Welcome to Highland Wildcat MTB Trails!
Highland Wildcat Trails, where adventure meets the untamed beauty of the Scottish Highlands! Nestled on the slopes of Ben Bhraggie in Golspie, overlooking the enchanting East Sutherland coast of the Scottish Highlands, our mountain bike trails offer an exhilarating experience for riders of all levels.
Located beside the NC500, the trails boast a mix of black and red graded tracks, sure to challenge even the most seasoned riders, while still offering a couple of gentler blue and green trails for beginners and families.
Prepare to unleash your inner wildcat and embark on an unforgettable adventure.
Support Highland Wildcat by purchasing an Annual Trail Pass!
You can display the pass in your car when parking at any of our trailhead car parks, eliminating the need for a ticket from the Highland Wildcat parking machine.
As a not-for-profit community company operated entirely by dedicated volunteers, the proceeds from season tickets help cover the costs of maintaining and providing these trails for the enjoyment of everyone in the future.
Once we receive your payment, your 12 Month Trail Pass will be sent to you via email within a few days. Payments can be made securely through PayPal or by credit card during the checkout process.
Thank you for your invaluable support in preserving our trails and helping The Highland Wildcat thrive.
How to get here...
Getting to the trails is straightforward, especially for those traversing the renowned North Coast 500 (NC500) route. Here’s how you can reach us:
By Car:
– Parking facilities are available either near the trailhead at Rhives car park or the council car park further down the road. The Rhives car park contains a parking meter operated by Highland Wildcat and all proceed are fed back into the maintenance and improvement of the trails.
Public Transport:
– By bus: The Stagecoach X99 goes between Inverness – Thurso. This bus can take two bikes when pre-booked and will provide bike socks for protection also. More information can be found here: https://www.stagecoachbus.com/plan-a-journey
– By train: Scotrail runs a service between Inverness and Wick. More information can be found here: https://www.scotrail.co.uk/
By Bike:
– For the adventurous cyclist, you can reach Highland Wildcat Trails by bike, either as part of a longer cycling journey or by specifically planning your route to Golspie.
No matter your mode of transportation, reaching Highland Wildcat Trails is part of the adventure, offering a taste of the stunning landscapes and rugged beauty of the Scottish Highlands before you even hit the trails.
Trail Info
Highland Wildcat offers a variety of graded trails for all skill levels. The trails are categorized as:
Green (easy)
Blue (moderate)
Red (difficult)
Black (severe)
Double-black (extreme)
The green trails are relatively flat, wide, and smooth, with gentle climbs, descents, and obstacles to avoid.
The blue trails feature varying gradients, technical features like tree roots and rock steps, jumps, and berms, with rollable features at controlled speeds.
The red trails present steep climbs, descents, and avoidable features, along with larger jumps, berms, and technical obstacles like tree roots and drop-offs.
The black trails offer long and steep climbs, descents, and jumps, with numerous hazards including drop-offs and severe features, and a rapid rate of surface change.
The double-black trails provide very fast and steep descents, with large drop-offs, jumps, and unavoidable obstacles that require high levels of skill and commitment, along with an extreme level of exposure or risk and a rapid rate of surface change.
“Highland Wildcat” is a limited company registered at Companies House (Company No. 289934)