Cateran Dirt Dash

The Cateran Dirt Dash is a two-day introduction to bikepacking in Scotland, looping out of Alyth through the Cateran Ecomuseum, Scotland's only museum without walls, and up into the southern edge of the Cairngorms National Park.

It is a non-timed, self-supported reliability trial rather than a race: riders follow the route on singletrack, gravel paths, forestry roads and quiet public roads, with a few technical sections that may mean pushing. Roughly halfway round there is an overnight camp with an evening meal and breakfast laid on, and a support vehicle is there if anyone needs rescuing.

The Dirt Dashes are run by Markus Stitz of Dirt Dash Ltd, a filmmaker, journalist and founder of Bikepacking Scotland who has mapped several popular bikepacking trails. The series is built to be friendly and inclusive, as welcoming to riders on their first overnight trip as to seasoned gravel riders.