Scottish Highlands motorcycle routes Ride Scottish Highlands.

Scottish Highlands motorcycle routes beyond the North Coast 500

The North Coast 500 is a signed 516-mile loop that starts and ends at Inverness Castle, and it has made the far north famous with riders. These Scottish Highlands motorcycle routes are a different idea. They are day rides, each one a loop that gets you back to where you parked, built for people who want a full day in the saddle without committing to a week on the road.

If you are after an NC500 alternative motorbike trip, this is a gentler way in. The roads are quieter, the distances are easier to plan around, and you can string two or three days together from one base. Every route is planned to avoid U-turns, dead ends, motorways and unpaved tracks, so what lands on your satnav is a proper road all the way round.

What riding the Highlands is like

Expect long, flowing A and B roads through glens, past lochs and over open moor, with plenty of room to see what is coming. Surfaces vary. Main roads are generally good, while the quieter ones can be patched, narrow or damp in the shade, so ride to what you can see rather than to the speed limit.

Some stretches are single-track with passing places, particularly on the west coast and the islands. The Highway Code says to pull into a passing place on your left, or wait opposite one on your right, and to let oncoming traffic through. Keep passing places clear, give a wave of thanks, and look well ahead for headlights. Motorbike routes in Scotland often reward patience more than pace.

Areas covered, from Skye to the Cairngorms

The collection spreads across the Highlands, from the Isle of Skye, where one ride starts in Portree, to the Cairngorms National Park, which opened formally on 1 September 2003 and is the largest national park in the UK. Between them you will find coast and sea lochs in the west, big mountain passes in the middle, and rolling forest and farmland in the east.

Some rides are short evening loops that suit a lighter day. Others are full-day tours, so check the length on each ride page and match it to your daylight, fuel range and appetite.

When to go and what to plan for

Late spring to early autumn gives you the longest days and the best chance of dry roads, but Highland weather changes quickly at any time of year. Pack waterproofs and warm layers even on a bright morning, and check the forecast before you leave.

Midges are the Highland rider’s other forecast. The season runs roughly from May to September, and they are worst at dawn and dusk on calm, damp days. A breeze keeps them away, so a stop on an open, windy spot is more comfortable than one by water in still air.

Sheep, and sometimes deer, wander onto unfenced roads, so keep speed down on blind bends. Fuel stations can be thin on the ground in the north and west, so top up whenever you pass a pump rather than trusting the next one. The best-known scenic spots, and anywhere beside a big car park, get busy in summer. Start early, or ride a route on a weekday, and you will often have the road to yourself.

Scottish Highlands rides start from Aberfeldy, Aviemore, Blairgowrie, Fort William, Gairloch, Grantown-on-Spey, Inverness, Pitlochry and Portree.