Scotland motorcycle trip -lochs, ferries and coastlines Pt 1
The weather forecasts were good and the opportunity to get away on my bike looked promising. With that in mind I decided a Scotland Motorcycle trip on my Honda CMX 1100 would be the thing to do.
This trip would be my first ‘big trip’ since the 2025 accident. The last time I had been away on a bike was a few weeks before the 2025 accident. That trip had also been to Scotland (on my BMW F900 XR). You can check back on that post by reading about the ‘three towns and a 1,000 mile trip’ here.
I decided to make a week of it with the contingency of planning sensible distances between stops. With that in mind I made my first overnight stop in the town of Hawick.
Heading from home to Hawick
Hawick is a working town in the Scottish Borders and is the largest of the Border towns. Its history stretches as far back to the 1100’s and it’s a major centre for industry in the Borders. It’s a solid first stop, with roads heading into it from every direction.
Heading for Settle
I was away from home at around 09:30 am. Early enough for a full day on the bike, late enough for the morning traffic to settle.
I headed for Settle, an old and picturesque market town in the foothills of the Pennines, sitting at the southern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. From there the ride flowed easily through Ingleton, Chapel le Dale and Kirkby Stephen. After Kirkby Stephen it was on to Stanhope and the long moorland miles.
It didn’t take long to settle into the rhythm of the ride. Good roads, superb weather, and a route that suits a bike. I continued north via Corbridge, Otterburn and Bonchester Bridge before arriving in Hawick for my first overnight stop at The Bank Guest House.
The Bank Guest House is an easy place to recommend. Good rooms, comfortable bed, excellent shower, and secure parking at the rear for the motorbike. Donna, the owner, was a great host and set a high bar for breakfasts on the first stay of the trip.
The building is a former bank, no surprise given the name, and it’s well decorated and thoughtfully fitted out. Donna clearly has an eye for what works. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again if I’m travelling that way.
There are pictures from The Bank Guest House in Picture Set 2.
Picture set 1 – Manchester to Harwick
Click any image to click and scroll through the picture gallery. These images are from the journey from home up to Hawick. Note the colour of the beer (last picture set 1). It was called Purple Palm. It was sort of refreshing but to be honest it’s not a beer I would have again!
Breakfast and an early walk
Thankfully the unusual purple beer from the night before had no adverse effects. I took an early walk around central Hawick, mainly to grab a few photos and get a feel for the day’s weather.
Then it was back to The Bank Guest House for a terrific breakfast that set me up well for the ride ahead.
Have a look through the picture set below. Clicking any image will open the gallery so you can scroll through the full set.
Picture set 2 – morning in Harwick
This picture set from my Scotland motorcycle trip and my stay in Hawick.
Scotland motorcycle trip – from Hawick to the seaside town of Portpatrick
After my decent and enjoyable stop in Hawick I headed for Portpatrick, a pretty and picturesque seaside village in Dumfries and Galloway.
It was an ideal destination on my Scotland motorcycle trip, I was there last year with my wife when we had stayed in Newton Stewart and so I knew it was worth retuning to.
An old fashioned feel
Portpatrick has a sort of old fashioned feel to it – in a good way. It’s
My route
My route to Portpatrick wasn’t at all direct. I have written many times before about the A708 that runs between Selkirk and Moffat and alongside St Mary’s Loch. The A708 is one of may favourite UK roads and I decided I would head to Portpatrick by first heading for Selkirk then taking the A708 to Moffat before turning for St Johns Town of Dalry and then to New Galloway.
Empty roads on the Scotland motorcycle trip
The A708 was almost empty and absolutely magnificent, and the bike felt fantastic. The run alongside St Mary’s Loch was as good as any I’ve ever done. Perfect weather, quiet roads, and a rhythm that made for a superb start to a very decent day’s biking.
After a relaxed coffee stop I continued towards Newton Stewart and then onwards to Portpatrick for my next overnight stop at the Fernhill Hotel.
The Fernhill Hotel sits in private gardens above Portpatrick, with fantastic views over the village, the harbour and the Irish Sea. Parking was excellent for the bike, and I was confident it was secure. The short though steep walk down to the harbour makes it a great base.
Once showered and refreshed, I headed out for a decent walk and a cool, satisfying pint.
There are pictures in the set below from Portpatrick. Don’t forget to check back for Part 2 as I head for the ferry to the Isle of Bute, then onto the West Coast – Loch Shiel and Gairloch with roads and scenery to give most anywhere a decent run.
Scotland motorcycle trip picture set 3 the road to Port Patrick
