A winter ride on the 550-mile Highland Trail

The Highland Trail is a 550-mile long bikepacking route through remote, rugged and stunning landscapes of the Scottish Highlands, comprising single track and dirt roads with tough uphills and hike-a-bike sections.

In December 2021, Annie Lloyd Evans attempted to ride the infamous Highland Trail 550 route, raising money for Glasgow-based charity Bike For Good. Taking on the challenging route in the darkest depths of Scottish winter, she was faced with just seven hours of daylight and long, cold nights. If successful, Annie would become the first person to complete the route in winter, but the famously unpredictable conditions of Scottish winter presented their own unique challenges, and four days in, deep snow on one of the higher passes nearly ended her attempt early.

The Longest Night is a new 23-minute film that documents that incredible ride, charting Annie’s journey through a mixture of self-filmed footage and additional material from Huw Oliver.