My wee wet & windy tour of NW Scotland

[JimboF650]

My wee wet & windy tour of NW Scotland...

Packing all done I loaded up the bike saturday morning, it was already raining so I donned my recently acquired BMW rain suit (which didn't come off for the entirety of the trip), jumped on the bike and headed north just stopping a couple of times for fuel. Riding into Fort William dodging the trials riders (thinking to myself are they allowed on the roads?) I stopped for bite to eat before going in search of my first nights camp on the shores of Loch Arkaig. My satnav then took me left over the river towards Mallaig, (I thought it would have taken me down the A82) then right onto the B8004. So glad it knew better this little road was a cracker. Then around the back of Loch Lochy and down the never ending deadend lane of Loch Arkaig keeping and eye out for pheasants and deer.

Finally after a fairly long day I got to my planned campsite only to find someone else (campervan) had the same spot in mind and had beaten me to it. So I found another spot just big enough for my little tent - and then… THE SUN CAME OUT!!!! I got pitched up and sat out reading my ABR mag listening to the little waves braking on the Loch shore - the perfect end to day 1.

Day 2 started quite nice, well it was raining yet. Got the bike packed up, then headed back the way I came in and back on the A82, fuelled up at Invergarry then quick u-turn onto the A87. Even though I was camping I did want to bother with cooking/carrying food and all the faffing of packing away extra gear. So my breakfast stop would be the Cluanie Inn. Walked in 'sorry we don't do breakfast' but they did me a lovely ham and cheese toasty and cup of coffee instead. So with the bike and myself fuelled up I carried on.

Raining again, heading north through Strathcarron around Lochcarron (if you need you can get fuel here) I went in search of the Applecross pass road, stopping for the mandatory photo of my bike with the warning sign. While stopped four German bikers turned towards Applecross also (it turned out we would keep passing each other for the next day and a half). The ride up and then down to Applecross wasn't as bad as the sign makes out (nowhere as bad as hardknott done a few weeks earlier on the boil rally). Down in Applecross I had little ride around, trying not to scare everyone with my exhaust - it's a bit loud, but in my defence makes the bike ride so much better. A splash and dash of fuel (you need to fuel up when you can up here, especially on a sunday) I headed around the coast road, and what a road! though Fearnmore then rejoining the main A896. The A896 it turns out, is single track road with passing places a lot of the way - but it only needs to be - not so much traffic up there.

Another fuel stop at Kinlochewe, where the German guys pulled in just after me, after a little chat about bikes and the like, I was off again next stop Ullapool, along the A832 the German chaps and I leaped frogged each other a few times - they were a little faster, but stopped more. I was starving when I got into Ullapool, in two minds whether just to stop for fuel and food, or camp for the night. I made the decision over probably the best fish and chips ever. With a good few hours more of daylight I decided to go on.

A few miles out of Ullapool I spotted a campsite, I rolled in looked at the charges sign (£14 for biker and tent per night) and rolled back out. Destination now was Achmelvich beach (I spotted this place on Google maps a few years ago and was probably the reason for this trip). The winds were really getting strong now (must have been 30+ gusting 50 or so) it was raining and due to the weather getting a little dark. For the first time on the trip it wasn't so much fun, watching (wishing) the miles tick down on the satnav I finally turned off onto the lane down to the beach and campsite.

For £7 I pitched up on the fantastic little campsite. Just how I like a campsite to be, basic (cheap) - shower, toilet and not much more. Saying that there was some electric for caravans etc. With a strong northwesterly hitting the field which is right on the shore, I looked for somewhere sheltered to pitch, there wasn't anywhere. Arriving late the few good spots had been taken already. Luckily also being a climber/walker I'm used to pitching tents in strong winds. I just hopped it would stay up the night unlike the unlucky folks pitched across from me. Who had left the site for the day only to return to a destroyed tent.

As the night before the sun showed itself again, which made for some great photos down on the beach. With nothing much to do I settled down for the night. Ear plugs in I tried to block out the wind and rain.

I woke in the morning having slept ok (ish) got packed up between rain showers. Waited until it was a respectable time before waking up the campsite with the noise of my bike, and got off again. Rejoining the B869 I turned left - there's a lot of great roads in Scotland, and on this trip this road is was probably joint top with the road down to Durness. I won't say much more about it - if you haven't you need to ride it.

I rejoined the A894 south of Unapool - and made progress in the direction of Durness (if you know what i mean) the views/scenery in this part of Scotland are just something else. When you come over the top and see the north coast in the distance and what is a 10 mile straight road in front of you - even I made full use of the national speed limit.

By mid morning of the second day I had made it to Durness. Stopped for a photo and headed full of achievement into the village. Spotting the sign for Chocolate Mountain (which isn't in a mountain but a brick shed) I turned off for a well earned hot chocolate, and what a hot chocolate it was, worth the 500 miles or so to get there alone. As I was leaving the German chaps rolled in, exchanging a wave with them I was off to find more fuel. Which I found in the village, but also found my rear pads were shot. I thought I'd end up changing them so I was carrying a full set as spare. I changed the pads in a recorded braking couple of minutes, even remembering a smear of copper grease on the back of the pads, gave the chain an oil also - with the bike all set, we were off again only to stop 2 miles down the road for Smoo cave.

As I parked up the German chaps rolled in too. We all had a look around the cave, I took some photos for them, they took some for me. Then we went our separate ways. Which was for me a little road heading south along the east side of Loch Hope. The weather was REALLY bad now. There wasn't any chance of admiring the scenery (not that there was much in the cloud) it took all my effort to keep the bike on the road. With muddy grass running down the middle and the wind trying it's best to blow into the ditch - I started having the feeling I should have kept to the more main road south from Tongue. If I come off the bike here I could be in trouble. Maybe I should have turned around in the first mile or so, but I kept pressing on not to be beaten by the weather. Finally and with great relief I rejoined the A836 at Altnaharra. I had planned to spend a day exploring most of the roads up around here, but the weather sent me packing south. Beaten buy mother nature.

So south it was through Lairg, Bonar Bridge, Inverness (another fuel stop) and then Fort William for the night (campsite behind the school my first choice campsite in FW). Found a sheltered spot in the campsite and got my head down.

With the forecast not showing much sign of improvement I retreated home back to sunny Manchester, the winds stayed with me until about south lakes then eased some and it brightened up - until nearer home and it started raining again.

[JimboF650]

and photos...

DSCF1903.jpg (72.12 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1904.jpg (75.6 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1908.jpg (42.93 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1911.jpg (85.25 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1916.jpg (70.18 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1925.jpg (38.13 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1947.jpg (62.57 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1944.jpg (82.47 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

[JimboF650]

DSCF1949.jpg (53.75 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1951.jpg (69.72 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1959.jpg (76.43 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1965.jpg (65.96 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1968.jpg (58.76 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1970.jpg (33.7 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1986.jpg (80.27 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

DSCF1992.jpg (50.47 KiB) Viewed 1762 times

[Heff]

Good report Jimbo

I've been on these roads many times, and hope to get back again over the next few months.

The roads and views are stunning, but the Scottish rain can hamper this.

[johnnyboxer]

Looks a fantastic trip

Trials bikes are allowed on the road, you came across the SSDT

[The Wilbur]

Doesn't it "always rain in Manchester" anyway, so you should be used to it

What tent were you using?

[LargeWayRound]

Excellent stuff Jimbo

[SPEN]

doing the same run next week and taking in Skye aswell hope the weather picks up

[GUNDOG]

Nice one Jimbo..

[Redmurty]

doing the same run next week and taking in Skye aswell hope the weather picks up

our paths may cross I go up Saturday.

Nice report Jim

cheers Spud