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I will be making a solo trip from Darlington to the Cowal Peninsula west of Glasgow by motorcycle next week for a few days. Any suggestions as to route, things to do etc. would be most welcome.
Last edited by: hawkeye on Thu 26 May 11 at 10:22
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The obvious route is A66 to Penrith then M6/M74.
More interesting, and only a few miles further, is A68 through County Durham and Northumberland, crossing behind enemy lines at Carter Bar.
Then hack across to Glasgow via Hawick, Peebles and Lanark.
It would take much longer, but on a bike you could nip past a truck which would hold up a car driver for miles and miles.
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>> More interesting, and only a few miles further, is A68 through County Durham and Northumberland,
>> crossing behind enemy lines at Carter Bar.
I'd second that. Excellent quiet, empty road. I'm not sure if Carter Bar is the viewpoint just after Catcleugh, but worth alighting here just to listen to the silence.
The July edition of RIDE magazine has a pull out section on best riding roads and things to do/visit including a section on Scotland if you're interested. I'm not a biker, but a friend of mine is, so I bought it for him after reading it myself!
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Thanks for the suggestions. I know the A68 well; love it. I have the July issue of RiDE. The suggestion of avoiding the Dunoon ferry is a new one on me. It turns out that my Thespian b-i-l is in Glasgow next week so I'll try the return via the A82 and see if he'll stand me a coffee on Thursday.
The rain is hissing down outside at the mo. Let's hope it eases off for tomorrow's start.
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I like nice roads as much as any demented office worker let loose of a weekend could be expected to, but for long haul it takes the shine off for me every time i have to dab a brake pedal.
I normally choose the most efficient route for the first 2/3-3/4 of the journey and then finish it off with something more interesting so i can look back and say "i enjoyed that!".
Going with that idea, get to Glasgow. A66 / m6 / m74 / m8 - all comfortable. Then deviate from the default route of a Dunoon ferry crossing, instead follow the A82 from Glasgow city centre M8 (well sign posted). Time wise, it wont really add that much, maybe another hour, but the reward is worth 10x that compared to the mundane motorway munching M8 / Dunoon route.
You'll see the only bit of Glasgow worth seeing, the west end. As you're making your way along the initial city part of the A82 Great Western road, take a left off for a quick but worthwhile 5 minute detour at Byres road junction, take a left up University avenue. I love that uni (not just because i went there, it's really nice). At the bottom of the hill take a right onto Kelvin way. Nice huh? :-)
Anyway double back at the bottom of Kelvin way, back the way you came onto the A82 - easy detour to remember and avoid getting lost.
Follow the A82 out to loch lomond. It's scenic, even in the rain. It's very biker friendly - i'm not the only car that pulls over the rumble strips for bikes around loch lomond. Before you head up the rest & be-thankful (which is ace), stop to refuel yourself anywhere you fancy past loch lomond but i suggest Arrochar. www.villageinnarrochar.co.uk/village-inn/special-offers/
The roads are good to great for 95% of that route having all been resurfaced within the past 10-15 years tops.
But then again i'd be on 4 wheels so my idea of easy 3/4, interesting 1/4 is probably miles off!
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Normally Skoda's 3:1 idea makes perfect sense, except in this case if it were me I'd choose the A68 because it's one of my favourite roads.
If I have time I'll always choose that way to Edinburgh, through the bleakness of the Durham moors, through the Tyne valley and up into the glorious Cheviot Hills and over Carter Bar, with a strange sense of 'coming home'. I've never lived in Scotland but my mum is from Edinburgh. Even the names are evocative - Fir Tree, Tow Law, Riding Mill, Kirkwhelpington, Otterburn, Byrness and through to Jedburgh and Carfraemill.
But Hawkeye if you live near Darlington you'll know the A68 well enough to choose it or avoid it.
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Scottish trip by motorcycle - Iffy
