The Highlands - coasts, castles, kilts - 13 days

Your Scotland motorcycle tour begins at the ferry port of Amsterdam (IJmuiden): boarding in the afternoon, departure around 5:30 pm towards Great Britain. You spend the night on board and let the engine rest before the real tour through the Highlands begins the next morning.

This Highlands tour starts with arrival in Newcastle around 9:15 am. If you like, take a detour through the city before riding through the wide landscape of Northumberland towards Peebles. Along the way lie the abbey ruins of Melrose Abbey and Traquair House. Overnight stay in the Peebles area.

On this stage of the round trip through Scotland, you first follow the course of the River Tweed through the Dumfries & Galloway region in the southwest of Scotland. Gentle hills, small villages and quiet roads shape the day, before you spend the night in the Ayrshire area.

The ferry brings you to the Isle of Arran: besides its impressive nature, a stop at Brodick Castle with its sprawling parkland is worthwhile. On the west coast lie the megalithic monuments of Machrie Moor, and if you like, you can visit the local distillery. Overnight stay on the island.

Back on the mainland, you follow the coast to Dunadd, a historic coronation site from the 5th to 9th century. Via Kilmartin with its stone circles and rock carvings, you reach Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Great Britain. Overnight stay in the Fort William area.

This stage continues north to the picturesque Eilean Donan Castle on Loch Duich, known from films such as Braveheart and Highlander. From here, the route follows large parts of the famous North Coast 500. Overnight stay in the Gairloch or Ullapool area.

Passing the striking mountain Stac Pollaidh, this onroad stage leads through the lonely regions of northwest Scotland. A stop in Durness with the limestone cave Smoo Cave is worthwhile, before the view sweeps out over the Atlantic. Overnight stay in the Thurso area.

Today the tour makes a detour to the Orkney archipelago, made up of around 70 islands. Worth seeing are the Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae, the Bay of Skaill and the megalithic site of Maes Howe. On your own motorcycle or alternatively by coach excursion, you explore the islands at your own pace. Overnight stay in the Thurso area.

This stage of your own-motorcycle tour follows the west coast to Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. Along the way, a stop at Dunrobin Castle is worthwhile, while beautiful coastal views accompany the route again and again. Overnight stay in the Inverness area.

On the way to the Scottish capital, this self-guided Scotland motorcycle tour offers a detour to Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. Alternatively, you can take in impressions from Cairngorms National Park and the Speyside region. Overnight stay in Edinburgh.

Since the 15th century, Edinburgh has been the capital of Scotland and is today a lively metropolis with almost 500,000 inhabitants. Edinburgh Castle towers above the city, and from here the Royal Mile leads to the Palace of Holyroodhouse. A stroll through Dean Village is also worthwhile. Overnight stay in Edinburgh.

This coasts, castles and kilts tour is coming to an end: you ride back to Newcastle, and if you choose the coastal route, you'll pass Alnwick Castle, known from the Harry Potter films. Boarding and departure around 5:00 pm towards Amsterdam. Overnight stay on board.

In the morning around 9:45 am, the ferry reaches Amsterdam. Here your own-motorcycle tour through Scotland comes to an end – with plenty of impressions of coasts, castles and lonely Highlands in your luggage.