The bealach na ba. Though it's in completely the wrong place obviously 🙁
Duke's Pass near Callander is another classic, only slightly spoiled by being littered with gravel and tourbuses. And the old road from Glencoe Village to Kinlochleven to North Ballachulish as well.
For a longer ride, oh, something like Tyndrum to Tarbet to Invereray to Lochgilphead to Oban to Ballachulish (then over the bridge and round the loch) to Tyndrum is pretty great. A couple of "filler roads" but the amount of quality in that is ridiculous. I use this one for tourists, had a group of 60 round it last year, I was a wee bit worried I'd keep finding people in ditches but it worked pretty nicely in the end
A701 Moffat to Broughton is an absolute cracker of a road, my all time favourite.
There's lots of good roads to the north and east of Kelso as well, the Westruther to Duns road (B6456) despite being a B road it is actually wide A road style with lots of non-blind crests and drops on it, sublime.
If driving into Scotland from the south the old dual carriageway A74 is still mostly there but now a single carriageway road, the B7076. As it's an old dual carriageway it is mentally fast with no hidden surprises on it, and all the dibble are on the M74 leaving it a totally porcine free zone! Flat out on a GSXR750 is good fun (165ish?)! The stretch from Moffat to about 12 miles north of Abingdon is particullarily good, I overtook the west coast mainline train there a few years back (the road parallels the railway in sections), got a few incredulous looks from passengers in the 100mph+ train!
Peebles, Moffat, Abingdon, Biggar, Peebles used to be a fav route of mine when I was Peebles based. When I moved to Galashiels it became, Galashiels, Selkirk, Moffat. Greenhill Stairs, Broughton, Peebles, Gala.
I often use the B7076 as an alternave to the M74. It's well surfaced, pretty much unpoliced, empty of traffic and very fast.
I have a standard evening route for a little bimble:
Edinburgh-Innerleithen-B709 to the A708-Cappercleuch-Tweedsmuir-Broughton-Biggar-Carnwath-Edinburgh. Only about 100 miles or so but great roads, usually empty and some great scenery.
I have a standard evening route for a little bimble:
Edinburgh-Innerleithen-B709 to the A708-Cappercleuch-Tweedsmuir-Broughton-Biggar-Carnwath-Edinburgh. Only about 100 miles or so but great roads, usually empty and some great scenery.
Makes a nice road cycle too. A wee bit more than a bimble though.
The run from Spean Bridge to the Bridge to Skye, A82 / A87.
Instead or going all the way to Skye though, I'd suggest turning north onto the A890 to Strathcarron, over the Bealach to Applecross then along the coast road before heading through the Torridon hills to Kinlochewe, the onto the coast at Gairloch. Then Gairloch, Poolewe, Ullapool, Achiltibue, Lochinver, Durness etc.
The run from Spean Bridge to the Bridge to Skye, A82 / A87.
Instead or going all the way to Skye though, I'd suggest turning north onto the A890 to Strathcarron, over the Bealach to Applecross then along the coast road before heading through the Torridon hills to Kinlochewe, the onto the coast at Gairloch. Then Gairloch, Poolewe, Ullapool, Achiltibue, Lochinver, Durness etc.
Am rahad nam Eilean – The Road To the Isles – great, but it was good with someone else driving so I cuold chill and enjoy the scenery
Also, Spean bridge, Loch Carron, Bealach na Ba, Applecross
A835 from Strathpeffer to Garstan then A832 to Kinlochewe, then it gets hard work on the singletrack through Torridon
The A9 north of Dornoch is surprisingly good, then gets better if you stick to the coast on the A99, avoid John O'Groats, and head west along the A836, right at Tongue onto the A838, then just follow that road back to civilistaion. There's a beautiful little village called Kylesku, but I'd avoid getting drunk in the hotel, but if you're going to I'd avoid throwing up in the B&B garden the next day.
local to me – A92 dundee -Arbroath – dull, Arbroath – Stonehaven, just gets better and better and better, then A957 (Slug Road) to Crathies, good, (used to test ride bikes along there, ZX6R was the best bike for that section) left at Crathies onto the A83 North Deeside Road- legendary. Stop at the Hungry Highlander in Braemar, then on through Glenshee. It gets a bit like work leaving Glenshee then picks up again and is great fun until blairgwrie, then just a short ride home
I'd love to do some of these roads on the Funduro chugger but the thought of riding up from Reading puts me off. That and the dog doesnt fit in the top box
the Dalveen Pass is sweet, from the Drumlanrig turn to Elvanfoot not one junction, good surface and curves to inspire. +1 for the Beeftub – Moffat to Broughton. Used to ride it every week.
The weather is rather nice at the moment so I'm trying to decide if I should take one of the motorbikes out and have breakfast at the Glen Cafe at St. Mary's Loch, or take one of the mountain bikes up into the Pentlands.