Saddle Skedaddle

Peru is, without a doubt, one of the ultimate mountain biking destinations in the world. After years of exploring on our bikes in and around Cuzco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas, we have put together what is surely the definitive singletrack mountain bike holiday in Peru!

The riding in Peru is unique and challenging. There will be traverses on narrow singletrack, descents on rocky trails and remote trails through spectacular wilderness areas. Some of the routes explore genuine incan-built trails connecting abandoned ruins in high mountains. While the altitude and terrain dictate that we focus on some of the most spectacular descents you can imagine, we have designed this trip with experienced mountain bikers from all genres in mind. Cross-country riders will relish the remote mountain singletrack and enduro riders will be stunned by the challenging technical descents.

Every day there’s another exciting challenge, whether it’s an optional climb to a 4330m pass or a 26km singletrack descent of a vertical kilometre, you’ll not be disappointed. The Andes serve up mile after mile of switchbacks, rocky paths, epic descents and equally ambitious cross country routes.

You’ll hone your riding technique on original Inca trails, dodge llamas and alpacas and enjoy the amazing nightlife of Cuzco almost as extreme as the trails themselves! During the trip, our Peruvian guides, mechanics, drivers and support staff will delight in instructing you in the finer art of Andean biking and make sure your bike is always in tip-top condition.

Not only are our guides expert riders, but they’ll be able to tell you all about the history and culture of the area, and also have an in-depth knowledge of all the best restaurants and nightlife spots to make your holiday a real blast. With miles of pristine and largely downhill trails just waiting to be explored, our trip zig-zags across the Inca Empire, ending with an optional visit to the incredible ruins of Machu Picchu.

During the rides we discover local markets and get truly off the beaten track to explore rarely visited Inca ruins on the most mind-blowingly brilliant trails. Every night we stay in a mix of delightful hotels and lodges which we use as a base for several days at a time, meaning you can unpack and relax in between days on your bike. So hot showers and delicious food every day and a few cheeky chilled cusquenas after the rides too!

Holiday Highlights
Time at the incredible Machu Picchu 
Descending the Inca staircases of Chinchero 
Long winding descents and remote mountain singletrack 
Ancient llama-trails through Lares and Lamay 
Bar-hopping in colourful Cusco

A superb biking holiday suited to those with an adventurous spirit. One of the true travelling frontiers, Mongolia offers an incredible experience for cyclists as we cycle into the heart of Mongolia and meet its nomadic people.

This biking tour starts at the Southern edge of the Khangai Mountains after a visit to the dramatic sand dunes of Elsen Tasarkhai before taking in the stunning Sharguljuut River valley.

From here the highlights unfold day-after-day and include the Shar Hutul Pass, the scenic Tamir River Valley and the superb views from the Khul Sayangiin Pass. Close to Bulgan we visit a nomadic family at their Ger to learn more about their way of life and at Tsenkher soothe our muscles at their hot springs. Our cycling journey ends in the impressive Orkhon Valley where Chinggis Khan based his Mongol capital before we head back to Ulaan Bataar via the impressive Erdenne Zhu monastery.

This is a fully-supported ride camping under the stars when not in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia’s capital. All cooking is catered for by our local team and served in the great outdoors. We cycle through a diversity of landscapes, including lush green grasslands and pine forests via a series of rock-strewn dirt roads, rocky river crossings, compacted earth and the route does include some steep climbs.

Along the way we will see a diverse array of wildlife: many birds of prey, cattle, yaks, gophers, and the pride of many Mongolians, the horse. The sheer adventure aspect of this biking tour makes this a trip that is sure to delight Skedaddlers in search of somewhere very unique.

The trip involves some steeper cheekier climbs which can be walked or done in the support vehicle should you choose and some rocky downhills. There are also a couple of days featuring some extended loose rocky sections along river beds but overall it is about 70-80% on hard-pack jeep trails with some river crossings so be prepared for wet feet on certain days.

Highlights

• The Palace of Bogd Khan & Ganden Monastery – Ulaan Baatar
• Tsetserleg Hot Springs & time at a traditional Ger camp
• Gorgeous Tamir River Valley & Orkhon Valley Falls
• Delicious food and nights under the stars
• Cycling through one of the world’s true wildernesses
• Nomadic horsemen and smiling children along the way

During the trip you will be almost completely off-road with the greater part being hard-packed dirt tracks or trails strewn with rocks. There is almost no traffic but you still need to be alert for rocks, potholes and track divots. There are several river crossings, so you can expect to get your feet wet!

A true classic, our mountain biking holiday in the Sierra Nevada mountains is designed to be both challenging and incredibly rewarding for experienced mountain bikers. We have the opportunity to explore seldom-ridden trails through the high mountains and highlights include two nights spent in mountain refugios spectacularly located at over 2500 metres.
 
Our Spanish team is convinced that the Sierra Nevada provides some of the finest riding you will experience anywhere in Europe. Our take on the Sierra Nevada adheres to the Saddle Skedaddle ethos of exceptional place to place cross country and enduro MTB tours. The terrain is natural, so while you wont see many berms or drops there are frequent sections requiring good bike-handling skills.

The Sierra Nevada is the highest mountain range in Spain, rising well over 3000m. The range was first inhabited by the Moors and Berbers that were driven out of Granada in 1492 at the end of the Christian Reconquista, and who created a cultivated hospitable land with villages linked by paths, and with orchards and allotments watered by snow melt from the high sierra.

hese paths and waterways, along with trails walked by shepherds for centuries have made the Sierra Nevada a mountain bikers Shangri-La. Our Sensational Sierra Nevada trip is almost a full loop of the Sierra and takes in the very best of these trails, providing a fantastic showcase of the area.

Holiday Highlights
Remote technical riding on seldom visited paths 
Testing climbs and descents on natural terrain 
Re-fuelling on tasty local cuisine 
Endless free-flowing trails through a bikers paradise 
Sleeping comfortably in a high-mountain refugio

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

This ultimate place-to-place MTB trip is aimed squarely at fit and experienced riders. A mountain bike holiday of the very highest calibre, a truly epic Scottish Highlands journey stretching from the extreme north coast through glens and over mountain passes to arrive in the heart of Scotland at the Wallace monument in Stirling. You need to be comfortable riding difficult terrain in remote areas and spending long days in the saddle. If this sounds like you, this adventure will be a highlight of your mountain biking career!

This trip builds on years of experience guiding mountain bike groups in Scotland, so you can relax and concentrate on enjoying the scenery and biking. Our route stretches over 300 miles in total and uses a wide variety of trails. There will be challenging singletrack winding through the mountains, old drove roads following the valley floors and easy rolling forest tracks. This is wilderness riding at its very best, but wherever possible our support vehicle will be close by to provide snacks and drinks as well as our renowned picnic lunches.
On our first day's riding we work our way up from the coast to get to some proper mountain riding as we skirt the majestic munro Ben Klibreck. For our second day we head south through the forests of Strath Tirry and along Loch Shin to reach Bonar Bridge on the Dornoch Firth.

Once we are in to the swing of things the days and trails come thick and fast. We pedal further into the Highlands around Loch Ness and the Great Glen before tackling the spectacular Corrieyairack Pass. From this high point we drop down to the banks of the River Spey famous for salmon fishing and whisky distilleries.

We use some stunning tracks running around Loch Ericht and Loch Rannoch to get us through to our last overnight stop at Killin where we can celebrate with a dram or two. The last day is a relatively flat gentle spin along Glen Earn to reach the monument to William Wallace just outside Stirling.

The arrival point for the trip is Stirling train station and from there we transfer to your initial accommodation at Bettyhill. We'll ride all the way back to Stirling at the end of the trip where you can clean up before jumping on the train back home or collecting your car.

Holiday Highlights
Relaxing at the end of each day whisky in hand 
Following in the footsteps of Viking settlers 
Riding mountain passes few bikers ever visit 
Ascending the Corrieyairack Pass with views down to the Great Glen 
Arriving tired but truimphant in the historic city of Stirling

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

Situated in the north-west corner of Italy, dominated by the Alps to the north and sharing borders with France and Switzerland it's a proper treasure trove for cyclists, foodies and culture buffs alike. Additionally, Piedmont has a thriving cycling culture, so you'll be well looked after whilst out and about.

Starting from the region's capital city of Turin, you'll explore both the lesser known Monferrato area immediately to the south-east, as well as visit the Langhe and Roero, a wine lovers paradise! Langhe and Roero are not only one of the most important wine production areas of the country, producing wines such as Barolo, Nebbiolo and Spumante d'Asti, this is also where the Slow Food movement originated. The region is famous as well for its white truffles of Alba and its hazelnut crop. Indeed the original Nutella spread was invented here.

The region's cultural heritage including many hilltop castles, the citadel fortress of Alessandria, and the Castello Reale of Govone, combined with the spectacular human-made landscape all contributed to the area receiving UNESCO World Heritage recognition in 2014. All of this will make your cycling holiday in Piedmont feel like journeying through a living picture book, weaving over rolling hills lined with vineyards and forests, along gently undulating ridges, past ancient castles, and tucked-away hilltop villages.

Although designed as a point to point cycling trip, in order to be able to explore the best spots of the area, we have included a loop ride on the last cycling day, allowing for two nights in the town of Alba, meaning you can head out after breakfast to enjoy a day on the bike, stop and stroll through cobbled stone towns, and take time to enjoy a glass of local red or sparkling wine in one of the small central 'piazzas', without having to pack bags or worry about getting to the next accommodation, thus finishing your cycling adventure in total relaxation.

Starting in the city of Turin, you'll move southeast to Pralormo first and then north again to the medieval hamlet of Cocconato in the Monferrato. From here you'll reach Asti, famed for its Spumante wines. Heading further south you'll ride to Canale and Pollenzo near Bra, home to the University of Gastronomic Sciences, before reaching the truffle-town of Alba, where you'll spend your two last nights, exploring the Langhe and Roero hills.

During your journey, you’ll stay in a carefully selected mix of charming, family-run agriturismi and hotels. In September and October, the harvest season transforms the hills and vineyards into a vibrant tapestry of colour, creating the perfect backdrop for cycling through Italy.

Highlights

• Cycling through rolling hills terraced with vineyards and quaint medieval villages
• Admiring incredible views that stretch as far as the Alps
• Riding through vineyards into the heart of the Langhe and Roero wine regions
• Tasting some of the best wines in Italy in the regions they‘re produced; Barolo, Barbaresco and Asti
• Feasting on some of the best regional food in Italy, including truffles, cheeses and hazelnut Gianduia chocolates
• Spending two nights in the historical, yet vibrant capital of the Langhe region

The route alternates between dirt tracks, remote mountain roads, fun singletrack trails and quiet asphalt roads. With steep climbs and thrilling descents this is a journey deep into the heart of Sardinia. Overall the trip requires a reasonable level of fitness rather than technical ability.

Starting near Arbus, at the agriturismo famous for its delicious home made food, we set off east taking us past an ever changing landscape of olive groves and vineyards, lush green oak woods and into breath taking wilderness mountain scenery. During our journey, every day will offer the opportunity to visit places of cultural interest such as the Unesco heritage site of Barumini, or lesser known historical remains.

This mountain biking holiday in Sardinia culminates with a lovely descent through the mountains of Ulassai to the stunning west coast of Barisardo. After a well deserved swim and spot of relaxation, time to celebrate our great adventure with a celebratory dinner, sipping wine and watching the stars shining over the Med.

If you can’t find a date to suit or want to go it alone, there is a self-guided mountain bike option and a self-guided road option too. We book all the accommodation, take you to the start point from the airport, transfer your luggage and then provide you with routes and itinerary for the trails.

If you have a day or two to spare why not extend your trip with some trekking or sea kayaking. Our local team can join you for a day’s guiding or we can provide the information and equipment to allow you to enjoy the routes self-guided, just give us a call for further info.

Highlights

• Visiting Piscinas Beach – the highest sand dunes in the Med
• Checking out the UNESCO heritage Nuraghe of Barumini
• Riding varied biking trails in real remote mountain areas
• Eating fantastic home cooked food, washed down with local wine!
• Enjoying the stunning scenery of the limestone mountains around Ulassai
• The satisfaction of crossing spectacular Sardinia by bike

The beauty of a journey across an island is the continuous changing landscape offering new experiences and challenges as the days go by. Starting from the west coast, the biking is characterised by stony and compact sandy tracks, through lush Mediterranean shrub overlooking high sand dunes, unique to this part of the island.

As we carry on our journey across the island, the terrain will alternate between countryside dirt roads through the Campidano plain and over the hills of the Marmilla region. As we bike further into the heart of Sardinia, we enter the mountainous region, ascending over the following days into higher territory. Here we follow mountain mule tracks, forest trails, cross streams, biking through dense oak woods and over open mountain passes.

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

Introducing a route of natural wonders and breathtaking scenery! The newest addition to our range of cycling holidays takes you round the County of Kerry exploring fabulous towns and villages and all the gorgeous scenery in between. Expect a real insight to the ancient heritage of Ireland and a good dose of Irish hospitality and culture on this ‘must do’ route.

Your trip will start and finish in the bustling town of Killarney. On the doorstep of the Killarney National Park, you are minutes away from exploring its magnificent three lakes and Muckross Abbey and House, the perfect place for a warm-up ride! Heading out of Killarney, the stunning route will take you through the foothills of Ireland’s highest mountain, Carrantuohill, and the heart of County Kerry with dazzling views everywhere you go. Explore forts that date back to the Bronze Age, take in the ancient history of the towns you pass through, and enjoy plenty of local music and good food to fuel the ride.

The first half of the route meanders back and forth between the coast and lush green fields and forests giving great views of the cliffs and islands of the north west of the peninsula. After Caherviseen we take a turn inland to enjoy the quiet roads and mountain scenery - a real gem, seldom seen by Kerry's many visitors and where you can enjoy rural Ireland at its best. Travelling through the heart of Kerry you'll ride over the Ballaghisheen Pass where epic views of the valley below set the scene of what's to come. 

Perhaps saving the best for last, your final day takes you through Moll's Gap which rewards all the effort with a fabulous vista of Killarney’s Three Lakes before heading to the majestic Gap of Dunloe and a rewarding downhill pedal back to Killarney. This trip is a bucket list trip full of highlights that Skedaddle can certainly help you cross off and enjoy!

Holiday Highlights
Visiting the 15th Century Muckross Abbey & the 19th Century Muckross House 
Exploring the picturesque shores of Kells Bay 
Dining in cosy Irish Pubs 
Enjoying views over the spectacular Three Lakes of Killarney 
Riding through the renowned Gap of Dunloe