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jamesbbruce · 29 days ago

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Riding the Scottish Highlands

If you've ever wondered whether a motorcycle tour of Scotland is a good idea, I can happily report to BMW ON readers that it is. At least that was my experience this past September, based on a short three-day excursion that began just west of the capital Edinburgh (or “Edinboro” to locals).

Why Scotland? The venue will appeal to anyone who has real or imagined Scottish ancestry, who savors a good scotch whisky, especially the single malts; or who would enjoy a world-class riding experience on foreign roads seemingly designed for motorcycling in a friendly, English-speaking country (if you don't mind driving on the “wrong” side of the road). Because my riding partner and I met just about all these criteria, we joined a scheduled motorcycle tour of the Highland's Grampian Mountains.

Based on a query last year to Court Fisher, BMW ON's Global Touring editor, I learned of Highland Rider, a small motorcycle touring company in Scotland. Owned by Peter MacIntyre (who had just won a UK-wide John Wayne look-alike contest and left for Ireland at the end of our tour for a movie re-make), Highland Rider rents (what they call “hires”) motorcycles for organized tours of Scotland, or for individual use. You can also join a tour with your own bike if you really want to take it there, or buy one while in Europe. Highland Rider also rents riding apparel and helmets if you don't want to bring your own.

At the time of our tour, Highland Rider's rental inventory included three BMWs (two R1100RTs and an R1150GS), two XJ600N Yamahas and a 900 CC Triumph Tiger. Owner Peter MacIntyre rode an FJ1300 Yamaha sport-tourer that he said he liked, even though he rode a K1200LT last year. As this was late in the season, our group was uncharacteristically small with only three motorcycles: The RT that Penny and I rode, a new Honda VFR VTEC just acquired by Gary and Lana Keighley who rode up for the tour from Blackpool, England, and Peter's big Yamaha in the lead.

Located in Linlithgow, Highland Rider is only a 17-minute train ride from Edinburgh's Waverly Station. By prior arrangement, Peter met us at Linlithgow Station and transported us, with luggage enough for this trip (including helmets and full apparel) and for another 10 days in Europe, to the local West Port Hotel, where we stayed the Sunday evening before the tour and Wednesday evening on our return.

It was good to arrive early. Peter had to finalize insurance arrangements and give me a short qualifying road test on the “hired” RT. The two-lap test on his long but straight and paved driveway is easy enough but provides him ample opportunity to identify the unqualified rider or those whose skills may require a smaller motorcycle—so he keeps the two Yamaha 600s in the stable. But be warned: While his assessment is fair, Peter will not rent to riders whose skills he judges below par. Considering that he treats your deposit as non-refundable; under-skilled riders should carefully weigh the risks before sending money. Highland Rider will also hold an “excess” (deposit) in case of damage. For my RT rental, a credit card hold of 550 pounds ($775 US) was required and cheerfully returned at the tour's end in exchange for the damage-free bike.

The tour began Monday morning at a sensible 9:30 after a filling Scottish breakfast at the hotel. Peter picked us up there, and we could leave our unneeded luggage at the tour office, taking our three-day supplies in the Kathy's Bags liners we had pre-packed for the panniers, including the top case. The rented 2000 R1100RT was quite like my own ’99 RT, except that it was peppier, surged less, and had a much more comfortable factory BMW touring saddle—by far the best BMW seat in my experience. I sometimes lamented the lack of an AeroFlow windshield, Wrist Rest, and rear port for a second heated vest (more later) that I have on my bike. But the touring seat was so good that I soon forgot these other amenities I had become accustomed to at home. I quickly added a new BMW “comfort seat” to them as soon as I returned to the States, regretting that BMW offered no counterpart upgrade for the passenger.

This particular ride—the Grampian Mountains and Deeside Adventure—covered 475 miles over the three-day circuit. The tour offered breathtaking Highland vistas, many miles of twisty roads, vignettes of Scottish culture and history, and rain. Often lots of it and occasionally hard-driving. Beyond testing your wet-road skills, here is where you can road test your riding apparel, and mine got high marks. But after wringing out my cold and drenched leather gloves several times, I resolved to buy a good pair of waterproof gloves before my next rain-soaked outing (don't ride in Scotland without them). With nearly a day and a half of rain on our three-day September ride, warm, waterproof apparel was essential.

Departing from Linlithgow, our first day's ride weaved a circuitous 188-mile route that ended shortly before dark in Kirkmichael. Along the way, we stopped frequently—rarely in the saddle for more than an hour—and, despite intermittent rain, enjoyed lots of highlights getting there. Among them, the well-hidden Rumbling Bridge, the famed Gleneagles Golf Course (drive-by), and postcard-quality scenes of fiord-like lakes (“lochs”) and distant mountains, often striking even in marginal visibility. We rode westward from Crieff, along the north side of Loch Earn, then north to Killin along the sparkling Loch Tay, stopping at the nature park museum above the tree line near the top of Ben Lawers Mountain with tundra-like scenery all around. From Ben Lawers, we continued north to Loch Rannoch where we circled this gorgeous lake, stopping at its west end to see Rannoch Station where only a train ride will get you across the bog to Glen Coe. We next rode straight through Pitlochry, a town of such arresting charm and beauty that we resolved to return there on our next visit to Scotland.

The agreeable Log Cabin Hotel where we lodged near Kirkmichael, was warm and dry; the food was excellent and ample, and weary riders were ready to turn in early after a wee dram of highland scotch. Here, Peter's Scottish pride was again evident as he arrived for dinner in his kilt, Maclntyre tartan, of course. While he saved the kilt for evenings on this tour, he claims to have ridden occasionally in the kilt as well—to the amazement and no doubt amusement of all who witnessed the spectacle.

Although Day Two's ride was the shortest at 90 miles, it probably captured more of the essence of the Scottish highlands than the other days combined. First, we stopped in a forested area near Glenshee to see a large boulder well hidden from the road that served for centuries as the meeting place for Clan MacThomas as they prepared for battle with neighboring clans over cattle theft and other disputes. When Peter commented, “Aye, ’twas a bloody glen,” you knew he meant it literally. Not much later, we got a glimpse of Balmoral Castle, where the Royal Family often "holidays," and met some local Crathie residents at the town church who spoke with pride and discretion of their occasional interaction with the Queen and Prince Charles when royalty comes to town. We rode to Tomintoul, the highest village in Scotland, leaning in and out of sharp twisties on both sides of this scenic mountain stop, where a police embezzler from England had greatly improved the town for appreciative locals, even if accomplished with ill-gotten funds.

Dufftown, the center of Highland Speyside, and one of Scotland's five major regions that produce single malt scotch whisky, proved a real highlight for me. Here, we visited the large Glenfiddich (Gaelic for Valley of the Deer) Distillery, as seemingly skilled in conducting tours for single malt enthusiasts as marketing its best-selling products abroad. Dufftown is also home to other distilleries, including Balvenie, my favorite, but unfortunately, it is not open to the public. And at least one whisky shop can mail order local and rare malts, including many unavailable outside Scotland. After Dufftown, we rode to the nearby Abelour Hotel where we spent the night—but not before a convivial evening at the Mash Tun pub (named for an early step in the distilling process) whose proprietor spoke anxiously of his broken R1OORS now awaiting repairs.

Day Three, the longest ride at 197 miles, combined highland twisties with highway riding. But before returning to the lowlands, we rode to the top of Cairngorm Mountain, where we had to lean into the strong crosswinds for better bike control, and where a heated vest was a welcomed accessory—regretting that only one could be plugged in on this single-port bike (yes, the passenger's cord just reaches the front port). We lunched on excellent fish and chips at Aviemore, the local ski town, before turning south toward Linlithgow. Timely stops at a drive-through wildlife park (in a provided Land Rover—as the bikes failed this feasibility test), the Bridge at Brown Restaurant, and later, the beautiful Amintull Hotel allowed welcomed breaks on the final day of this scenic highland ride.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! The trip met or exceeded my expectations as a motorcyclist and tourist to Scotland. And the R11OORT was, for me, the ideal ride for a tour like this. It was sometimes a challenging ride—alumni from any Experienced Riders' Course will appreciate their added preparation. However, the trip may not be for everyone, so here are a few cautions.

Scotland's weather is problematic. Expect rain, chilly temperatures, and all-weather riding. Still, we enjoyed dry or sunny riding for slightly better than half our tour.

It's not cheap. Tour costs, including RT rental for the three-day ride and all meals with four nights of lodging for the two of us, totaled about 950 pounds ($1425 US). Of course, you still have to get there and back too.

This is not a four-star hotel ride. Food and lodging clearly surpass camping standards but fall well short of luxury. I had no complaints, but expectations for the finer creature comforts must be fulfilled on a tour elsewhere or perhaps with a different touring company such as Edelweiss. Highland Rider can be all business. Treat your trip deposits as non-refundable—even in extraordinary circumstances. If all goes well, you'll surely get your money's worth but don't expect much flexibility if anything goes wrong.

Here are the plusses: Tiny Scotland has a considerable charm, and if you've ever wanted to tour there, a motorcycle is a great way to do it. While Peter is not a trained tour guide, he intimately knows his homeland. He took us to unexpected places not found in tour books and on gorgeous roads uncharted on my maps. While he prefers wildlife and nature to castles and history, he will be responsive to your interests and, if given enough lead time, will even tailor a theme tour around your special preferences (e.g., historic castles, golf courses, salmon fishing, the distillery trail, etc.). As a bonus inducement to serious US touring riders, Peter will also offer a five percent discount, as he does for repeat customers, to any six-member group of BMW MOA members for any of his tours in 2003. E-mail is the easiest way to reach him at [email protected]; telephone and fax at 44 0 1506 846 616; or see his website at www.highlandrider.com where tour information for 2003 is posted.

Whether you sign on for an organized tour (which I heartily recommend) or hire a Beemer for a trip of your design, the Scottish highlands offer a marvelously unique setting for a memory-maker ride.

#James Bruce

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