Cairngorm to Coast: FAQs

Hopefully these C2C FAQs will help you with any queries you may have, but if they don’t please get in touch with Karen Cox, using contact details at the bottom of the page.

Is the event exactly 105km? No, all distances are approx.

What’s the minimum age? Age 10+ can take part in the hike only element, if they are accommanpied by 18+. Age 14+ can take part in other two elements, if accompanied by 18+.

Do I have to pay to accompany someone under 18? We have a special ‘accompanying adult’ ticket at just £21 for anyone accompanying someone under 16 years of age.  This entry does not get a medal or goody bag.

How long does C2C take? In 2017, the hike element took between 3-7 hrs and the whole event took between 5.5-11.5hrs to finish. Please bear in mind the weather will probably have an effect on your performance.

Is there a time limit? Yes.  If you aren’t ready to leave a checkpoint by a certain time, you will be swept up (eg Nethy Bridge 4pm, Forres 8pm)

How fit do I need to be? You don’t have to be a superfit athlete, but it is a tough challenge. We definitely recommend people are able to walk over rough terrain and similarly, be able to bike long distances. Don’t be put off because, with plenty of training beforehand, the event is doable for most people with an average level of fitness.

Is there transport? Yes. A bus from Lossiemouth in the morning with a stop at Nethy Bridge for the hikers who wish to leave their cars there. We cannot provide transport back to Nethy Bridge or Cairngorm at the end of the day.

What sort of bike do I need? It’s personal choice and we have had people take part on hybrids, mountain bikes, gravel bikes and fat bikes. Please be aware that the first section of the route is fairly technical and you may end up carrying your bike.

Can I swap to a road bike at Forres? Yes, but you would need to be self supported.  If you hire a bike from Outfit Moray, we will collect it when we close the Forres Academy checkpoint. (The road section is 17 miles).

Can I use an eBike? Yes

How will my bike get to Nethy Bridge or the start? Your bike should be dropped off at Outfit Moray from Monday to Thursday 9am – 5pm and Friday 9am – 6pm.  If you are unable to make either of those times, hike and bike participants can arrange to drop their bikes off at the Nethy Bridge from 9am, but bike only participants will need to get their bikes to the start themselves for 11am.  We cannot accept responsibility for bikes left anywhere else along the route.

Do I need to carry all my kit? No. Your bike kit will be dropped off with your bike and will be waiting for you at Nethy. Your walking kit will then be taken to the finish line. In the event that you beat your bag back, it can be collected from Outfit Moray the following Monday.

Is there a bag size limit? No, we don’t limit bag size, but we do ask you to bear in mind that we are transporting bags for at least 100 people, so please don’t go overboard, plus our staff and volunteers will be manually handling them, so we’d ask they aren’t too heavy!

Do I need to carry water and snacks? Yes. We recommend you carry your own energy drink, snacks and water, but we do have checkpoints along the route with bananas, water containers and flapjacks, plus food at Nethy Bridge.

Is the minimum sponsorship per person or per team? Per person.

Can I run the hike part? Yes, but please let us know if you expect to be fairly fast, so we can check your timings.

Can I bring my dog? No. If the owner was to require a medevac, it would mean trying to organise somebody to look after the dog.

Is the route accessible? We are trying to make C2C more accessible to different users. The first section is not wheelchair accessible, but we can divert participants along the road, but the main issue is the number of gates along the Speyside and Dava Ways, so a recumbant trike/wheelchair user wouldn’t be able to take part unassisted. We do have the ‘accompanying adult’ places, which someone could use just to assist you (they don’t get a medal or goody bag). If someone is using a standard handbike, we would recommend only taking part in the 25km hike, although assisted handbikes could do the whole 105km

Accessible toilets? There are accessible toilets at Nethy Bridge and the finish line, however neither are fully equipped for with hoists etc and are probably only suitable for those who can self transfer.

Where’s the best place to book accommodation? We would recommend booking in Lossiemouth as that is where the event finishes. There are several good hotels, B&Bs and campsites in the area, and we have listed a few here, to help you along your way. There is no fully accessible accomodation in Lossiemouth, so perhaps the Premier Inn in Elgin would be the best option?

Privacy

What will my information be used for? All the information you provide for C2C will be used to make sure you are given the correct medical care during the event.  It will be kept for a short time afterwards and then destroyed.

Will you share any of my information? Your medical information will only be shared with medical professionals if you require any medical treatment, likewise with any necessary personal information.  However, your information and details will not be passed on to any third party for any other reason. All information will be stored in accordance to The Data Protection Act 1998. There is a mailing list option which is for Outfit Moray purposes only.

If you have any concerns as to how your information is used, please visit our Privacy Notice.

If you have any further Cairngorm to Coast related questions, please do not hesitate to email us or call 01343 549571