Travellers' tales: Cairngorm wild-camping

Along with limited leave from work, the pandemic complicated plans I had for a cycling trip in 2020. My solution was a five-day wild-camping cycle trip in Scotland when the lockdown lifted. I could pack an adventure into a short, coronavirus-secure break.

I started at Inverness, having arrived by train from York, and cycled out of the city in the afternoon. Riding past the Culloden battlefield towards Nairn, I was soon among gorgeous woodland. My first night’s camp was at Loch Lochindorb, where I was greeted by fabulous views and hungry midges. Repellent was the one thing I had forgotten…

To make the most of the early autumn light, I rose early. A lovely descent to Carrbridge for provisions was followed by a spin along a minor road to Grantown-on-Spey. I followed a quiet main road into the Cairngorms proper, spending my second night at the old Lecht mine workings. At an elevation of 700m, I was mostly out of the reach of the insects. 

From the Lecht ski area next morning, I had a magical view of a temperature inversion. Past Cock Bridge and Corgarff Castle, I followed the lonely military road through grouse moorland towards Balmoral Castle. In the woodland between Ballater and Aboyne I spotted red squirrels. Leaving Deeside, I had a steep climb up towards Cairn O’ Mount. I pitched camp above the river in Glen Dye on a glorious evening.

I was woken by grouse calling – thankfully without answering guns. Another steep climb rewarded me with views across the Howe of the Mearns and all the way to the sea. I descended from the Cairngorms and had a cuppa at a hotel in Glen Cova. As the daytrippers headed home, I began my search for a camping spot. 

My last day took me to Dundee for the train home. I spent around £90 on train fares (advance tickets) plus £50 on camping food and café stops. Wild camping means you get a lot of bang for your buck.