Lindsay Carruthers, owner of the centre offered tips – drop your elbows and stay in the saddle on steep ascents to keep traction on the ground and hang back behind the saddle on steep drops. When you’re not sure just “give it some wellie” was Lindsay’s mantra. There was more lingo to get used to – a berm is a steeply banked corner (brake early then ride it out) and gnarly is used to describe a steep and rough section (stay low, lean back and try not to think “what if…”).

It was challenging but great fun, although the trail got the better of me in a few places and I got off and pushed. I was grateful for the heather on a few occasions, which slowed my bike like thick sand when I wobbled off the track.

You might think these man-made tracks would scar the landscape but as Lindsay explained there’s an art to building them into the contours of the hill – and looking back up from the base you could see what he meant – they’re almost invisible. The creation of these centres has been done in tandem with the Forestry Commission, which recognises that developing sports like mountain biking is a good way to promote non-evasive tourism in the Cairngorms and secure the future of the national park.

On the way back to the centre we tackled the orange route, designating a bike park. It was a snaking track of berms and drop-offs. I took a lot of the chicken routes down the sides but got bolder as we descended, losing my stomach over the humps and neatly hugging the berms.

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At the bottom a cosy café welcomes lycra-clad diners who share stories over home-cooked meals and where the windows steam up in the fug of warm bodies and hot chocolate.

Even on a cold March morning the car park was full of mountain bikers including families and beginners. Many were locals, but I also picked up some English accents and the odd one from northern Europe.

In the summer Lindsay says a lot of his visitors are Europeans, but also Canadians and Antipodeans, who come for the biking. For the same reason that Scotland is a haven for walkers, it’s also great for mountain bikers– the Land Reform Act that came into effect in 2005 gave mountain bikers, walkers, horse riders and canoeists access to most of Scotland’s land and water. Add to that the intricate network of tracks that criss-cross the Highlands and you’ve got perfect mountain biking country.

Mountain bikers have more in common with the sedate walking crowd than you might think – once you’ve earned your spurs on the trails, it’s time to head cross-country for remote riding, map and compass in hand. Navigating isn’t easy though, and with few reference points for those unfamiliar with the countryside, it’s a good idea to go with a guide.

On Sunday Wilderness Scotland set us up with Lindsay for the day, who, as well as his “give it some wellie” tips, offered a gentle commentary along the way. The trails, he told us, have lively histories – before us would have marched British Army troops in pursuit of Bonnie Prince Charlie, cattle drovers moving their herds for the season or whisky smugglers, moving contraband spirits when punitive taxes drove distillers underground in the 18th century.

We followed the vast U-shaped valley of Glen Feshie, hugged the edge of Loch Laggan and passed the brooding grey stone façade of Ardverikie Castle, the setting of the hugely successful tv programme Monarch of the Glen, which continues to bring visitors to the Cairngorms.

It was about 40 miles in all – splashing through muddy trails, lifting our bikes over deer fences, gliding through silent valleys and not meeting another soul. When we cycled back into the centre car park at 5pm I had the wonderfully satisfying feeling of complete exhaustion – but knowing that within a couple of hours the mud would be washed off, the feeling returned to my frozen fingers and I’d be sitting down to a steaming pub supper before catching the train back to London.

Ten hours later, sitting at my desk after a considerably better night’s rest on the sleeper train, the only reminders of my adventure weekend were my aching muscles and the mud-spattered backpack at my feet.

Need to know

Wilderness Scotland (0131 625 6635) offers a range of mountain biking trips between four and seven days long, which are graded according to difficulty. They also offer a range of Wilderness Weekends or can tailor trips according to your wishes, to include mutiple activities such as canoeing and walking. Wilderness Scotland will organise bike and equipment hire and they use locally owned and run accommodation.

The First ScotRail Sleeper train operates between London Euston and Scotland. The cheapest berth fares are Bargain Berth tickets, which are available from £19 one-way in the Standard twin berth accommodation. They can be booked up to 12 weeks in advance and are subject to availability. Otherwise tickets in Standard berths cost between £99 and £189 return. Tickets to travel in First Class berths, where each passenger has a cabin to themselves, cost between £224 and £257 depending on the route and day of travel.

The Hermitage Guest House offers rooms from £58-£75 per room B&B. Spey St, Kingussie, PH21 1HN, tel. 01540 662137

For more information about mountain biking in Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com/mountainbiking; www.cyclingscotland.org and www.7stanes.gov.uk

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