Highland Bike Tours - Pitlochry

Stuart McDougall

My family (parents and two 15 year old kids) toured with Terry in early July 2024 through the countryside around Perth to Dunkeld. We are from Australia so the landscape was novel and breathtaking to us. We covered around 80 km over the whole day with ease. Bikes where excellent and I was pleased we wore bright colours and helmets were made available. The roads were glorious but you are riding in public places and as such riders should be familiar/conforatble with riding with vehicle traffic at times. Communication with Highland Bike Tours prior to the day trip was excellent. A custom tour is designed catering to your interests and yet you can pick your own path along the way too. One of our highlights while in Scotland.

J L

"Excellent E-Bike Tour with a Knowledgeable and Friendly Guide"

I had the pleasure of joining a e-bike tour in Perth and I must say it was an absolute delight from start to finish. The tour was led by Terry, a truly knowledgeable and wise guide who brought an impressive breadth of knowledge about the local area and the world at large.

Right from the beginning, Terry's polite and sincere demeanor made the experience even more enjoyable. During a short break, we had the opportunity to engage in pleasant conversation with Terry, further enhancing our appreciation for his deep understanding of the region.

The e-bikes provided were in immaculate condition - clean, new and perfectly functioning, which ensured a comfortable and seamless ride.

The route itself was simply breathtaking, taking us through a varied landscape of parks, towns, villages, mountains and rivers.

It is a must-do activity for anyone visiting Perth, as it provides a fantastic way to explore the region's natural beauty and rich history while in the company of a truly wonderful guide.

Mirjam Hansen

Hele mooie fietstocht gemaakt (65 kilometer) vanuit Perth. Prachtige vergezichten en landschappen de hele tour. Prima e-bikes mét fietstassen. Zelfs voor de regenponcho's was gezorgd. Wel een tip: Neem wat te eten en te drinken mee voor onderweg want daarvoor zijn wij geen gelegenheid tegengekomen.

Jan Mei Soon

The Highland Bike Tour around Perthshire was excellent. Despite the rainy weather, Terry managed to guide us away from the ominous clouds. The e-bikes are top-notch, very comfortable with plenty of battery left at then end of the full day tour! We felt very safe throughout the tour and enjoyed the forest scenery. Terry was also very kind to meet us at Perth station and took us on a shortcut on the way back to ensure we did not miss our train. If you are visiting Dunkeld during the tour, note that the public toilets in Atholl Street only accept cash (50p per entry).

Cindy Gigliotti

What a great time! Terry took us through the most beautiful areas of the Highlands and was great fun to talk to. If we had more time, we would have done the all day tour. Dont miss this ride!

Lisa

Though we were very much looking forward to our recent tour, there were several problems that made it less than enjoyable. The website references two shops, one in Pitlochry, one in Perth. We wanted to do the half-day tour out of Perth as it had a more cultural/historical component vs. strictly scenic countryside. We made those arrangements with Terry, the owner, in advance.

Unfortunately, the Perth location is no longer a shop, but a storage unit that we had to walk to from a nearby grocery store parking lot where Terry met us on his bike. The walk itself wasn't a big deal, just felt unprofessional and misleading as he'd referenced the shop days before in our email exchanges and made it sound like we were meeting at the grocery store parking lot to avoid construction near the shop.

Though we did as little town riding as possible, some of the cycling on our return was still quite difficult for people unaccustomed to 'commuter' cycling in traffic-- negotiating tight spaces on sidewalks, managing construction zones and traffic with its occasional short stops.

My friend fell off her bike when her vest got stuck on her seat one of the times we had to stop abruptly. Thankfully the driver behind us was paying attention and also stopped short thereby avoiding hitting her on the ground. It was really scary for her as it was a "close call" per my husband and hers both of whom saw it happen.

Regrettably, our other friend, never having ridden an e-bike, didn't realize there was something wrong with his until he fell far, far behind over halfway through the tour. My husband went back to try to find them while I caught up with Terry to tell him we couldn't see them at all.

When Terry went to investigate, he discovered there was something wrong with the bike's battery and rebooted it. Our friend had been doing the hills entirely unassisted and just couldn't keep up, of course! Terry mentioned not having checked it before we headed out as it had been working fine. Disappointing overall.

In the end, our friends were gracious and said they enjoyed the scenery. As the organizer, though, I found it stressful and unsafe compared to the guided e-bike tour we'd taken in Ireland in 2023. Terry offered little commentary or cultural highlights other than how disappointed he was in having come back to Scotland, spoke disparagingly about Perth and its local government and how he was trying to "ride this out for a couple of years before moving." Just not great compared to how it was billed. I know others have had much better experiences. After all, I booked the tour based on their reviews. I'm being honest about ours and hoping, for other travelers, our experience was a one off.

Jamie McHale

Had a wonderful experience cycling out into the Ochil hills from Perth with HBT. Once out of the city the route had next to no traffic and the Gazelle E bike made even the more challenging hills feel gentle and leisurely. Terry, our guide was well informed on the area and had a really relaxed vibe, happy to let us stop and take pictures when we wanted to etc. He set a really manageable pace. The bikes are really the gold standard of e bike and would even allow the most casual cyclist or indoor cyclist able to tour the countryside comfortably. Planning to come back for another trip with some other friends when I can!

Amelia

Loved our day with Highland Bike Tours! Equipment was in great shape (helmets, vests, and bikes). I learned and saw things I would not have been able to see by car or if I had biked on my own. Additionally, I felt so alive at the end of the day! Even though you're on an e-bike, you are still cycling, breathing deeply and moving your body while enjoying beautiful scenery. A tour with Highland Bike Tours will be a custom experience with friendly conversation and guidance. Would totally go again!