After our taste of Scotland in 2010 we were keen to return and explore some more. In 2013 we started the trip with the very scenic train journey from Glasgow to Mallaig where we then crossed by ferry to Skye. From Skye we crossed to Harris to ride the road on the West coast that we missed in 2010 then back round onto The Golden Road (probably our favourite road ridden anywhere so far) and over the hills to Lewis.

Riding via Great Berneray and the impressive standing stones at Callanish we then headed to Stornoway to catch the ferry back to Ullapool on the mainland. From here we rode up the West coast to catch the ferry across to Cape Wrath (highly recommended!) then back along the North Coast to catch the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness on Orkney.

We had a few days exploring the Neolithic sites on Orkney and some walking on Hoy before taking the ferry from Kirkwall to Lerwick on Shetland where we then rode over to Eshaness then up to Yell and Unst for a memorable night camping at the most northerly point in the UK overlooking Muckle Flugga lighthouse in the company of hundreds of puffins.

We returned to the mainland on the longest ferry in UK waters between Lerwick and Aberdeen then a train journey back to Glasgow to collect the car.

Days of Riding: 15

Distance Covered: approx 750 miles

Ferry Journeys: 14

Islands: 10

Scenic train ride from Glasgow to Malaig

Glenfinian Viaduct

The advantage of S&S couplings

Waiting for the ferry, Mallaig

Evening dip, Isle of Skye

Our own island for the night, Isle of Skye

The Cullins, Isle of Skye

Approaching Harris

Luskentyre, Harris

Spot the tent, Luskentyre, Harris

Evening dip, Luskentyre, Harris

Kirsty with her Kindle, Harris

Sunset at Luskentyre, Harris

Luskentyre, Harris

The Golden Road, Harris

The Golden Road, Harris

Waiting for the baaas, Harris

Climbing over Harris

Over the hills, Harris into Lewis

Earth Mother, Lewis

Bike parking at Bosta, Isle of Lewis

Beach at Great Berneray, Lewis

Great Bernera, Isle of Lewis

Calanish Standing Stones, Lewis

The standing stones, Calanish, Lewis

Prescriptive playground on Lewis

Black House Village, Garenin, Lewis

Evening swim, Gearranan, Lewis

Gearranan, Lewis

Clifftop view, Gearranan, Lewis

Sunset at Gearranan, Lewis

Pentland Road, Lewis

Filling up at Stornoway, Lewis

Loch Lurgainn

Back on the mainland

Evening dip, Lochinver

Inverkircraig

Who ya gonna call?

Asynt coastline

25% hill on road from Drumbeg

Kylesku Bridge

Waiting for the ‘ferry’ to Cape Wrath

Ferry ride to Cape Wrath

Rough road to Cape Wrath causes our only puncture

Rough road to Cape Wrath

A foggy arrival at Cape Wrath lighthouse

The Ozone Cafe, Cape Wrath. Open 24hrs a day, 365 days a year.

Sea Fog, Cape Wrath

Clifftop camping, Cape Wrath

Cape Wrath campsite

Camping at Cape Wrath

Clifftop view, Cape Wrath

Fearless sheep, Cape Wrath

Cape Wrath

Cape Wrath

Cape Wrath Lighthouse

Cape Wrath

Sunset at Cape Wrath

Sunset at Cape Wrath

Small Fog Horn, Cape Wrath

Big Fog Horn, Cape Wrath

Sunset at Cape Wrath

Kervaig Beach, Cape Wrath

Rough road from Cape Wrath

Leaving Durness

Lunch at Loch Eribol

Causeway at Tongue

Sand dunes, Far Bay, Betty Hill

Far Bay, in the dunes with the midges

St Johns Head, Hoy

4 tandems on one ferry! Scrabster to Orkney

Standing Stones of Steness, Orkney

Ring of Brodgar, Orkney

The Ring of Brodgar, Orkney

The Ring of Brodgar, Orkney

The Ring of Brodgar

The Ring of Brodgar, Orkney

Skara Brae, Orkney

Neolithic dining room, Skara Brae, Orkney Mainland

Evening dip, Skara Brae, Orkney

Sunset at Skara Brae, Orkney

Cows at a cafe, Birsay, Orkney

St Magnus Chapel, Birsay, Orkney

Twatt, Orkney

Stromness, Orkney

Kirsty’s view on a rainy day on Hoy

Rainy day on Hoy

The Bothy, Hoy

Bothy on Hoy

The Bothy, Hoy

Which way to the Old Man? Hoy

Walking to the Old Man of Hoy

The Old Man of Hoy

The Old Man of Hoy

Rush hour on Hoy, Orkney

Inside the Dwarfie Stone, Hoy

Dwarfie Stone, Hoy

The Italian Chapel, Orkney

The Italian Chapel, Orkney

Churchill barriers, Orkney

Churchill barriers, Orkney

Highland Park Distillery, Kirkwall, Orkney

Tasty Highland Park Whisky (for a price), Kirkwall, Orkney

Waiting for the ferry from Kirkwall to Lerwick

Shetland public toilet

Volcanic coastline, Eshaness, Shetland

Drinking Horse, Eshaness, Shetland

Lighthouse at Eshaness, Shetland

Volcanic coastline at Eshaness, Shetland

Eshaness, Shetland

Launching Puffin, Eshaness

Eshaness, Shetland

Evening dip, Eshaness, Shetland

Causeay to a Brock, Eshaness, Shetland

Volcanic coastline, Esganess, Shetland

Volcanic coastline, Eshaness, Shetland

Dinner time at Eshaness

Sunset Eshaness, Shetland

The world famous Unst Bus Shelter

The world famous Unst Bust Shelter, Shetland

John Peel Memorial Traffic Island, Unst, Shetland

The most northerly shop in the Uk, Unst, Shetland

Herma Ness, Unst, Shetland

Muckle Flugga, Unst, Shetland

Hermaness, Shetland

Views of Muckle Flugga, Unst, Shetland

Dinner time at Hermaness

Muckle Flugga, Unst, Shetland

Puffins at Herma Ness

Puffins at Hermaness, Unst, Shetland

The most northerly couple in the UK, Muckle Flugga, Unst, Shetland

Thousands of birds at Hermaness, Unst, Shetland

Feet wash after boggy trek to Hermaness

Shetland Ponies, Unst, Shetland

The plinky boat!, Unst, Shetland

Foggy day on Yell, Shetland

Off the ferry from Yell, Shetland

Shetland Mainland

Coldest swim of all, Shetland Mainland

Otter busy fishing

Final camp spot, Shetland

Tiny Shetland ponies, Voe Show

Small children on small ponies, Voe show, Shetland

Prize winning chickens, Voe, Shetland Mainland

Kitten at Voe Show, Shetland

Orange Sheep, Voe show, Shetland Mainland

Cake competition at Vow Show, Shetland

Voe Show, Shetland

Leaving Lerwick, Shetland

Back to ‘civilisation’, Aberdeen

Breakfast at Aberdeen station

Aberdeen Station

Ferry at Mallaig

Puffin photography, Herma Ness

Mavis Grind, Shetland Mainalnd – on the left is the Atlantic and on the right is the North Sea