Northumberland & the Borders motorcycle routes Ride Northumberland & the Borders.

Northumberland motorcycle routes: what the riding is like

This is some of the emptiest riding in Britain, and it rewards a relaxed pace. Roads are wide, well surfaced and flowing, with long views over farmland, heather moor and rolling hills, and very little traffic once you leave the towns behind. It suits a motorbike with a bit of range and a rider who likes to settle in rather than hurry.

Our Northumberland motorcycle routes are planned as loops that avoid U-turns, dead ends, motorways and unpaved tracks, using a mix of A roads, B roads and the odd quieter lane. Expect sweeping bends rather than tight technical ones, with the occasional cattle grid and narrow stretch to keep you honest.

Scottish Borders motorcycle routes and the castle coast

By “the Borders” we mean the Scottish Borders, and the rides here start on both sides of the England–Scotland border. Northumberland National Park, the northernmost national park in England, runs up to the border and takes in much of the Cheviot Hills, which mark the boundary. Our Scottish Borders motorcycle routes pick up where the park leaves off: broad river valleys, quiet hill roads and market towns that make easy places to start.

Back on the English side, the coast has its own character. Castles stand on the shoreline, the fields run flat to the sea and the air is salty and often breezy. Some rides lean towards the coast, some towards the hills, and a few take a bit of each, so you can choose by mood and daylight.

When to ride and what to plan for

Late spring to early autumn gives the longest days and the most reliable weather, and a long summer evening is ideal for a shorter loop. The hills can be cold and windy even when the towns are warm, so pack a layer. Weather on high ground and near the sea changes quickly, and winter can bring ice to exposed roads.

Sheep and cattle graze open ground, and farm vehicles are common on the lanes, so ride at a speed that lets you stop. The national speed limit for motorcycles on a single carriageway is 60 mph, but plenty of these roads reward less. Fuel stations can be far apart in the uplands, so fill up before you leave town and check your range against the day.

The coast and the busiest towns get crowded on sunny weekends and in school holidays, so an early start makes a difference. Northumberland National Park is also part of a Dark Sky Park, which is worth remembering if an evening ride turns into an after-dark one: allow for unlit roads.

Northumberland & the Borders rides start from Alnwick, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hawick, Hexham, Jedburgh, Kelso, Peebles and Rothbury.