Summer is the season that reminds you why you ride.
The roads open up, the evenings stretch on, and there's no better way to make the most of it than with a proper day out on two wheels.
Whether you've got a weekend free or just a long afternoon, the UK has more to offer than most riders realise.
Here's our pick of the best runs, stops, and events to put in your diary this summer.
Great British Motorcycle Routes
The Snake Pass, Peak District
Few roads in the UK reward a rider quite like the A57 Snake Pass. Running between Glossop and Sheffield, it threads through some of the most open moorland in England. The road climbs, drops, and bends with the kind of rhythm that makes you reluctant to stop.
Cafes and pubs in either Glossop or Hope Valley make solid bookends to the run, and the Snake Pass Inn sits almost exactly in the middle. Best ridden on a clear weekday morning, before the weekend traffic builds.
Hardknott and Wrynose Passes, Cumbria
If you want to know what your bike is made of, take it over Hardknott Pass. With a gradient of 1-in-3 in places, it's the steepest road in England and demands full concentration.
Tackle it as part of a loop through Eskdale and Little Langdale, and you've got one of the most rewarding half-days in the country. Ambleside or Coniston make natural stops on either side for food and fuel.
The B4069, Wiltshire Ridgeway
Not every great ride has to be a mountain pass. The B4069 between Royal Wootton Bassett and Lyneham is a quiet, flowing road that cuts through open Wiltshire farmland with barely a traffic light in sight.
It suits every kind of bike, from sports to tourer, and links neatly into Marlborough or Devizes for lunch. A proper countryside run without the need to head north.
The NC500, Scottish Highlands
For riders who want a proper multi-day adventure, the North Coast 500 is in a category of its own. The 516-mile loop from Inverness takes in sea lochs, mountain passes, and coastline that changes completely every 20 miles.
Plan at least three days to do it justice, with overnight stops in Ullapool, Durness, and Tongue. The road demands respect in all weathers, but rewards it in full.
The Heads of the Valleys Road, South Wales
The A465 and its surrounding B-roads give Welsh riding a serious claim to being the best in the UK. Black Mountain, the Brecon Beacons, and the string of valleys stretching east to west combine serious elevation changes with roads that rarely feel busy.
Abergavenny is the natural hub, with food, fuel, and accommodation all well covered. The roads here suit every style of riding, technical enough to entertain, open enough to breathe.
Best Stops Along the Way
Bike-Friendly Cafes and Pubs
A good run needs a good stop. A few worth knowing about:
The Tan Hill Inn in North Yorkshire is the highest pub in England at 1,732 feet, sitting right on the Pennine Way. A genuine destination on any northern route.
The Drovers Inn at Inverarnan, on the western shore of Loch Lomond, has been welcoming travellers since 1705. Dark, characterful, and impossible to rush.
The Fleece Inn at Bretforton in Worcestershire is a National Trust pub that's been in one family for 500 years. Rare ales, a cobbled courtyard, and a route through the Vale of Evesham to match.
The Cat and Fiddle sits at the top of the A537 out of Macclesfield. A classic biker stop that comes with one of the best approaches in the north.
These are worth building a route around, not just stopping at by accident.
Motorcycle Events to Attend in 2026
ABR Festival – 26–28 June 2026
The ABR Festival returns to Ragley Hall, Warwickshire, on the weekend of 26–28 June.
Spread across the grounds of Ragley Hall, the event brings together hundreds of bikes to test ride, over 200 exhibitors, live music across four stages, and the biggest names in adventure motorcycling.
The 12-mile Adventure Trail lets you take a big adventure bike off-road on a purpose-built route, and there's no shortage of food, drink, and live music to fill the rest of the weekend.
What makes it work is the atmosphere. Around one in five riders arrive alone, but none of them stay that way for long. It suits any rider on any bike – first visit or tenth, it works.
Tickets are available via the ABR Festival website.
The Malle Mile Festival – 17–19 July 2026
The Malle Mile returns to Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire, for its 12th year, from 17–19 July.
The festival runs racing alongside culture: the Scrambles, Hill Climb, Sprint, Art of Sprint drag race, and The Dash speed trial all feature alongside custom motorcycle exhibitions, a Makers Market, and headline live music on the Mile Stage.
New for 2026 are 12 miles of adventure and enduro off-road trails across the castle estate, as well as a road rally departing across the grounds on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Riders and non-riders are welcome, and the range of events means there's something to get involved in regardless of what you ride.
Tickets are available directly through the Malle London website.
Tips for a Great Summer Day Out
Check the forecast the day before, not the morning of. Summer in the UK is unpredictable, and light waterproofs take up almost no space.
Build stops into the route. The best runs aren't the ones where you cover the most miles – they're the ones where you take a proper break, eat something decent, and come back to the bike fresh.
Ride unfamiliar roads. A sat nav is there when you need it, but switching it off and following your nose on the B-roads often leads to the best discoveries.
Tell someone your plan – just a route and a rough time to expect you back. Good practice on any solo ride.
Carry the basics. A puncture repair kit, a small first aid kit, and a portable charger add very little weight and solve most problems before they become serious ones.
Ready to Ride?
Talk to our colleagues at your local Vertu dealership about anything your bike needs before the season gets going.
From servicing and MOTs to accessories and gear, we've got everything covered.
- Motorcycles
- Ducati Motorcycles
- Honda Motorcycles