Highland Perthshire Cycling (HPC) have announced that The Highland Perthshire Cycling Festival, a week-long programme of cycle events leading up to and over the legendary Etape Caledonia event weekend, will return in 2012.

A range of road and mountain bike events aimed at cyclists of all ages and abilities will be staged in Aberfeldy, Blair Atholl, Dunkeld, Kenmore, Pitlochry, Tummel and Rannoch from Saturday 6 to Sunday 14 May.

HPC, a voluntary group set up in November 2009 to promote and develop cycling in Highland Perthshire, will announce the full details of next year's Festival programme in January 2012. Highlights of the programme will include:

• The BIG Day with Graeme Obree; Aberfeldy - A free community and family focused event with Scottish cycling legend Graeme Obree
• All Ability Cycling Event - An opportunity for locals and visitors with disabilities and learning difficulties to have a go at cycling on specially adapted bikes
• Women's Cycle Workshop - A day workshop for women to improve skills and confidence
• Tay Titans Highland Perthshire Cross Country - A youth cross country competition
• Dunkeld Cycle Fun Day - An opportunity for families to try out the new cycle course and obstacle course with coaching and bike hire
• Skills courses including Etape Caledonia training, coaching sessions, promotions and a programme of ride outs with local riders across the regions

For more info see the HPC website

HPC aim to promote and facilitate more cycling in Highland Perthshire and to make the area a Cycle Friendly Community.

To date they have highlighted 16 accessible cycle routes throughout the area, ranging from easy flat riverside paths to more challenging hill routes. What makes these routes different is that the relevant landowners have been contacted and have approved the routes as cycle trails, so provided cyclists read and act on the information specific to each route regarding access, they will be welcomed as responsible cyclists.

To download the route maps see here