Roam Scotland is a community of people who love exploring Scotland by bike. We create great bikepacking routes, organise group rides and share the knowledge and experience that makes getting out there easier and more enjoyable. Along the way, we also raise money for good causes, helping turn our love of adventure into something that benefits others. Find out more about us.
Our routes are there to be used. Use one for the day, make a weekend of it, ride it with friends or head off on a solo mission. And if you want to start and finish somewhere different, ask us — we may be able to create a bespoke route to get you back.
Not at all. You don’t need to be an experienced bikepacker to join Roam Scotland. If you enjoy riding your bike and have a sense of adventure, you’re already off to a good start.
All our routes can be challenging, so if you’re new to bikepacking, we’d recommend starting with a weekend ride. It’s a great way to find out what works for you, get a feel for carrying your kit and discover whether bikepacking is your thing before taking on a longer adventure. Read more about what it’s like to Roam with us.
Your £5 membership fee helps us keep Roam Scotland going. It contributes towards creating and maintaining our routes, organising rides and developing the resources we provide for our members.
We’re also a charity, so when we can, we use Roam Scotland to raise money for other good causes. We keep membership deliberately inexpensive because we want as many people as possible to enjoy the freedom of exploring Scotland by bike.
Our rides are free to enter, but we do ask for a donation to help Roam Scotland continue organising rides and supporting good causes.
As a guide, we suggest a donation of around £35 for a week-long rally or £10 for a weekend ride. These are only suggestions, though. We recognise that our members have different circumstances, so please contribute what you can comfortably afford.
If you’re in a position to give a little more, it helps us keep rides accessible to everyone and support our partner charities . And if money is tight, don’t let that stop you joining us — contribute what you can, if you can.
Not necessarily. We know camping isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and most of our rides can be done without carrying a tent.
The important thing is to plan ahead. Some of our routes venture into very remote parts of Scotland, and occasionally we finish somewhere with little or no accommodation nearby. If you don’t want to camp, you’ll need to check what’s available and book ahead where necessary. You may also need to vary the route to reach suitable accommodation.
With a bit of careful planning, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy a Roam Scotland adventure without camping.
Most Roamers ride a gravel bike, which is well suited to the mix of roads, tracks and trails you’ll encounter on our routes. A significant minority choose to ride a mountain bike, particularly on the rougher and more technical routes.
A touring or road bike generally isn’t suitable for significant portions of most of our rides. Many routes include rough tracks, uneven surfaces and sections where a more capable off-road bike is needed.
The exact requirements vary from route to route, so make sure you check the route information before setting off.
We certainly have no problem with you riding an e-bike, but there are a few practical considerations.
Most of our routes are hilly, so you’ll need to make sure your battery has enough range for both the distance and the climbing involved.
On multi-day rides, you’ll also need to plan where you can recharge your battery overnight.
And then there’s the nature of riding in the wilds of Scotland. You may encounter locked gates, rough ground or even the occasional river crossing. If you need to lift or carry your bike for a short distance, would you be able to manage it?
If you’re happy with all of that, then grab your e-bike and come and roam with us!
Our group rides are all about enjoying the adventure, the scenery and the company — there’s no racing and no pressure to ride as a group.
Everyone can ride in whatever way suits them. You might spend the day riding on your own, with a couple of friends or with a bigger group, and you’re free to mix it up as you go. When they exist we tend to take in a café or two and most folk regularly stop for photos or simply to enjoy the view. It’s your ride, so take your time and enjoy it.
Most days have a stated end point, usually a town or village where there is accommodation and somewhere to eat. Most riders will finish around there, but there’s nothing to stop you carrying on if you’ve made good time or stopping short if you want to do that.
At the end of the day, riders tend to bump into each other and share stories from the day’s adventure. There’s no formal meeting point or organised gathering — it’s all very relaxed and informal.
No. Our rides aren’t races and there’s no winner.
Although our rallies are planned as seven-day events, there’s no requirement to complete them in seven days. You can take five days, seven days, twelve days — or whatever works for you. The important thing is to enjoy the route and the adventure at your own pace.
Everyone rides differently. Some will want to push themselves, while others will take their time, stop for coffee, admire the scenery and enjoy the journey. It’s your adventure, so ride it your way.
Not at all.
In fact there isn’t one really big group. Riders tend to naturally form small groups or pairings but you can ride with friends, make your own smaller group or head off on your own.
It means you’re responsible for looking after yourself and your bike throughout the ride.
You’ll need to carry the food, clothing, equipment and spares you’ll need, and sort out your own accommodation if you’re not camping. There’s no support vehicle following the ride and no-one carrying your kit for you.
You’re also responsible for your own safety. Roam Scotland does not check in on riders during events, and there are no checkpoints or tracking arrangements operated by us. If you’re riding alone, it is therefore important to have your own plans in place. We strongly recommend letting someone at home know your route and plans, including when you expect to finish, so that they can raise the alarm if they don’t hear from you as expected.
In short, you’re on your own adventure and responsible for making sure you have the plans, equipment and arrangements you need to stay safe.
It’s perhaps best to think of a Roam Scotland ride like meeting a group of friends in the pub and deciding to go for a bike ride together. We provide the route and the information to help you plan your adventure, but we’re not an organised support operation. Ultimately, you’re responsible for your own decisions, actions and safety throughout the ride.
Don’t worry — we’re not racing!
Everyone rides at their own pace, and there’s no expectation that the whole group will stay together. You can ride with others, form your own little group or take things at your own speed.
Our routes are self-supported, so you do need to be comfortable managing your own ride. But if you have a problem along the way, there’s a chance another Roamer won’t be too far away and will be happy to help.
Absolutely. We’d love you to ride our routes with your friends.
But if they want to join one of our rallies or weekend adventures they’ll need to join first.
All our routes can be challenging. We’re exploring the wilds of Scotland, so you should expect hills, rough tracks, changeable weather and the occasional unexpected obstacle.
We provide information about each route to help you decide whether it’s right for you, but ultimately you need to be confident that you and your bike are up to the adventure.
If you’re new to bikepacking, we’d recommend starting with one of our shorter weekend rides before tackling a longer adventure.
That depends on the ride and how you plan to tackle it. If you’re camping, you’ll obviously need more kit than someone staying in accommodation, but either way you’ll need to carry everything you need for the day, including food, clothing, tools and spares.
Scottish weather can be unpredictable, so make sure you’re prepared for conditions to change. What starts as a warm, dry morning can turn into a very different afternoon, particularly when you’re out in the hills.
It’s also worth carrying more food than you think you’ll need. Distances between shops, cafés and other opportunities to resupply can be significant, and you don’t want to find yourself running on empty in the middle of nowhere.
Finding water is usually less of an issue in Scotland. There are plenty of streams and burns, and many riders will fill their bottles directly from them. If you do this, choose your water carefully — ideally take it from a fast-flowing stream higher up the hill, where there are no animals or other potential sources of contamination upstream. Some riders also choose to filter or treat their water for extra peace of mind.
Our advice is to travel light, but be prepared. You may have to carry it all up the next hill, but having the right kit — and enough food and water — can make all the difference.
Our rides are self-supported, so you’re responsible for looking after your own bike. You should carry the tools, spares and basic knowledge you’ll need to deal with the most common problems — and it’s worth making sure everything is in good working order before you set off.
If you’re riding with others, there’s a good chance someone will be able to lend a hand. But don’t rely on it! You may find yourself on your own for part of the ride, often in a fairly remote location, so you need to be able to deal with the basics yourself.
For more serious problems, you’ll need to decide how best to get yourself and your bike to somewhere you can get help. A little preparation before you set off can save a lot of grief later!
You can access our public routes as a non member. But these don’t include points of interest or any information other than the route itself.
Once you’re a member, you’ll have access to our routes and ride guides. Each route comes with the information you need to plan and navigate your ride, including the route file and details about the route, terrain and any useful points along the way.
No. Our routes are there to be enjoyed by anyone. Membership simply gives you access to the full range of Roam Scotland routes, ride guides and the other benefits of being part of the society.
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No, you don’t need Ride with GPS to ride a Roam Scotland route. Most riders use a dedicated cycle computer and simply download a GPX route to their device.
However, one of the benefits of Roam Scotland membership is access to our Ride with GPS club account, which gives members access to the paid features of Ride with GPS for our routes.
Our routes are colour coded so you can quickly see what type of terrain to expect:
The colour coding gives you a quick visual guide to the nature of the route and helps you decide whether it’s suitable for you and your bike.
Every route has information to help you decide whether it’s suitable for you and your bike. We describe the terrain, surfaces and any particularly challenging sections, along with distance and climbing. But Scotland can be unpredictable, and conditions can change, so use this information as a guide and make your own judgement about whether a route is right for you.
We take care to check and ride our routes before publishing them, and we aim to make them as accurate as possible. However, paths, tracks, roads and access can change, sometimes without warning. A GPX file is therefore a guide rather than a guarantee that every metre of the route will remain rideable.
No. Roam Scotland routes are designed to be self-navigated using our route files and your own navigation device or phone. Don’t expect waymarkers or signs telling you which way to go — part of the adventure is finding your own way.
Absolutely. If you’re a member and have an idea of where you’d like to ride, get in touch. We can try and help with route suggestions and, if possible, create a bespoke route to suit your plans. Whether you’re looking for a day ride, a weekend adventure or something a little more ambitious, we’re happy to help.
Joining Roam Scotland is easy. Membership costs £5 for life — there are no annual subscriptions.
Simply head to our Membership Page, make the £5 payment and you’ll then be taken through a quick registration process. Once registered, you’ll have access to our member benefits, routes, ride guides and community.
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Once you’ve become a member we’ll send you a link.
Once you’ve become a member we’ll send you a link.
Roam Scotland is built around people who enjoy riding bikes and exploring Scotland — and there are plenty of ways to get involved.
You could join a group ride, help test or improve a route, share a story or photos from one of your adventures, suggest a new route, or simply spread the word about Roam Scotland.
If you have an idea or would like to help out, get in touch through Instagram or our Facebook Page .You don’t have to take on a big commitment — even small contributions help.
Roam Scotland is a charity, and our aim is to use the money we raise to support other charities.
We keep our costs as low as possible, so that as much of the money we raise as we can goes towards good causes. Our rides and adventures aren’t just about having a great time on a bike — they’re also a way of raising money and doing some good along the way.
Ah, the Scottish midge. Small, persistent and apparently capable of finding the one bit of skin you forgot to cover.
We hold our annual rally in May before the peak of the midgey season but you may encounter midges from around May to September.
They’re most troublesome in still, damp conditions, particularly around dawn and dusk. Midges don’t like a breeze of much more than 7mph, so windy weather can be your friend.
They’re part of the Scottish experience, but a bit of midge repellent (we like Smidge), covering up when they’re particularly lively, and keeping moving usually helps. And don’t forget to bring a head net to keep the blighters away from your face when you’re setting up camp.
Leave No Trace means enjoying the outdoors without leaving evidence that you’ve been there. In practice, that means taking all your rubbish with you, leaving campsites as you found them, avoiding damage to vegetation and wildlife, and dealing responsibly with human waste.
If nature calls, go well away from buildings, paths, watercourses and areas where people camp or spend time. Use a toilet where one is available. Where there isn’t one, follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code guidance for going to the toilet in the outdoors and bury solid human waste properly, taking toilet paper and other sanitary products away with you or pack your poop out with you and dispose of it later.
This guide to going to the loo in the outdoors provides a useful summary.
Scotland has some of the most extensive public access rights in the world. Under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, you have a right of responsible access to most land and inland water, including mountains, moorland, woods, forests, beaches and much of the countryside. These rights include cycling, walking and wild camping.
But it isn’t simply a licence to go wherever you like. The right is based on responsible access — respecting other people, caring for the environment and taking responsibility for your own actions. There are also exceptions, including private homes and gardens, most land where crops are growing and some other specific areas.
For Roam Scotland, this is an important part of what makes exploring Scotland by bike so special — but with the freedom comes the responsibility to ride responsibly and respect the land, wildlife, landowners and other people using it.
You can find out more here.
