Heading Norf....

[gicut58]

Loading up and heading north next saturday - up to Carlisle, then sunday on up to Inverness for a hack round parts of the NC500 for a few days

Any recommendations for a decent cuppa and bacon butty on the way and up round them parts gratefully appreciated, ta

[Tefer]

http://www.invershin.com/


Great place for a cuppa or a stay if needed, very biker friendly

[red98]

Hi gicut...have a look at my "fazer time" thread from this time last year , you wont be disapointed . If your camping theres plenty of good sites out there , one ive used a couple of times "black rock caravan and camping park" Evanton , just north of the cromarty bridge , great drying room if weathers damp....done the nc500 and more , theres lots to explore thats not included , I recomend a detour to
View the "summer isle" just north of ullapool , I ended up at a place calld "polbain" fantastic views and I had the place to myself, another good campsite at ullapool , fantastic views with a couple of good pubs close by..west coast is best in my opinon , but watch out for the pesky GS riders   


tefer.....that hotel looks good , great prices and good location to use as a base , thanks for sharing   


gicut ...might be heading north myself on saturday , watching weather at the moment , i'll pm you later in the week if you fancy meeting up to swap route plans etc......iam an old git so lots to grumble about   

[mtread]

I'm doing the NC500 middle of next month, so keep these tips coming 

[red98]

Morning MTREAD.......NC500 is good , but there is loads more to explore in scotland , imo john o groats is s bit touristy for me and the scenery is s bit bland , got to do it for thr piccie though , if I do go that way this year , up to wick and cut off the top right corner and head for thurso , the route west along the north coast is good , stop at tounge is well worth it for the views alone , then onto the west coast , the best bit , and down to ullapool  , ive done evanton to wick , fuel up , and then all the way round to ullapool comfortably in a day before , on the mighty thou with just the one fill up.......weather is the key for a good trip.......that scottist rain is something else not like the stuff we get down here...........have a good trip

[mtread]

Thanks for that Red. Got to include John O'Groats for the photo opportunity, and so I do the full course and get the sticker and t-shirt.  Taking 5 days, so should be able to take it all in, including the Road of the Cattle, out of Applecross. The rain, yes indeed. I'm camping.......

[Tefer]

Do you know what route your coming up yet?


If you come up and head towards the M90 and then come off for the A93 and head towards Blairgowrie, you can then go via the Spittal of Glenshee, Braemar the Lecht and Tomintoul. You come off at Nairn and you can then look to camp somewhere like black rock caravan and camping park. Something like this: https://goo.gl/maps/4EZ82gfiqxR2,That would be if heading anti clockwise.

I would take the B9176 Struie Road rather than the A9 for after that its a cracker, then join back on the A9 like this https://goo.gl/maps/3zMXgbNuN5P2


The best bit for me is this https://goo.gl/maps/L1AU8Z4fpTU2 Kylesku Bridge is a nice photo point, you could break this up a bit to take it all in.


The A82 through Glencoe is nice, quite touristy but normally a quick run on the bike.


I will say watch on the A85 if your headed that way, its policed very well during the summer especially the villages so get down to 30mph.

[mtread]

Thanks Tefer. Staying overnight with friends near Melrose and then heading to Inverness to start, so your suggestions avoid the A9, which I understand can be dull and full of speed cameras. Yes doing it anti clockwise, so saving the best bits till last. Kylesku Bridge is definitely on the list 

[Tefer]

Thanks Tefer. Staying overnight with friends near Melrose and then heading to Inverness to start, so your suggestions avoid the A9, which I understand can be dull and full of speed cameras. Yes doing it anti clockwise, so saving the best bits till last. Kylesku Bridge is definitely on the list 

keep us updated and post your photos.

[mtread]

Will do. Only embarrassment is I'm taking my Tiger instead of the Fazer. It carries more luggage and you don't get so wet 

[red98]

There you go........kylesku bridge , jog , apple cross + road to apple cross taken this time last year , really lucky with the weather....

[gicut58]

Hi Red, mtread,

Had a look at ‘Fazer time’ looked like a cracking trip, I'm impressed! Anyone else hasn't seen 'Red the Intrepid Explorer'  – here -  http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,20810.0.html?PHPSESSID=2kgihcuhbrgucpcfd70b8j0230

I’m taking a week out as a precursor to Spain next year – a mate said ‘pop over’ so next year its Santander to Barcelona via the Pyrenees, and as I’ve never ever done anything like this on the bike before I thought Scotland would be good ' training'.

Going from Carlisle north via the A9 (boring maybe) as 25 years ago I drove up and there was a very particular fish and chip shop in Pitlochry, and a few miles north is
Bruar Falls, ( https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/perthshire/falls-of-bruar.shtml ) and I want to revisit both.


I’m going to be based at Nairn and the idea is to take days out, head up to the top, go west towards Skye, head down to Glencoe, circular-ish type routes maybe even head southeast ish as well.
 

[Tefer]

Hi Red, mtread,

Had a look at ‘Fazer time’ looked like a cracking trip, I'm impressed! Anyone else hasn't seen 'Red the Intrepid Explorer'  – here -  http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,20810.0.html?PHPSESSID=2kgihcuhbrgucpcfd70b8j0230

I’m taking a week out as a precursor to Spain next year – a mate said ‘pop over’ so next year its Santander to Barcelona via the Pyrenees, and as I’ve never ever done anything like this on the bike before I thought Scotland would be good ' training'.

Going from Carlisle north via the A9 (boring maybe) as 25 years ago I drove up and there was a very particular fish and chip shop in Pitlochry, and a few miles north is
Bruar Falls, ( https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/perthshire/falls-of-bruar.shtml ) and I want to revisit both.


I’m going to be based at Nairn and the idea is to take days out, head up to the top, go west towards Skye, head down to Glencoe, circular-ish type routes maybe even head southeast ish as well.

If in Nairn I would defo recommend the trip down toward Braemar, you should be good in your base as its pretty handy. If you have places to visit to break up the A9 it will be ok and quicker for you to get to your base. Hope the weather holds for you mate.