Scotland

[fairb]

Went around Scotland the week after the Scottish bash (work commitments meant I had to go then). I usually go off for a sabatical tour around Scotland sometime during the year and although I've had the odd days of rain the weather has been OK. Got hammered this year especially on Skye (Tuesday 9th I believe it was). The rain was bad enough but the wind was really bad. Got blown all over the place from Broadford to Portree. Did ~3000 miles over 9 days and mostly enjoyed it. The western highlands are great in the sun but they can be a bit rough when the weather turns bad.

Applecross, not for learners it seems. I couldn't see a thing at the top as I was in a cloud. I rode over Hardknott pass twice on the way up and I reckon that's more of a challenge than Applecross. I guess the view is the thing with Applecross so I'll have to go back.

Syke the day after the 'big blow'.

The wife's cousin runs a B&B at John O'Groats (Mother in Law is from around Wick way). Shame she wasn't there, the hotel I stayed at there was a bit run down. I didn't book ahead and it was getting late. Last year I went in June and there was lots of daylight.

 

[Vinterceptor]

Looks great even in the rain

Blimey... touring 3000 miles in 9 days :bow:, I did 1700 miles in 6 days earlier in the year round Scotland and they seemed like long riding days at the time, with only arriving at the B&B's at around 9:00pm each day.

Good pic's, and fully agree with ya regarding Hardknott....the Applecross road is almost like a motorway (but with better scenary) in comparrison.

 

[dn1873]

So where,s this Hardknott pass then......must be razor if its sharper than over the Bealach-na-ba at Applecross..not for the faint hearted as you mention but scenery first class.

dn1873:dunno:

 

[bitontheside]

It's in the Lake District. Go west at Skelwith Bridge heading for Boot. You go up the Wrynose pass first - great road!

 

[dn1873]

Ta for that...need to see that one.

dn1873:yo:
Drew

 

[fairb]

So where,s this Hardknott pass then......must be razor if its sharper than over the Bealach-na-ba at Applecross..not for the faint hearted as you mention but scenery first class.

dn1873:dunno:

Below Hardknott pass on a nice day in September 2005. The road has deteriorated a bit since then. It's just my opinion but I think Hardknott is a fair bit more challenging than Applecross.

Vinterceptor, I lied a bit, it was actually 2881 miles via the trip (881 with rollover at 2K) but that did include a day on Skye when I only managed 100 miles because of the weather. (I needed a day to recover when I got back).

Bike didn't miss a beat and the Melboy seat has proved to be a good investment. Two moments, both rear wheel slides, one on a greasy wet roundabout in Ayr and the other on gravel at a junction near Brig O' Turk. Storms didn't feel as planted as they usually do.

I'm doing a thing called the RBR which this year involves visiting 90 landmarks in England, Scotland and Wales. That tends to rack up the miles. Now at 37K on my 05 I've had from new.

 

[dn1873]

Road looks really good fairb....looks a lot like Glen Shee south of Braemar. Applecross is really a different entity altogether though ..you dont have the long nice winding run up to the top like that picture shows....arse nipping parts come at the very top where you double back on yourself like a half shut knife and if its not approached correctly then your on your side....same other side on one particular bend.

dn1873 :yo:

 

[davey j]

I've ridden both and would agree with the OP:

Applecross - better scenery
Hardknott - still gobsmacking to look at but some sections definately steeper and surface nowhere near as good

IMHO

 

[dn1873]

I do a lot of riding / camping up in that north west area weather permitting, and its just breath taking.....any of you ever been around to Achmelvich, walked out to Sandwood Bay, or even down the west side of Mull....photographers paradise.

dn1873bl4hbl4h

 

[fairb]

Toured Scotland every year since 2005 when I got the Bird. Don't do camping though. Just go outside school holidays and find a B&b at the end of the day. (Don't do much walking.) I agree, my favourite bit is the North West (apart from the midges). It was too windy for them to fly this year.

Last year I did a clockwise tour of Scotland. Went to Ardnamurchan Lighthouse (most westerly point on UK mainland I'm told). Liked the road from Achnasheen - Gairloch - Poolewe - Ullapool. Rode up from Lairg, stayed at Tongue, went along the top to Portskerra and rode back down the East side of Scotland.

In 2005, did an anticlockwise tour. Went to Dunnet Head (most northerly point) and went along the top through Durness and ended up staying at Scourie Lodge. Came back down via Skye. Weather was a lot better that year, Dunvegan below.

(By the way the Lizard is the most southerly and Lowestoft [not Great Yarmouth] is the most easterly.)

 

[silverfox.xx]

Some nice pictures and information there Fairb, I'll use some of the ideas, for after McBASH 2010.. :bow::bow:

 

[silverfox.xx]

(By the way the Lizard is the most southerly and Great Yarmouth is the most easterly.)

I thought Lowestoft was the most easterly. bl4hbl4hbl4hbl4h

 

[fairb]

I thought Lowestoft was the most easterly. bl4hbl4hbl4hbl4h

:xmYou're right, I always mix those two up. The other points are OK. Last year at the Euroscope at Lowestoft.

 

[dn1873]

Nice photo,s Fairb.....what type camera you using ?? I do a fair bit of photography myself....mostly B&W though. Just makes me want to get back up there again, I love that area and probably been into and explored every nook and cranny and all the places the tourist never see,s up there. Next time your up there let me know and maybe we will meet somewhere in gods country.

dn1873:yo:
Drew.

 

[Grapefruits]

Four of us from work had a great weekend sometime in summer this year, spent all saturday hitting Dukes Pass looped round to the Green Welly then up over Glen Coe with a 20 mile detour around Loch Leven when the signs say "Bends for 10 miles" you know its worth doing it on the way back as well up to Fort Augustus then head back to Balloch at 6 when all the other tourists are tucked up for the night and Rannoch Moor and the A82 is almost free of traffic a lifetime memory moment.

Pictures are sitting down after taking the 20 mile detour round Loch Leven
Leaving Green Welly with a silver BB in amongst us and sitting on the banks of Loch Ness at Fort Augustus before heading back

 

[fairb]

Nice photo,s Fairb.....what type camera you using ?? I do a fair bit of photography myself....mostly B&W though. Just makes me want to get back up there again, I love that area and probably been into and explored every nook and cranny and all the places the tourist never see,s up there. Next time your up there let me know and maybe we will meet somewhere in gods country.

dn1873:yo:
Drew.

Drew, camera is nothing special. It's a Canon Powershot A75 which has been joggled around on the back of my bike for the last 4/5 years. Photography is something I would like to get into more. My only technique is to take about a 100 photos hoping at least one turns out OK (good old digital technology). My mate did tell me something about spltting the picture into 1/3rds and I am starting to understand lighting a bit?

If I go to Scotland next year it will be June or September so I'll let you know. I must admit that I didn't enjoy it so much this year with the crap weather. The roads are also starting to look familiar. I'm thinking that I should hop on the ferry just down the road and go across to France more. We went to the Pyrenees in June and really enjoyed ourselves. We fancy the Dolomites next year.

Grapefruits, nice to see you had a lovely Silver BB in your group!

 

[willibet]

I went over that pass to Applecross on a bike too - a push bike. Bloody hard work it was, got all the way up though. And down of course but that was much easier. Seems it's the highest/steepest/bastardest pass in the UK, which is why we did it (I didn't think it up, just got co-opted into doing it).

Cracking views, if it's not raining.

 

[Centaur]

It's feckin cold up there

in the Winter!