Highland Wildcat Trails • Golspie
Welcome to Highland Wildcat and to its home in the north of Scotland. Our name associates with the Sutherland clan emblem; a wildcat whose origins are said to lie in “The Catti”, a fierce tribe from the deep dark forests of Germany. They supposedly shared the area with bands of ferocious Mountain Cats who kept the bens and glens free of rodents and other pests. The Clan Chief’s Gaelic designation is “The Great One of the Cat” and people of Sutherland origin are known as Catachs.
Similar to the Clan, we hold to the motto “Without Fear” or Gun Eagal in Gaelic. Highland Wildcat hopes to provide an experience for all those who come to enjoy the most ambitious community-led mountain bike development in the UK. Since Highland Wildcat was established in 2005, we have constructed over 18Km of trail at a cost of £600,000. Our aim has been build quality into all that we do to ensure that it is worth travelling from far afield and to complement the wonderful natural environment of Sutherland.
By attracting many visitors into the area we hope that local businesses will benefit and respond by providing the quality of service that should be expected. Our trailhead is not some remote carpark but is the village of Golspie where there are various catering establishments, shops, accommodation providers and visitor attractions. The most well known attraction is Dunrobin Castle, the magnificent seat of the Clan Sutherland, together with its spectacular gardens and woodland walks. The local beaches are some of the best and cleanest in the country and there is unlimited opportunity for participating in many other outdoor pursuits.
Our website provides a small flavour of the experience that awaits those with the spirit of adventure to visit Highland Wildcat.
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A photograph taken from the top of Ben Bhraggie looking directly out towards the sea. The photograph shows a group of cyclists resting after the long climb up the hill, behind them is a complete vists made up of farmland and eventually the sea - it was a sunny day when this picture was taken and you can almost sense the relief of the cyclists to have made it to the top.
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A second image showing the dramatic landscape from the top of Ben Bhraggie - this time, the heather covered hills sweep down toward forestry. Beyond the forestry lies farmland and eventually the open sea. Given the clean, fresh Highland air, it ought to be possible to smell the salt in the sea, despite the distance!
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