Every year I head to Scotland for the August bank holiday weekend. The 'supporting cast' changes, but we always have a great time on and off the bikes. This year was even longer than usual with an afternoon start on Thursday meaning 4 nights away.
Day 1. Myself & Matt on his GS set off from Morpeth and headed West, travelling up through Otterburn and heading over the Carter Bar and into Scotland. We rendezvoused with Neil and his immaculate Pan Euro' at Hawick and carried on through Selkirk & Peebles, spending the first night in Hamilton just South of Glasgow (Avonbridge Hotel, incredible value at £90, dinner, bed & breakfast).
Day 2. After a hearty breakfast we set off along Loch Lomond and headed up to Tyndrum for a tea stop at the Green Welly. From there we headed over Rannoch Moor, through Fort William and stopped off at Spean Bridge for lunch and a trip to the Commando Memorial. We continued up to Fort Augustus where the heavens opened, turning off at Drumnadrochit and heading to the National Hotel at Dingwall for nights 2,3 & 4. I was dripping wet and so pleased to get into a warm, dry hotel room to get stuff hung up and dried off. Oxford Montreal suit and Merlin boots - you both let me down with your waterproof promises...
Day 3. Yet another hearty brekkie and we were off in the rain and headed East, through Inverness and along various minor roads before ending up at Kingston and a car park on the beach where Matt tested out the crash protection on his GS... From here we headed a bit further East and had a cuppa at Cullen. We then headed South West through Keith, Dufftown & Tomintoul, stopping for a very nice spot of lunch at the Fire Station Cafe. Afterwards we dodged the hordes of Harley D's (Thunder in the Glen weekend) and headed back through Inverness and back to the National to dry off, again...
Day 4. Today was always going to be a long day and when we got back to the hotel we had covered 262 miles. We set off North on the A9, turning off at Helmsdale and taking the single track A897 all the way to the North coast at Melvich. We saw less than 10 vehicles along that road, so must have picked a busy day... We headed West along the A836 (the NC500 route) stopping off for a cracking lunch at the Kyle of Tongue Campsite & Hostel. We then carried on West, turning South West at Durness and then stopping at Scourie for fuel. After a brief stop we headed to Kylesku and a photo & coffee stop at the bridge and then continued along to Loch Assynt, turning South East and heading for Bonar Bridge. We then took the B9176, Struie Road which has a viewpoint over the Dornoch Firth. After that it was back along to Dingwall and a very well deserved pint in the bar.
Day 5. After yet another belting breakfast we set off home through Inverness, East along to Nairn before heading South through Grantown-on-Spey and Tomintoul, over the Lecht and a cuppa stop at Goodbrand & Ross at Corgarff. We then headed to Braemar, over Glenshee and down to Perth. Here the fun bits stopped and it was on to the M90 to Edinburgh, the inevitable scrabble around the bypass and then off on to the A68. From here it was a good run until we got to Wooler and the Glendale Farming Show was on, causing massive talbacks and very heavy traffic. Far from ideal, but we eventually got home at around 16:00.
It was a cracking weekend covering some 1,072 miles, averaging 57 mpg and 42 mph from the tigger, which never missed a beat and has breached the 10,000 miles mark. Super comfy too with no aches or pains to report, unlike my two mates who were grumbling a bit on the way home. The tigger will be getting some well deserved and much needed 'soapy love' today as it is minging! Pics below -
