Paul & Christine's Long weekend in Scotland (Friday May 3rd - Tuesday 7th May 2013)

This was arranged by Honda Owners Club [Northumberland Branch]  5 months ago were we where ask if we would like to go on tour in Scotland , the hotels and bed& breakfast were arranged by the secretary, Graeme, which was a challenge at times for him to find enough rooms for 12 people to stay all together .

Friday morning was going to be an early start at Ponteland, so we rode up to Newcastle on Thursday and stayed overnight at a Travel lodge.

The next morning we met up with 4 people, 3 bikes at Dobbies Garden centre at 7.30 am then set off on the A689 towards Earlston for a breakfast stop and fuel where we met 2 more bikes. 

Leaving Earlston and 25 miles later we met up with 2 bikes , 4 people at the A720 Edinburgh City by-pass heading towards the Fourth Bridge, the group now complete 8 bikes 12 people and rain.

Crossing the Firth of Forth we headed North onto the M90 stopping at Kinross Services, leaving Kinross we had a quick run through to Perth and off towards Scone Palace and Glen Shee were we stopped at the ski lift for leg stretch. [Top Gear were filming at Glen Shee]   

Leaving Glen Shee we climbed up The Lecth and had a comfort stop at the ski centre, then descending to Grant on Spey and on towards Aviemore, joining the A9 to Inverness. [Rain came down in bucket’s for the last 20 miles] 

 First night’s meal [Still raining]

Saturday Morning  after breakfast  we left Inverness  [Roads wet ,but no rain]  carried on the A9 crossing over the  Black Isle heading towards Wick  for lunch and fuel stop,  leaving Wick on the A99 towards John o’ Groat’s, then following A836 towards Castletown for our next hotel.

Sunday morning started off dull but dry after breakfast, leaving Castletown on the A836 heading towards Thurso and onto Durness on the A838 [Coco Mountain hot chocolate manufactures] for a comfort break, then through Scourie to Unapool A894 for lunch. 

We took the A385 to Ullapool  where our motel awaited us for the night, unfortunately for some - 5 mile from Ullapool we picked up a 1.5 inch screw in the back tyre, no phone signal, us back marker, out came the puncture repair kit. At least it was dry for a change!

Luckily we were doing the drop off system and a passing motorist saw a bike parked at a junction and raised the alarm, as 2 friends came back to find us Christine got a lift to the motel and I was followed to the nearest garage for some more air.

Monday, checked tyre, went for breakfast, left Ullapool via the A835-A832 to Gairloch, then onto the A896 to Applecross for lunch.  After lunch we went up Applecross pass [just wide enough for a minibus, yes we met it at 20% incline] then onto A890 , followed by A82 through Glen Shel, and onto Shean Bridge for our last night.

Tuesday, leaving Shean Bridge heading towards Fort William A82, passing Lock Linnhe, to Glencoe where we stopped at The Green Welly Stop [Tyndrum] for a comfort break.

 Leaving the Green Welly A85 we took a quick detour to Dochart Falls.

Rejoining the A85 we the travelled on the A84 to Callander for lunch, then onto the M90-A720-A68 to Jedburgh, stopping at Lauder for a comfort break, from there we continued to Ponteland and home.

Distance travelled 1168 miles.

Had a great weekend, apart from the weather:,snow, sleet, rain and the wind trying to blow you off the bike going up the east coast at times.

Tips

1. Not all hotels, bed & breakfasts take credit cards, cash only worth so it’s worth checking before you set off.

2. Petrol prices £131.9 per litre - £155.9 per litre [ouch] but better than pushing your bike, how far can you ride before needing petrol?

3.Puncture kits not everyone carries them, not everyone likes them, no phone signal, flat tyre , no repair kit , 50 miles in the middle of Scotland?

4. Drop of System it worked on our trip, it could have been a lot different if it was not in place.

P.Dowson