With a near 50/50 gender split for the 2023 mass start, it was a great opportunity to make a film about this famous route from a female perspective.
The route consists of three unique loops stretching across the Scottish Highlands and is seen by many as one of the most challenging routes on the bikepacking calendar. There has been a groundswell of women participating in ultra-distance cycling events in the UK in the last number of years, and the 2023 edition of the 550-mile self-supported Highland Trail seemed to represent a major milestone. This year, the Highland Trail had more women participating in the annual mass start than ever before, largely down to the efforts of route creator Alan Goldsmith. Words by Catherine Dunn, photos by James Robertson
