Pedal passions will peak this weekend as the Tour of Britain rolls into Aberdeen for its opening stage.
It’s a special moment for the city, which has previously hosted stages of the UK’s answer to the Tour de France but never the prestigious Grand Depart.
Some of the world’s top road cycling talent will line up on Union Street on Sunday September 4 for the stage start before cycling 112 miles to the finish line at Glenshee.
It’s a feat of such magnitude that you’d forgive the riders if they stopped halfway for some cake and coffee – if only to power them up the sharp inclines of the Cairngorms.
Professional cyclists, of course, don’t have time for that and have to make do with the tasteless liquids and gels of sports nutrition.
The rest of us, thankfully, have a lot more options.
Dotted around the north and north-east are some amazing bicycle-friendly cafes that cater to the increasing numbers of cyclists that love nothing more than a two-wheeled whiz around the region’s beautiful countryside.
And with Scotland’s bicycle infrastructure improving all the time, there’s fewer excuses to stay out of the saddle.
Our list of some of the best cycling cafes and restaurants in the north and north-east should serve as further motivation.
Cyclists are a picky bunch – I say that as one myself – and demand a high standard of cake and coffee. All of the places below take their food and drink as seriously as the most committed rider, so you know you will be in safe hands.
Ride Coffee House, Banchory
The opening stage of this weekend’s Tour of Britain starts on Union Street, just outside HMV.
The route winds its way through Aberdeenshire and into Deeside, past all manner of great cafes and restaurants in Ballater and Braemar.
Ride in Banchory is a few miles from this Sunday’s action but is the closest cafe on our list to the stage route.
It’s worth the detour, though, as the cafe – owned by cycling couple Juliette and Simon Burnside – is a great refueling stop, whether you are after coffee and cake, or something more substantial.
And while it might not be on the Tour of Britain route, its location on the Aberdeen-to-Ballater bike path along the old railway line puts it at the heart of many a north-east cycle.
Address: 46 Station Road, Banchory AB31 5YA
Escape Route Cafe, Pitlochry
I dropped into this Pitlochry pitstop a few weeks ago in the middle of a multi-day ride from Loch Lomond to Inverness. I’d camped a few miles out of town, and was looking for a hearty breakfast.
Did I find it? Yes. And so much more.
The full Scottish breakfast I ate that morning was one of the best I’ve ever had.
It might have had something to do with the fact I was very hungry. But the loaded plate of sausage, eggs, bacon and black pudding ticked all of the cycling boxes.
The coffee wasn’t bad either. Exactly what I needed on a wet morning with a long ride ahead.
Address: 3 Atholl Road, Pitlochry PH16 5BX
Velocity, Inverness
A couple of days after my Escape Route breakfast I rolled into Inverness and past the beautiful blue frontage of Velocity.
The cafe wouldn’t look out of place on a Parisian street, and it’s a major draw for students and tourists in the Highland capital.
Cyclists also flock there – for the great coffee and cake but also for its love of bikes.
Velocity has a bicycle workshop next door where you can tinker on your two wheels, or attend a class, on bike maintenance for example.
Over the years it has cemented a reputation as one of the best cycling cafes in the north. Needless to say, I stopped for a coffee, and did not regret it.
Address: 1 Crown Avenue, Inverness IV2 3NF
Spider on a Bicycle
Aboyne is only a handful of miles from the Tour of Britain route, but Spider on a Bicycle won’t be open for the big event.
The cafe – in Aboyne’s former railway station – closed during the lockdown but will reopen later this month under the new ownership of Charlotte Le Roy and Andy Melnor.
Its love of bicycles has been passed down from the previous owners, who catered to legions of cyclists over the years.
Charlotte and Andy, who are keen cyclists themselves, plan to continue that tradition while serving up a fantastic range of food and drinks.
Because they are cyclists, the new owners know exactly what their customers want. So make sure Spider on a Bicycle is part of your future travel plans.
Address: Station Square, Aboyne AB34 5HX
Three Bridges Cafe, Tomatin
Right on the fabulous No.7 route on the National Cycle Network, the Three Bridges Cafe is a favourite stop for cyclists of all stripes. It helps that the cafe is halfway between Aviemore and Inverness so serves as a useful breakpoint for anyone tackling that part of NCN 7.
But the cafe also boasts friendly staff, a large bike parking area and an outdoor tap for water bottle refills.
And the sausage roll I had there was just the ticket for mid-ride munchies.
Address: The Strathdearn, Tomatin IV13 7YW
Highland Farm Cafe, Dingwall
The NCN 1 runs all the way from Dover in England to Tain in Ross-shire and is the longest route in the UK’s cycling network.
Further south, dining options are plentiful, but as the route winds north, obvious stopping points are fewer in number.
Which makes the Highland Farm Cafe in Dingwall – one of he best cycling cafes in the north – even more important to cyclists tackling the NCN 1 at its northernmost end.
It ticks all the usual boxes for a bicycle-friendly restaurant – good coffee and cakes and excellent food.
You can even hire out bikes from here if you fancy a day trip.
Address: Highland Farm Cafe, Mountgerald, Dingwall IV15 9TT
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