Across Scotland on a motorbike: The start of a spectacular journey
Country Life's Steve Ayres has long had a dream: to traverse Scotland on a classic British motorbike. Now, he's making that dream come true.


Back in 1995 I spent a delightful week traversing Scotland from west to east. It was a journey I took with a friend in my faithful Fiat Punto – but as wonderful as it was, I kept having a recurring thought on seeing the countless motorcycles that passed us. Wouldn’t this be even better by bike?
Fast forward 22 years to Autumn 2017 and I found myself sitting in an armchair putting serious plans into making that thought into reality. And on 1st June 2018, I left the urban sprawl of North Kent sitting atop a beautiful British motorcycle – a shiny new Triumph Tiger 1200 XRX – alongside Steve, my friend of 25 years, riding his own machine.
It wasn’t exactly an easy first day. At 3.40am that morning Steve and I set laden with enough clothing and camping equipment to see us through a full fortnight, and heading for our intended first overnight stop: the campsite at Oban, 526 miles away.
Setting off early proved a good idea. By 10.30am we had already covered 360 miles, stopping briefly for fuel top ups and welcome coffee breaks. The ease with which the bike covered these miles was impressive, having achieved a very respectable average of 51mpg at a speed around 70mph.
The fun was only just beginning, though, because negotiating the M25, M1, M6 and M74 isn’t what this trip is all about. So it was a delight to reach the A82 at Dumbarton and be on the final stretch to Oban, arriving after such a lengthy ride to pitch up at a wonderfully situated campsite with breathtaking views worth every mile travelled.
Stepping off the bike I patted the fuel tank, thanking my new found companion for making the journey so much more enjoyable than I had considered possible.
It really is a heck of a machine – in 30 years of motorcycling I can I honestly say I've not had the pleasure to ride a bike that is so competent, sure footed and economical over a long distance. And so much cooler than a Fiat Punto.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Tent pitched and suitably refreshed, we fought the expected army of midges and settled down for a well earned sleep.
Saturday morning saw a welcome break from two wheels: a two-mile stroll along the picturesque coast road into town, where ferries putter in and out of the harbour alongside dozens of beautiful sailing boats.
It’s a delightful little spot, full of interesting nooks and crannies. There’s a museum dedicated to the townsfolk, sharing the tales of local people and service personnel at the nearby Royal Air Force base.
The stories of the Sutherland flying boats of the Second World World and the first transatlantic cable – laid in the mid 1950s, and making landfall here – really caught my eye.
After a fish supper and a decent bottle of white we called it a day and hailed a taxi back to the campsite. In the morning, the Islands of Mull and Iona await and the next leg of our journey will continue.
Steve will be blogging for countrylife.co.uk throughout his journey across Scotland.
Spectacular Scottish castles and estates for sale
A look at the finest castles, country houses and estates for sale in Scotland today.
10 of Scotland’s most magical white sand beaches
What better day to celebrate some of Scotland's most stunning locations than St Andrew's Day? Here's our pick of 10
-
‘There is probably no sport in the world which is so misunderstood’: 75 years of Formula 1 according to the Country Life archive
On the 75th anniversary of the first ever Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix, held at Silverstone Circuit, Rosie Paterson delves into the Country Life archives to look at how the magazine once spoke about motorsport.
-
West London's spent the last two decades as the laughing stock of the style set — here's how it got its groove back
The style set is returning to the very West London neighbourhoods it once made a habit of spurning, finds Will Hosie.
-
West London's spent the last two decades as the laughing stock of the style set — here's how it got its groove back
The style set is returning to the very West London neighbourhoods it once made a habit of spurning, finds Will Hosie.
-
I've seen the light: How a dark and gloomy kitchen in the Scottish Borders was reconfigured for 21st century living
When a family home passed to a new generation, Guild Anderson was asked to create a kitchen suited to modern living.
-
Peregrine falcons went to the edge of extinction in the 1960s — today, there are more of them than at any time since the Middle Ages
In the latest instalment of Mark Cocker's 'Winging it' column, he looks at the peregrine, a bird of prey with astonishing speed and super strength.
-
Rogue sellers and puppy farmers are exploiting Government licensing loopholes at the expense of responsible dog breeders, says The Kennel Club
The Kennel Club launched a report in the House of Commons last week calling for an urgent review of current licensing regulations.
-
Beyond Stonehenge: The ancient moorland megaliths and grand stone rings that you can enjoy without the tourist hordes
With their potent blend of wild looks and mystery, Britain’s ancient sites have an enduring magnetism — and there are far more of them than you might imagine.
-
40 miles of racket strings, 55,000 balls and 2.5 million strawberries: Wimbledon by the numbers
How many strawberries are consumed, how many petunias purchased and just how much racket string is required at the world’s oldest tennis championships? Lotte Brundle serves up the numbers.
-
Chatsworth's winning £4 million Lottery ticket means it can restore beloved water feature
The Chatsworth House Trust will use the money from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to restore their Cascade — beloved by Alan Titchmarsh.
-
Hope from the ashes: This new generation of ash trees is more resistant to dieback
When ash dieback first arrived in Britain, in 2012, an emergency COBRA meeting was formed. The disease has since spread rampantly across the countryside, but there is still hope.