Scotland bike trip

[stu1979uk]

I have been wanting to do this for a while but never seem to have got round to it so I'm going to try it this year before the winter kicks in.
My plan is to travel on my mc (CBR 600 old faithful) up the west coast of Scotland across the north coast and then back down the east cut into Inverness and down past Loch Ness and home via Fort William.

Places I plan on going:
Oban
Mallaig
Ullapool
Durness
John O Groats

I'm not sure how many days I was thinking 3 or 4 should be enough to take my time and enjoy the trip and take in the scenery. I plan on wild camping and picking up any extra grub I need a long the way to save carrying to much and maybe a wee bit of fishing.

So if anyone has been up the west or north coast area and can recommend sights to see or good camp spots please let me know.

Thanks
Stu

 

[Bigfoot]

You'll love the road to Mallaig - the driving is just wonderful for a bike although the last stretch up to Morar/Mallaig has been improved so that it's not quite as twisty as it used to be. There's plenty of formal camping to be had around Morar (Camusdarroch beach and its white sands is one of Scotland's truly "iconic" spots) so probably going along the Loch Morar trail would give you better options for wild camping.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Loch lomond then accross to Arrochar, around to the Rest and be Thankful (superb bike road) then through Cairndow, Inverary and all the way down to Campbelltown is stunning...

I think most of the W-Highlands is pretty stunning though, tbh

al.

 

[Winston]

I was up there a few months back with she who must be obeyed on the back of my Yam 600. We stayed around Bridge of Balgie, lovelly, surrounded by moutains and hills. One road, one post office selling stuff, one little school. worth a vist, tho some of its a private estate and wild campings not allowed, but theres also a nice road over the top of some hills a couple of which are munros, with a great dam and i saw a wild camp there.

We did Glencoe, Loch Ness and Inverness as as a run out 300 mile round trip!! long trip but glencoe road was so so good, great road and fantastic views. If your coming down ness and to fort william you will can come the opposite way over glencoe, but stop and look behind you if you do, i think the views are better looking north. Ive a few pics if youre interested.

 

[stu1979uk]

Loch Morar trail looks exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for defo need to try and get a night near there.
Had a wee trip up to Glencoe last year and although it poured down the scenery was amazing.

The Big Lebowski

Loch lomond then accross to Arrochar, around to the Rest and be Thankful (superb bike road) then through Cairndow, Inverary and all the way down to Campbelltown is stunning...

A couple of weeks back i had a ride out past loch lomond and onto the rest and be thankful went a wee bit further on and pulled in for a bite to eat and near sh*t myself as a military jet flow right over head what a noise! and a favorite wee run out of mine

Thanks all
Stu
I think its time to get the kit sorted out for this one

 

[Retired Member southey]

have a google for the bridge across the Atlantic, i had a lovely nights kip on the road the leads up to it, 56°19'29.02"N 5°33'14.94"W copy and paste into google earth, some cracking roads too, the next night I spent Luing, plenty of space to kip down, and a beautiful island to explore for the day, this was on my Varadero 125 travelling from Kinloss in march 2010

 

[stu1979uk]

have a google for the bridge across the Atlantic, i had a lovely nights kip on the road the leads up to it, 56°19'29.02"N 5°33'14.94"W copy and paste into google earth, some cracking roads too, the next night I spent Luing, plenty of space to kip down, and a beautiful island to explore for the day, this was on my Varadero 125 travelling from Kinloss in march 2010

Thats quite a trek on a 125 good on you, that bridge does look good for some wheelie action tho and some nice scenery to go looks good mate
cheers

 

[gsfgaz]

Have a great run bud , be safe and enjoy

 

[tommy the cat]

Watch round Loch Lommand someone tried to kill me the last time I was there! Bad drivin + wet roads+ too quick = very neally dead me!
Mallaig lovely but get the ferry to skye stay a night or two then back over the bridge. Glencoe lovely midge ridden when we camped at the red squirrel but hopefully not now.
Have fun and stay safe especially round the Lochs!
D

 

[Craigeam]

Stu

If you are heading up the west coast try a detour into Applecross, the route I used to take was in over the Beallach na Ba (the pass of the cattle) and then out round the newer coast road. There is a camp site in Applecross and probably plenty of scope for wild camping, plus the pub in the village does great food, at least it used to, it has been a few years since I've been round that way so can't give any guarantees.
Once you come out the coast road you can head up through Torridon to Kinlochewe, up the side of Loch Maree then round the coast by Gairloch, Poolewe, etc before joining the 835 to Ullapool, all the way round you will get stunning views and interesting roads.

Cheers

Donald

 

[stu1979uk]

cheers for the info Donald, just checked the weather for this week, heavy rain and strong winds looks like the trip might be put off again fingers crossed it will clear up sooner rather than later