Foray to Moray ... and beyond

[slparry]

this years trip (starting on Monday the 19th up to Glasgow) with me and Paul Davies (Welsh Weekends Tail End Charlie).

Possibly ending via Belfast > Dublin > Wales and home or just a hike down the M6

Pics to follow

https://goo.gl/maps/n7FSSovGr2ZK872n8

[ianbcr]

Not the best weather to start your trip Steve, Enjoy though.

[Grip Fast]

Yes, hope you get the weather on side, and have a great and safe trip. Scenery photos with bikes in view but without rain on the lens.

[slparry]

not too fussed by the weather, a wet day on the bike beats a sunny day in work..... plus it keeps the tourists off the roads and if there's a breeze the midgies too

At the moment it's not looking too bad though, so fingers crossed!

[big rob]

Have a great trip Steve.
Look forward to your ride report with lots of pics.

[nab 301]

Which bike are you taking Steve ?

[slparry]

Which bike are you taking Steve ?

I "really" fancied taking the R80RS but that will be for another year The BoxerCup has been north of the border for a Scottish Weekend at Moffat a while back. One day I'd like to take the K1 or the F800GS but to be honest the RT's "job" is the annual Highland Fling

So in short the RT is the chosen ride this time, with the others on the "list for the future"

[nab 301]

Enjoy the trip !

[slparry]

Well … trip done, just shy of 1500 miles and everyone, except for the motorway slogs, a joy.

The weather Gods were mostly kind

Paul Davies and I stopped for coffee at Charnock Richard before making our way to the Kirkstone Pass Inn in the Lakes for lunch for a spot of soup

IMG_20190819_121559.jpg (180.36 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190819_121647.jpg (161.83 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

then on upwards to Moffat for afternoon coffee and cake

IMG_20190819_145604.jpg (93.09 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190819_145557.jpg (127.56 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

bugged by wasps wherever we stopped which was irritating, I began to believe it was the same (fast) wasp

rather than go back onto the motorway we used the road that paralleled the motorway for a while from Moffat which broke the journey nicely

then onto the usual 1st night stop of the Erskine Bridge Hotel




despite the diet, caution was thrown for hols so a pint was in order after a splash in the pool

IMG_20190819_183422.jpg (71.95 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

Day 2 was to head north east towards Aberfeldy and the awesome Dukes Pass ….. but was foiled … to find the Pass had been retarmaced and chipped … didn't stop at Killin as we would usually but went on to Kenmore for coffee for a change, pretty little village.

IMG_20190820_104237.jpg (139.55 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190820_104233.jpg (115.89 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190820_104228.jpg (107.16 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190820_104223.jpg (109.19 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

Then on via Pitlochry up to Glenshee for more soup for lunch, stunning piece of tarmac that invites much naughtiness

IMG_20190820_132930.jpg (162.52 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

After lunch at Glenshee ski centre (more soup) … it was on towards Balmoral, Liz declined to offer us tea which was a tad rude but hey ho

IMG_20190820_132930.jpg (162.52 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190820_140252.jpg (210.52 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

We had some time to kill before going to the hotel in Tomintoul (the Richmond Hotel) so we carried on towards Aberdeen for a while before getting the sat nav to take us to the hotel. Again it convinces me that as far as Scotland goes wherever you go the roads are often stunning

IMG_20190820_162703.jpg (134.67 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190820_162712.jpg (115.28 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190821_090641.jpg (163.71 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190821_090653.jpg (142.82 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

The hotel was very pleasant, we had dinner that night at the Clockhouse restaurant across the road. As a footnote I'm not sure what the catering industry is going to do after Brexit as everywhere seems to have Eastern European staff!

Next day after a fine breakfast in the Richmond we went up the A9 to Lybster Harbour for coffee (and cake)

IMG_20190821_125950.jpg (124.98 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190821_125936.jpg (139.84 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190821_121942.jpg (106.9 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

Then up to John o Groats for the obligatory pics

IMG_20190821_144008.jpg (129.8 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190821_144024.jpg (128.02 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

From there on to the nights stop at the hotel that proclaims itself as the mainlands most remote hotel, The Garvault Hotel..... it is very very remote, took ages to get to and a 400 yard gravel track (off roading on an RT ….. wooo hooo )

IMG_20190821_165604.jpg (72.63 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190821_170931.jpg (139.51 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190821_180650.jpg (128.17 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

lovely location, lovely eccentric owners, Adrian and Eva, no mains water, no mains electric, no phone, no tv.... wonderful!

Dinner that evening was with the owners and was a great way of spending an evening chatting and drinking and swapping tales. Adrian was ex RAF pilot and Eva was Austrian.

The battery lighting only extending to half of the hotel so navigating back to the room was via torch ….. the room itself did have lighting

Next morning was on the small B road on towards Altnaharra (which took ages) then onto Tongue and picking up the North Coast road and onto to coffee (and treacle tart) at the little café there. Have stopped there before, the owner, from Yorkshire moved up years ago and fell in love with the are and stayed, diving for scallops for a while before setting up the café.

Only moan was the amount of camper vans everywhere, and despite signage saying to allow traffic to overtake at passing places they'd trundle along blocking everyone else's progress.

IMG_20190822_103430.jpg (149.79 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190822_103435.jpg (151.2 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

Stopped for more lunchtime soup (Cullen skink this time) at the Pie Shop in Lochinver before rejoining the NC500 near Kylesku for Ullapool

IMG_20190822_124421.jpg (173.52 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190822_124528.jpg (143.46 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

There was a Harley event in the Highlands that week so there were a few of them in Ullapool, we stopped at the Ferryboat in for coffee and a chat with locals

IMG_20190822_153529.jpg (104.37 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190822_154451.jpg (61.62 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

From Ullapool we continued on to the stop for the third night, the Poolewe Hotel. The hotels rooms are in an annexe behind the hotel and are very pleasant.

IMG_20190822_173757.jpg (191.53 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

after a lovely dinner I was "forced" to have a treble Ardberg 10 years old (it seemed a generous treble)

IMG_20190822_194523.jpg (75.35 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

After breakfast in high winds and rain we set off towards Aplecross for the mornings coffee stop and the ride over the pass (stunning as always) …. stunned to find the pass is now covered by 4G so could post pictures as soon as taking them!

IMG_20190823_113955.jpg (132.47 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190823_114010.jpg (115.64 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190823_114024.jpg (147.47 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190823_124333.jpg (60.1 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190823_124350.jpg (117.19 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190823_124359.jpg (81.31 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

IMG_20190823_124410.jpg (133.62 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

Then on to Eileen Donan for lunch …. guess what …. soup ….

IMG_20190823_133634.jpg (150.22 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

afterwards riding over via Kinlochleven and Glencoe to the Green Welly

IMG_20190823_172426.jpg (140.46 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

before riding down passed Loch Lomond to the Erskine Bridge again

IMG_20190824_075459.jpg (181.59 KiB) Viewed 17550 times

Travelling home was on the bank holiday Saturday so traffic was a bit heavier. We did 1500 miles, the trip went all too quickly.

[Paul]

Nice report Steve. It's good to see that Paul takes his tail-end-charlie-hi-viz responsibility's seriously, even when there are only two of you

[slparry]

Nice report Steve. It's good to see that Paul takes his tail-end-charlie-hi-viz responsibility's seriously, even when there are only two of you

It's very perturbing having a white bike with a rider with hi viz and white helmet behind you constantly

(when you ride "exuberantly" )

[Humbug]

Great report and pictures Steve

[nab 301]

Thanks for the write up .

[PaulDavies]

tail end Charlie.. being a very poor pensioner I only have my bike gear.. as you see.. sunday best..and two nighties.. one normal and one for Special occasions.. I didn't take the latter to Scotland I hasten to add.. ooooh hey vicar !!

[slparry]

tail end Charlie.. being a very poor pensioner I only have my bike gear.. as you see.. sunday best..and two nighties.. one normal and one for Special occasions.. I didn't take the latter to Scotland I hasten to add.. ooooh hey vicar !!

You mean it was your normal nighty the hotel complained about!!!!