The Drovers Trail is a new 331-km-long gravel bikepacking route in Scotland that follows ancient drove roads, an important part of Scottish history, inspiring Scotland's greatest writers like Burns and Scott.

Filmed by round the world singlespeed cyclist Markus Stitz, Drovers follows his adventure on the route, retracing the 300 year old footsteps of the cattle drovers on their journey from the Cairngorms through the Tay Valley to Crieff, which became Scotland's most important cattle market in the end of the 17th century.

The new gravel bikepacking route is part of eleven different itineraries, which are now available to download for free by hitting the button below. The lengths of the individual routes range from 12 km to 120 km, starting in the Highland Perthshire towns and villages of Dunkeld, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, Aberfeldy and Comrie, as well as the remote Rannoch Station.

The different routes are designed as day journeys for different ages and abilities, but can also be combined or shortened by using quiet roads or cycle paths. They are graded as easy, straightforward, challenging or expert. While the routes have been designed for bikes with tyres 35 mm and wider, they will also appeal to mountain bikers and make great day trips for touring cyclists.

As Markus comments:

“Designing the various routes made me aware of not only the rich history of Highland Perthshire and the Tay Valley, but also of the huge variety of landscapes that can be found across the area. I sought to use the story of the cattle drovers to draw parallels with the adventurous spirit of bikepacking nowadays, while showcasing the immense beauty of the area, not just for cyclists. I hope the new film and the route network will encourage more people to explore this area.”
 

"Over the years I have tried a number of different clothing choices for a bikepacking trip. While my route planning and filming skills have developed over the years, I have also taken a different approach to packing and the right kit to take. The Overland collection strikes the good balance between functionality and appeal. Bikepacking is fun for me, it’s like playing in the woods when I was a small child in East Germany. That playfulness is reflected in the design of the Overland range, the various items look great even when sitting in the pub covered in mud (although sadly that is not possible at the moment).

What is much more important is the story behind the brand and the people that work there. I design bikepacking routes to encourage more people to explore the natural environment, and I deeply care about conserving this for future generations. My latest film was inspired by the drovers from 300 years ago, and I would like to think that there still will be something left to explore 300 years from now on for future generations. Whatever that something will be is up to us, and sustainable clothing plays a huge part in this.

Oli, Jack and everyone else at Overland follow that philosophy, and that match is very important for me. The Overland collection also works well. I loved the Barricade jacket, as I can simply slide my iPhone in the front pocket, which is very handy while being out filming. The baselayers have multiple small pockets, handy for those cards, adapters and keys that are better on the body than hidden away. The waterproof shorts are actually waterproof, but my favourite item are the Selector shorts. Combined with the bibs underneath they feel super comfy, and are cut tight enough to look good as overshorts, but not too baggy, as that’s unsuitable for long distances.

Nice clothing, nice people, nice adventures."

Markus Stitz