Date: 29-03-24  Time: 07:04 am

Author Topic: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?  (Read 5084 times)

adeejaysdelight

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Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« on: 03 November 2014, 01:20:06 am »
Right-O boys. I have been meaning to do this for a while, so I've decided to throw it out there now.

I usually go on a little solo tour of the Highlands in the Spring time. This year I went to the lakes, which was beautiful and a nice change... But I prefer it up here because its quiet, wild and spectacular.

So, for all you Foccers who have never visited the Skye, The Highlands or even Scotland, now (next Spring) might be a perfect opportunity.

I have been to Skye several times and there is lots to see and do. If you want to ride your bike relentlessly, that is an option. The bunny ears are tremendous fun and can be completed a few times in a day. But there is also Whisky tasting, Mountaineering, Hiking, Beaches, Bars and more.

I stay in Portree because it is a great central location. There is a brilliant pub there that serves cold beer and ale, the food is great and portions are generous, and the barmaids are hired based on the weight of their tata's. Well, at least that was the case when I was there last.

I am booked up for March 9th-12th. I plan to do a bit of Mountaineering (not booked yet), riding, eating and drinking. I will leave Glasgow at roughly 9am on the 9th, and should arrive before dark. The road there is fast and amazing, and for those of you who have never made it past the border, it will be a really special treat (as long as we get the weather).

I invite all you Foccers to check your diary, see what holidays you are due and decide if you fancy an adventure.

Remember, it could be 13 degrees and sunny, but it could be 0 degrees and snowing. The disclaimer states that I do not decide the weather. We get what we get (but I have always been lucky  :D ). The pictures are from February 2013.
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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #1 on: 03 November 2014, 01:32:06 am »
:thumbup

I'll leave this in here for a couple of days buddy, see what the feedback is and then move it into the events section.
Glad to see that there are Foccers other than Moff willing to arrange shindigs again, been a long time coming!

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #2 on: 03 November 2014, 07:49:03 am »
I'd be up for a run out, maybe not the full 3 nights and weather permitting.

adeejaysdelight

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #3 on: 03 November 2014, 08:28:27 am »
:thumbup

I'll leave this in here for a couple of days buddy, see what the feedback is and then move it into the events section.
Glad to see that there are Foccers other than Moff willing to arrange shindigs again, been a long time coming!

That's great. Thanks. It gives everyone a chance to see it...
 
The more exposure, the better.
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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #4 on: 03 November 2014, 11:51:09 am »
I'd love to join you on this Adee, but can't next spring. Twice I've been to Skye, and both times I didn't have enough time to properly explore, so it's still unfinished business for me.
I'll look forward to reading about it though, and hope other Foccers will join you for it. Fantastic roads, and would love to do some easy walking routes on the Cuillin Ridge (if there are any!), but proper climbing is out for me  :\
« Last Edit: 03 November 2014, 12:09:23 pm by mickvp »

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #5 on: 03 November 2014, 07:31:20 pm »
Early march?  Spring?  That's winter bud!  Foccing winter! 

OK our climate is focced these days thanks to global warming, but it's still odds on winter at the start of march on skye.

Was last there in late march 2013.  It was baltic.  2 or 3 degrees during the day and strong northerly winds. 

Didn't stop me going out walking, at least there was none of the usual mist and drizzle.  Was just a matter of picking routes with good shelter from that biting cold northerly wind.

I had hoped to sniff about the Cuillin ridge Nick but it was snow and ice up there.  It'll have to be snow free and ry before I head up there.  Best bet is to list the peaks from easy to hard, do one or two at a time going from easy to hard till you chicken out.  Plenty if guides working up there who'll help you hit the summits.  Some folks say it's all easy enougth in good conditions (dry cloud free low winds) with the exception of the Inn Pinn of which the usual way down is by abseil.  But I dunno not done any of em yet.

Anyway I decided after a few days to head to Mull for an easy Munro and some Corbetts in hopefully fine winter conditions.  But the morning I set off I closed the boot of the car and the rear windscreen shattered into a million or two bits.  So I decided to bail out, drove down the road with no rear windscreen (catalytic converters are a good idea after all!) and found central Scotland engulfed in snow.  Had to dig out my drive way late a night when I got home. 

Anyway visiting the swimming pool three times a week hoping it might just get me back in the hills.

Anyway go for it DJ but I'm way too old and soft for biking on Skye in march!

Oh the bunkhouse at the Old Inn in Carbost is nice.  The food is excellent and the prices keen in the Inn.  A cracking wee Inn it is, a mad mix of tourists and crazy locals.

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #6 on: 03 November 2014, 07:41:32 pm »
Good book on walking and climbing on Skye - http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Isle-Skye-Walkers-Cicerone/dp/1852845600/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1415043439&sr=8-5&keywords=skye+walking

Plenty of low level walking, and there's lots of hills beside that certain ridge;

Luib;





Harta Corrie;





I can see the pub from here (The Old Inn) and a certain wee ridge hiding behind it.




adeejaysdelight

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #7 on: 03 November 2014, 09:13:32 pm »
VNA, fantastic pictures as usual. I have been to Skye in January, February, April and August. The weather was worst in August. Best in February. I camped in April and it was dark in January.


As a sidebar, I just bought new Polaroid filters for my Cannon powershot. I'm just getting in to my photography and intend to shoot landscape and architecture. I've always had an interest, but I plan on taking the camera with me every outing.
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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #8 on: 03 November 2014, 09:34:20 pm »
Only got a few shots when I was last on Skye, and of course, nothing to compare with your pics Andy. This was as far as I got due to time constraints:







Would have liked to have got right around the other side of the Black Cuillin; I understand there's a campsite there somewhere. Next time I tour Scotland, I'll hopefully head for it. Don't know when that will be though.

I will always take my camera when I go into the hills. It's only a cheap snapper, but I like it cos it's compact and light. Think I'm just too lazy to try my hand with anything more complex, and I'm not looking to do anything commercial; just happy snaps for me really. Bit jealous of the results of others all the same  :\

Am I right in thinking the second of my shots here is Sgurr Nan Gillean? What are the other two called (Red Cuillin range?)? Like to know what I'm looking at!  :lol

And same for me as regards conditions; I wouldn't be looking to do anything in snow and ice.

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #9 on: 04 November 2014, 09:16:04 am »
I've often thought about taking a run to Skye but this particular trip will be a little to early in the season for me. I also tend to camp wild to keep the costs of a trip to a minimum. Can anyone tell me if you can camp wild in Skye?

Thanks for taking the time to read and answer my question.

Mark

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #10 on: 04 November 2014, 09:48:48 am »
From what I saw there are probably places you could pitch the tent without hassle. But it's about retiring to the tent without the worry of having your bike molested, so I'd want to get it out of sight of any roads. I know in the wilds of western Scotland, you could get away with this, but Skye gets a lot of tourists, and there's really only one main road, that they all use. Best way I think is to use a campsite, then have a scout for possible wild sites whilst there, to go back again later? Sorry, no idea about the laws of such things on Skye.

Been thinking about the wild camping bit myself for a while now, but there's always the concern about concealing the bike in my mind. But sounds like you've already done a bit Mark, so maybe you can answer that question (wild camping sites generally)?

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #11 on: 04 November 2014, 11:23:26 am »
Not really wild camped with the bike but basic rules in Scotland are to leave no footprint, no camping on farmers land without permission, camp site must be more than 150 yards from any road, no camping in one place for more that 48 hours, no open fires.

You can usually pitch on farmers land if there are no livestock in the area, pitch as late as possible in the evening, leave pitch at sunrise or as near too making sure you have left no evidence. If a farmer challenges you, apologise, thank them for use of the land and leave but most I've come across have been nice enough.

With regards to camping with the bike and concealing it has had me thinking about buying a camo tarpaulin to use as a screen with bungie cords.

For one night camping I'll use the tarp for a shelter. If I plan to camp for longer then I'll take the tent.

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #12 on: 04 November 2014, 11:33:54 am »
there are a few good campsites, a good one within walking distance of Portree is torvaig, and another at the bottom of glenbrittle which is at the bottom of the black cuillin but there are plenty of good bunkhouses then you dont need to carry as much and they have drying rooms for wet kit (not that it rains much :lol ) youre second picture does look like Sgurr Nan Gillean taken from near Sligachan, another good campsite next to the hotel with a good selection of local ales and a vast selection of whisky and good food.
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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #13 on: 04 November 2014, 07:02:45 pm »
Not a camper, but I've heard good things about The Glen Brittle Camp Site, certainly location wise much nicer than the camp site at The Slig.
And if you need some pub grub just ride up the glen, turn left and pop into The Old Inn.

Bing maps is handy by the way - click on the OS map option and zoom in. 

http://www.bing.com/maps/

Your first shot looks like Marsco I think.




DJ bear in mind a polarizer robs you of two stops of light.  Also full effect at 90 degrees to the sun, no effect at 0 degrees, and yeah you need some good sunlight.  Handy for taking reflections out of water, turning the sky a natural deep blue etc.  Fiddle about with it and you'll get the idea.

Most of these snaps were taken with a little Panasonic G1 bought when it was discontinued.  I used the kit lens for a while, then got their fancy 12-35 f2.8   And the other year I grabbed a heavily discounted Panasonic G3 just after they announced the G4 model.

Basically it's an SLR without the pentaprism and mirror.  Has a 4/3rds sized sensor, so a physically decent sized sensor for a wee camera.  Ideal compromise for walking etc I figured. 

Camera porn warning :eek
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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #14 on: 04 November 2014, 10:02:23 pm »
At least the fecking midges teeth will be chattering at that time of year
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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #15 on: 06 November 2014, 03:36:51 pm »
Love the idea but unfortunately a bit too far for just a week  :\
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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #16 on: 08 November 2014, 02:05:27 am »
stayed her before good accommodation and a pub 10 min walk away with great food kinlockleven just 5 min away :lolhttp://reservations.bookhostels.com/glencoehostel.co.uk/hosteldetails.php

the place is really busy so you have to book well in advance im happy to go with the crowed on accommodation

if you going in march (bit chilly ) im up for that on the Friday 13 to Monday I can   manage that :D

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #17 on: 05 March 2015, 09:08:14 am »
I'm going to duck out of this one......weather forecast doesn't look good.....much to cold, wet and snowy

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #18 on: 08 March 2015, 12:08:38 am »
 :lol

March in Inchree, Scotland is like this.

I just got back yesterday from four days riding up there..



and this

Some say that he eats habanero chilli peppers dipped in oil of capsaicin for extra bite and that his pyjamas are made from Nomex. All we know is, he's called Ad the Bad

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #19 on: 08 March 2015, 12:33:57 am »
Good work :-) I'm up to argyll in 2 weeks (not sure of exact location yet, waiting on tickets arriving), hope it doesn't look like that :-)

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #20 on: 09 March 2015, 12:54:54 pm »
looks like you made the right choice. snowing in Perthshire today :p

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #21 on: 09 March 2015, 11:35:33 pm »
Brrrrrrrr It's snowing in Scotland  :eek

Glad I'm back in sunny Suffolk  :lol







Some say that he eats habanero chilli peppers dipped in oil of capsaicin for extra bite and that his pyjamas are made from Nomex. All we know is, he's called Ad the Bad

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Re: Foccers Spring tour of Skye 2015...?
« Reply #22 on: 10 March 2015, 09:01:26 pm »
Done the north west coast of scotland year before last the pass of the cattle to applecross was amazing and the road up to durness was so quiet with only packs of bmw tourers to be seen
Off to the outer hebridees this year ferry from oban and back via sky cant wait
Going for a record of ferries on a trip six at the last count
« Last Edit: 10 March 2015, 09:05:26 pm by davey boy »