Outlander star to lead motorbike tour of his homeland

Outlander star Sam Heughan is all set to lead more than 100 bikers across his home region of Dumfries and Galloway this weekend.

The two-day event will begin and end at his Galloway Distillery near Newton Stewart.

Organisers said entries remained open as they hoped to attract even more riders.

The 46-year-old actor said the Ride Galloway event was designed to showcase south-west Scotland, an area he believes is often overlooked by visitors.

"It's a celebration of Galloway," said Heughan.

"I've ridden in Nepal, in Mexico, in America and all over, but actually some of the best riding is here in Scotland and not many people really know the south-west of Scotland.

"So what we're trying to do is encourage people to come down and spend some time with us over the weekend."

The event will see bikers travel about 130 miles (210km) through Dumfries and Galloway, taking in coastal scenery, forests and rural roads.

Heughan said the region offered a different experience from Scotland's better-known destinations, which tend to attract tourists further north.

"Tourists come here and they love it, especially from the show Outlander, but they go north," he said.

"They always go to Glencoe, the Isle of Skye and the NC500, and they're missing out on a huge part of Scotland.

"The south-west has rolling hills, it's very green and it has ancient history, from the Romans to the Vikings and Irish influences."

Best known for playing Jamie Fraser in Outlander, Heughan said his interest in motorcycling is relatively new but has quickly become a major passion.

"I kind of got into it just after Covid and I have had the most amazing experiences," he said.

"Scotland has got some amazing roads and it's a wonderful way to see the country."

The Ride Galloway route will be split into two loops, beginning with the Machars peninsula, offering coastal views towards the Galloway Hills, before heading east along the A75 into the Galloway Forest.