Heading For Nc500 26th August

forgot to mention when you are in Lochinver you must go into the lochinver larder and get one of their world famous pies! expensive but worth every penny! they are the best pies in the world..probably @andypandy can also vouch for them
http://www.lochinverlarder.co.uk/

 

That I can but if you do, don't tell Ron how much you paid, he'll have a right dicky fit !

 

I'll take you up on that mate. Many thanks.

 

PM me

 

Small update on plans. Going to look at rejigging the itinerary to stop over for two nights near Durness (or Thurso) so I can explore the North Coast unladen, and maybe ride the inland roads.

 

So everything got put back a week. Just about packed ready to leave tomorrow. Probably going on my Street Twin rather than the Tiger - I've still got a tweaked muscle in my left buttock which has a habit of giving way when I put down my left leg, which I can't get out of the habit of doing.

So Thurs - up the A1 to Richmond to pop in to Alt Berg to see about new boots (if I get up in time for an early departure). Over the border on A68. Probably loop around to Perth via Peebles, Cumbernauld, and Dunblane. Overnight at Jessie Mac's in Birnam, Dunkeld.

Friday - Pitlochry, then over to Braemar and Ballater to pickup the coast road at Stonehaven then round the coast to Sail Loft Bunkhouse, Portsoy.

Saturday - Breakfast ride with Sprinter to Elgin, then on to Grantown-on-Spey, Boat of Garten, Spaen Bridge, west side of Loch Ness, then anti-clockwise on the NC500 as far as Rogart to stay over at the Sleeperzzz railway carriages at Pittentrail for three nights so I can buzz round and inland in the Highlands, rather than rushing through as many seem to do just to count off the miles..

Then it'll be the west coast stopping over near Kyle of Lochalsh Tuesday night in case I decide to do Skye on Weds, then overnight on Wednesday in Tyndrum at the ByTheWay Bunkhouse Dougie recommended, via Oban and Glen Coe, and then a wee bit of Ayrshire and an overnight in Patna with GaryM on Thursday. Friday I might come home, or maybe bimble over Bellingham way and home on Saturday in time to watch ManU on the box at OMC clubhouse at 5.30.

Debating whether to wear waterproof-ish leathers, or my textiles that have waterproof inners but dunarf get heavily sodden and dripping wet on the outer. At least the rain beads off the leather in the main. Decisions, decisions.

This is the first summer holiday break I've had since a fortnight camping in Ireland with my lad 23 years ago. Doesn't time fly. Well excited.

 

Hope your trip goes well Rich have fun and ride safe mate

 

Stonehaven Dunotter castle
https://www.dunnottarcastle.co.uk/

Youll go past Trumps golf course on your way to

Peterhead
http://peterheadprisonmuseum.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Slains_Castle

Fraserburgh check out the Fishing Yachts in the Harbour 12million a piece and only allowed to fish something like 30 days a year ( there out of sight around the back 15 to 20 of them.

Pennan where they filmed local hero.

See you Saturday morning at your bunkhouse, Ill bring breakfast.

The roads on Skye are great and you can round the island in 4 hours.

Enjoy, ride safe, and watch the descent in to Pennan.

 

Cheers mate. I used to come up to Aberdeen every summer and most Xmas' back in the 70' and 80's and drive around the coast and through the Grampians on days out, so it'll be interesting to see how things have changed. Hope the afternoon teas are still as good up your way. Dunotter def on the itinerary

 

If you go to applecross I'd recommend going up to ballaech na ba from the south east for the easier ride rather than down from the west, but the west is better for the view. Both directions will be spectacular though!

 

Planning to go round the coast to Applecross from the north to south then west to east to get across, as I'm doing the NC500 anti-clockwise. Leaving Bedford in about half and hour, about 3 hours later than intended, but that's about par for the course for me.

 

Hope you have a great time Rich,i would love to see a picture of that route your'e taking, by my calculation by the time you get back to Bedford it will be almost 2000 miles(not including any milage you do while staying 3 nights in Rogart!) from Rogart to Kyle of Lochalsh assuming your'e doing the NC500 coastal route it is 400 long miles on quite a lot of single track if your'e doing this we will have to start calling you Nick Saunders!

 

when your'e staying in Dunkeld if you fancy great fish n chips the award winning Dunkeld fish Bar is well worth a visit

 

Personally I would go for Textiles. Leather once it gets wet takes forever to dry.
When you are at mine if you need to wash anything that will be no problem.
Just don't have a tumble drier but friends round the corner do

 

[QUOTE="Sprinter

Pennan were they filmed local hero.


Enjoy, ride safe, and watch the descent in to Pennan.[/QUOTE]
I remember going down there years ago on an XJ900 with full luggage and tank bag and SWMBO on the back in the pissing rain(bit dodgy to say the least)

 

I remember going down there years ago on an XJ900 with full luggage and tank bag and SWMBO on the back in the pissing rain(bit dodgy to say the least)[/QUOTE]


I used to do it in a minibus, the bottom corner was 2 inches each side. also I used to have a xj900 great trustworthy bike

 

Looks a great itinerary Rich, very jealous. Have fun and ride safe mate.

 

Where are you now?

 

Sitting here with the rain lashing against the windows and still wishing I was heading north on this particular adventure........

On the other hand I'm off on the boat on Thursday for a couple of weeks also heading north up the Trent & Mucky. We might get as far as Chester......