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Scotland by motorcycle: the North Coast 500 and the roads beyond it
The North Coast 500 made Scotland a motorcycle destination; the roads it leaves out are often better. Here is the loop and what to add.
Plan this trip1 North Coast 500
Photo by Reboelje, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. The North Coast 500 is a 516-mile (830 km) scenic route around the north coast of Scotland, starting and ending at Inverness Castle. Wikipedia
About 830 km around the northern Highlands from Inverness. Five days is comfortable; the west side is the reason to go.
Written about in 7 languagesStart a trip here
2 Bealach na Bà
Photo by Stefan Krause, Germany, FAL, via Wikimedia Commons. Bealach na Bà is a winding pass through the mountains of the Applecross peninsula, in Wester Ross in the Scottish Highlands. It is traversed by a single track road, which passes through several corries. Wikipedia
The pass to Applecross: single track, hairpins, and a 20 percent gradient. The best road in Britain, on a quiet day.
Written about in 6 languagesStart a trip here
3 Glen Coe
Photo by Wojsyl, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Glen Coe is a glen of glacial origins that cuts though volcanic rocks in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies in the north of the county of Argyll, close to the border with the historic province of Lochaber, within the modern council area of Highland. Wikipedia
The A82 through the glen is the most dramatic main road in the country. Ride it toward Fort William in the evening light.
Written about in 29 languagesStart a trip here
4 Isle of Skye
Photo by Mimihitam, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye, is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. Wikipedia
The Quiraing road and the loop around Trotternish. Go in May or September; July is one long traffic jam.
Written about in 64 languagesStart a trip here
5 The Cairngorms: Old Military Road
Photo by Thomas Andy Branson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cairngorms National Park is a national park in northeast Scotland, established in 2003. It was the second of two national parks established by the Scottish Parliament, after Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, which was set up in 2002. Wikipedia
The A939 from Braemar over the Lecht to Tomintoul, Britain's highest main road. Fast, open, and empty.
Written about in 30 languagesStart a trip here
6 Isle of Mull
Photo by Clydiee, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. The Isle of Mull, or simply Mull, is the second-largest island of the Inner Hebrides of the west coast of Scotland. Wikipedia
A ferry from Oban, then single-track roads to Calgary Bay and the Iona ferry. Slow riding in the best sense.
Written about in 48 languagesStart a trip here
7 Glen Etive
Photo by Andrewmckie, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Glen Etive is a glen in the Scottish Highlands. The River Etive rises on the peaks surrounding Rannoch Moor, with several tributary streams coming together at the Kings House Hotel, at the head of Glen Coe. Wikipedia
A dead-end road off Glencoe, 20 km to a sea loch. Famous from a film, perfect for a last hour of the day.
Written about in 11 languagesStart a trip here
Riding or driving it
Scotland is slow: single-track roads and sheep. Plan 200 km days, keep the daily hours low and let Roadlegs show the daylight: in October the light goes at six.
Open the plan in Roadlegs How the planner handles this vehicle.
About the facts and photos
The descriptions in italics are the opening sentences of the Wikipedia article for each place, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, fetched on 6 October 2026. Photos are from Wikimedia Commons under the licence named beside each one. "Written about in N languages" counts the Wikipedia editions that have an article, from Wikidata; it is a measure of how well known a place is, not a rating. Everything else is the author's own opinion. Roads close with the seasons: check before you go.
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