Building the Ultimate Motorcycle Route Through Scotland
There’s something about Scotland as a country and its map that pulls at you. Jagged coastlines, roads that wind like veins through empty moorland, and names you can’t quite pronounce without doubting yourself, but want to see for yourself. This summer, we’re heading north on two wheels.
The route started with a familiar and iconic foundation: the NC500. Five days on the road, starting in Glasgow, cutting through Fort William and the Highlands, then drifting down the eastern coast toward Edinburgh. Enough time in the saddle to feel it, but not so much it becomes a blur.
While planning, I focused on roads with character, daily distances that allow for detours and scenic stops, and making room at both ends for city life. Here’s how I mapped it out, the tools I used, and why this version of the route through Scotland made the final cut.
How I Planned Our Motorcycle Route Through Scotland
The original plan was to take on the NC500, Scotland’s iconic loop through the Highlands. But the more I looked at the map, the more it felt like something was missing. Skipping past both Glasgow and Edinburgh felt wrong. Those cities deserve their own time, and squeezing them in as afterthoughts didn’t sit right.
So I started rebuilding. I kept the northern backbone of the NC500 but carved out the eastern portion and capped the route with proper time in both cities before and after the road trip. The result: a five-day ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh, threading through some of the most beautiful parts of the Highlands without turning it into a race. Due to some time limitations, we’ll be cutting out the most Eastern part of the highlands and carving up along Loch Ness instead.
One thing I’ve learned from past trips: crunching too many miles in a day kills the magic. You ride hard, you push through fatigue, and you miss what’s right in front of you. This time, I set a hard limit of no more than four hours of saddle time a day. That gives space for what makes a road trip worth it: the unscheduled photo stops, the café you didn’t plan for, the side road that just looks too good to ignore.
It’s also a way to ride smarter. Scotland’s weather can shift on you in an hour, and building flexibility into the route means you’re not stuck chasing daylight or wrestling with soaked gear just to make the next waypoint.
Most of the planning happened the old-fashioned way: a physical NC500 book, cross-referenced with Google Maps and My Maps for plotting distances and visualizing the flow. Since the route closely follows the NC500, I didn’t bother running it through Calimoto, no need to optimize something that’s already built to be beautiful.
Day-by-Day Scotland Motorcycle Itinerary
This route gives me a mix of remote Highland riding, coastal stretches, and just enough time in the cities to reset. I’ve carved out one full day in Glasgow before setting off, and two full days in Edinburgh at the end to close the loop with a slower pace. Here's how the main five-day ride breaks down:
Day 1: Glasgow → Fort William
The trip kicks off heading north along Loch Lomond and into Glencoe, easily one of the most cinematic stretches of road in Scotland. The scenery shifts from green hills to towering, jagged ridges, and the road carves through it like it was made for motorcycles.
Day 2: Fort William → Ledmore
A longer day through the western Highlands, skirting the edge of Loch Ness and pushing toward the upper interior. The goal is to reach Ledmore, remote enough to feel like the edge of the map, but well placed for the next day’s northern push.
Day 3: Ledmore → Totegan
This is where things start to feel wild. Remote northern roads, sea cliffs, open moorland. The ride follows one of the more untouched coastal stretches in the UK.
Day 4: Totegan → Pittentrail
Crossing the north coast and then cutting southeast toward Pittentrail, this leg keeps things quiet. Fewer vehicles, even fewer people. It’s about winding roads, wide skies, and getting a feel for Scotland’s pace when no one’s watching.
Day 5: Pittentrail → Edinburgh
The route dips through the Cairngorms before eventually rejoining civilization. It’s the kind of riding where the landscape changes fast, from wide-open valleys to urban edges. After five days in the wild, rolling into Edinburgh will feel like a re-entry into a different world.
Best Tools and Apps for Planning a Motorcycle Trip in Scotland
I kept the tech side of planning pretty simple. Most of the work happened using three key tools, each serving a different purpose:
Google Maps: This is where most of the route building started. It is reliable for estimating time, checking road types, and visualizing terrain. Street View came in handy for spotting fuel stations, checking road width on more remote segments, and scenic viewpoints that are worth pulling over for.
My Maps: Once the general route was built, I transferred it into My Maps. This allowed me to add layers for fuel stops, lunch and coffee breaks, backup accommodations, and even photo opportunities. It is not a navigation tool, but it is perfect for visual planning and you are able to download this map for offline use once you’re on the road.
NC500 Britain’s Ultimate Road Trip Guide
Having a physical reference helped. The NC500 guidebook included route inspiration, distances, and sights to see (bonus: each stop has a suggestion for how much time you need). Cross-referencing that with the map apps gave a fuller picture.
Other apps like Calimoto or Scenic can be helpful for auto-suggesting twisty routes, but since I was already sticking close to the NC500 backbone, I decided not to complicate it further. Sometimes less tech gives you more room to actually experience the trip.
Scotland Motorcycle Route Map & Daily Breakdown
Route Map & Pins:
The full route is saved in My Maps, with layers for fuel, food and drinks, scenic stops, and emergency alternatives. I’ll be sharing a downloadable GPX file of the exact route after the trip, and will be adjusting the timings below if my estimates end up being innacurate.
Day 1: Glasgow to Fort William
This first stretch sets the tone: dramatic views, flowing bends, and enough spots to stop and soak it in. Riding north along the A82 through Loch Lomond and into Glencoe, the road threads through some of the most iconic terrain in Scotland. Expect about 3.5 hours of riding, not including time to linger at places like the Three Sisters Viewpoint. Fuel is available around Crianlarich and Glencoe Village.
Day 2: Fort William to Ledmore
This day covers more ground, so I kept the route straightforward. The A82 continues north, linking up with the A87 and then the A835 to push deeper into the Highlands. The ride skirts the western edge of Loch Ness before drifting away from the usual tourist track. Fuel up around Invermoriston or Garve. Total time in the saddle: around 4 hours, with potential bonus stops along the loch.
Day 3: Ledmore to Totegan
A slower, more technical ride. The A837 and B869 take you across some of the most isolated and scenic roads of the trip. It’s narrow, single-track stuff with steep drop-offs, blind bends, and views that make you want to stop every five minutes. Fuel is limited, so I’ll be topping off before departure. Plan for 3.5 hours of careful, rewarding riding.
Day 4: Totegan to Pittentrail
This day rolls eastward, tracing the top edge of Scotland before bending down toward Pittentrail. It’s a quieter day by design - open roads, scattered coastal views, and the chance to slow down. The A894 and A9 make up most of the route. Riding time is just under 3 hours, but the sense of space and solitude should make this feel longer in the best way.
Day 5: Pittentrail to Edinburgh
The final stretch is a shift, leaving the wild behind and heading for the city. The A9 takes you through the Cairngorms, which can feel like a world of its own depending on weather conditions. This is the longest day in terms of contrast, with fast-moving traffic near the end and the adjustment that comes with re-entering urban space. Around 4 hours in the saddle, maybe more depending on traffic coming into Edinburgh.
Planning Lessons from Building a Route in the Highlands
Planning a trip like this is not just about picking roads. It is about learning how you want to travel. Here are a few lessons that shaped the final version of this route:
Do not over-plan the ride. It is tempting to cram in every scenic loop and detour, but that is how you end up burning out and skipping the good stuff. Keeping daily saddle time under four hours gives breathing room for unexpected stops, sketchy weather, or just a slower pace.
Leave space to adjust. Instead of locking in every stop, I have allowed for flexibility. I have marked a couple of backup overnight stays on the map just in case we need to cut a day short or change direction. It is a small shift in planning mindset, but it makes a big difference when you are actually out there.
Tourist highlights are not always worth the squeeze. Some of the big-name spots are there for a reason, but I tried to avoid building the route around just them. Instead, I used them as optional markers, not mandatory stops. That helps keep the focus on the ride, not the checklist.
Remote means remote. Up north, fuel stations and cafés are few and far between. I made sure to mark every practical stop along the route, and I will be topping off the tank whenever I can. Being self-sufficient out there is not optional, it is the way to peace of mind.
These are not hard rules, just things I have learned from past mistakes and built into this route. We will see how it holds up once the trip begins.
What’s Next: Riding the Route and Sharing the Ride Report
Building this route has already been part of the ride. It forced me to slow down and think about the kind of trip I want to have, not just the one I want to show. Now it is just a matter of riding it and seeing how it holds up.
After the trip, I will be sharing a full breakdown of what worked, what I would change, and the roads that delivered more than I expected. The good, the rough, the real. Whether you are planning your own trip through Scotland or just want to see how this one played out, the full ride report will be coming soon (beginning of August).
If you have suggestions, hidden gem roads, or places we should not miss along the way, drop them in the comments.
