is billed as a mountain bike route and means it, with easy gravel early, then rocky doubletrack, stream crossings, and the wind-blasted Corrieyairack Pass before the wild run north to the coast. Expect weather, expect to go slow, and expect a tearoom or a bothy exactly when you need one.
The An Turas Mor is the Scottish half of the Great North Trail, a 544 kilometre Highland crossing from the edge of Glasgow to the lighthouse at Cape Wrath, the wild northwestern tip of the British mainland. It is billed as a mountain bike route, and you should take that at its word. The opening lulls you in with easy gravel through the woods and smooth singletrack along the rivers. Do not let it fool you.
Tara Weir rode the An Turas Mor end to end on a heavy, rigid touring bike, the wrong tool by almost every measure. Read her full story here.
Past Killin and the climb to Glen Lyon, the route bares its teeth. Expect rocky doubletrack, stream crossings choked with boulders, and pitches steep enough to push. Progress here is slow and physical, and you will quickly see why most riders run wide tires and a light load.
The crux is the Corrieyairack Pass, an old military road that climbs into the cold, wind-driven mist the Scots call dricht. It is the high point in every sense, and with poor brakes or low confidence the descent off the back becomes its own challenge when the weather turns. Beyond it the route drops to Fort Augustus on Loch Ness, where the crowds and chip shops feel like another planet after the empty interior.
The northern half is the payoff. Blue lochs fringed with gorse, narrow river valleys, steep green hills, and big boulder fields carry you toward Durness, where a short ferry sets up the final run to Cape Wrath. The lighthouse marks the literal end of the road, with the remote Ozone Cafe to thaw out in, and the Kearvaig Bothy a short ride on above a spectacular bay, an unbeatable place to finish.
Two things will shape your ride. Weather is constant, so pack for rain, wind, and exposure even in midsummer and keep moving to stay warm. And the cafe and bothy culture is half the reason to come: you can be deep in nowhere and still find a tearoom with cake or a stone hut with a fireplace right when you need it. You do not need a perfect bike for the An Turas Mor, but you do need patience and a tolerance for slow, rough miles. Wider tires, disc brakes, and a light load all help. Come ready to ride within yourself and let the Highlands set the pace.
