Skip to content

John D Burns

Outdoor author and speaker.

  • Books
    • The Hot Tent Diaries
    • The Last Hillwalker
    • Bothy Tales
    • Sky Dance
    • Wild Winter
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Contact
  • Performances
  • About John
Main Menu
  • David Barter. Great Scottish Bike Rides| Podcast

  • It’s Up to Us: Path restoration project | Podcast

  • Dan Bailey: UKHillwalking.com | Podcast

  • Bobby Motherwell: Singer/Songwriter, Poet and Climber | Podcast

  • Climbing in Yosemite: A Memoir – Dennis Gray | Podcast

David Barter. Great Scottish Bike Rides| Podcast
It’s Up to Us: Path restoration project | Podcast

David Barter. Great Scottish Bike Rides| Podcast

June 25, 2026June 25, 2026John D Burns Comment
John D. Burns talks to Dave Barter about his new book Great Scottish Bike Rides. (Available to pre-order now) Released 6 July. Scotland [...]

It’s Up to Us: Path restoration project | Podcast

June 12, 2026June 12, 2026John D Burns Comment
Derek Williams Sound Editor John D. Burns talks to Stuart Younie, CEO of Mountaineering Scotland and Ewan Watson, Project Manager for the Outdoor [...]

Dan Bailey: UKHillwalking.com | Podcast

May 29, 2026May 29, 2026John D Burns
For better or worse, the Internet has changed all our lives. Dan Bailey talks to John D. Burns about the influence the influence [...]

Bobby Motherwell: Singer/Songwriter, Poet and Climber | Podcast

April 28, 2026May 1, 2026John D Burns
Sound Editor Derek Williams In this podcast Bobby Motherwell talks to John D. Burns about his deep connection with wild places and how [...]

Climbing in Yosemite: A Memoir – Dennis Gray | Podcast

April 8, 2026April 10, 2026John D Burns
Sound editor Derek Williams The development of big wall climbing in Yosemite in the second half of the twentieth century was a seminal [...]

Martyn Howe: The Coast is Our Compass | Podcast

March 27, 2026March 27, 2026John D Burns
John D. Burns talks to Martyn Howe about his remarkable journey along the King Charles III coastal path. In this interview Martyn reveals [...]

Matt Heason: Wild Rock | Podcast

March 11, 2026March 11, 2026John D Burns
John D. Burns talks to author and adventurer, Matt Heason, about his new book, Wild Rock, which explores some of the great scrambling [...]

Neil Ansell – The Edge of Silence | Podcast

February 19, 2026February 19, 2026John D Burns
Sound editor Derek Williams One of the things that we often forget when we travel through wilderness areas is the sound of the [...]

Fort William Mountain Festival | Podcast

January 30, 2026January 30, 2026John D Burns
The organisers of Fort William Mountain Festival have announce an exciting line-up for the 2026 programme, taking place in Fort William and across [...]

Dennis Gray: Essays from the Edge | Podcast

December 11, 2025December 11, 2025John D Burns 1
Dennis Gray is a legend of British mountaineering. Now, aged ninety and with failing health, he talks to John D. Burns about his [...]

Posts navigation

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • …
  • 44
  • Next
John D. Burns has spent over forty years among the mountains of the Scottish Highlands. He is an author and public speaker. His books tell of his adventures in this iconic landscape and have become classics for those who love wild places.
Find out more about John click here.
Follow John D Burns on WordPress.com
Outside In Podcast
Outside In Podcast

From the Highlands of Scotland, climbers, hikers and nature lovers talk about their experiences in the wild

David Barter. Great Scottish Bike Rides| Podcast
byJohn D Burns

John D. Burns talks to Dave Barter about his new book Great Scottish Bike Rides. (Available to pre-order now) Released 6 July. Scotland has some of the most spectacular scenery in the world yet many cyclists have yet to explore its wild roads. David has selected 25 of the finest routes available for all abilities.

The book brings together twenty-five carefully curated road routes that showcase the very best cycling Scotland has to offer. From quiet Highland passes and rolling Borders roads to dramatic island loops on Mull, Skye, Arran and Bute, every ride has been ridden and refined to deliver an exceptional day in the saddle.

The view from the summit of Bealach na Ba one of Scotland’s most challenging rides. Photo Derek Williams

David speaks about how his interest in cycling began and why he is so fascinated by the Scottish landscape.

“In 2013 I left a well paid job to go on a mission to find the best road cycling in Great Britain and as a result “Great British Bike Rides” was born. In writing it I reaffirmed my love for Scotland and the fact that it really is my favourite place in the world. I’ve been visiting for over thirty years, returning year after year, and no matter how many times I go back, I find something new and a reason to return again. 

I’ve ridden bikes in many countries and many great locations, but Scotland offers something unique. Its road riding has long lived in the shadow of mountain biking and a handful of famous climbs, yet the real appeal lies elsewhere. The landscape delivers challenge, beauty and solitude in equal measure, and the roads follow the land rather than fighting it. Every ride feels different, shaped by weather, light and chance encounters. There is no such thing as a typical Scottish ride.”

Riding in the Highlands can come with its own challenges. A s David Explains.

“I set out to ride Glen Kiltarlity without checking the snow cover. It was sunny in Tomatin when I left but once I got to the Glen I encountered some snow drifts. I thought I’d walk on for a bit to see if it cleared. After an hour I was committed. It didn’t clear until I reached the top after hours and hours of pushing my bike. I had a similar problem in Tarbert when it rained torrentially for the whole of the ride. I completed the loop with no photos and in a really bad mood so wrote no copy at all and had to go back and do it all over again months later. This has happened on many occasions and I now know these routes intimately.”

Cycling in Scotland offers two wheeled adventures unlike anywhere else in the UK. David’s expertly written book will offer any cyclist, from beginner to expert the chance to explore the country’s finest routes.

David Barter. Great Scottish Bike Rides| Podcast
Episode play icon
David Barter. Great Scottish Bike Rides| Podcast
Episode Description
Episode play icon
It’s Up to Us: Path restoration project | Podcast
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Dan Bailey: UKHillwalking.com | Podcast
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Bobby Motherwell: Singer/Songwriter, Poet and Climber | Podcast
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Climbing in Yosemite: A Memoir – Dennis Gray | Podcast
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Martyn Howe: The Coast is Our Compass | Podcast
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Matt Heason: Wild Rock | Podcast
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Neil Ansell – The Edge of Silence | Podcast
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Fort William Mountain Festival | Podcast
Episode Description
Episode play icon
Dennis Gray: Essays from the Edge | Podcast
Episode Description
Search Results placeholder

Recent Posts

  • David Barter. Great Scottish Bike Rides| Podcast
  • It’s Up to Us: Path restoration project | Podcast
  • Dan Bailey: UKHillwalking.com | Podcast
  • Bobby Motherwell: Singer/Songwriter, Poet and Climber | Podcast
  • Climbing in Yosemite: A Memoir – Dennis Gray | Podcast

Archives

Copyright © 2026 John D Burns.
Proudly powered by WordPress. | Theme: Awaken by ThemezHut.