Venture North: Tourist Information for Caithness & Sutherland
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  • Plan your stay
    • Accommodation
      • Harrow Cottages
      • Melvich Hotel
      • Highland Glen Lodges
      • Ardgay Glamping Pods
      • Eddrachilles Hotel
      • Apartment 65B, Thurso
      • Munro House / Croft 148 3 Bed Caravan / Campervan Parking
      • Langhills House
      • Oldshoremore Retreats Self-Catering
      • Dornoch Castle
      • Ulbster Arms
      • Bannockburn Inn
      • Ferry View Campsite
      • The Sheiling B&B / NC 500
      • Newton Lodge
      • John O Groats Caravan and Camping Site
      • Ceol Mor Highland Lodges
      • Culgower House
      • Northern Sands Hotel
      • Forse of Nature
      • Inver Lodge
      • Tongue Hotel
      • Dunnet Head Lighthouse
      • The Hawthorns B&B
      • Castletown Hotel
      • Kylesku Hotel
      • Smoo Lodge
      • Mackays Hotel
      • The Norseman Hotel
      • Seaview Hotel
      • Royal Marine Hotel
      • Thurso Bay Caravan & Camping Park
      • Royal Golf Hotel
      • Thurso Bay Holidays
      • Caithness View Luxury Farm Lodges
      • Ben Loyal Hotel and Glamping Pods
      • Thrumster House
      • Invercassley Cottage Annex
      • Seaview Cottage
      • North Highland Holidays
      • The Halladale & North Coast Touring Park
      • Links House
      • Dunnet Bay Accommodation
      • Sharvedda
      • Lazybed Accommodation
      • Greenland House
    • Food & Drink
      • The Blue Door Coffee Shop Diner, Thurso Bay
      • No. 1 Bistro
      • Mr C's Bar
      • Crannag Bistro
      • The River Bothy
      • Bydand Licensed Restaurant
    • Activities & Experiences
      • Assynt Fly Fishing
      • Richard's Garage (Car Hire and Repairs)
      • Ulbster Alpaca Trekking
      • RobbieMac Tours & Ancestry Services
      • Royal Dornoch Golf Club
      • James Curley FlyFishing
      • Caithness Seacoast Ltd
      • North Coast Wet n' Wild
      • Above and Beyond Tours
      • Sutherland Adventure Company
      • North Coast Watersports
      • A Highland Blend
      • Go-Hi App - Travel Made Simple
      • John O'Groats Ferries
      • Connell Outdoor Pursuits
      • Vitality with Donna Booth
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      • Thrumster Station
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      • Dunbeath Heritage Trust
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      • Lyth Arts Centre
      • Wick Heritage Museum
      • Strathnaver Museum
      • Timespan
      • Castle Sinclair Girnigoe
      • Camster Cairns
      • Yarrows Archeaological Trail
      • The Flow Country
      • Clan Gunn Heritage Centre
      • Whaligoe Steps
      • Duncansby Stacks
      • Smoo Cave
      • Dunrobin Castle
      • Wick Harbour Authority
      • Handa Island
    • Local Shopping
      • Biron's Ironmongers
      • Golspie Larder
      • The Lybster Studio
      • Northshore Pottery
      • Rock Rose Gin
      • Kelpies Treasure
      • Caithness Furniture
      • MUT Chandlery & Watersports
      • Marks and Pencils
      • Jail Dornoch
      • Hugo Ross, Fishing Tackle Specialists
      • Inspired by Caithness
      • Patricia Niemann Design
      • Caithness Summer Fruits
      • Winston the Bear
      • Caithness Chamber of Commerce
      • Simply The Best Toys and Gifts
      • Lindsey Gallacher
      • Ice and Fire Distillery
      • Bin Ends
    • Suggested Itineraries
      • Space to Just be
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      • Wick Away-Day: History and Heritage
      • Wick Away-Day: Seascapes and Royalty
      • Wick Away-Day: Wildlife and Whisky
      • Wick/Caithness multi-day itinerary
  • What to do
    • Golf
    • Surfing
    • Mountain Biking
    • Beaches
    • Bird Watching
    • Cycling
    • Paddlesport
    • Flora
    • Hiking and Walking
    • Archaeology
    • Wildlife
    • Fishing & Fieldsports
    • Aurora Borealis
    • Scuba Diving
    • Castles
  • Area guides
    • East Caithness
      • Wick
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      • Reiss
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    • Central & East Sutherland
      • Dornoch
      • Golspie
      • Brora
      • Helmsdale
      • Bonar Bridge
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      • Kildonan
    • North Sutherland
      • Bettyhill
      • Durness
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  • Mountain Biking

Mountain Biking

Get ready for the rush as you ride our incredible downhill mountain bike trails in Sutherland. With the second-longest single descent route in the UK you know it’s going epic!

Mountain Biking

Mountain Bike holidays

Are you looking for the best of mountain biking in the North Highlands for a true adventure experience?

Look no further. We have two fantastic mountain bike centres based in the east of Sutherland:

Highland Wildcat Trails – Golspie

  • 27.6km of trails
  • Suitable for moderate (Blue) to severe (Black) riders
  • Longest Route – Black Trail (13.6km)
  • Highlight - Second-longest technical single-track descent in UK (7km)
  • Trail Guide – www.highlandwildcat.com
  • Facilities – Car park available at the foot of the trails

Balblair Mountain Bike Trails – Kyle of Sutherland

  • 10.5km of trails
  • Suitable for moderate (Blue) to severe (Black) riders
  • Longest route – Rock Hard (1km)
  • Trail Guide PDF - Balblair MTB Trails Map
  • Facilities – Car park available at the foot of the trails


If you are looking to explore off the beaten trail then there are numerous mountain paths and rugged tracks across Sutherland and Caithness which lend themselves well to mountain biking and cross-country cycling.

We would recommend using OS maps and Trailforks to help you plan your trip. Visit Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland's ‘Do the Ride Thing’ site for all the information you need on mountain biking outdoor access rights in Scotland.

For those looking for family-friendly adventures and gentle trails then we have plenty of low-level paths and routes shared with walkers which are accessible to cyclists. Many of these routes can be accessed through the Huli Route Planner which creates personalised cycle routes for free.

If you are interested in road cycling in Caithness and Sutherland check out our road cycling page.


Mountain bike hire and sales

There are several rental options for bikes around Sutherland and Caithness, including mountain bikes and electric mountain bikes, so you don’t have to worry about taking all your equipment with you if you’re strapped for space or travelling on public transport.

Scotrail does have a limited number of bike spaces available on the Far North Line.

If you are looking to purchase a bike while you are travelling, new or second hand, then there are also several options for sales.

Heaven Bikes – Bonar Bridge and Dornoch

  • Mountain bike rental
  • E-bike rental
  • Hybrid bike rental
  • Gravel and adventure bike rental
  • Children’s mountain bike rental
  • Infant balance bikes rental
  • Bike servicing and repairs
  • Bike sales
  • Delivery/collection available in local area – additional charge

Dornoch Bike Hire – Dornoch

  • Mountain bike hire
  • E-bike hire
  • Hybrid bike hire
  • Tandem bike hire
  • Children’s bike hire
  • Helmet and combination lock included in hire
  • Delivery/collection service available on request – additional charge

Sam’s Bike Shed – Golspie

  • Bike hire
  • Bike repairs and servicing
  • Collection and delivery included
  • Bike sales

Barnes Bits & Bikes - Scourie

  • Bike sales, repairs and servicing
  • Build services
  • 2nd hand bike sales

The Bike Shop – Thurso

  • Bike sales
  • E-bike sales
  • Shop and repair services

The Spot Cycles – Wick

  • Mountain bike sales
  • Traditional bike sales
  • Adult and child sizes available
  • Shop and repair services

Mountain bike experiences

Whether you are looking for guides, coaching, organised ride days, events, local clubs or more, there are so many ways to make the most of your mountain biking experience.

Although some of the following suggestions are not mountain biking specific, they will offer you the contacts and local information to help plan your trip.

Guides

North Coast Wet n Wild

Clubs

East Sutherland Wheelers

Wick Wheelers Cycling Club

Caithness Cycling Club

Ride events

There are often organised cycle events and courses throughout the year in Sutherland and Caithness. We would recommend checking our What’s On page to see what events are coming up along with local club and trail centre pages.


Mountain Bike Safety

We would highly recommend that you plan your mountain bike holiday in advance and take into account your skills and knowledge before attempting any routes. If you are a beginner mountain biker you might want to consider a guided trip or coached skills day to get you started with everything you need to know.

Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland have produced a variety of excellent resources and guides specifically for mountain bikers:

  • Scottish MTB Ride Guide - including advice for beginner and newer riders
  • Into the Wild - tackling bigger and more remote routes
  • Riding at Trail Centres - responsible access for trail centres

For any outdoor adventure in Caithness and Sutherland

We would recommend:

  • Always tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back
  • Carry a communication device with you and know how to contact the emergency services (more below)
  • Prepare appropriately for your activity and the weather – map, equipment, clothing, food and drink etc.
  • Be prepared to change your plans at late notice if something unexpected comes up

Contacting Mountain Rescue

If you get into difficulty on your mountain biking day and need emergency assistance you will need to contact Mountain Rescue:

  • Dial 999 and ask for the Police
  • Ask the Police for Mountain Rescue
  • Give Mountain Rescue as much information as you can about your location and situation

Mountain Rescue are a voluntary organisation across the UK who rescue those in need at wild and remote locations. Visit Assynt Mountain Rescue to find out more about our local rescue team and consider donating to their cause.


More mountain biking

Check out Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland’s great website on all the trails available in Scotland. They have a ride guide for the North Highlands where you can discover more trail centres and mountain bike experiences near Caithness and Sutherland.


  • View our Activities, Tours & Rentals to find local guides and rentals for your adventures.

  • View our Accommodation to choose the perfect base for your adventures.

Next Event

Supporting Highland Climate Festival

Supporting Highland Climate Festival

Celebrating 20 years of working with the Highland Council on the North Highland Way. Workshops - Can the area become a "green destination", peat vs horse poo, handling food waste and much more.


25 June 2022 - 3 July 2022
Various
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Venture North are the Destination Management Organisation for tourism in Caithness and Sutherland. We play a lead role in tourism across the region, working with local partners, tourism businesses and communities to ensure Caithness and Sutherland continues to be a high-quality tourism destination offering a wide range of activities and experiences for visitors in a unique and stunning natural landscape and environment.

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