Not all roads lead to Moffat. But a motherlode of great biking roads are within a stone's throw of the pretty Dumfriesshire town. You can pick and choose from fast and furious A-roads, twisty rollercoaster-like B-roads, and secret single tracks seemingly in the middle of nowhere.
There's plenty to choose from round here, but this time we wanted a great ride for the cold season. Something that has a good chance to be rideable any time of the year. To get the route right, we asked Dave Smith from the Buccleuch Arms hotel in Moffat to help us. Dave knows the area like the back of his hand, and regularly devises riding routes for his guests, so it took him no time at all to come up with this, the MSL Great Winter Ride in the Scottish Borders.
It's all about the base
There are plenty of good places to stay in the Borders region, but our first choice is always the Buccleuch Arms in Moffat.
The place gets busy with fellow motorcyclists because the Smiths who run the place are bikers themselves, and provide garages for bikes, routes of the area, and all manner of bike-related services you might need on your trip.
The rooms, food and drink are good, too, but the best thing about the Buccleuch is the world-class service from the whole team.
For further information, visit www.buccleucharmshotel.com
Easy riding
The route is a circular one, and can be ridden in either direction, but Dave - who also offered to lead the ride - suggested we do it clockwise, and I feel that doing this worked well as it saves my favourite bit until last... not that the rest of the route isn't great, but it's always good to know that something extraordinary is just round the corner.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 2022 من Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة December 2022 من Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Honda CRF1100L ES Africa Twin
Without panniers he was adventuring nowhere - so at least Bertie's got something sorted now
BMW R 12 nineT
Chad gets a track day surprise when BMW's R 12 nineT turns out to be surprisingly fun on track
Test fleet: VOGE 525 DSX
After testing the Voge's abilities on a long ride, it was time to take it to the Cotswolds and see how it would manage on the rougher stuff
Portuguese Perambulations
Nearly over before it had begun, a brief workshop stint allows Spain and Portugal to be explored
Highway to Heaven
Three friends take on the challenge of riding the length of Canada, from Vancouver in the southwest to Inuvik in the north. The road is long, the conditions merciless, and wildfires are tearing through the country. To top it all off, the final leg of the journey is the ultimate test of gravel riding skills, nerves, and courage - it's the legendary Dempster Highway...
Battlaxes at the ready!
We tend to take tyres for granted, never really looking at them in any detail, or at how they work, just hoping that they keep us shiny side up at all times. Even in the wet
Ducati Riding Experience
When I rode the Ducati DesertX to France last year, I did have a bit of an explore on some easy fire roads and gentle green lanes in the wilds of the Médoc area, but was left with the feeling that, had I the experience, the DesertX would have been capable of taking me along some more extreme trails to some even more exciting places. If only there was a way of finding out just how well the Italian adventure bike could cope with some more extreme terrain...
Four pot flyer
Many said that sports bikes, and particularly bikes in the traditional Supersports class that was populated by 600cc inline fours, were dead. Maybe they spoke too soon?...
Eastern adventurer
With an increasing interest in smaller capacity adventure bikes, the market expands with a new entry
First Time Lucky?
It's ironic that the first all-new MV Agusta model to hit the marketplace right after Italy's No.1 trophy brand was acquired by Austrian giant Pierer Mobility, owner of off-road titans KTM, should be the company's first dual-purpose model of the modern era, powered by MV's all-new 931cc three-cylinder engine that's destined to form the basis of a whole series of new models in coming months and years.
