Specs

Great read. Thanks.

Welcome!

Having left Skye we headed south down towards Fort William, then Loch Lommond. I seem to have lost a few photos! This was the Drover's Inn just north of Loch Lommond. Have stayed here a couple of times. They had an extensive range of whiskey. I don't really like the stuff but tried hard to find one that was ok. We stopped overnight at Dumphries. Dreadful ride there as the roads were shut and the diversions were a nightmare. I blame the GPS. Of course we went to the pub. I'm mystified why I didn't have any photos. @Sir Fallsalot The following morning we rode south down the M6 for convenience, and then headed to Patterdale where we found a decent campsite that had a pub restaurant. I was concerned that this thing was a tick, but it seems that it's a shield bug nymph. A couple of yurts that were in use. Pub. We sort of took over this table. The following day I was feeling a bit rough so we had a quick ride to Windermere, busy, and then returned to the pub for lunch. Just too late so we had a couple of beers anyway to help with a siesta. What siesta? Several hours later having had a meal when they started serving food again, we ended up being the last two to stagger out. Excellent day. We were determined to make the most of the following day so Fred led on a route that took in most of the high passes. Really excellent, and I would happily ride there again. Not Scotland. Back to the pub, as you do. Packing ready for the off home. Roadworks, accidents, diversions and a long day riding we were home. Great week or so and great company. Thanks @Sir Fallsalot. My liver however said otherwise.

I was posing. I'm usually grumpier.

I nearly knocked Guy Martin off his paddock push-bike once. He apologised! Does that count?

I bought myself one of these recently after looking for ages but never finding anything that I thought comfortable. Of course it's still in the box and I'm continuing to use the BMW System 6 Evo which is extremely comfortable, quiet, but no peak and it's getting on a bit. As I'm getting older I find that bright skies, or a lot of light contrast is an issue, and have been coping by pulling the sun visor down slightly. With a peak as well, things should be better. I did try all the other popular makes, but it had to be a flip, because I use glasses, and there wasn't a huge choice. Helmet Touratech Aventuro Mod, Sky, ECE/DOT

Ok. Thanks. And I can’t edit it out! Waaaah!

@Sir Fallsalot What didn't mine work? Typical. It's fine on here. On phone, laptop and desktop - but they are networked. It let me upload the video like it does the photos. Makes sense I suppose, cuts down on storage with a link

Like I said, it's broken, no workee.

I spent a year in college up in Glasgow. Loved it. I even found a pub that sold Brains beer.Only had lectures Tuesday to Thursday so spent the weekends bagging Munros. Happy days. And I can't remember it raining then either.

Exactly. My self esteem plummeted and I even began to get conflicted with the rugby thing. Not good at all. Once I realised that it was a load of pish I slowly regained my sense of self. Bloody hell mun, I've traced my roots back to Howel Dda. I can go back at least three or four generations without any influence from across the border. Of course, some one might have been playing away. ??

Hello Mawsley. ?

Spot on Pete. I also did that Ancestry test thing and am happy to announce that it's a crock of shite and doesn't work. How the hell can I be half fucking Ingurlisch, quarter Irish and quarter Jock? ?

Beautiful!

Bugger. Missed an o there. Should have been too. Where’s the edit button?

That was the last couple of days. Still showery overnight and although still wet decided to leave the gear behind and have a ride round the peninsula in the opposite direction to yesterday's ride. Bad effort at a panorama. Looking over towards Skye. View south towards Applecross. On the way up the Bealach na Ba Then it was a siesta before heading down to the pub. This was on the way by the campsite entrance. Left Applecross on another showery day, windy on the open unsheltered stretches of road. Fortunately only a few hours ride. Arrived at the rally site on Skye, more or less under the bridge. Early there, so got a couple of sheltered pitches before the forecast storm. Not to far to the bar, just around the corner. Found this weird fly on my tent but couldn't get a clear photo because he was on speed or something. Started as soon as the bar opened. Met some friends from Eye of Ra MCC who'd ridden up from Newport way. Somebody got tired. Then burst back to life. Was awarded a trophy for the furthest travelled. @Sir Fallsalot insisted that I should keep it as I'd been leading, fair play to him. Strangely enough I hardly used the Garmin. Spent the morning reading after waking up to this, and a hangover. Managed to dash inside for breakfast and then a quick stroll down to the harbour for some lunch and a beer. Then it was back to the rally for more beer and rum.. IMG_0793.mov

There were two five minutes walk away, with wonderful food and plenty of beer.

Privately owned estate with stalking and fishing. I've always fancied exploring that road. Maps aren't the same somehow.

Leaving Ullapool in the wind and rain we headed towards Applecross. The weather was due to be miserable for the next few days with a storm due on the weekend. Not too many photos as it was raining for most of the day. More rain on the way. Arrived at Applecross and found a place with pods. I decided that I'd leave the bike in the car park. Fred was braver. Very wet field. Mine's the piss yellow hut. Better than a tent when it's pissing down. I had to share, with some residents. Fred has mice in his. And then we went to the pub.

Having spent a day in the pub, the following was better so we decided to head west towards Ullapool. Loads of these rentals about. This was at Dunnet Point, the northernmost part of the mainland. J O G is further south. It's Orkney in the distance. Heading west. Fred adjusting his load. Hmmm. Coffee break not far from Tongue. This is why I usually stop there when passing. Another one of my favourite photo stops. Now if I ever come up on the lottery ....... Kylesku bridge. This bee took a dislike to Fred. He caught it before it could do too much damage. Another nice place to live. Plenty of colour here and there. It was a mad dash to Ullapool from here as it was trying to rain with the wind getting up. Managed to find a hotel with rooms but only for one night. The whole town was packed it seems.

Could do with some winter sun. Don't do hot!

There's more.

One drunken night Fred let slip that he hadn't been to Scotland. Another drunken night someone told me about a September rally on Skye. A plan was hatched. The weather forecast was shite so abandoning our original plan to go north via Lake District, we decided to head north as quickly as we could in order to beat long days in the rain, and as it transpired, have shorter ones instead. It meant motorways to our B & B somewhere between Glasgow and Edinburgh - I forget where! I left Cardiff and met Fred up the road. Stopped for food and fuel on the motorway but almost fainted at the prices, something like £3.50 for a cupcake. Sandwiches were cheaper! Found the B & B and the landlord gave us a lift to the pub, as you do. Nice pint! Getting ready for the next day. Not much motorway thankfully, but speed checks everywhere. Stopped north of Pitlochry for a couple of snaps. That might be Ben Alder in the distance. Not far from it if it isn't. I can believe that I didn't take any more photos before we were well north of Inverness, where we stopped for a brew and a sandwich. Then it was a dash up to John O Groats before the bad weather was due to arrive. Then it was off to the pub, where we were stuck for the following day due to the wind and rain.

Ok. Seemed to work! ?

Thanks. I thought that was it, but it didn’t work when I tried it. Will give it another go later. Thanks. ?