Cycling in the Straths, the norths friendliest sportive, returns on 23rd May 2026 with two iconic routes through beautiful Mackay Country.

Choose from:

• The Strathnaver Challenge:  a 92 km ride leaving Tongue towards Bettyhill, riders will then head inland through Strathnaver, scene of some of the most notorious acts in the Highland Clearances, to Altnaharra, along Strathmore and back to Tongue.
• The Ben Hope Trial: a 72 km route with riders starting and finishing in Tongue on a circuit via Altnaharra and Strathmore. Riders first head south towards Altnaharra where they will join the later half of the Strathnaver Challenge route.

Both routes take you through country rich in natural and cultural heritage, through the newly designated World Heritage Site ‘The Flow Country’, important for its blanket bog and the species it supports, to testaments to 8,000 years of human occupation such as the enigmatic Dun Dornaigil Broch at Hope.Both routes are marshalled, with water and feed stations serving homemade flapjacks amongst other goodies, and a broom wagon following up in the rear.

On your return to HQ, enjoy a complimentary homemade bowl of soup and sandwiches, tea and coffee, and some more of our homemade flapjacks.

Why ride Cycling in the Straths:

• Unrivalled scenery on some of the quietest roads in the country
• Finisher’s medal
• Feed stations along the route
• Friendly staff
• Fully insured
• Marshalled route with Broom Wagon
• Complimentary soup and sandwiches on your return

All money raised through Cycling in the Straths supports community heritage projects in our area.