Scotland on a Motorbike

[TonyP]

Instead of the usual European jaunt on the motorbikes we are thinking about touring around Scotland this year. The intention would be to go as for north as we can, so visiting places like Ullapool, Lochinver, Durness, John 'o Groats + some of the bigger cities etc. These are road bikes so not venturing off the tarmac at all, and not camping, hopefully find cheapish B&B's. Probably 5-6 days in total including the 2 days up and down from London. It will be scary venturing north of the Watford gap, but we think it's worth the risk

So couple of questions:

1. When's the best time around summer with the least amount of rain
2. When to avoid the midges/mozzies
3. Any festivals happening, always nice to observe the locals getting pissed?
4. Anything we should absolutely see (Nessie included)
5. Best whisky distillery?
6. Best touring roads?
7. Any reason why we should not venture north of the Watford gap?

Appreciate any advice.

Cheers
Tony

 

[lc 120]

Don't forget your passport and translation guide....

 

[TonyP]

Practicing my Scottish already....

"och aye the noo"!

 

[Shayne]

Might be worth looking at trawler races and boat festivals both are nothing more than an excuse for a big piss up

 

[Chris]

There's a series on the travel channel called greatest motorcycle rides. Might be on Yoo Toob. He does a great trip from J O Groats. It's all about the roads and the views. Worth checking out. Maybe down load the torrent if you can. It pished it down, but nonetheless, it rated highly for him as a rider.

 

[Olazz]

Gary should be a good source of info TP... he may even tag along on his Vstorm!


PS... what, you're taking 2 whole days to get there???? Doesn't sound like Tony the Bullitt we know

 

[Towpack]

Go for it! Been north of the border numerous times on the bike and there are some cracking roads to be sampled and compared to the congested southern half of the country they're practically deserted. As well as numerous day trips in mid Summer I sometimes stick a small tent on the back, camp at Loch Lomond and sample the roads around Argyl and Bute and up as far as Loch Ness but there's still plenty to go at even further up. Some nice runs in the Dumfries and Galloway area too. The best time around Summer with the least amount of rain is a lottery and anybody's guess but to hell with the rain. Just pack some wet gear and take what comes. I also go up there fishing with the LC and the caravan and IME the midges start getting bad around mid May, are hellish through the main Summer months and start to die off come October time. I've found they're worse from the middle belt of Scotland and the wild areas out towards the West coast and not so bad towards the East Coast where there's more agriculture.

 

[Shayne]

I enjoyed Scotland while working on fishing boats so i have no idea about the best roads but i would like to visit again and my route would be something like Isle of Whithorn - Oban - Fort William - Inverness - Wick . Got a bus from Mcduff to Aberdeen once and the driver not only stopped at a pub to let us use the toilet but joined us for a quick pint , and same again at the next pub

 

[TonyP]

Cheers for the info lads, some good info there, will look into that. Sounds like we won't avoid the midges although the buggers will have to try bloody hard to keep up

No Lazz, 1 day up and 1 day down, although being in the UK there are no Autobahns so may have to be a good boy...... NOT!

Happy for extra company, although I draw the line at your GS Lazz. Do you still have it?

 

[Olazz]

!

Happy for extra company, although I draw the line at your GS Lazz. Do you still have it?

You know you'd struggle to keep up boet......especially with the LC version

 

[Paddler Ed]

Try to get the eastern border counties in August if you can - Coldstream Civic week climaxes with the ride out to Flodden.

All the main Border towns do the same, so Kelso, Hawick, Duns and a couple of others do them, and they're pretty much one after another.

Flodden is the big one as it commemorates the battle there, and has a lot of pomp and circumstance, and everyone having a picnic on the hill as the riders canter up the hill... definitely something to see.

(Oh, and I'm biased as my wife is from Coldstream, and one of her friends is the Right Hand Man (he'll be the Coldstreamer next year))

 

[BobMurphy]

Avoid the A9 if you can - it has 'Averaging Speed Cameras' for its entire length and is the most boring road in the world.

Travel up the West coast instead, but no roads are free of mobile cameras.

The North West (Ullapool and beyond) is probably the best for scenery, but not for public spectacle. Fuel can be scarce on Sundays!

Applecross is a 'must do' as "The Pass of the Cattle" is an 'interesting' ride. Watch out for 4-wheelers though as drivers will assume you're expendable. The Applecross Inn does good food .

Have a great time, almost anywhere away from the trunk routes is worth seeing.

Bob (with two BMW GS' ).

 

[Ian Chuter]

I'm still very tempted by this http://www.northcoast500.com/home.aspx which someone (can't remember who, but it got me thinking) flagged up a while ago. You may be able to grab a few points of interest to do if you didn't want to stick to the given route. I guess that's what it's all about. Pick and choose, whatever takes your fancy, if any?

 

[Towpack]

Avoid the A9 if you can - it has 'Averaging Speed Cameras'

So has the A77 south of Kilmarnock. There are also unmarked Police bikes roaming the roads in many areas.

 

[AndyCook]

Take Glencoe north, the across to Kyle of lochalsh
Then north round applecross, then keep heading north to Durness and turn east
Midges around late May until mid September
But not so much hassle if you are staying in b&b, they can ruin camping trips if no breeze to disperse them

The A9 south of Thurso is a bit dull. Better to head south from tongue or bettyhill through a vast wilderness called the "flow country"

All distillery are good

May actually gets the best weather of the summer sometimes, but not year when we headed out camping.....


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[TonyP]

There's a series on the travel channel called greatest motorcycle rides. Might be on Yoo Toob. He does a great trip from J O Groats. It's all about the roads and the views. Worth checking out. Maybe down load the torrent if you can. It pished it down, but nonetheless, it rated highly for him as a rider.

Cheers Chris, found it on youtube, nice review:



I will start a google maps thingy and add the roads and tips in...

 

[AndyCook]

Also lots of bikers like the ride from grantown-on-Spey to Perth via Bridge of brown, the Lecht and Glenshee - I enjoy it in my Subaru too . High mountain passes, twisty and straight roads. Glenshee featured in top gear once too
And distillerys in the area too.

Reckon take Glencoe going north and back via the above


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[TonyP]

Thanks all, map is starting to look good

 

[AndyCook]

Did the trip happen Tony ?

 

[TonyP]

Hey Andy, unfortunately not as we have had to push the bike trip the end of this month and we are thinking it's too late as we would have missed the better weather. Will save the route and details for next year.

Going to head to Germany with a stop over in Munich just in time for Oktoberfest