Fazer Owners Club - Unofficial

Bikes, Hints'n'Tips => Events, Meets, Ride outs etc => Topic started by: esetest on 28 June 2013, 10:15:32 pm

Title: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 28 June 2013, 10:15:32 pm
Finally booked it , going to Scotland for 4 nights from the 3rd August , staying at Glen Nevis camp site near Fort William , I am riding up from Bristol , I am wondering Bristol to Fort William in  1 day 500 miles and 9 hours according to google or leave on the 2nd august and stop overnight in a hotel near the Scottish border and do the rest of the journey next day, furthest I have been on a bike is 200 mile round trip . Planning to go to Loch Ness , John o Groats, Stirling , Edinburgh . Advice appreciated . :eek :rolleyes
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: Andy FZS on 28 June 2013, 10:20:34 pm
Good luck remember to take plenty of pictures so we can all enjoy it when you get home.
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: andybesy on 28 June 2013, 10:27:05 pm
I'd suggest you stay and do it over two days.

500 miles is do-able but it's pushing it and you won't enjoy the riding so much as more comfortable chunks.

There's also a risk that if you get very sore it may take some days to really recover, affecting rest of the trip

But if you decide you want to blitz it can be done, trickt is regular stops before you start to get sore se not after, and just take your time, steady progress don't rush it
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: Ian-man on 28 June 2013, 10:29:50 pm
500 miles on your first day sounds a lot, especially if 200 is your previous max,
There must be plenty of places near Hadrians wall area and the borders that you could stop.
It would be a shame to knack yourself on your first day.
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: red98 on 29 June 2013, 09:44:10 am
yep as above....two days....iam doing a simular trip at same time,going up the east coast across the top and down the west also stopping at fort william......be great to meet ...........
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: Looney tune on 29 June 2013, 09:45:30 am
If it were me and I had the extra day option, I would use it. If your plan is to get to F William via motorway / quickest route then Moffat would be your best place for an overnighter. It's a popular spot for bikers with plenty guest houses to shop around with or the Buccleuch hotel is very bike specific with individual bike garages if I remember correctly. This will be roughly a 5 hour trip depending on stops, wake up fresh and energised and Glasgow is not to far from where you are. Then its onto the good bits to Fort William  :)




Whatever you do I hope the weather is kind and you have a great trip and DON'T forget your skin so soft !!!!


Russ
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: unfazed on 29 June 2013, 11:02:06 am
Remember it is not the length of the journey which cause any problem, it is the length of time sitting on the seat. I have coverd 900mile in 26 hours two up (Missed the boat to France from Rosslare and rode through the night to Dover to make the first night stop in Angers France) and the secret was never stay on the bike until you arse is so sore you cannot get off. I usually time my stops with pertol fills (220 mies) and take a good walk around, have a cup of coffee or tea, a danish pastry(standing)  and a trip to the loo before getting back on the bike.
My only advice for your camping  in Scotland is to take plenty of midge repellent.
There are 38 species of midge in Scotland, 5 of them bite humans and there are billions of the little focckers there.
Enjoy it is a great place in good weather.
 
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: stevierst on 29 June 2013, 11:08:05 am
Get yourself a pair of padded cycling shorts, they help a little too, especially with you doing several days at a time. Enjoy, Scotland biking is ace! I keep promising to return. I met some of the friendliest bikers ever up near fort William.
And don't forget to wave! Its friendlier than a nod. :D
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: noggythenog on 29 June 2013, 11:47:35 am
500 miles is a long way.i do 500 in the car from South Wales to Fife, Scotland.Non stop, with no delays & around the speed limit equals a 9 hour trip with stops only being to take a piss & go again.
I'd second a stop in Moffat, it's kinda convenient as more or less the end of the Motorway slog & it's a nice place, get yourself into the massive Moffat Toffee Shop for some old school sweeties & wake up fresh the next day to enjoy Scotland.From Moffat theres the A701 - a cracking little road that takes you to Edinburgh, not far along it is the Devils Beef Tub, a natural Hollow within the hills where cattle thiefs used to stash their goods.
Also running almost parralel to the A701 is the A702, still a nice road, still to Edinburgh, however much busier with traffic as it is the main posted road whereas the A701 is signed 'scenic route'.You would no doubt miss these roads if you went direct in a day.Also that's to Edinburgh but to get to Stirling you may want to take a different route from Moffat & go back on the motorway but i cant recall as i never go wales to Stirling.
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: MikeRBiker on 29 June 2013, 01:19:09 pm
When you're up here don't miss the diversion from Glencoe to Kinlochleven to Ballachulish. 17 miles of biking bliss as many here will agree.
The A7 from Edinburgh to Carlisle is also nice to ride if you're looking for a fast alternative to the A701/702 options
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 29 June 2013, 09:35:24 pm
Thanks for the advice guys , i'm gonna google places to stay  near Moffat and take plenty of midge repellent , it would be great to meet up Red while I am up there , email esetesting01@hotmail.co.uk to arrange something .
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: red98 on 30 June 2013, 07:52:19 am
Thanks for the advice guys , i'm gonna google places to stay  near Moffat and take plenty of midge repellent , it would be great to meet up Red while I am up there , email esetesting01@hotmail.co.uk to arrange something .




will do ESETEST.......got to get my act together and book a few stops,not long now....will email soon...enjoy your trip  :)
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: jabbascot on 30 June 2013, 02:41:33 pm
mikerbiker is right best bit of road ever  :D  loads of good roads up here and less traffic and cops are pretty fair will give a warning mosttimes unless youve been silly. watch out for radar traps in small villages so always slow down
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: hawkeye on 02 July 2013, 05:48:35 pm
Yer as posters have said above 500 miles in a day is a lot of riding , add at least another day and enjoy it , remember that 500 miles might be very wet riding , a group of us from south Wales did Scotland trip while ago and spread over 8 days ,was still a lot of time in the saddle and sometimes very wet , we stayed b&b and hotels , if you get wet gear when you camp consider at least one stop in same as you can then dry your kit off a bit , and dont forget Mossie repellant -Jungle formula .
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 02 July 2013, 09:42:58 pm
i'm gonna be doing a sun dance between now and august , but if that don't work and it pisses down,  I will probably find the nearest premier inn . Hopefully I won't make the same mistake as my brother who drove to Snowdonia with his wife & 3 kids and new tent from go outdoors , when he went to unpack it , there weren't any bars with the tent , when he phoned go outdoors to complain , they said the the bars were in a separate bag and he would have to drive back to Bristol to pick them up .
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: Hedgetrimmer on 02 July 2013, 09:51:40 pm
That reminds me - better get my tent out and check it over before I head to Wales. Had an interesting problem with it last year (spent two months fell-walking in the Lake District). I camped for  a few days in a little wood, and kept finding tiny little holes in the silnylon fabric - was told that tree sap can do this. I hope it hasn't spread since being packed away again!
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 07 July 2013, 03:04:59 pm
Hi all , nearly ready for the trip to Scotland, as a glass half empty person,  could any Scottish members recommend bike mechanic/garages in case the bike breakdowns , I've upgraded my AA just in case , I've also booked into a hotel in Moffat  for the Friday night ,to break up the journey .
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: Grandma on 30 July 2013, 07:39:07 pm
 :) How did you get on? Only just seen this, as regularly rode from Sevenoaks to Crianlarich on the R1 similar mileage in one day, with stops every 100 miles for wee & tea plus top up fuel. Stayed at lovely biker friendly B&B just outside Crianlarich, very peaceful and huge cooked breakfast.
[/size][/color]Long day and knackering, but worth it to spend a week exploring the Highlands, with lovely empty roads.[/font]
[/size][/color]Recently competed in Somerset Advanced South Western Rally on Fazer 8, same mileage, but longer day, as had to keep stopping to find clues and have card stamped, but more comfy than R1, plus I was able to leave luggage at B&B.[/font]
[/size][/color]Fazer 8 is amazing, even enjoyed a couple of 20 mins around Brands Hatch Indy and looking forward to another go on August 19th, as Kent Fire Bike holding another Rider Skills Day[/font] :D
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 30 July 2013, 09:59:38 pm
I'm leaving Bristol , Friday morning at 8am , planning to stop every 2 hours , and hope to get to Moffat hotel early evening . Packed the luggage tonight , checked , adjusted and cleaned the chain , hoping to clean the bike before Friday , flat out busy with work at the moment .   Nervously looking forward to my first proper road trip  .
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: red98 on 31 July 2013, 09:37:48 pm
hi esetest.iam in inverness.your golng to love the roads up here.well worth the treck up here.if you still want to meet up text me using the number on the left.ill be down the west coast on friday
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: noggythenog on 01 August 2013, 09:39:19 am
Hey red -  is that the Tomintoul road, looks familiar from my recent trip up there.
it was awsome!!!
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: budgiemurray on 01 August 2013, 11:01:44 am
I second the carlisle to edinburgh by the a7. Thats my haunt. Motorway to stirlings pretty boring from there take the callander road to ft william.. The a9 is boring and droll. Frim ft william to inverness past loch ness. A9 to john o groats.
Head east for durness then south to inverness andft william again.

If time allows head for north ballachulish and take the oban loop back to tyndrum ( green welly stop) continue on to crainlanarch and take the loch lomand road south to glasgow.. After that your back onto boring roads again..

Budgie
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: bigbluebear on 01 August 2013, 11:48:22 am
I second the carlisle to edinburgh by the a7. Thats my haunt. Motorway to stirlings pretty boring from there take the callander road to ft william.. The a9 is boring and droll. Frim ft william to inverness past loch ness. A9 to john o groats.
Head east for durness then south to inverness andft william again.

If time allows head for north ballachulish and take the oban loop back to tyndrum ( green welly stop) continue on to crainlanarch and take the loch lomand road south to glasgow.. After that your back onto boring roads again..

Budgie

He could take the A76 from Kilmarnock to Dumfries and then the A75 to Gretna, as Killie is only 15 minutes up the A77 from Glasgow........much better than the M74
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: budgiemurray on 01 August 2013, 11:53:17 am
Good idea yeah bigbluebear. Dont know that area well but anythings better than motorway

Budgie
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 01 August 2013, 07:42:40 pm
Hi Red , leaving Bristol tomorrow morning , should be in Fort William Saturday morning , I will give you a text when I get there , what's the weather like up there , its supposed to be cooler with showers tomorrow all the way up , the bikes all cleaned and ready to go .
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: bigbluebear on 01 August 2013, 09:48:41 pm
You'll be hard pushed to hit Fort William by Saturday morning. Weather doesn't look good....better in the east so would second the A7 to Edinburgh. Make sure you stop at the welly shop, then through glencoe to ballachuist and onto Fort William......great roads but hellish in bad weather so take extra care
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 08 August 2013, 07:21:07 pm
Hi all , got back from Scotland midnight last night , left Fort William at 9am missed the turning for Glasgow at the end of Glencoe , was halfway to Stirling before I realised so decided to go to the Wallace monument , eventually found it . Great trip , fantastic scenery , found the Scottish people very friendly , most of the bikers wave,  met lots of characters along the way , thanks to Mick who was their with his family , and helped me build my tent in the gale on Saturday morning , I was generally lucky with the weather , the journey up through Glencoe was a bit scary with the crosswinds and the bike loaded up , on Sunday rode the A82 along  Loch Ness  , great road , on the way back went up the cable car by Ben Nevis . on Monday rode from Fort William to John O Groats and back , decided to give the bike a rest on Tuesday and walked the mountain trail to the top of Ben Nevis , I would recommend the Stag hotel in Moffat , the green welly cafĂ© at the start of Glencoe . I would definitely go to Scotland again , the Glen Nevis camp site was excellent with great facilities . I took loads of photos , anybody know how to get them from my computer on to this site . Got to sort the bike before my next trip , heard a bang in Stirling , after that the bike was making a noise in first gear , it started alright this evening , but when I put it into first gear it didn't make its usual clunk , got a feeling its the gearbox but I am no mechanic . Thanks to everybody for the advice before I set off , it was very helpful .
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: dickturpin on 08 August 2013, 08:34:30 pm
Glad you enjoyed it, my first roadtrip was round Scotland up the east side and back down the west including a ferry crossing from dunoon back towards Glasgow.....very good memories.
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: mickvp on 08 August 2013, 09:48:31 pm
glad you enjoyed it. if you only have a few pics, you can upload pics directly to this site.

if you have got a load, you can upload loads to photobucket at once, and then post the image lints to them on here. see this guide here: http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,8973.0.html (http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,8973.0.html)
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: Exupnut on 08 August 2013, 10:28:56 pm
U saw us
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 09 August 2013, 09:32:19 am
where
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: mickvp on 09 August 2013, 02:45:03 pm
wouldnt worry about it. think exupnut has been on the funny fags mate, he has posted one paragraph over about 20 threads :lol
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: bigbluebear on 09 August 2013, 03:28:40 pm
he's also a bit slow on the uptake......its the blue fazer slowing him down :)
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 11 August 2013, 09:22:11 pm
A few pics from my Scotland trip
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 11 August 2013, 09:55:54 pm
Pics from Scotland.
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 11 August 2013, 10:01:46 pm
Scotland pics
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: boxer1 on 15 August 2013, 12:01:29 am
Glad you enjoyed scotland, did you make oban? when next at glencoe try the clachaig inn, trmendous there  :) am up there a lot especially the weather we,ve had this year  :D no better roads in the uk than up there, more pics please  ;)
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: red98 on 15 August 2013, 06:55:04 am
great pictures ESETEST...shame we did`nt meet....looks like you had better weather than me at john o groats...thick fog when i was there...if iam not mistaken is that the A82 nessie road i can see.....great road  ;)
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 15 August 2013, 10:11:57 pm
I didn't get to Oban , but I will definitely visit Scotland again , friendliest people I've ever met , great scenery , great roads , couldn't find a pub selling thatchers gold though  . That was the A82 by Loch Ness Red , shame we missed each other  by a day  , I was impressed with the Glen Nevis camp site  . a good road I found was if you turn left at Nessie land , go a few miles then turn right towards Beauley . I've got the camping bug now , trying to get the missus to give camping a go , she won't get on the bike though . here's some more pics .   
Title: Re: First biking/camping trip scotland
Post by: esetest on 15 August 2013, 10:22:10 pm
some more pics