Mountain Biking Collection by Katherine Moore
The Badger Divide — Lochs, bothies & the heart of the highlands
5 days
5-6 h/day
341km
5,000m
4,960m
Expect long and meandering gravel roads, chunky rocky passes, forestry roads and quiet linking lanes. There’s also quite a few towns and villages on the route, making resupply fairly simple, especially considering how remote some of these areas can be.
For exceptionally fit, experienced and ambitious riders, the Badger Divide can be completed in two days with an overnight stop at Loch Ossian Youth Hostel or camping nearby. While there’s no hike-a-bike along the route, some of the climbs are not to be underestimated and can take some time, especially in inclement weather. Here we propose the route over five stages, which of course you can choose to combine or ride as single day stages – up to you.
You might be wondering where the name came from? Comically, it’s a play on words referring to the Baja Divide, a well known bikepacking route in Baja, California.
Open Access Legislation in Scotland makes this route possible, so make sure you’re respectful of the environment and follow the Outdoor Access Code (outdooraccess-scotland.scot/). There are a number of bothies and youth hostels, hotels and guesthouses along the route if you’d rather not camp or if the weather is rough.
The best time of year to tackle the Badger Divide is either late spring to early summer, once the ground has dried out a little, yet before the onset of midge season, or after it in September/October. It’s not recommended for the winter season due to potential severe weather and dangerous river crossings.
When travelling to the start and finish of the Badger Divide, access is very easy by train, with both of these points being close to major city train stations. Find out more and plan your journey at scotrail.co.uk.
Find out more about the Badger Divide and the institutions that help make this possible here thebadgerdivide.co.uk and more about The Racing Collective’s annual ride using this route here theracingcollective.com/scotduro.html
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The Badger Divide
339km
5,110m
5,110m
Last updated: November 28, 2024
Do it yourself!
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Ready to get going? Create and customize your own version of this adventure using the full route below as a template.
Plan your own version of this adventure in the multi-day planner based on the stages suggested in this Collection.
Activities
66.4km
05:54
1,240m
1,230m
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
60.2km
05:36
1,180m
900m
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
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62.6km
05:04
690m
740m
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
82.6km
06:14
1,140m
1,270m
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.
69.3km
05:22
750m
810m
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.
Collection Stats
Activities
5
Distance
341 km
Duration
28:11 h
Elevation
5,000 m
4,960 m
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