Stunning Scotland. "Breathtaking views"

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1 "Breathtaking views" Baint Bikes welcomes you to our Stunning Scotland, Speyside and Moray coastal cycling holiday. Our carefully selected cycling routes offer the best way to see the finest sights this wderful part of Scotland has to offer. From magnificent natural views, historic castles and the finest whisky distilleries in the world, we will cycle our way through the outstanding rural countryside with plenty of time to stop and enjoy the splendour of the unspoilt landscape. Each day has carefully selected lunch and refreshment stops to ensure a wderful time is had both in and out of the saddle. This luxury guided holiday includes hotel bookings, luggage s, dinner 3 evenings, lunch every day and entrance to attractis. Reservatis For reservatis and more informati please ctact us the details below. This tour is guided with set dates. We have scheduled stops at our favourite sights, eateries, distilleries and hotels. Our guides will ensure you d't miss a thing. 78 Walt Street Oxford OX2 6EA

2 "A perfect pace of life" Overview Breathtaking views and centuries-old traditis come together around the spectacular River Spey, Scotland's fastest flowing river. Renowned for its salm, its castles and above all for its whisky, Speyside offers something for everybody. This tour will enable you to savour the very spirit of Speyside and the Moray coast as we follow the river its journey, seeing the forests, mountains and the villages that it passes its way to the sea. We will have time to pause at some famous distilleries and see something of the Fiddich and the Livet that feed into the Spey, before arriving at the coast with its dolphins and views across to the Black Isle. 78 Walt Street Oxford OX2 6EA

3 "So much glorious whisky to try" Day 1: Aviemore to Grantown--Spey The first day is an easy day to help introduce this beautiful part of Scotland, the Spey valley. We depart Aviemore and head towards the hidden Loch Eilein & her Castle remains before we head towards the Glen More Forest Park the edge of the Grampians before turning north to follow the east side of the beautiful River Spey. We will be seeing a lot more of the Spey as it forms the cstant factor in our explorati of Speyside s distilleries. We turn off after a few miles to enter the wderful Abernethy Forest, home to pine martens, wildcats, numerous deer and breeding area at Loch Garten for the rare osprey. We head to Nethy Bridge for a warming Scottish lunch. Afterwards we join the Speyside way and ride off-road, skirting the edge of the Hills, passing by the Castle Roy before following the River Spey into Grantown--Spey, famous for its salm fishing and smokehouses. Loch Eilein & Castle ruins Loch Eilein Crofters House River Spey Castle Roy Osprey Centre Loch Garten Elevati gain: 24.3 m / 39.1 km 787 ft / 240 m Easy 78 Walt Street Oxford OX2 6EA

4 "Natural beauty at it's finest" Day 2: Grantown--Spey to Ballindalloch From Grantown we follow around the Hills of Cromdale, briefly stopping in the picturesque Bridge of Brown (famous for its tearoom and old bridge) before heading to our lunch destinati in Tomintoul, where we visit the Clockhouse Restaurant for a traditial Scottish lunch of local produce. We join the famous A939 road, often the first road closed by snow in the winter between Tomintoul and Cockbridge. We turn off the A939 towards Tamnavoulin and then head to Glenlivet, where we first visit the Castle of Blairfindy followed by a visit to the famous Distillery for a guided tour and tasting experience. After a warming dram we ctinue through Glenlivet passing by the Tower of Drumin and follow the River Livet until it joins the Av, before arriving at the Delnashaugh Hotel at Ballindalloch, with the fantastic castle a main feature for this quaint village, perched high above the juncti of the Av and the Spey. Bridge of Brown Tamnavoulin Distillery Glenlivet Distillery Tour & Tasting Blairfindy Castle Drumin Tower Ballindalloch Castle Elevati gain: m / km 1959 ft / 597 m Medium 78 Walt Street Oxford OX2 6EA

5 "Such delicious food" Day 3: Ballindalloch to Dufftown Today we descend to the Cragganmore distillery where we join the off-road waterside path, the Speyside Way. We ride algside the river here towards Knockando distillery (and nearby Cardhu), before following the top road through to Archiestown, where we stop for a lovely lunch. Afterwards we descend back to the Speyside Way, stopping alg the way to marvel at the tantalising Speyview Waterfall before heading down to Charlestown of Aberlour with its famous distillery and the home of Walkers Shortbread (where we will have time to explore the shop) before heading to Craigellachie. Here we first stop at the Cooperage to learn the history and method for making the whisky barrels, and later we pause for a special whisky tasting sessi in The Quaich (founded in 1893, the world's leading whisky bar, housing over 900 single malts). Afterwards we pass Macallan just above the famous Craigellachie bridge designed by Thomas Telford. We ride for just a short distance when we pick up the Speyside Way again to take us to our overnight stop at Dufftown. As well as Balvenie castle, Dufftown is home to Glenfiddich and The Balvenie distilleries so we should sleep well! Speyside Way Knockando & Cardhu Distillery Aberlour distillery Speyview Waterfall Walkers Shortbread Factory Shop Craigellachie Cooperage The Quaich special Whisky Tasting sessi Dufftown distilleries Balvenie Castle Elevati: 33 miles / 53 km Medium 1959 foot / 597 meters 78 Walt Street Oxford OX2 6EA

6 "Truly enchanting castles" Day 4: Dufftown to Buckie Today is an easier day ending early by the beautiful coast of Moray Firth, offering fantastic views across the North Sea. We begin by following the route of the Keith & Dufftown railway alg the river Isla ( the Whisky line ) before our first stop at Drummuir Castle, which is located in a very splendid wooden glen. After a brief stop we ctinue up to the town of Keith where we stop for lunch and an opportunity to visit the memorable Strathisla Distillery. After lunch, we leave Keith behind and have time to enjoy Scotland's natural beauty: we have a leisurely ride through tantalising countryside with wildlife, forests and rivers, and hopefully catch sight of an osprey overhead. We end the day early in the coastal town of Buckie, allowing plenty of free time to explore this historic town. Drummuir Castle Keith Strathisla Distillery Aultmore Forest The Nook Elevati Gain: 26 m / 41.8 km 408 ft / 124 m Very easy 78 Walt Street Oxford OX2 6EA

7 "A remarkable experience" Day 5: Buckie to Elgin Today begins with a beautiful flat morning exploring the coast of the Moray Firth. We leave Buckie behind and pass the old wartime RAF stati at Upper Dallachy before arriving at Spey Bay. Spey Bay is an important centre for watching and mitoring dolphins and other whales which are relatively comm in the Moray Firth. Ospreys are also a frequent sighting in summer as they fish for salm at the mouth of the river Spey. A short distance back from Spey Bay we pick up the cycle trail and old railway line that leads us traffic free over the Spey to Garmouth. We head east passing by Innesmill Ste circle towards the beach in Lossiemouth where we stop to enjoy our lunch of locally caught fish with chips, a British Classic! After lunch we venture over the wderful beach bridge over the outflowing Lossie, before heading alg the dunes the coast closely passing past Gordstoun school where Prince Charles was educated. Alg the route we pass by some of the Moray Firth's most tantalising Coastal Coves and Caves before arriving at Hopeman and spectacular Burghead, with its fort and observati platform, and its harbour and fishing boats. We will stop briefly for a refreshment and soak in the coastal atmosphere, before turning back to Elgin with its spectacular ruined cathedral, distilleries and shops where we will spend the night. Glen Moray distillery is in Elgin, with Glen Elgin and Ben Riach stills nearby. Spey Bay Dolphin, Whale & Osprey watching Spey Bay Dolphin Centre Lossiemouth Coastal Dunes Sculptor's Cave Clashach Cove Moray Coastal Trail & Lighthouses Burghead Fort, Well & Harbour Quarrelwood Elgin distilleries, Castle & Cathedral (remains) Elevati Gain: m / km 1122 ft / 342 m Medium 78 Walt Street Oxford OX2 6EA

8 "Magnificent coastline" Day 6: Elgin to Nairn We leave Elgin and head for Kinloss to stop briefly and explore the Abbey remains, before crossing another famous salm river, the Findhorn, before pausing to admire Sueno's Ste, at 6.5m Scotland's largest standing ste, and make our way into the town of Forres for lunch. After lunch we will visit the local distillery of Benromach for our final distillery tour and tasting sessi: today we take the Ctrast Tour, offering a leisurely guided tour followed by a tutored tasting of four drams from the whisky collecti. We leave Forres behind and head to the elegant and grand Brodie Castle the way and also at the site of the battle of Auldearn together with Boath Doocot, a reminder perhaps of the value of doves in the winter when food was scarce. We arrive at the ancient fishing port of Nairn where we finish our tour, in time perhaps for a walk alg the beautiful beach before heading back to our hotel for a wee dram. Kinloss Abbey Findhorn River Sueno's Ste Benromach Distillery Brodie Castle Auldearn battle site Rodney's Ste Elevati Gain: m / km 701 ft / 214 m Easy / Medium 78 Walt Street Oxford OX2 6EA

9 "The best way to explore the area" Included with package Guided holiday Arrival Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Hotel Hotel Hotel Hotel Hotel Hotel Hotel Welcome Pack Dinner Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Bikes Bikes Bikes Bikes Bikes Bikes Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Entrance to Osprey Centre (dati) Glenlivet Distillery Tour Cooperage Tour Spey Bay visitor centre & Museum Dinner Tomintoul Museum Kinloss Abbey Glenlivet Distillery Tour Brodie Castle Dinner Forres Distillery ctrast tour The Welcome Pack will include detailed informati for the tour, ctact details for Baint Bikes, tour guide details, maps, and recommendatis for points of interest & restaurants to visit during the tour. 78 Walt Street Oxford OX2 6EA

10 "We didn't want to leave" The Bikes Make & Model Frame Material Handlebars Saddle Gears Gear Shifter Tyres Wheels Equipment Dawes Mojave or Gazelle Chamix Lightweight Aluminium Butterfly comfort bars Comfort sprung saddle Shimano 21 gears, with mega range (offering easy pedalling gear for hills) Shimano rapid fire Schwalbe Marath offering strg puncture resistance Double wall rims, with double butted spokes offering extra strength Ortlieb - rear pannier bag Rear rack pack Provided for unguided groups, ctains inner tubes, tools to adjust saddle, pump and basic tools (unguided 1 per couple) Cycle Computer (set in kilometres) Kryptite or Abus D-Lock Handlebar map holder 78 Walt Street Oxford OX2 6EA