MOTORCYCLE TOURING SCOTLAND - In search of Nessie - Loch Ness

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In search of Nessie - Loch Ness

271 Miles

Our next day trip suggestion will take you down the entire length of Loch Ness, you'll take some very scenic roads and encounter quite a few major tourist spots. Assuming again Inverness as a starting point (although feel free to start anywhere on the trail) you take the back road to Cawdor to avoid traveling on the A96. This is our preference and allows for a few more fun twisties and more enjoyable riding overall. Continuing out to Fernes you will notice things starting to feel very remote, crosswinds can get extreme here as you are quite high up so take care and slow things down to enjoy the views if its a particularly windy day. Aviemore is the first major town you'll come to, during the tourist season it will be very very busy so you may wish to go straight through, although it is a great spot for lunch or a biscuit if you're in the mood. 

You'll be surprised just how good some of the roads are on the way over to Loch Ness

For the time being you will keep heading south, travelling through the cairngorms with some beautiful scenery wherever you look. The A86 is a particular road to watch out for when you get to this part of the journey and is one of our favourite roads, full of tight, sweeping bends where you can lean the bike over. Spean Bridge marks roughly the half way point where you will turn around and start heading back up towards Inverness along the length of the loch. The road itself that follows the loch is excellent and very twisty, with the one downside that it is usually very busy, particularly during the height of tourist season. Watch out for camper vans and tour buses!

The lock at Fort Augustus is an interesting place to stop and watch the boats coming up the canal

At Fort Augustus you can stop and watch boats accessing the loch at the canal centre and lock chambers before getting back on your merry way. Invergarry castle and the more touristy "nessie experiences" also litter the roads here if you feel like grabbing a memento or learning the history of the loch and the people who live around it. Its a long ride all the way back to inverness and you will get used to the sight of the water next to you, seemingly uninterrupted for many miles. Unsurprising consider there is more water in loch ness than in every lake in England and Wales put together. What would a guide be without factoids?

Eventually you will find your way back to Inverness for the end of this route where you have plenty of options for continuing your journey or resting up for the day. A very highly recommended ride!