Scotland Gravel Camp
Cairngorms Gravel Riding: Basecamp Adventure In The Scottish Highlands
Back for our fourth year, the Scotland Gravel Camp remains a highlight of the season. Based at beautiful Inshriach Farm, a few miles south of Aviemore, this classic four-day, four-night weekend explores some of the finest and wildest gravel Scotland has to offer.
Each day features two loop ride options that return to the secluded basecamp—no bikepacking gear required. Riders can simply concentrate on enjoying some of the most unforgettable riding in Cairngorms National Park.
Standard tickets include a tent spot, with upgrades available to van camping or one of Inshriach's award-winning glamping options including the Shepherd's Hut, Bothy, or the gorgeous Log House. It's a summer highlight not to be missed.
Highlights
✔ Two route options everyday means it’s great for a range of riders
✔ Beautiful basecamp camping and glamping
✔ Guided group rides if you want them, or ride with your pals
✔ Some of the UK’s finest gravel riding
✔ Loch swims aplenty
✔ Basecamp sauna and river swims
View Dates & Book
| Start Date | End Date | Days | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 6 Guaranteed | August 10 | 5 | From £375 | Book Now |
Questions about the trip or interested in future dates?
Booking Info
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Click on your preferred trip date to be directed to our secure booking partner WeTravel who will process and manage your booking.
£150 deposit to secure your spot
Full balance due 60 days before the trip
💡 Tip: We recommend paying with bank details to avoid card processing fees.
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Bring a van (£30)
Log House - Additional £320 (2 person in double bed + 1 sofa bed)
Shepherd’s Hut - Additional £250 ( 2 person in double bed)
Bothy - Additional £290 (up to 2 people in a double bed)
Borrow a Hammerhead Karoo navigation device (£10)
All add-ons can be selected at booking or added later.
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⚠️ Important: This trip requires a minimum of 8 participants to run.
Please do not book your travel until we've confirmed the trip is running.
Your deposit is fully refundable until we confirm this number has been met.
You will see a guaranteed badge next to those dates we have already guaranteed to run.
Reviews
Itinerary
From our beautiful secluded basecamp close to Aviemore, we'll spend four days exploring the local trails on day-ride loops that showcase some of the best off-road riding in the UK.
Each day, we'll provide a couple of specially curated gravel routes to choose from, and you an choose what and how you want to ride. There'll be full day epics for those who seeking a challenge, and a more mellow route for those still finding their gravel legs. Choose to ride with a guided group, alone, or with buddies. Wherever and however you ride, you'll be taking in some of the UK's most gorgeous landscapes and we'll all regroup back at basecamp to share dinner, skills sessions, and stories of the day,
Expect the usual Sisters In The Wild vibes at basecamp - communal meals, campfires, and chances to share and build some new skills. This weekend is as much about building community and sharing the experience with good people as it is about epic rides.
Location: Inshriach Farm, near Aviemore
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Meals: Dinner
Meet at our basecamp at Inshriach from 2pm, set up camp, and get your bike ready for an evening shakedown ride.
After introductions, we’ll ride as a group on a 15km-ish loop from the basecamp, before coming back to base for dinner and a talk about the weekend ahead.
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Meals: Breakfast/Dinner
Our next 3 days will begin with breakfast at basecamp, with group departure times set for our two route options each day. Riders are free to choose if they want to ride with the groups or set out independently or with pals.
We’ll finish back at basecamp with communal dinner, al fresco in our lovely covered yard area.
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Meals: Breakfast
One last breakfast together at basecamp before we say goodbye! We’ll wrap up mid morning, with time to pack up tents for homeward journey. You’re also welcome to leave the evening before.
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Our trip will be guided by our British Cycling and First Aid qualified Sisters in the Wild cycling guides, who will be riding with the group. There will be a minimum of 1 cycling guide per 8 riders on our guided rides.
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4 nights camping at basecamp (bring your own tent), or upgrade to a van spot of one of Inshriach’s amazing glamping places.
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Camping gear and navigation devices can be added to your booking for a small fee.
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Each participant will be provided with a specially curated collection of routes and route briefings via Komoot, and a free map bundle to access/navigate them.
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Breakfasts and dinners at basecamp are included everyday.
What’s Included?
Included ✓
Not Included ✗
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Lunch and snacks are not included. We’ll make sure you know where you can pick up food on the ride.
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Riders can bring their own bike, or hire locally (see Bike Hire section).
Riders should be equipped with basic spares and tools for their bike. See packing list for info.
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Travel to basecamp is not included. See our Travel Info FAQs for travel help. We’ll also set up a WhatsApp group for the trip to share rides and travel plans.
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Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our trips, and highly recommend that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your trip.
If travelling overseas, your insurance must include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation or repatriation your baggage and equipment. It should cover the specific activities (for example, multi day off-road cycling) involved on your SITW trip.
We also highly recommend taking out a policy which also includes personal liability (which includes cycling as an activity), cancellation and cover in the event you are unable to join your trip due to illness or injury, curtailment, loss of luggage or personal effects, or for any other reason.Laka, Bikmo and Yellow Jersey are well known cycling specific insurers.
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If you are travelling internationally, please check visa requirements before booking.
Accomodation & Food
Basecamp
We‘re taking over the grounds of the gorgeous Insraich House, an easy 30 minute cycle from Aviemore. You can pitch your tent or campervan, or opt for one of the INCREDIBLE glamping options available. Basecamp will be our simple but lovely home in nature for the weekend, complete with fire pits, a rustic sauna, access to the river for a dip, and a communal stretch tent where we can shelter from any Scottish weather that we are blessed with. There are toilets, showers and running water on site.
Food
Breakfast and dinners are included everyday at our basecamp, and will be simple but filling and tasty affairs, served al fresco in our barn area.
Breakfast will be a simple but filling continental affair, with muesli, yoghurt, fruit and additional revolving treats. Dinners will be vegan friendly and plentiful.
Lunch and snacks on the ride are not included, but we’ll share recommendations on where to picj up supplies.
We’ll capture any dietary requirements at booking, but please email if you have any serious restrictions or allergies.
With two route options each day, a longer and shorter route, we have given this trip a range of 3/5 (shorter route) to 4/5 (longer routes) for challenge level.
About The Riding
Challenge Level
Terrain
The routes are majority (70%) off road, with slightly more tarmac on the shorter routes. Most of the tracks will be fairly smooth, with short sections of linking singletrack and rougher terrain that might be a wee bit challenging in places. On the longer routes, there will be some more challenging descents, with looser, rockier terrain and steeper gradients that require some confidence and skill in riding. On the shorter routes, these are minimised, and with extra time we expect that some riders may need to walk short sections. We can expect a bit of bog and mud thrown in for good measure!
Climbing
There is a decent amount of climbing, though expect less than you might find on a similar route length in hilly parts of England. The shorter routes will average around 500m of climbing, with closer to 1000m on the longer routes. The climbs are generally rideable and with a good gradient, though there may be shorter or rougher sections that require a bit of walking.
Daily Distances
We’ll have two core routes per day, with the shorter route between 40 and 50km, and the longer between 60 and 80km. Shortcuts are possible on the shorter routes on all days, to make a route of around 30-35km, but we may not have our guide team on these routes.
Remoteness & Weather
Scottish weather can be notoriously unpredictable, and thats all part of the fun! A spirit to embrace whatever comes is needed for this trip, as parts of the route are relatively remote and without shelter. Our guides will of course make adjustments to the route if needed to keep everyone safe.
Support Style
Our SITW Bikepacking trips aim to strike the perfect balance of freedom and support. Riders are free to ride the routes at their own pace or with the guide and group. Regardless, our team will be out on the routes to support and cheerlead.
Guiding
There will be two ride options each day, with SITW guides out on each of the route options. Each evening, we’ll put out sign ups for the next days rides, and set group starts for those who want to ride with a guide/group. We'll share all the routes and route information everyday and you are free to choose whether you want to ride self-supported or with a led group. If you choose to ride with a guided group, we'll be riding at a pace that suits that whole group. We’ll have a whatsapp set up for regrouping at scenic picnic stops, cafes and pubs along the way.
All riders should equipped with their own navigation and not rely on following a guide for directions. We’ll share a a specially curated collection of routes and route briefings via Komoot, to enable navigation and planning your days.
Support
Our guides are qualified first aiders and experienced mechanics and can help troubleshoot issues on the trail. Due to the nature of the routes, there is not a dedicated support vehicle for this trip. Our guide teams can help you trouble shoot getting back to basecamp or to a bike shop. This may include public transport, taxis, or waiting for a fellow rider or guide to pick you up at the end of the ride.
Bikes & Bike Hire
Bike hire is not included as standard in this trip, and riders are welcome to bring their own bike or hire locally.
Recommended Bike
A gravel bike with minimum 38mm tyres, and a good amount of grip, or a rigid or hardtail MTB are both good choices for this trip. If you are newer to off-road riding, a hardtail can be good for building confidence on the off-road sections, though may feel slower on the tarmac sections. The most important thing is that your bike is in safe working order.
Bike Hire
Yes. There are several hire places in Aviemore where you can hire a bike that will work well for the weekend. Aviemore Bikes offer a selection of gravel and mountain bikes. Get in touch with them directly to sort out your hire for the week.
Read our Complete Guide To Bikes On Sisters in the Wild Adventures for tips on travelling with your bike, recommended spares, and more.
FAQs
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There are good train connections to Aviemore, including an overnight train from London. Basecamp is about a 30 minute cycle from the train station. Please ensure you book a spot for your bike on the train - these are limited and should be checked before booking a ticket (or consider bike hire instead!).
There are no buses between Aviemore train station and basecamp, however we’ll set up a WhatsApp group which has worked well in the past to arrange lift shares!
The closest airports are Inverness or Glasgow/Edinburgh (more flights but further away). Train connections would then be available from the cities main train station.
Parking is limited on site, so we ask that people drop their stuff at the camping field, then move cars to areas around the site.
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Our Scotland Gravel Camps have typically had between 20 and 40 riders.
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We will try our best to accommodate dietary restrictions for meals that we prepare. If you have serious allergies, please email us before booking on hello@sistersinthewild.com.
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If off-road bikepacking is new for you, that’s great! A bit of preparation and practice can help you get the most out of the trip. We’d recommend working towards some hilly off-road rides of around 50km.
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If you can’t make it to basecamp in time for our shakedown ride on Day 1, that’s not a huge deal. We’ll have dinner and a rider briefing around 7pm. Please do not arrive at basecamp any earlier than 2pm on Day 1.
If you need to leave the night of Day 4, that is fine as well. Just plan your day’s ride accordingly so you are back at basecamp in time to pack up for your onward journey.
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Scottish weather can be notoriously unpredictable, and thats all part of the fun! Whilst we’ve been blessed with some great weather on our Scotland trips, rain and cooler temperatures can come any time of year. It’s best to be prepared for all eventualities. Pack your shorts and your woolies!
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We’’ll share a detailed packing list as part of the Trip Joining Info.
Camping stuff
You can hire most of this stuff:
Tent (available to hire)
Sleeping mat (available to hire)
Sleeping Bag (available to hire)
A bowl, cup and spork
Headtorch
Bike Stuff
The basics
Off-road bike
Helmet that adheres to current British safety standards
Navigation device (available to loan from us)
Bike lights (just in case!)
A lock for securing your bike at the hostel
A simple lock for the ride (optional)
Capacity to carry at least 1.5 litres of water.
Bikepacking bags
Small rucksack to supplement if needed.
Bike tools/spares to carry
General:
Spare tube (x 2) and patches
Small pump
Tubeless plugs/spare sealant if running tubeless tyres
Mutitool with what you need for your bike e.g. allen keys, chainbreaker
Small amount of chain oil
Specific stuff to your bike.
We don’t expect you to be able to fit these yourself (though kudos if you can!). But carrying these parts will mean that our guide, or a local bike shop can is more likely to be able to get you moving again.
Chain quick link (these are specific for your bike’s chain)
Spare derailleur hanger (specific to your bike.). This website can help you find the one you need for your bike.
Cycling clothes
Comfy shorts and quick dry t-shirts or cycling top. We recommend 2 sets that you can wash/swap through the trip, plus a warm layer set.
Shoes: We recommend only using clip in shoes/pedals if you’re already confident in off-road riding.
Light rain jacket
Gloves
Extra layers in case of poor weather, especially on
downhills e.g. leggings, mid layer, windbreaker
Glasses (optional but recommended – downhill bugs and
gravel dust)
Socks (1 for riding and 1 for evening?)
Cycling cap/hat to keep the sun off your face
Cclothing for basecamp:
Long clothing that protects against midges is a good idea :)
Midge heat net
Long leggings/trousers
A long t-shirt
Lightweight jacket e.g puffy jacket
Buff or hat depending on weather
Light weight sandals for evening (optional)
Shorts/tees if warm!
Underwear
Something to swim in!
Personal stuff:
Any personal medication needed
Water purification method – e.g. around 20 tablets, or a filter
Mini toiletteries (travel toothpaste, toothbrush etc)
Battery pack/cables to keep phone and nav device charged
Cash/card
Earplugs....just in case!
Lightweight towel for swims.
Sun cream/SPF lipbarm
Electrolytes if it’s gonna be warm!
Midge repellent spray
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Don’t worry! You can rent these from us for a small fee - just add them to your booking.
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Midges are the infamous tiny flying biting bug that can be an annoying feature of the outdoors in Scotland.
We’ve never had too much of an issue with them, but long loose layers for the evening, midge spray, and an emergency head net can make life nicer if we have a still evening.
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Absolutely! We find the majority of people come to our events solo (and usually leave with a gang of new riding buddies!). We'll have guided group rides heading out on both routes on all days.