It's now Sunday morning, I'm sat here in the sunshine, drinking coffee and watching the day get sunnier by the minute. Martin and Morag have gone to the cafe. So the story so far...
Saturday 27th
Eventually Andy and Jo turned up, half an hour late. The crew for this
excursion north of the border was to consist of Andy and Jo, Martin, Morag and
myself.
Up the A68 we went, Martin relishing the pillion free miles and
myself ecstatic with my new brake setup. Stopping at Carter Bar on the border we
get coffee and stuff. One man in a kilt tries to sell us Scottish passports
while another strangles a haggis noisily behind a rock.
Once into Scotland we are besieged by gatso cameras every mile or so along
the A68. In a way it adds spice to the game, trying to spot then before they
spot you.
The A72 comes as relief, then a pleasure as it gets twistier as
we approach Glasgow, home of Morag. Eventually after a shopping spree we get
this highland tart installed on the ZZR11 and we off. The further north go the
sillier things get ending in the obligatory thrash across Rannoch Moor and into
Glencoe.
Red Squirrel, pub and goodnight.
Sunday 25th
Another mad Sunday. After a cloudy and damp start things started to pick up. By the time we left the campsite things where looking distinctly good.
Damn good busker in Fort William.
The ride to Fort William was the usual mix of fast blatting and herds of
cars to negotiate. Fort William highstreet has been pedestrianised and is much
better for it. Having mooched round we had lunch in the centre listening to some
busker, by the time we left it was on it's way to been a little festival.
Fort William to Drumnadrochit, now in bright sunshine, very naughty, very
fast, very good fun. After a coffee stop we decided on a blat out to see what
other campsite where in the area. Eventually, non the wiser we camp up at the
usual place.
Once unloaded we feel a ride up to see the dolphins is in
order. I take Morag to give Martin a chance to play silly buggers on the ride up
Loch Ness.
The Kessock Hotel. Great place to be on a sunny day.
No sign of the dolphins again so we park the bikes up outside the Kessock
Hotel. It's a brilliant place, complete with a veranda and is the perfect place
to have a pint in the sun and feel all smug about been on holiday. After which
it's another mad thrash down the side of Loch Ness and onto the site for tea.
After which we go to the pub, yet again we get drunk. It's full of
student/hippie types having a "happening". All good fun although a
little strange, last time we where here the place was very quiet.
Monday 26th
It's 6:00pm and I am sat here in my chair overlooking beautiful bay drinking a can of beer. It's a hard life...
Today has been another superb day's riding from Loch Ness to here (where ever here is, I'll look it up later). Loads of big sweeping A roads with sod all traffic, a glut of 100mph+ corners with perfect visibility and brilliant surfaces.
Somewhere in a lay-by off the A835
For lunch we stopped in Ullapool at a cafe, £3.95 for vegi-burger,
salad and chips - brilliant, then for afters more near empty big fast roads as
we headed further north.
And people ask why we keep coming to Scotland,
when you get the weather it is Gods own country. This evening we're going to sit
on the beach and get bolloxed.
Beelzibub the Bear in Ullapool
Tuesday 27th
Well last night went as planned, gorgeous if a bit cold evening on the beach
then onto a headland to watch the sun set into a bank of cloud.
Hummm.
Woke up this morning to the gentle sound of drizzle on the
tent. After a dump on the beach and a coffee I went back sleep.
A couple
of hours later I was woken again by the sound of everyone else waking from their
drunken slumbers. After breakfast and coffee we where on the road again, this
time round the north coast towards Bettyhill Bay, scene of the '95 event.
Remember it's always cold and wet in Scotland.
The further we rode the better the weather got until, suffering from heat
stroke, we stopped just past Durness for a look at Smoo cave. This is a huge
natural cavern at the head of a bay, the roof of the cavern has long since
collapsed in and is well worth a visit.
A few miles later we arrived at
Bettyhill and here we pitched camp and went to the pub for an afternoon pint (or
two) which brings me up to the present, sitting here half pissed, enveloped in
the smoke from Jo and Andy's barbecue awaiting the return of Martin and Morag.
Speak of the devil...
Later...
Smoo Cave.
Had me barbecue and got subjected to some wailing "modern classical"
violin music from Morag's CD player while Martin hummed along, pompously.
Everyone seemed to like it, although to me it sounded like someone tuning up.
Eventually we all escaped to the beach to drink more beer. After several
hours watching the waves and generally chilling out I went to my bed, the rest
went to the pub for a final drink...
Wednesday 28th
Another fine day so we decided to remain put at Bettyhill. Martin buggered off to climb a mountain so the rest of us went for a bit of a blat.
Before we set off I walk up to the war memorial just outside the campsite.
It beautifully kept and serves as a reminder of those to who we all own a debt
of gratitude. Nuff said.
The road to Wick from Thurso proved a bit tedious -
long and straight with only the odd bend - but Wick has the Caithness Glass
centre so we did the tourist bit by way of compensation.
Andy and me at John O Groats.
Next it was up the road to John O'Groats for the obligatory photo session. Beelzibub the Bear was home for a visit. After which it was back to Bettyhill for another beach party, only this tine we got subjected to a brilliant sunset while Martin built another of his famous sandcastles.
Sunset over Bettyhill Bay. What more can I say.
Thursday 29th
Leaving Bettyhill we where to be treated to some more amazing tarmac going
south. Well OK it's the same road in reverse but you know what I mean. We stop
again at Durness to lounge in the sun and have lunch while gazing at the beach.
It is gorgeous and decide next time we will have to stay here.
The blast
from Gairloch to Kinlochewe is extremely naughty (but nice) until we stop in
Glen Torridon to install Morag on my bike while Martin scurries up a bump.
Later we're approaching Applecross. The pass is a much fun as ever although
the Applecross campsite is undergoing some works so loses some of it's charm.
Me getting all arty again
Once pitched we all head to the pub, except Martin of course whose still
going up, for food and beers.
The pub is full and no-one is sitting
outside. This because it's turned into midgee hell outside. Sometime later in
the evening a very distressed Martin returns, it seems upon descending Glen
Torridon was full of midges waiting to eat.
Friday 30th
Another fine and sunny day. Down to Skye, over the bridge, blat south on
Skye, get the ferry to the mainland at Mallaig and then down the road to find a
campsite.
This bit of road out of Mallaig deserves special mention been
very "Cat and Fiddle"ish with all it's twists and turns, unfortunately
traffic was of a similar density to the Peak and spoiled some of the fun. The
campsite was a good 'un, nice and flat with good views over the sea to Skye and
and handy pub 5 minutes walk away.
Once pitched we toured about, walked on
the beach and eventually ended up in the pub for beers.
Another fine beach on the north coast of Scotland.
Saturday 31st
Another fine day only this time we had to go home. The ride to Glencoe was unnaturally reserved and the traffic very heavy. After lunch at the cafe we continued on towards our respective homes and a well deserved rest through increasingly heavy traffic and constantly rising temperatures.
Guess my new front disk is now bedded in...
and as a final reminder to go back,
Beelzibub the Bear returned
home and had a lovely time...