NETURAL GEM
THE CAIRNGORMS
This National Park in the eastern Highlands of Scotland has a huge amount of great mountain biking on spectacular wild and remote terrain, where the well-weathered granite serves up extraordinary amounts of flow. The Cairngorm mountain range forms part of the park, along with the Angus Glens, Monadhliath Mountains and some lower areas, all of which provide amazing places to ride. Sitting right in the midst of it all is the village of Ballater, just down the road from Balmoral, the Scottish home of the Royal Family. This is the Queen’s favourite residence, and it’s easy to see why – there’s stunning scenery in every direction. Ballater’s long been a popular haunt of walkers and wildlife lovers, and it’s now a hotspot for mountain bikers, too, with a variety of top trails on its doorstep, excellent facilities and a thriving riding scene.
