Best XC trails in Scotland

Smooth routes with exposure?  gonna be hard to find.  Gypsy glen route perhaps but even that has a rough section? The "out in the mountains" routes tend to have water bars on any singletrack or be rough and eroded

Have a look on Sustran's at some of their route, Route NCN 7 is an absolute belter 🙂 (Sunderland to Inverness)

smooth routes, over 20km, gentle undulation and ideally some exposure, eg ridges.

Gravelfoyle?

(Gravel tracks around Aberfoyle).

Or even the NCN tracks around Callander - the loop west over the Dukes Pass and back by the Menteith Hill track was always an old-skool XC day out and the scenery is still stunning.

Plenty of the classic loops from 90s MTB in the Highlands are estate tracks where you're essentially just admiring the mountains. Consult the older literature:

101 Mountain bike routes in Scotland. Henniker, H. 1998, Mainstream publishing Co., Edinburgh

Exploring Scottish Hill Tracks: An Illustrated Route Guide for Walkers and Mountain Bikers. Storer, R. 1994, David and Charles, Exeter

All gravel bike territory now but some beautiful riding described in these books.

Cleikum Mill Lodge at Innerleithen has created a website with free route guides on which sound ideal for you.

Hihhlights include , Orchard rig ride, Drove road  into the Meldons ,Glengaber Ride ,John Buchan Way ,Three Brethren etc. Should keep you busy.

Graham calls it BikeValleyTrails website.

Round Beinn A’Ghlo from Blair Atholl? Mix of fireroads and rougher tracks, wee bit of exposure on descent down to Glen Tilt if doing anti-clockwise.

Thanks muchly all, just for future reference the Cleikum URL is

bikevalleytrails.co.uk 

Round Beinn A’Ghlo from Blair Atholl?

Rather more than 20 km  🙂

Head to Aviemore/Kingussie - endless singletrack in the woods there.

Moray Way, Dava Way, Speyside Way, or Deeside Way.

He said over 20km 😀