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getting there and away
The tour starts at 8pm on Thursday in Inverness train station. If you decide to arrive before this date Red Spokes can assist you in booking your accommodation and will organise a transfer to your hotel. Our holiday price does not include your flight or train travel.
The tour ends in Inverness on Tuesday. If you are traveling back home on this day, however, please ensure that your flights depart after 4pm (local time), to allow enough time for transfers. If you decide to stay in Inverness beyond the last day of the tour Red Spokes can help you organise extra accommodation and transfers to the airport if needed.
We do offer a free travel service to help find and book flights through our designated travel agent who are ATOL holders. They will send you confirmation of your flights and your tickets. Flight bookings are subject to their booking conditions. If flying from the UK BMI appears to be the favoured airline by our customers. Alternatively Inverness train station is well served from all locations in the UK. Check out www.expedia.com or www.opodo.co.uk for an idea of times and prices for flights and www.trainline.co.uk for trains.
cycling support and grading
All of the time you will have the security of a back-up vehicle. The vehicle will carry our entire luggage (we transport your main baggage by support vehicle from each overnight stop to the next) and yourself if you want. The back up van will be with us throughout the day stopping around every 15 miles.
Our leaders carry a good tool kit and will help to fix any bike problems so all you normally need to carry is a daypack, for your camera etc, however, we cannot guarantee that we will be equipped for all repairs, so you must ensure that your bike is in good working order before the tour. If in doubt, have it fully serviced by a bike shop before you travel.
equipment and bike stuff
The Scottish tour is suitable for most types of bicycles; however, please ensure that you bike is in good working order before you leave on tour. If you are not the most mechanically minded we suggest that you get your bike looked at by a professional bike mechanic. In particularly we would suggest looking and adjusting all wheel spokes, greasing all your bearings, checking your brakes/gears cable, tighten all nuts and bolts, check chain, quick release clamps, tires and put in new inner tubes and check wheel rims are not worn. In addition make sure the bike is well serviced and ride it with as much care and attention as possible.
We would also advise the following tools to accompany you on your tour: multi-tool, tyre levers, pump, 2 spare inner tube, spare spokes of the correct length to fit your wheels – check with a bike shop, brake pads, a few spare links for your chain, spares for any unique or high-tech items on your bike, e.g. fluid and bleed kit for hydraulic brakes.
Baggage allowances and your bike....
Your bike must be carried as a part of your luggage allowance and, to this end, we do ask you to make every effort to keep your total check-in baggage to an absolute minimum. The baggage allowance for most airlines for an economy-class ticket is 20kg per person; although a degree of flexibility is usually extended to groups and the check in staff may accept up to 26kg per person without imposing excess baggage charges.
Your bike (in its cardboard box) will weigh 15 to 18kg. So, that means you will have a small allowance for clothing, etc. You should carry small heavy items in your day pack / pannier which you can take onto the plane as hand luggage.
Your hand luggage is not included as a part of your overall allowance, as it is not weighed. Please inform your airline that you will be taking your bike on the flight, and attempt to make every effort to secure from the airline an additional baggage allowance - but this is not always granted. Although we cannot guarantee that there will not be excess baggage charges, this is something, which very rarely happens.
In terms of clothing this is clearly up to you and we can only supply a rough guide as to what to take. This guide is entirely flexible and should be tailored to your specific needs. Sunglasses, lightweight trekking boots/shoes -- cycling footwear, Lightweight socks (3 pairs) -- heavy socks (1 pairs), Underwear (4 pairs) --lightweight thermal long johns, Lightweight, long-sleeved thermal shirt -- lightweight trekking shorts, Padded cycling shorts (2 pairs) – shorts, T-shirts (2) -- lightweight, long-sleeved shirt, Fleece jacket/pullover, Biking jacket -- waterproof (breathable fabric), Fingerless biking gloves -- warm gloves, Fleece hat or cap with earflaps, Headlamp - & spare bulbs/batteries, Spare laces – sunglasses, Toiletries -- basic first aid kit, Towel (small) -- small padlock, 2 large plastic bags (for keeping items dry in your bag), Sun Cream, Lip Balm. If you have any questions about this list please feel free to contact us.
what's included and what's not
6 nights bed and breakfast. The accommodation we book, are all traditionally Scottish in character. We deliberately try to avoid the "touristy" accommodation and focus more on those places with excellent hospitality. Our prices are based on sharing a twin room; single rooms are sometimes available at extra cost.
All breakfasts and 5 lunches. We will recommend places for evening meals for the group, lunches will usually be tea/coffee with sandwiches and fruit.
further information
Our tour officially begins at 8.15 pm at Inverness train station. A transfer to Carbisdale Castle will be arranged shortly after. The castle has its own statue gallery, art collection and ghost! An amazing experience, not to be missed.
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