Highland Trail 550

Extreme

Date

2026-05-18

Location

Tyndrum, Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom

Distance

885 km

Elevation

16000m

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Explore gravel routes near Tyndrum, Scottish Highlands

Strava Route Explorer · United Kingdom

STRAVA →Find Strava segments near Tyndrum, Scottish HighlandsSEGMENTS →Discover routes on Komoot · Tyndrum, Scottish HighlandsKOMOOT →

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SHARE THIS RACE

$https://gravelradar.app/races/united-kingdom/highland-trail-550

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>> COMMUNITY

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▌ RIDER INTEL DOSSIER

ID: HIGHLAND-TRAIL-550

GR SCORE

/ 100

TIER 1

~/dossier/highland-trail-550 $ cat briefing.md

▌ 550 miles of the wildest backcountry the British Isles offer.

Among the world's toughest bikepacking races. Scottish Highlands, ancient drove roads, and weather that defines the experience.

EFFORT53/60

EXPER.55/70

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13 SCORING DIMENSIONS

· Inside the rating

$ ./radar --plot

HIGHLAND TRAIL 550

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EFFORT MATRIX

· Physical demands · 6 vectors

$ ./bench --effort

LENGTH10/10

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10/10885 km through Scottish Highlands

885 km through Scottish Highlands

CLIMBING09/10

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09/1016,000 m — relentless Highland terrain

16,000 m — relentless Highland terrain

DURABILITY10/10

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10/105-10 days self-supported

5-10 days self-supported

COLD07/10

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07/10May Highlands: 5-15°C, often wet

May Highlands: 5-15°C, often wet

WIND08/10

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08/10Highland exposure on summit sections

Highland exposure on summit sections

TECHNICALITY09/10

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09/10Hike-a-bike, bog crossings, technical descents

Hike-a-bike, bog crossings, technical descents

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EXPERIENCE MATRIX

· Race quality · 7 vectors

$ ./bench --experience

ADVENTURE10/10

██████████

10/10British Isles bikepacking at its purest

British Isles bikepacking at its purest

SCENERY10/10

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10/10Lochs, glens, mountains, ancient drove roads

Lochs, glens, mountains, ancient drove roads

ORGANIZATION06/10

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06/10Self-organized — application + brief only

Self-organized — application + brief only

VALUE09/10

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09/10Free to enter — donation only

Free to enter — donation only

COMMUNITY09/10

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09/10Tight UK + global bikepacking community

Tight UK + global bikepacking community

ACCESSIBILITY03/10

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03/10Application required, must demonstrate experience

Application required, must demonstrate experience

FIELD DEPTH08/10

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08/10Top European ultra-distance racers

Top European ultra-distance racers

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GREEN FLAGS

$ ./pros

[+]Among the world's great bikepacking events
[+]Free to enter (donation-based)
[+]Scottish Highlands wilderness
[+]Self-supported = pure adventure
[+]Iconic UK ultra culture
[+]Live tracker creates global community

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RED FLAGS

$ ./cons

[!]Highland weather is genuinely hostile
[!]Hike-a-bike sections (10+ km in places)
[!]Bog crossings + river fords
[!]Application required + experience needed
[!]Resupply gaps 80+ km common
[!]Mechanical risk in remote terrain

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RIDER FIT

· Match by archetype

$ match-rider --types

BikepackerPRIME · 10/10

Defining bikepacking event for the British Isles

Skill RiderPRIME · 10/10

Hike-a-bike + technical descents reward bike-handling

Adventure TouristPRIME · 10/10

Scottish Highlands wilderness experience

Endurance MulePRIME · 9/10

Multi-day rhythm rewards patience

ClimberPRIME · 8/10

16,000 m of Highland climbing

Crit RacerAVOID · 1/10

Wrong universe

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⚡ SIGNATURE CHALLENGE

The Highlands fight back

Bog crossings, rain, wind, and remoteness compound. The riders who finish are the ones who accept the conditions instead of fighting them. Mental durability > fitness here.

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TIRE INTEL

· Setup recommendation

$ rubber --recommend

WIDTH

2.1-2.4" MTB

PRESSURE

20-26 psi

PATTERN

Aggressive MTB tread

HT550 is closer to MTB than gravel. Hike-a-bike sections + boggy ground demand wide knobby tires. Tubeless mandatory; carry plug kit + tubes.

▶ TOP PICKS

1.Maxxis Rekon Race[2.25"]— Light XC tread, fast on hardpack

2.Schwalbe Thunder Burt[2.25"]— Race-fast XC tread, durable

3.Vittoria Mezcal[2.25"]— Centre slick + edge knobs perfect for HT550

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WEATHER PLAYBOOK

· What the sky throws at you

$ forecast --race

Mid-May Scottish Highlands: 5-15°C, 50%+ chance of rain on any given day, wind 30-50 km/h on summits. Pack a real waterproof shell, warm sleep system, and full-finger gloves.

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