The plan for a second trip around Scotland was hatched whilst sitting in the rugby club one Thursday night, waiting for our boys to finish training. It was initially going to be Gary and I, then Nick, another motorbike riding rugby dad who had bought a D9 in the spring, decided to join us. A planning get together was arranged, and with the map books open we planned a rough route visiting the places that interested us all, and picking out roads we wished to ride. We also decided where we were staying on day one, two and three. Using the TRYE programme I plotted out our routes, amending the stopover on day two to balance the distances. Gary booked the accommodation for the first night, I booked for night two and Nick recommended and booked the night three stopover as he had stayed there before.
Having arrived back home from work on the Thursday night I did a final quick check on the bike, and made sure everything was packed (again). I then popped off to the rugby club to pick up son number two from training, with the lad safely home it was off to bed for me very much looking to the next day.
Day OneUp nice and early and everything packed on the bike, it was time for a bowl of porridge, well we were going to Scotland. Then it was off to the village hall to meet Gary and Nick. We meet at 0715 and after a quick chat about who was going to lead first and what signals we would use between us it was time for the off. It had rained overnight so the roads were wet but none of that nasty rain was falling on us.
The aim of the day was to get north so the first part of the journey was going to be spent on some major roads. We headed north on the A1, passing Doncaster we had what turned out to be the first of many lucky breaks with the weather. To the east and west of us there were black clouds and rain squalls, yet in front of us heading north there was nothing but blue sky. We made good time and were soon heading west on the A66, time for our first stop, coffees all round and a nick had breakfast, a very large bacon roll. We stopped here.
www.mainsgillfarm.co.uk/
After our refuel it was back on the road and with Gary out front we dashed along the A66 and up the M6/A74(M) as far as Gretna Green. Here we pulled of the main roads and took the B7076 north, this was the second time I had ridden this road on the bike and it was even more fun this time, better tyres, more miles under my belt and dry roads, I think we only saw and passed three cars and two trucks all the way from Gretna to Abington. Before getting to Abington we pulled into Crawford in search of a hot brew, we drove through the village and found nothing, just as we were speeding up at the northern end of the village we came across a proper transport café. Hot brews and cheese on toast for lunch followed, and at half the price you would pay at the nearby Abington services.
Back on the road with the riders refuelled, Nick in front, we headed up the B7078 to junction 10 of the A74(M), here we rejoined the motorway and skirted Glasgow taking the Erskine bridge and on to the A82. We had a quick stop in Dumbarton for a fuel top up and then were off again, this time with me leading as I had at least driven the road to Fort William if not ridden it. Here the reason for the whole weekend started, stunning views, great roads and even good weather, we made good time and as we were on holiday and being tourists we pulled up and had a hot brew at the:
Back on the road with Gary out front we continued north across Rannoch Moor and through Glen Coe, it was still dry!!! And unbelievably it stayed that that way all the way to Fort William were we stopped for a fuel top up, so that we could make a good start the next day. On leaving Fort William we were treated to a 5 minute down pour, just to remind us it was October and we were on the West Coast. At Spean Bridge we turned left and headed into Roy Bridge and the Stronlossit Inn
www.stronlossit.co.uk/
After a shower and phone call to the boys at home I headed to the bar to meet the others, the plan was a few beers and a nice steak. Well we had a few beers; in fact some very nice hand pulled ale. The landlord was at first a little quite but soon got chatting and he recommend the Haggis they had on that night, glad he did as it was very good. After a little nip as a night cap it was off to bed, we planned to be up for breakfast at 0730 and on the road for 0800. Day one was done, some big miles covered, but also some great roads and scenery.
Day TwoDay two started with a very fine full Scottish breakfast, well we did have a long way to go. It had rained overnight but was clear when we left, the view from the hotel was fantastic
As we rode back along the A86 towards Spean Bridge there were low clouds hiding the hill tops and heading up towards the Commando Memorial we climbed through the clouds into a bright blue sky, with the Memorial standing proud surrounded by clouds. It was then off to Invergarry and a trip down the A87 towards the Kylie of Lochalsh, the last time I had ridden this road I had tried to keep up with two riders much more experienced than I and had, had a lucky escape before I slowed down and rode within my abilities, this time I felt much more at home on the bike and enjoyed a spirited run down to Eilean Donan castle were we stopped for a brew and of course the iconic picture with the castle in the background, well we were tourists.
After a brew and a chat about the weather and the day’s route we headed off towards Auchtertyre and then took the A890 towards Loch Carron.
We skirted the loch and were soon at the T junction of the A890 and the A896, our original plan was to take the A896 to Kinlochewe never expecting to be able to get across to Applecross in October. However the weather fairy was truly on our side, the roads were dry there was no wind and no rain so it was on, all the stories I have heard don’t really do it justice and I will not try to put it into words, just say that it was an experience I shall remember for a long time.
I have in the course of my time in the navy spent many a day looking at this piece of land from the seaward side, never once knowing that a motor biking road of such fame lay so close. From Applecross we followed the road back around to the A896, and what a road, I can honestly say I have never ridden so far with the bike never really upright for more than a few seconds, it certainly helped the profile of my tyres. Of course the downside of our detour to Applecross was that we still had a long way to go before our next overnight stop. It was still a great road and the weather was being kind as we skirted Loch Ewe and headed off towards Ullapool. Whilst we were on the high ground to the west of Ullapool we were treated to ten to fifteen minutes of wet and windy weather, but as we dropped down into Ullapool the sun came out again. We stopped here for a brew and a bite to eat before refuelling and setting out northward again. We followed the coast roads A835/A894/A838 finally arriving at Durness just as a squall blew in from the sea, if you look on the map you will see that the road from Durness to Tongue is both twisty and dips inland around Loch Eriboll all the twists and turns meant that we were unable to outpace the squall which we kept ridding in and out of. This meant that the run from Loch Eriboll to the Kyle of Tongue was undertaken in fading light because of our earlier detour to Applecross and utterly foul grim weather, I was getting tired and cold and it was now dark. Tongue was a wonderful sight when it came into view. We were booked in the Rhian guest house and I can’t recommend it more highly. Jenny our host took our wet ridding gear from us and put it on clothes horses in front of the boiler and then said that she would run us back into Tongue for dinner once we had dried out, warmed up and were ready to go. We went to the Ben Loyal for a wondrous steak and had a great night chatting to the locals, Jenny bless her even came back to pick us up and take us back to the B&B. That is service you just don’t get in many places. Day two ended with me in bed tired but happy with the roaring of stags on the hillside failing to keep me awake.
www.rhiancottage.co.uk/
Day ThreeDay three started with yet another very good breakfast and an early start along the A836 going eastwards now because we had almost run out of Scotland to the north of us. The roads were again fantastic and deserted, with glimpses of stunning empty, sandy beaches between the imposing headlands of the very north of Scotland. We were in search of fuel by now with Gary leading and setting the pace so as not to run dry before we found an open station in Thurso. Nick our farmer was the first to comment on how the land and its use changed the further east we went, he also noted that the farmers seemed to be about two to three weeks behind his farm in the collection of the harvest and the preparation of the land, I guess this is due to the more northern location. As suggested we made for Dunnett Head just to say we had been as far north as we could get on the mainland UK.
And of course because we were so close we just had to stop for a photo at
After a quick cuppa is was back on the bikes and south towards Wick and the A99 and A9, this sweeping A road took us south through scenery that was totally different from the west coast but was no less enjoyable and fun to ride. We made good time stopping for the occasional break and drink.
The weather was fantastic blue skies and dry roads took us further south across the Black Isle and around Inverness where we again stopped for a fuel top up. We continued down the A9 heading towards our next fun section in the Cairngorms. We stopped here for lunch.
www.dairyatdaviot.co.uk/Boy was it popular on the Sunday, we were lucky to get a table as we hadn’t booked. After a quick cuppa and some tasty soup we were off again, along the A938/A95 to Speybridge and then up into the hills along the A939 where we played on the fantastic roads all the way to Ballater. Here we turned left onto the A93 and headed of to Braemar for an ice cream and cold drink as it was warm in all that riding gear and all that sun.
From Braemar we headed south along yet another, aren’t they all, great road and arrived at the final night stopover at five in the afternoon. The Bridge of Cally Hotel
www.bridgeofcallyhotel.com/
This was recommend by Nick as he had stayed there before, the rooms were good and the bath that night was truly welcoming and the bar had a good stock of hand pulled ale, so happy boys we were, we had ridden some stunning roads in fantastic weather.
Day FourDay four was all about getting south of Edinburgh and on to the A68. We breakfasted early and were ready to go by eight, but first we had to scrap the ice of the bikes and warm them up before we left.
We took it easy to start with letting the roads thaw and dry out before pushing on. We made good time south and were soon on the A68 and heading towards the boarder. We stopped here for a brew and some tasty cake.
www.rhymerstower.co.uk/after our refuel we head south again, the day was sunny and the road mainly clear, we soon found ourselves at the boarder and stopped for a photo opportunity, here we meet up with a Dutch man ridding his D9 around the UK, we had passed him and been passed by him from north of Dunfermline, and an American serviceman and his wife on a two day blast north from Peterborough and back.
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After leaving the border we headed off towards the Northumberland National Park and continued along the A68 which at times is like a rollercoaster all the way to junction 58 of the A1(M). That essentially ended the fun part of the weekend. It was now just a slog down the A1 to home. We got back to the village about four in the afternoon and after unpacking the bike and giving it a quick clean it was time to put it under the cover, and get myself into a hot bath to sock away the 1300 miles we had covered in four days.
So was it worth it? The answer could only be yes without a doubt. We had ridden many many miles, through stunning scenery on wondrous roads. We had meet and chatted too many kind, friendly and welcoming people and had thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Next year it’s going to be a trip from Normandy across to Bastonge and a tour around the Ardennes, just not in October if we can help it, although on second thoughts if the weather is as good as this trip then why not?
We have had a couple of frosty mornings so far.
. Today was, WOW. 
