BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

Having got a copy of "The Motorcyclist's Guide To Scotland", https://www.tarmap.co.uk/, I've been looking at "The Western Isles", "Orkney" & "Shetland".

With little knowledge of these areas, I have contacted the local TIC's for info. Orkney, with Scapa Flow & The Churchill Barriers sounds interesting for WW history.

At the moment, after that I'm looking for ideas. Other than saying, "Been there, done that, got the T-shirt", are there any other good reasons or not, to visit these islands?

Has anyone had experience of visiting any or all of these areas and willing to share, thanks.

What sticks with me is the beauty of the beaches and walking end to end, the only footprints in the sand.
Worth the trip for that alone. :-*


https://www.virtualheb.co.uk/western-isles-beaches/

Get a Calmac Island Hopper. Oban-Barra. Barra-South Uist. Ride up through Benbecula to North Uist then ferry to Harris. Up to Lewis. Ferry to Ullapool. Nowhere like it in the world. Not for rushing. Just potter about and stop wherever takes your fancy. No vast distances but the beaches are breathtaking. People wonderful.
Don’t forget waterproofs.

If you ever go to Islay make sure you book a ferry, don't just turn up. The ferries to and from Islay are busy taking trucks with grain over and whisky back so it can be difficult to squeeze on them

Steve, picking up on your post elsewhere about taking ferries to reduce some of the "slog", I'm thinking about a ferry from Aberdeen to Orkney/Shetland, rather than riding all the way to the north coast of Scotland.

Likewise, when back on the Scottish mainland, take a ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway, do the Western Isles and return from Barra to Oban.

Both Aberdeen & Oban are just less than 300 miles from home, which for me, is enough riding in one day.

Might even let the plane take the strain to Shetland & just do Orkney & The Western Isles on the bike.