This is a 4-day self-guided cycling series. Use the links below to jump straight to the detailed daily route guides, maps, and distillery stops:
Main Itinerary: Overview & Planning Guide
For our final day on the trail, we decided to completely spice up the geography by taking a spectacular loop north. Instead of just taking the flat river path both ways, we headed out from Craigellachie on the eastern route through the high hills, setting ourselves up for some fantastic elevation work and an unforgettable downhill run.
The Roller-Coaster ride to Boat o’ Brig
We started the morning by hopping onto the road toward Fochabers, heading right out into the high, rolling terrain on the eastern side of the River Spey. This route gives you a proper, heart-pumping workout as you conquer the long, steady hill climbs. Biking up here rewards you with sweeping, dramatic views of the pine forests and farmland stretching out below.
After working hard for the elevation, we reached Boat o’ Brig—a beautiful, historic crossing point where the grand railway and road bridges span the rushing waters of the Spey. From there, we turned due west toward Rothes, reaping the absolute best reward of the day: a glorious, high-speed, and incredibly fun downhill coast that drops you right into the valley.
The Rothes Distilleries: Glen Grant, & Glenrothes
Rothes is a small town along the river spey with a few distilleries right in the city center. Next, we passed Glenrothes Distillery, a historic powerhouse famous for its distinctively round, bulbous bottles and its massive contribution to top-tier blended whiskies. However, it’s largely a working production site closed to casual walk-ins. Unfortuntely, Glen Grant was closed for renovation while we were there and we were not able to visit it.
The Riverside Cruise Back to Craigellachie
Leaving Rothes, we connected with the peaceful, traffic-free bike path running right along the edge of the sparkling River Spey. This flat, smooth gravel path felt incredibly relaxing after the morning’s big hill climbs.
A Final Word on Strathisla (Keith): You might notice the famous Strathisla Distillery in Keith on the regional maps. We explicitly chose to skip it on this bike tour, and we highly recommend our readers do the same! Biking from Craigellachie to Keith forces you onto fast, narrow highways with heavy traffic and absolutely no dedicated cycle lane. We wanted to keep our trip fun, stick to the gorgeous Boat o’ Brig loops and riverside trails, and leave Keith for a day when we have a rental car!