Touring Scotland has been the saviour of many a motorcyclist over the past couple of years.
There are so many stunning roads to ride that a map showing the best motorcycling routes in Scotland would simply read – “Help Yourself.”
The NC500 is perhaps the most famous route. We went to the start of the NC500, at Inverness twice, and then decided to avoid the camper vans and develop a different route. We were not disappointed.
While all of that is going on, Scotland’s West and South-West region often gets overlooked, despite having arguably one of the finest 100-mile sections of motorcycling road anywhere.
The GPX routes for touring the west of Scotland are available, for free, on the routes page [click here]
The Start
Every journey has to begin somewhere, and we picked the Supermarket car park in Boroughbridge near Harrogate. Not exactly the most exotic of locations, but there is fuel and a café.
The road we are heading for is the B6277 that runs North-West across England in the gap between the Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Parks. Along the way, the road changes to the A6071 and crosses the border into Scotland at Gretna.
The A75 will then take you west for 30 miles until things start to get interesting again at Ninemile Bar and the A712, otherwise known as The Queen’s Highway.
One hundred eighty-seven miles after the supermarket car park, you arrive in Newton Stewart.
The Middle
Although today measures 208 miles on a map, it is a long day. The short river crossing from Gourock to Dunoon puts a welcome break in the middle of the day, but first, we need to get there.
The A714 runs through the Galloway Forest to the west coast of Scotland, connecting with the A77 south of Ayr. At this point, should you be tempted to take the coast road through Ayr to Gourock, be aware that it is the popular route, and traffic often gets backed up behind the beloved camper vans in the summer months.
The alternative is to come inland a few miles and then take the “B” roads north, aiming a few miles to the west of Glasgow before turning west and arriving at Gourock.
The Gourock river ferry is a first-come, first-served service that you should arrive at with a full fuel tank. The 100-mile route that awaits you from Dunoon to Oban is an invigorating ride with jaw-dropping scenery. Still, the only places I’ve found fuel are Inveraray (37 miles after Dunoon) and Lochgilphead (61 miles after Dunoon).
It is a stunning road, but not the sort of place you want to be worrying about the fuel gauge.
One hundred twisting and turning miles after leaving Dunoon, you arrive in Oban.
The End
More than once, we have discussed turning around and riding the same road back to Dunoon rather than carrying on. Another option discussed has been taking the A85 out of Oban and turning towards Dunoon just after Lochawe, all so that we could ride another loop back to Oban.
With so many good roads to choose from, the A85 – A84 route through the Trossachs National Park is enticing and comes with the usual stop at the infamous Green Welly for fuel and breakfast.
I’ve never found a flowing route through Stirling and Edinburgh, so a few miles on the M9 motorway to get through them as efficiently as possible and on to the A7 is often the better choice.
The A7 blends with the A68, and the route will take you across the border back into England, passing the famous rock at Carter Bar, which generally leads to the inevitable photo.
Whereas Scotland has an abundance of stunning motorcycling roads, England doesn’t disappoint. The A68 through the Northumberland National Park is an excellent way to head south until you meet the A69 running east-west across England and an easy location from which to choose your route home.
