Triumphrat

TorqueyT · 07-12-2005

OK, my lovely wife away for the w/e, and I'm making plans to go up north. Leaving from Aberdeenshire Sat morning, taking A96 to Inverness, then A9 up to John o'Groats before making my way down to Glasgow again on Sunday, staying over somewhere Sat night. Have realised two days isn't enough to conquer the whole coast, so (guess this is one for Tango/IPG/KK/BigD and the rest of the Scotlanders..) - anyone got any good roads (maybe B&B's as well) to suggest?

TorqueyT · 07-12-2005

hmm, starting to wonder if this is a bit more riding than I thought

djr · 07-13-2005

too far to do anything other than just blast up the road then blast back down again. I would suggest settinga target nearer to home and using only B roads or quiet A's. That way you have great riding and it doesnt matter how far you actually get.

Spudgun · 07-13-2005

If you're starting out from Aberdeen fist thing in the morning, you have time to take the north coast road from John'O'Groats, stop for coffee at Durness, then down through Ullapool, and stay over at Applecross (Applecross Inn). Then, next day carry on down over the pass above Applecross, through Fort William and Glen Coe, and down the side of Loch Lomond.

If I knew how to upload a pic, I'd do it

:???:

tango · 07-13-2005

TorqueyT,

Where you are intending to go there are very few roads so just taker your pick, any one of them is good for a bike.

If you are going to be riding at night keep your eyes peeled for red deer, especialy the stags, they tend to hang around the road sides. Sheep are another hazard during the day.

The North coast road is good, and if you don't stop at Durness carry on to Scourie where you'll find plenty of good clean B+B's. I used to live up there so know the area quite well.

The A894 south to Ullapool is an absolute belter with fantastic scenery.

The other way you can do it is to take a left at Laxford bridge and head east to lairg on the A838, this is a single track road with passing places but it is not exreme, a better road for the bike than the cage. From Lairg stay on the A836 to Bonnar Bridge. After Bonnar bridge take a right on the B9176 over the Struie.
Keep on the road A862 to Dingwall then Beauly, and if it was me I'd then make my way over to Inverness for the East side of Loch Ness, far better and quieter than the main road on the other side and just keep heading south till you get to Glasgow.

I guarantee that route is as good as you'll find anywhere in Europe. And they had the Tiger in mind when they built those roads
:-D .

Have a good trip and I hope this great weather holds for you.

If you leave at six you'll have the roads to yourself for a couple of hours, before the shed pullers start.

[ This message was edited by: tango on 2005-07-13 06:51 ]

TorqueyT · 07-13-2005

thanks for good tips guys, very much appreciated. I am admitting defeat though, and going for Scotland east to west instead. John O'Groats turned out to be a few hours too many in the saddle each day, want to stop off here and there as well. Route suggestions above have been noted for a later occasion though (will plan three for a three-dayer I reckon).

Anyway, route I'm thinking off is Aberdeen A96 - Inverness, then north on A9 through Tain, turning around at Dunrobin castle, cause it looks like a nice late afternoon stopoff. Down again to Dingwall area for the night, then on Sunday A832 / A890 to Kyle of Lochalsh, drop by Eilean Donan castle, back to Invergarry on the A87, then one route or the other back to Glasgow, depending on how late in the day it is...

ipg · 07-14-2005

Hi TT

Despite the other suggestions which are all good routes I agree with DJR, too many miles on a trip does not give you time to enjoy the location, you end up just blatting round to cover the miles. A trip right up the East along the North and down the West coasts of Scotland is a great route which everyone should do at some time, but it takes a bit of time and more than 2 days, the mileage is deceptive and the roads although great are single track a lot of the time particularly when you cross from Caithness into Sutherland. A 300 mile day is fine on reasonable roads if all you are doing is stopping for a couple of coffees, lunch and a few fuel stops but riding the rest of the time. If you add in single track roads and stops to take photos and see a few sights I would say you are closer to 200-250 miles a day. I'd set the north coast trip to a time when you have 4 or 5 days and time to enjoy it.

Why don't you head West from Aberdeen and utilise a few Calmac ferry routes, head over to Skye on the bridge do a few roads then take the ferry from Armadale to Mallaig take some great roads to Kilchoan, ferry to Tobermory, cover some roads on Mull, ferry from Fishnish to Lochaline head to Ardgour and ferry to Corran. Head back to Glasgow via Kinlochleven, Glen Coe etc. These ferries range from 5 mins to 15 mins so don't take up a lot of time but help you cover a good area, the roads are first class for biking and if you get the weather which I think is forecast for this weekend, you're in quids in!!

TorqueyT · 07-17-2005

Having taken bits of advice from most of you, I'm just back from a 700 mile round trip over the w/e. Had a brilliant time, found some fantastic fast twisties and apart from a bit foggy and wet weather this morning + some minor frustrations about the shed pullers as Davie calls them, I had a fantastic weekend. Route went something like this:

Sat:
Stonehaven, up to Banchory, across to Ballater, north on the A939 through Tomintoul (brilliant twisties, this is big grin country...), down to the A95, then up to Inverness on the A9 (yawn...), then up the coast to Dunrobin castle (really nice, gardens fantastic, falconry show impressive), then up to Lairg on the A839, down to Bonar bridge and the B9176/A9 to Dingwall.

Sun:
Through Dingwall and Strathpeffer, down the A832 and A890 (nice twisties again, although single track road some of the way), a quick trip into Kyle of Lochalsh before elbowing my way around Italian tourists at Eilean Donan castle. Down Glen Shiel, missed the turnoff for the A87 and went up Glen Moriston on the A887 - really fast twisties, really fantastic riding (if the guy leading on the naked Jap bike reads this - had no chance of catching you, but had a great time trying!), down to Loch Ness and Fort William, lots of swearing at shedpullers and van drivers over Glen Coe - NATIONAL SPEED LIMIT ON A ROADS IS 60MPH, NOT 35-40, GET A MOVE ON OR GET OFF THE ROAD

..... that's that out of the system..... Anyway, loads of waiting for overtaking opportunities with the accompanied frustration. Back to Glasgow early, regretting not going for the ride around Skye after all.

Had a brillian trip, would recommend the route! Tiger not missing a beat, keeps impressing time and time again with the neverending torque - it just keeps going and going and going, doesn't it :razz: :razz: :razz: ... Realise more and more how better to drop a gear and take advantage of the 5000-6500 rpm torque on the twisties, absolutely fantastic how it pulls away.

Anyway, cheers for replies, was definately a big grin weekend!

[ This message was edited by: TorqueyT on 2005-07-17 17:47 ]

TorqueyT · 07-17-2005

btw - is the world slowly being taken over by GS'es? Think they must have accounted for 50% of the bikes I've seen this w/e.......

[ This message was edited by: TorqueyT on 2005-07-17 18:01 ]

tango · 07-18-2005

TorqueyT,

Good trip and excelent roads. sounds like your getting to know the bike, on those roads most of the time third and fourth gears are all you need to have some serious fun. Although there are some seriosly fast long snaking stretches.
Or stick it in top and just cruise taking in the scenery.

Take note the A82 Loch Lomond-Inverness, A84 Stirling-A85 Lix Toll and the A85 Perth-Chrianlarich are heavily patrolled by an unmarked police blackbird an unmarked fireblade and at least one unmarked Subaru Impreza.
Unfortunately some of those roads have had their fair share of fatalities over the years, and a common collision is the head on, quite often with cagers not used to driving on the left. In fact two young men were killed a couple of weeks ago on these very roads in two separate incidents, one of which was a head on.

But a sad fact is some sports bike riders go beyond their own capabilities and end up wrapped round a tree.

I spent all day yesterday driving (not the bike) round Aberdeenshire and found several fantastic roads I hadn't been on before, enough good roads to spend two or three days there.

Another area for the archives.

Hey TT, next time you're up in my neck of the woods give me a shout, I make a mean coffee, good and strong Italien style.