Cairngorm to Coast
Cairngorm to Coast (aka C2C) is a 100km hike and bike challenge that takes place against the backdrop of the magnificent Cairngorm National Park and along the beautiful scenery of the Dava Way. The event takes place in May each year and is split 30km/70km, taking you from the heights of the Highlands to the coast of Moray; running through part of the Cairngorm National Park, it’s the area’s most stunning duathlon event.
If you don’t fancy taking part, but want to be involved, have a look at our C2C volunteer page and see what else you could do on the day.
Are you mad brave enough to take on Cairngorm to Coast?
Cairngorm to Coast – The Route
Held in May, Cairngorm to Coast is currently the only event of its type in the Highlands and Moray area. It starts at Cairngorm Ski Centre carpark. From there, participants either hike or bike to the Sugar Bowl, through Glenmore Forest to Glenmore Lodge, on towards Nethy Forest and Lyngarry towards Nethy Bridge. There they join the Speyside Way to the Force Development Training Centre in Grantown-on-Spey. Please click here for our downloadable A4 maps in PDF format.
At GOS, those taking part in the hike only element will hang up their boots, whilst the rest of the hikers will change into cycling gear, join the other bikers on to the Dava Way. The Dava Way ends at Forres, after which participants join the local Sustrans route for their final leg to Lossiemouth, bringing the total distance cycled to around 70km.
Do not be fooled; this is a demanding event and requires plenty of training and preparation, but it is achievable! Cairngorm to Coast is not a race, it’s an endurance challenge. Good weather isn’t always guaranteed, which only adds to the excitement of the challenge (just ask C2C’17’s entrants). With a changeable local climate you could be starting in the snow and finishing in t-shirt and shorts! The day will be tough, but the scenery, people and craic will more than make up for it, giving Cairngorm to Coast a special place in your heart.
Age Restrictions
We are a youth charity so we want to make sure Cairngorm to Coast is open to young people. However, due to the challenging nature of the event, there are age restrictions.
Entry is open to anyone age 16+
Entry is open to the following age groups, as long as they are accompanied by someone aged 18+
Hike only: age 10+ accompanied
Bike only: age 14 + accompanied
Hike & Bike: age 14+ accompanied
Entry Levels and Fees
First and foremost, the main aim of Cairngorm to Coast is to raise funds for Outfit Moray, so those fundraising for us pay a lower entry fee than those just wishing to take part for the craic. Cairngorm to Coast entry fees do not cover the full cost of running the event and are primarily to cover Outfit Moray’s planning and logistical costs including admin, bike transportation, medical and mechanical cover, safety team and radio communications. The rest of the C2C’s costs, such as the t-shirts, transport, goody bags, medals and food etc are covered by corporate sponsorship and our own fundraising. We have tried to keep these costs and the fees as low as possible to keep the event affordable to as many people as possible.
The table below shows the three different participant levels available; standard hike & bike (100kms), bike only (100kms) and hike only (30kms) and the different fees for each level. If you have any questions, please do feel free to contact us.
Visit our Facebook page or Facebook group to keep in touch. There are also photos from previous years to look through. You can also find us on Twitter. If you have any questions, please feel free to email Karen.