Saddle Skedaddle

Suitable for those with mountain biking experience and a good level of fitness, this thrilling trip is perfect for those looking for a challenging adventure in Morocco.

The High Atlas mountains are a fantastic venue for a biking holiday, with mile upon mile of uninterrupted jeep tracks and trails. On this biking adventure we take on some challenging climbs and superb descents en route from the olive groves of the Demnate area, up through the green Nepalese-like valley of Ait Bougmez, before ending in the pine forests and towering rock faces Of the Ahansal River valley.

The riding explores remote mountain roads, ancient trading routes and livestock trails. While good bike handling skills are essential, the routes are generally not of a high technical level.

The Central High Atlas is one of the most unspoilt and beautiful mountain regions anywhere in the world. The variety of landscape here is staggering - from stark mountains, fertile valleys and rocky gorges, to rivers, pine forests and isolated windswept plateaux. There’s also a great challenge on the last day, a long day in the saddle but without doubt a highlight of this holiday.

Nights are spent in basic ‘gite’ accommodation – family houses converted into friendly, no-frills, village guest houses. This is a simple trip geared to those want to experience off-the-beaten-track Morocco in an authentic and adventurous way. In the evening we have the chance to sample Morocco’s cuisine, whilst lunches are normally taken picnic style, usually in beautifully remote places.

Highlights

• The winding and exhilarating descent to La Cathedrale
• Sharing freshly baked bread and olive oil with High Atlas Berbers
• The Ait Bougmez Valley – one of Morocco’s most picturesque spots
• Morocco’s most epic day of remote mountain trails
• The dazzling Ait Melloul river valley
• Traversing the wild plateau of the High Atlas where nomads roam

Ethiopia is an ancient country whose unique cultural heritage, rich history and remarkable biodiversity are reflected in a tally of nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Within its borders, you’ll find the world’s 4th holiest Islamic city along with the oldest continuously occupied town south of the Sahara.

Compelling antiquities include the medieval rock-hewn churches of Lalibela and Axum, ruined palaces and temples dating back 3,000 years, the magnificent 17th century castles of Gondar, and the oldest human fossils unearthed anywhere on the planet. Add to this the beautiful Simien Mountains with its awe inspiring views, incredible wildlife such as Gelada Baboons, Walia Ibex and the majestic Bearded Vultures and it is little wonder that Ethiopia is a must see destination for adventurous cyclists and hikers.

Following arrival into the country’s bustling capital Addis Ababa we fly up to Bahir Dar where after a visit to Ura Kidane Monastery we start our cycling with a ride to the Blue Nile Waterfall. Next stop is the former capital of Gondar, with its magnificent castle, before we head to the majestic Simien Mountains for a couple of days of simply stunning hiking.

Back on the bikes we leave the lofty heights of the Simien and wind our way through the Tekeze Mountains to Zarima before reaching Axum. There’s lots to see here and so with this in mind we spend a day exploring its numerous cultural highlights.

Our next spot of cycling sees us exploring the region of Tigra and the Gheralta Mountains. It’s here in this spaghetti-western landscape of flat dry plains and towering rock outcrops, that rust-red pinnacles soar like sandcastles above the plateaus and is where we have an incredible barefoot climb to the famous church of Abuna Yemata in Gar’Alta Hawzen.

We end the tour in style with two lovely days of cycling in Mekele and Gashena before time at the UNESCO world heritage site of Lalibela where we spend a day visiting the magnificent rock-hewn churches.

Back in Addis there just time for a final delicious spot of Ethiopian food and a cold celebratory Dashen beer at one of its most famous restaurants before connections home.

Holiday Highlights
The spellbinding Simien Mountains & its Gelada Baboons 
Delicious food and Ethiopian coffee stops 
Lake Tana and The Blue Nile waterfall 
Historic Lalibela, Axum & tales of the Queen of Sheeba 
The climb to Abuna Yemana Guh Rock Church

This cycling holiday in the UK allows you to experience the quieter parts of the Lake District with ease. Over 6 days of varied cycling you’ll visit some of the prettiest parts of the Lakes and without doubt the most dramatic scenery in England. Cycling on quiet roads, designated cycleways and well-surfaced tracks you’ll explore the very best the area has to offer.

Superb local inns and cafes provide delicious lunches and refreshments en-route and with both Keswick and Ambleside providing options aplenty for your evening meals and post-ride pints you’ll be spoilt for choice.
Your base for the first few days is the bustling Keswick from where you’ll ride each day. The first highlight is the gorgeous Newlands Valley with views of Cat Bells that acts as a great taster for the routes to follow.

Enjoyable routes over the next days take you around the immense Bassenthwaite Lake and Dodd Wood, where you’ll be able to visit the Lake District Osprey Project to check-out these amazing Birds of Prey. Heading a little further out from Derwent Water you can also make your way to Mungrisdale during a scenic ride that affords great views of both Skiddaw and Blencathra.

Mid-point you'll leave Keswick and head south to your next base in Ambleside. Your journey there is fabulous and includes the historic Castlerigg Stone Circle, St John’s in the Vale and the gorgeous Grasmere.

Your first ride from Ambleside takes in Wray Castle, Lake Windermere, Esthwaite Water and the picturesque village of Hawkshead where you can visit the Beatrix Potter Gallery Museum, with your final ride taking in Wordsworth’s homes of Dove Cottage and Rydal Mount ending your week in style.

Holiday Highlights
Taking in a lake view over a traditional pub lunch 
Cycling up to Castlerigg Stone Circle 
Visiting the famous Beatrix Potter Museum 
Sampling Grasmere’s famous Gingerbread 
Glimpses of Ospreys over Dodd Wood

We'll explore some of the classic Strade Bianche routes of the Eroica and sections of the historic Via Francigena pilgrimage route, linking everything together with ancient trading routes, mule tracks and our own favourite hidden gems.

This is quintessential Tuscan gravel riding, bringing together great riding with typical Italian style and plenty of local delicacies to keep us fuelled.

Along the way we mix up the classic gravel roads with some smother tarmac road sections allowing us to move through the different regions and avoid some of the steeper climbs! Some narrow woodland trails add a bit of extra to the riding as we test our skills on some short sections of more challenging terrain.

Our week's riding takes us on a loop south through the Chianti region and to the iconic views of the Colline Sienesi lined with cypress trees. A two-night stay affords us time to explore the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Val D’Orcia and Pienza and to see the hotsprings of Bagno Vignoni. Along the route, we touch some of the most important towns of Tuscany most of which are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Radda in Chianti, San Quirico, Pienza, Siena, and Montalcino as well as lesser-known villages, such as Castelnuovo, Asciano, and Murlo.

As we loop round towards the northwest and ending in the Colline Pisane we pass the incredible hilltop towns of Monteriggioni and San Gimignano. Combining magical views with fabulous sections of white limestone Strada Bianca roads we'll experience iconic Tuscany but from our week of riding we'll have also shared the quiet backroads, forest trails and special local cafes that make Tuscany so special to us.

Talking of Tuscany, we can’t miss out the wine! Every region has it's own unique speciality and you will have the opportunity to taste the classic reds of Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Nobile di Moltepulciano, or a refreshing cool glass of Venraccia of San Gimignano as well as sampling the lesser known, but just as delicious, wines of the Colline Pisane.

Highlights

• Riding some of the classic “Strade Bianche” of Tuscany as well as lesser-known gravel routes
• Cycling through the historic wine regions of Tuscany, stopping off for a bit of wine tasting
• Exploring the region on a mix of terrains
• Riding the stunning UNESCO heritage region of Val d’Orcia
• Relaxing in small villages for a coffee with the locals
• Easing along the rolling hills of the ‘Colli Sienesi’
• Chilling out with a post-ride Chianti or Brunello

Although each day’s riding is designed to vary to take in the best of the area and routes, we will be averaging around 60% off-road, mixing in tarmac sections to link up the best gravel tracks and take the pinch out of some of the hills. The Strade Bianche tend to be wide, good compact gravel, though there could be some small bumps and occasional potholes and looser gravel at the edges. Even the country roads will have a mixed surface, from farm roads with potholes and if rainy, mud, to sections with loose small stones. Forest tracks (approximately 5% of the overall offroad sections) are a mix of smooth trails and uneven surface and may feature some uphill sections that require carrying the bike for very short portions.

Our grade for this holiday reflects the distances ridden on the often hilly nature of the Tuscan landscape with daily ascents and descents of between 900m and 1300m. You can expect short and sharp climbs alongside longer, steadier ascents. The descents will be just as frequent with sections of loose gravel to tackle, particularly on the corners.

Peppered throughout the awe-inspiring landscape you’ll find evidence of Morocco’s rich cultural history just begging to be explored - ancient fortified kasbahs with their windowless high walls and the maze-like medinas with their colourful shops, fragrant restaurants, and bustling mosques that serve as the heart and soul of any city. Morocco wouldn't be Morocco without its people - warm, inviting, and famous for their hospitality, the Moroccans are always eager to share a mint tea along with a story or two.

On this biking adventure, we explore a range of Morocco’s fantastic trails, including remote paths and dirt roads taking us from Marrakech to the Tichka Pass, the highest in the High Atlas, before descending along the Draa Valley to the fringes of the Sahara Desert. Here, mud-brick kasbahs appear to rise up out of the desert, sitting in tranquil palm oases and framed by dramatic backdrops of snow-capped mountains.

En route we pass through numerous traditional villages, including a visit to the ancient kasbah of Ait Benhaddou, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll also make plenty of mint tea stops to experience first-hand the legendary hospitality that has risen up from these remote desert outposts. As we descend from the High Atlas, we witness a gradual change in flora and fauna as the desert starts to make its imprint on the landscape. Following a route of palm oases that hide the occasional refreshing pool for a dip, we cycle alongside ruined villages and kasbahs which, in the early morning and late afternoon, are bathed in a sublime desert light.

As we arrive at the fringe of the Sahara Desert, not far from the town of Zagora, we take a break from the bikes and kasbah hotels and instead opt for camels and a night under the stars in a Berber desert tent, surrounded by pre-Saharan dunes. This is the ultimate trip for those who are looking for a mountain-biking adventure paired with memorable cultural experiences!

Highlights

• Biking across the remote, beautiful, and untouched Jebel Sirwa mountains
• Exploring crumbling remains of the past in Morocco’s many kasbahs
• Riding a huge variety of rewarding tracks and trails
• Sleeping under the stars in the Sahara Desert
• Relaxing in one of Morocco’s most beautiful palm oases
• Strolling through the spellbinding network of souks in Marrakech medina

Based in Penrith in the Northern Lake District, this guided holiday is perfect for those who are new to cycling or who want to develop their skills and experience to cycle safely and more confidently. Our guides will show you how to set your bikes up at the start of each day and to do necessary safety and maintenance checks to ensure you all have a safe and comfortable ride. They'll also carry all the kit you need for the day's ride and show you what's needed to fully enjoy a day out on the bike.

With plenty of milestones, activities and adventures to make each ride memorable, you can enjoy the sights around Penrith whilst experiencing some great cycling on minor roads and the Sustrans National Cycle Network. We will pass Greystoke and Brougham Castles, cycle along the Eden Valley and enjoy an ice cream at Abbots Lodge.

The rides will take place on traffic-free cyclepaths and minor roads. With the proper training and precautions, cycling on quiet backroads can be the perfect place to ride with your family giving you access to a wider network of routes at home.

Holiday Highlights

• Cycling in the stunning Eden Valley 
• Tarzan impressions while passing Greystoke Castle 
• Revelling in the ramparts of Brougham Castle 
• Racing the adults up a cheeky Skedaddle hill 
• Deciding if it’s one or two scoops of ice cream at Abbots Lodge Dairy 
• Sinking a pint of fine Cumbrian Ale after a day on the bike! Well it’s not all about the kids, is it!

Riding in the unspoilt region of Spain, this journey takes you through the most stunning mountain range in western Andalucia. During the tour you'll find yourself cycling along quiet country roads and lanes which will lead you past limestone peaks and cork oak clad sierras, linking the traditional pueblos blancos (white villages) that this region of Spain is famous for.

This is a moderately paced road cycling holiday exploring exquisite countryside, Moorish history and fantastic food with lashings of Andaluz character. This rural corner of Andalucia is worlds apart from the busy costas of the Mediterranean. Immersed in its history and proud of their traditions, you will see the ‘campesinos’ working the land and herding livestock to produce exquisite cheeses and cured meats, succulent fruits, olives and grapes to turn into sherries and wines.

Our cycling starts out from the hilltop village of Alcala de los Gazules, the route heading straight into Los Alcornacales, with rolling hills as far as the eye can see. The road climbs past the peak of Picacho before a long sweeping descent down the lush Hozgarganta river valley and the village of Jimena de la Frontera, crowned by its impressive castle. Ronda is next on the cycling hit list, with time for us to explore the beautifully preserved old town and Tajo gorge, with the next few days spent in the beauty of the Grazalema Natural Park and finally Arcos de la Frontera.

Holiday Highlights
A fantastic mixture of great small rural hotels 
Exploring beautiful Ronda, perched on its magnificent gorge 
Reaching the dramatic Puerto de las Palomas 
Grazalema, nestled below atmospheric, limestone mountains 
Sipping local sherries with tasty tapas in the bodegas of Arcos

The Coast to Coast by bike (C2C) is a ‘must-do’ cycling holiday in the UK! With its quiet country lanes, cycleways and paths it's a wonderful way to see the varied and beautiful landscapes of northern England, on the National Cycle Network route from the Irish Sea across to the North Sea.

After leaving the sea at Whitehaven, we head eastwards into the solitude and space of the Lake District, Cumbria and the North Pennines. This well paced cycling holiday ends 140 miles later as we cross the fabulous Millennium Bridge in Newcastle before reaching Tynemouth.

Newcastle is our chosen rendezvous point for cycling the Coast to Coast. With its excellent road, rail and air connections getting to Newcastle is easy. From Newcastle we transfer by minibus to our first night’s accommodation near Keswick. After breakfast we make our way again by minibus to Whitehaven. Over the next few days our cycling takes us through Cumbria, across the rugged scenery of the North Pennines and along the River Tyne to Tynemouth.

Highlights
Dramatic landscapes of the Lake District and Pennines 
Cycle friendly route – cycle paths and quiet country lanes 
Fully supported and awesome Skedaddle lunches 
Bike friendly B&Bs offering mouthwatering breakfasts 
Great sense of achievement, crossing the country, coast to coast

A unique cycling holiday in the UK along Northumberland’s stunning coastline, cycling past impressive castles and fortresses dating back to the Middle Ages. Our cycling holiday begins at the quaint village of Warkworth where the route travels northwards alongside the wide sandy beaches and dunes of Embleton, Newton-by-the-Sea and Bamburgh. You can then cross the tidal causeway (check the tide times!) to the historic Holy Island otherwise known as Lindisfarne, the place where the 8th Century Lindisfane Gospels were created. 

This cycling holiday includes stunning views of the impressive castles of Dunstanburgh, Bamburgh, and Lindisfarne.  The route then continues North to finish at the Elizabethan border town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, with its impressive defenses built during many years of border wars.  From Berwick-upon-Tweed we'll whisk you back to your car in Warkworth, or you can catch the train home from here. 

This self-guided trip is for a minimum of 2 people and accommodation, transfers, luggage transfers and emergency back up are all included. We also provide detailed route notes and maps to enable you to do the route self-guided. Nothing could be simpler!

Create your own - If you are looking for extra days, extra routes, additional transfers, specialist bicycles on this route, then please contact the Skedaddle Office to discuss the available options.

Holiday Highlights
Lindisfarne with its castle and priory 
Mile upon mile of golden dunes and sandy beaches 
The pretty fishing villages North of Warkworth 
The majestic castles of Dunstanburgh and Bamburgh 
The historic town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, England’s most Northern town

Each day you’ll ride along picturesque lochs, cross rugged peninsulas, pedal through serene spruce forests and past ancient castles with each viewpoint beating the last.

The joy of gravel riding in Argyll lies in being able to get into nature and experience the natural wonders with few visitors around, and with a steady variety of fun riding surfaces to keep things interesting on the bike.

Your riding starts in Helensburgh, a handsome Victorian coastal town on the Firth of Clyde and the starting point of this route as well as another famous one, the John Muir Way. It’s not long after climbing out of Helensburgh that we enter Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, and we follow Glen Fruin, Gleann Culanach and Glen Douglas before reaching the top of Loch Long and continue around the Ardgarten Peninsula to Lochgoilhead.

We continue down the shores of Loch Goil and wind past Holy Loch to the main coastal town of the Cowal peninsula, Dunoon. From here we ride north along Loch Eck, via Glenbranter Forest and a final climb through Glendaruel to stop at Portavadie. A morning ferry crosses Loch Fyne before we leave the stunning shoreline and climb to the highest point of the route for some tremendous views. Before long we pass Castle Sween the oldest stone castle in Scotland and follow Loch Sween toward Lochgilphead. Our finish winds back to Helensburgh via Hell’s Glen, Glen Croe and Loch Lomond in the shadows of some towering Scottish peaks.

This holiday is aimed at those who have enjoyed Skedaddle road cycling or mountain bike trips and want to have a taste of gravel riding in a remote area, as well as gravel riders wanting to see what this fabulous location has to offer.

Highlights

• Rugged landscapes and spruce forests on the Ardgartan Peninsula
• Scenic shoreline riding on Loch Goil, Loch Long and Loch Eck
• Pairing Scotland’s finest seafood with local whisky and craft beer
• Deep glens beneath towering mountains in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park
• Sunsets across Loch Fyne at Portavadie
• Chance to spot otters, red squirrels and white-tailed eagles

The Wild About Argyll Trail features a good mix of off-road riding as well as some minor, quiet roads, with the occasional busier section of road where unavoidable.

The route takes advantage of some terrific forest roads and tracks, composed of gravel and hard-packed surfaces, some rougher paved sections, grassy and occasionally muddy single track, and some looser surfaces on select single track sections which are a bit more technical.