Featured A Few Days Away On The Bike

Making the most of a few much needed days off work….
Early start yesterday and rode up to Gills Bay on North Coast of Scotland. A long ride, 500+miles but decent weather apart from a bit of rain South of Glasgow and some lovely scenery once you get away from the Motorway. The A9 through the Cairngorms is lovely as is the East Coast in yesterday’s Sunshine



Gills Bay is right next door to John O Groatrs so called in there for an obligatory photo of its landmark


ive been here on motorbike trips previously, but my lasting memory of this place is when me and my mate Jon cycled up here from Derby in the late 90s. Left Derby at 6am Friday and arrived in John O Groates the early hours of Sunday morning. No sleep at all on the journey but with some excellent support from 3 very good mates with a van and their bikes who kept us fed and watered at planned tops and sometimes kept us company on some of the cycling. But that’s a whole other story……
Anyway the purpose of Gills Bay and the only real bit of planning of this trip was to get the ferry to Orkney. Never been before but fancied it for a while. Planned to be on hol here last October with Mrs FellZebra but the ferry cos cancelled due to storms when we were actually on the journey to catch it!!
Got there about half 7 and made my way over to what on my map looked a good spot for a wild camp; Yesnaby Cliffs.
Decent enough spot but got a bit windy in the night. Not massive sea cliffs but on the west coast is likely to cop for some wind-note for next time!
I’ve had better night’s sleep but a nice spot to be waking up

Doesn’t seem to let me add any more photos
Is there a limit?
I’ll try on next post

 

Ferry is nearly in
I’ll update later

 

@FellZebra: Enjoy your tour! I like your photos. The limit is 10 per thread!

 

Nice one mate, worth the ride if only to see Skara Brae in my book. Hope the weather plays fair....

 

Just stopped for a break and good signal here.
So continued…..
Here’s last nights camping spot



That was taken this morning but could have been at anytime, doesn’t go dark this time of year.

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Don’t know what that picture not showing properly.

To be continued…..

 

Blimey, another Vango by the look of it. Don't know about Triumph owners, this is becoming a Vango owners site. If l can get away this summer i guess it will have to be in my old Tempest!

 

A bit more while waiting for my meal
Orkney was lovely and glad I’ve been but not really a biking destination, although enjoyed a good trip round the main island.
Good for birdwatching and fishing, so next time will be for longer and I’ll have my fly fishing rod with me.
Called in at Scapa distillery on my way to ferry for a bottle of my favourite Whisky.
They’ve also got sites of significant Neolithic interest if that’s your thing, but it’s not mine.
Anyway here’s a picture of the Ring of Brodgar



Back to the mainland and the best bits of the North Coast 500 awaiting…….

 

@MightyBoosh , yes a Vango tent and I think they’re brilliant. Gave an older one to my mates son a few years ago as I thought it was on its last legs. He’s still using it regularly!

 

Had every intention of updating this but due to poor signal at times and long bike days I’d not been able to.
Anyway I’m bank home now with some pictures to share so here’s the next day. Gills Bay to Ullapool on the NC500.
Not my first time doing the NC500 but definitely the best weather I’ve know up here, an absolutely cracking day for biking and courtesy of it being out of main holiday season the roads were relatively quiet. I’ve heard stories of traffic jams of motorhomes in height of summer which would spoil it.
No such problems today, just an amazing day on the bike with fantastic scenery and brilliant roads.


Great meal at the Seafood Shack in Ullapool, highly recommended if you’re in the area. But if you’re not I’m also recommending their cook book, think was about £20 on Amazon. Bought it after eating there last year when on hols with Mrs FellZebra

More to follow

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Brilliant. Did the NC 500 a while back now. Spent 5 days on Orkney a few years ago too. Enjoyed both the trips. Nice pictures too by the way.

 

Italian chapel
Stacks of Yesnasby
A stone circle
Medieval turf village

All great places to visit, I went by motorcycle, a Kawasaki GT750, back in 1990.
Camped on the beach with the first wife and our Jack Russell. Got pulled for speeding near Edinburgh (97in a 70) and they didn't say one thing about the dog on the back

Well worth a visit.

 

Nice photo, that's the stone circle I was trying to recall; nice moody pic.

 

That sounds like a good adventure up there on the GT750 @Eldon.
Yes, Stacks of Yesnaby was where I was camped. Definitely a place to be.

 

So next day was south from Ullapool and and back on the NC500 although headed over to Skye when I’d got down to Kyle of Lochalsh.
To be the best bit of the NC500 is John O Groats to Ullapool, not to say that any of it is disappointing I still loved my ride, a bit overcast that morning so no chance of seeing the tops of the Torridon mountains.
If anything could dampen my enthusiasm for the ride it was going over Bealach na Ba pass I experienced the thickest densest fog that I’ve ever ridden or driven in…….thought I was going blind!
Quick ride up to the North of Skye and views of the Trotternish Ridge. Then up and over by the Quirang and to Uig before heading back down to the mainland. Late afternoon by now so very little traffic on the roads and could crack on a bit, that ride on the (think) A87 coming up Glen Shiel to Loch Cluanie was brilliant, so good that I nearly went back down to do it again, though it’d been a long day and wanted to get to camp so over to The Great Glen it was and over to camp at Glen Nevis near Fort William, decent tidy campsite where you’re looking at Ben Nevis from your tent.
A few pictures from that day….

Looking towards the Quirang on Skye


Sunny Isle of Skye heading for Kyle of Lochalsh


Campsite view of lower Ben Nevis

 

Black Cuillin of Skye in the background

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Does anyone know why sometimes the posts allow you to put the actual picture in and sometimes it’s a hyperlink?

I’ll share a bit about last couple of days tomorrow….

 

Is that Kylesku bridge there?

 

I loved Orkney, but agree it would be somewhat limited for a bike. We visited by yacht years ago - having rounded cape Wrath we anchored in Loch Errribol (bleak!) and the next day continued to Stromness. The Old Man of Hoy was an impressive sight on approach!

We rented a car when we were there and visited the Italian Chapel, the Causeway and Skara Brae.

 

Isle of Skye from a different angle, Isle of Raasay. Not really a biking place but a nice little hop across for an alternative day out.
Good walking area.

 

Not been to Raasay, but have to Rona, just North of it. That's (or was at some point anyway) owned by the LEGO family (the South end, the North is MoD). Very pretty.

 

This was a Raasay claim to fame, although the locals hated it apparently and they weren't welcomed back.



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAS:_Who_Dares_Wins