Best of Britain

Best of Britain

Ayres Adventures “Best of Britain” tour is a premium motorcycling journey that spans the entire length of the UK, starting in Cardiff, Wales and culminating in the capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh.

The tour is meticulously designed to showcase the UK’s stunning and diverse landscapes, from rolling English hills to dramatic Scottish lochs, via a network of scenic, twisty roads perfect for avid motorcyclists. Riders can expect deep historical immersion with stops at ancient sites and medieval ruins, complemented by luxurious accommodations, including stays in authentic castles and high-end boutique hotels. The journey promises a comprehensive cultural and historical experience wrapped in an unforgettable riding adventure.

Highlights of this Adventure include:

• Ride through England, Scotland and Wales
• Two-night stops in York (historical city) and Oban (seaside town)
• Several overnight stays in luxurious historical castles 
• Ride through numerous national parks in all three countries 
• Ride to the most southern and northern points of Britain 
• Enjoy a guided whisky distillery tour
• Visits to several historical castles, abbeys and ruins

At a glance your Best of Britain Adventure

Day 1 – Arrival in Cardiff, Wales

Welcome to Wales! The tour leaders will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel in the center of Cardiff. Depending on your arrival time, you will have the day to explore this historical city. Later in the afternoon, the tour leaders will hand over the bikes before hosting a group briefing providing more detailed information about the tour. After the briefing, we will enjoy our first dinner together at a wonderful local restaurant.

Day 2 – Cardiff to Lizard ~260 miles

Shortly after leaving Cardiff, be prepared to be mesmerized by stunning views and great riding as we make our way through Exmoor National Park. Once through Exmoor, we will ride along the coastline of the Bristol Channel and make our way towards the English Channel. A short ride along the English coastline will take us to Lizard, the southernmost point of Britain.

Day 3 – Lizard to Bath ~260 Miles

First thing in the morning we will enjoy yet another great ride with stunning views as we ride through Dartmoor National Park. Once through the park it’ll be a quick ride to one of the most popular attractions in the UK, Stonehenge. From Stonehenge, we’ll take a straight shot to get into the city of Bath as early as possible. Bath is a stunning historical city with natural hot springs and numerous attractions including Roman Baths, Bath Abbey and the elegant Royal Crescent. Bath is a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring unique architecture, boutique shops, and a walkable city center.

We’ll spend the rest of the day exploring the city by foot before heading out for a wonderful dinner together.

Day 4 – Bath to Caernarfon ~200 Miles

With a castle visit, two national parks and numerous places for stunning photo opportunities, today will be a great day of riding and scenery. Before getting to Caernarfon, we will ride through the beautiful Snowdonia National Park, arguably one of the most scenic parts of Wales. Tonight we will stay at the small seaside town of Caernarfon.

Day 5 – Caernarfon to York ~220 Miles

To bypass traffic of the major urban centres of Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield, we will head in a south/south-easterly direction, that will take us into the tranquility and dramatic beauty of the Peak District National Park.

We will follow winding, scenic roads through the Dark Peak moorlands and the limestone dales of the White Peak, while enjoying breathtaking, panoramic vistas of rolling hills, gritstone edges, and charming stone-built villages.

Once through the park we will ride toward the ancient and historically rich city of York. York, with its towering Minster, perfectly preserved medieval walls (The Bar Walls), and quaint Shambles, is a city steeped in Roman, Viking, and Norman history. We will be in for a comfortable and well-deserved stay in York for the next two nights, allowing ample time to explore its numerous attractions.

Day 6 – Free Day in York

York is a historic cathedral city situated in North Yorkshire, England, notable for its Roman origins. It lies at the confluence of the River Ouse and the River Foss. The city is rich in historic structures, including a minster (York Minster), a castle (York Castle), and the city walls, all of which hold Grade I listed status.

A free day will allow time to explore the many little hidden gems found within York. For those that would like to do more riding, the tour leaders will arrange a half day loop ride.

Day 7 – York to Alston ~185 Miles

Leaving the historic city of York behind, we will ride through the North York Moors National Park. Our first stop will be at the ruins of Whitby Abbey, perched dramatically on a cliff high above the North Sea. This highly Gothic landmark is famous for its association with Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Leaving Whitby we will ride through the magnificent Yorkshire Dales, one of Britain’s most picturesque locations, embodying the quintessential English countryside. Riders will encounter gently rolling green hills, ubiquitous dry stone walls, quaint villages, and deep, lush valleys (known locally as “dales”).

Tonight promises to be memorable: we will be accommodated in a beautiful, historic castle situated just on the English side of the border. This provides a perfect, atmospheric combination of comfort and history.

Day 8 – Alston to Ballantrae ~170 Miles

Our first stop of today’s ride will be at Hadrian’s Wall, a remnant of Roman times with a long and fascinating history. We will cross the border from England into Scotland at Gretna Green, just before our morning coffee break.

Our ride today follows the South West Scottish coast, passing through charming small fishing villages. We’ll make a photographic stop in New Abbey to view the ruins of the ancient abbey nestled in this tranquil village.

Day 9 – Ballantrae to Oban ~200 Miles

Just north of Glasgow, we will ride along the banks of beautiful Loch Lomond where we will stop for a few photo opportunities before riding through the Argyll National Park and along the Rest and Be Thankful, an incredibly beautiful ride all the way to Oban where we will spend two nights. Be prepared for a stunning day of riding.

Day 10 – Free day in Oban

Oban is a beautiful seaside town, popular with both locals and international travelers. We will spend two nights in Oban as it offers so many activities, including a whisky tour, ferry trips to the Isle of Mull as well as numerous other activities. Oban is home to the Oban Distillery, which is a short walk from the hotel and offers very informative guided tours.

Day 11 – Oban to Ullapool ~230 Miles

One of the longest days of the tour takes us up north to Ullapool via Fort William where we should see Ben Nevis (Scotland’s highest mountain) before stopping on the banks of Loch Ness – be on the lookout for the Loch Ness Monster. We continue with some great riding, taking many small back roads to Ullapool. The riding is considered some of the best in this more remote part of Scotland.

Day 12 – Ullapool to Thurso ~140 Miles

Continuing along Scotland’s greatest motorcycle roads, today’s ride takes us through Durness and Tongue before arriving in Thurso. Today is one of the most scenic and exciting rides of the tour with breathtaking views of white sandy beaches along the Scottish coast. Today’s ride will take us through the very remote Scottish Highlands.

Day 13 – Thurso to Inverness ~150 Miles

Heading north, as far north as we can go, we will stop for a photo at Dunnet Head, the most northerly point in Great Britain, before heading to John o’ Groats, the famous starting point for Charlie Boorman and Ewan McGregor on their Long Way Down tour. Heading south from John o’ Groats, we will spend the night in Inverness.

Day 14 – Inverness to Pitlochry ~140 Miles

Another great day of riding on some of the best motorcycle roads in Scotland. In the morning we will ride through Cairngorms National Park, cross the River Spey (The River Spey is the water source for many of Scotland’s whisky distilleries), and pass by Scotland’s largest ski hills. Pitlochry is a wonderful town and great for walking. There are several small and large distilleries in the area as well as some lovely walks into the surrounding forests.

Day 15 – Pitlochry to Edinburgh ~200 Miles

From Pitlochry, we will ride through very scenic farmlands as we head to St. Andrews for lunch and a relaxing stop. Although this is the last riding day of the tour, we will stop at some great sights before heading into Edinburgh. Today, we will ride back to Edinburgh where we will enjoy our final group dinner after a great tour. St. Andrews, famous for its golf course and university, is a great town to walk around and explore the ruins of the ancient cathedral in the city.

Day 16 – Departure from Edinburgh

After a relaxing breakfast, the tour leaders will arrange your transfer to the airport for your flight home.

TOTAL MILES ~2,355 MILES