Camping on the Badger Divide near Drymen

What is the Badger Divide?

A long-distance gravel route through the middle of Scotland, devised by local off-road rider Stu Allan. Cycling UK gives it as 338km (210 miles) with 5,300 metres of climbing, from Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow to Inverness Castle; the komoot collection for the route has it at 341km and about 5,000 metres, in five stages.

It is built on An Turas Mór, which is part of Cycling UK’s Great North Trail, and uses stretches of the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way. Riders take anything from two to five days.

How close does it come to Drymen Camping?

About a kilometre. Heading north out of Glasgow, the route goes through Milngavie and up the Blane Water valley, then passes Gartness, roughly 17 miles (28km) from the start. At its closest it is about a kilometre east of our gate as the crow flies. It then skirts Drymen village and carries on past Gartmore to Aberfoyle, where the climb over the Duke’s Pass takes you into the Trossachs.

Riding it south from Inverness, we are near the end of your last day, about 17 miles short of the finish in Glasgow.

What bike do I need?

Cycling UK suggests a gravel bike or a hybrid with tyres of 35mm or wider, or a mountain bike. The komoot stages are rated as hard mountain bike rides needing very good fitness.

Staying the night

If you are setting off from Glasgow in the afternoon, we are an easy first night. Pitches are from £14 per adult with toilets, hot walk-in showers, charging and wi-fi included, a sheltered cooking area and a shop for TentMeals, snacks and repair kits.

If you are flying in, we stock Coleman C300 gas at reception, so you can pick it up on your first night.