New explorr Festival Launches in Royal Deeside with a one-day Gravel Stage Race at its Heart

Entries have officially opened for the inaugural explorr Festival, a new outdoor endurance event slated for Banchory, Royal Deeside, Scotland, from August 28-30, 2026. At its core will be a one-day gravel stage race, set against the dramatic backdrop of the Cairngorms National Park foothills. Organisers aim for explorr to establish itself as a premier UK endurance festival, with this gravel event marking its competitive centrepiece.

This new festival arrives amidst a continued boom in the gravel cycling scene, particularly in the UK, where events like the Dirty Reiver have seen sustained growth. The choice of Royal Deeside, with its rugged terrain and scenic beauty, positions explorr to capitalise on the demand for challenging, picturesque off-road racing. Its multi-day festival format, rather than just a standalone race, also reflects a broader trend towards immersive, experience-led events in the outdoor sports industry.

Another gravel event, another beautiful Scottish backdrop. One can only hope the organisers have secured enough dry weather for late August 2026, or the "explorr" might become more of a "slogg."