Once Round The Block…..

Arriving in Thurso was a bit of a wakeup call as it was the first really built up place since Ullapool - We are even talking wide roads, shops, houses, people, and traffic!

Didnt stay too long as we had an appointment with Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the mainland.  Not to be confused with John o’ Groats.

It was definitely worth the diversion the road was a narrow single track fella which wound its way along a spur of land up over a bit of a hill and there you were.  Nothing fancy and pretentious  - a small(ish) car park, a lighthouse and some stunning views out over to Orkney.

Dunnet Head & Orkney in background

Just to prove it

We pulled up just after 10 in the morning, so it was still nice and quiet.  The sun had come out by now and was warming the place up a bit, but the wind was still doing its thing.

Rob trying his best 'Ewan' pose

I tried doing a ‘Ewan’ pose, but I started getting all annoyed and saying things like - “must be nice having it all paid for” and stuff like that!

Anyway - Its a bit of a bleak spot really, with a lighthouse and a few old army buildings still surviving from the war.  Servicemen stationed here kept a watch on the coast and the Royal Navy base at Scapa Flow.   In an odd kinda way it was quite good being there when it was so quiet as it gave me a few mins to smile and think.

Looking inland from Dunnet Head

Bikes at Dunnet Head

After spending quite some time wobbling round and taking in the views it was off to the next stop off point.  So it was back down the great single track road to the A836 and on to the Castle of Mey a few miles down the road.

I had a big smile on my face as two motorbikes pulled into the nice quiet carpark where there was a cafe with people having coffees.  How to make an entrance - all eyes were on these two noisy bike - loved it

Didnt stay here long as it all looked a tad tripper, so took a few photos and off to JOG.  But not before getting all confused with a strange one way system that brought us out down the road.

Castle of Mey

A short hop back on to the A836 to take us to John o’ Groats.  By now the sun was out and the day was warming up quite nice :-)  Now JOG (as it was known throughout the trip) is as far as Im concerned a bit of a god forsaken place, and yes I know people all have their own thoughts and ideas of the place this is just mine.

JOG is quite often said to be the most northern point of the mainland (which it is not) its also said to be the most northern settlement (which it is not)  Its famous for being the northern point of the longest distance between two points on the British mainland.  So there you all know now.

The bikes at the signpost

One of the traditions is to have your photo taken at the signpost showing distances to Lands End and your home town.  This signpost is privately owned and so is the little pitch of land around it (you can see it in the photo above)  So because of this you have to pay to take a picture of yourself with your own camera! Or you can pay the onsite photographer something like 10 quid and he will do it for you!  God I wish Id thought of that!

So being true Yorkshire men we didnt pay - just parked up and took a quick photo from the road

Just to make the place look even more rundown there is an old hotel down on the front that used to look quite impressive - alas now the once white paint is grey and peeling, and the building is fenced off and derelict, so thats really not helping my impression of the place - and and the loos cost 20p!!!!

But there is a nice coffee shop and tourist information shop that sells more souvenirs can you can take in without hurting your head

Me having a coffee at JOG

Thats me above having a coffee at JOG before heading off on the next section of the trip.

It was hard leaving the B&B the following morning for a couple of reasons.

Reason 1:

A Small Healthy Breakfast

Got up early again to what looked like a slightly cooler day with some cloud.  Had a quick wobble round the village and then went for breakfast.  This was the mother of all breakfasts.  As you can see it was a full English fella with all the trimmings.  Fresh home made bread toasted, eggs, mushrooms, toms, more bacon and sausage than you could throw a pig at all washed down with a great mug of coffee.  I have to admit I nearly got ‘meat sweats’ after all that bacon and sausage.

Reason 2:

We were so amazingly full after deciding to go for the healthy option for breakfast it was hard to move

Everything at the B&B was just soooo cool.  It was so good to be somewhere that was just how you found it - it was not all fancy with rubber plants in the corner and furniture from Ikea everywhere.  It was the daft things like the coffee pot lid didnt fit right any more, but like the woman said “The rest of it still works” and she was so right - why be all false and pretentious.  Tea cosies on the coffee pot and tea pot because thats how they do it even when no one is there That was one of the reasons I think I liked this place so much.

So if you are a biker and happen to be up near Tongue call in for an overnight break.  The welcome is friendly and so funny, the food is bloody brilliant and there is one of the friendliest pubs just up the road, oh and did I mention how funny the host is - she just has such a cracking outlook on things

View from BB at 06.30!

Anyway - progress was slow but, bikes were packed, 20 quid paid for the B&B and by 8.15am we were off up the dusty road to get back to the ‘main’ A836.  Main is in inverts as its a single track road, but its the nearest thing to a main road round here.

As we moved over towards Bettyhill the mist came down, and the wind picked up a tad, the temp dropped quit a bit, but no rain.

Now Bettyhill is a strange place - everyone we talked to all over Scotland kept mentioning it and going on about how they had spent good times there, got drunk there, slept on the beach there, and chilled out there.  It was starting to sound like a hippy commune where people went to ‘find’ themselves, but when we rode through it was a dull, misty and bloody windy place.

Its quite a small village with a great road down and hill out.  I got a good feeling as I went over the bridge and  started climbing up the other side of the bay.

For more info on Bettyhill have a look here…..

Moving on towards Thurso and petrol.  The last drink the bikes had was at Ullapool so juice was starting to get low.  The wind was really giving its all by now and in some places it was fun to say the least.  We took all the A836 to give us - twisty bits, steep ups, steep downs, and all the small villages until Bridge of Forss was reached which meant (as Rob was getting very low on fuel) next place could only be Thurso.

Down the hill past Scrabster and the ferry port to Orkney and there it was our oasis in the desert of Scotland.  An Esso filling station

Another pricey fill up. Its odd in Scotland that lots of the petrol station dont show their prices, spose its cos if you saw how much petrol was you might just collapse with heart failure! I think it was about £1.10 or £1.12 per litre so thats about £5 a gallon!!!!! And the government say they are not ripping us off with tax on petrol - yeh right!

Stood at the filling station for a bit in the sun and wind chatting to an old bloke asking about the trip and where we had been and where we were going.

Well its 9.30 in Thurso and time to roll off to the most northern point on mainland Britain

Didnt really see much of Ullapool as we had a pressing engagement with Durness (or so we thought).  But I can remember that we filled up at £1.12 /l where even on Sky it had been about £1.02/l So that fill up cost quite a few notes more that normal

A835 to Ledmore another great section of road where at Ardmair about 5miles north of Ullapool has to be one of the best located campsites (alas we didnt stop) http://www.ardmair.com

loch kanaird and ardmair point campsite

With sooooo many great views on such a cracking road we were stopping all the time to take pics and just take in the views and the quietness of it all.

taking in the view

Loads more photos of this section in the ‘Photos’ part of the blog

Ardvreck Castle was a handy stopping point for a bit of a break and photo op.  We had been on a very windy A837 with even more great views of Ben More, Suilven and lots of small lochs.  The wind was nice in one way as it kinda took the edge off the 80+ degree day, but at the same time could be a bugger to ride in.

Ardverk Castle was the stopping point - and bloody ell was it windy, but a good place for a break, water and top up on my Jelly Baby intake! (Rob always refused to have one even though I always offered! But he had his eye on the Jaffa Cakes!!!!!)

ardvreck-castle-beinn-gharbh

At Scourie I suddenly felt like I was traveling - not sure why, but there you go.  Now on the A894 which on the way to Scourie had great narrow sections, tight uphill sections, and one of the most amasing bridges you will ever come across at Kylesku.  It should be a rickety old wodden thing and then there it is……..

bridge at kylesku with loch a chairn bhain and quinag

Not sure what had happened to Rob, but everytime we stopped he had this big grin and kept saying phrases like….. ‘Bloody ‘ell, look at this’, and, ‘This is what its about’, and…. well you get the idea

At Laxford Bridge it was a left turn and onto the A838 - I say a left turn as this was the first real junction since Unapool (about 20 or so miles ago).

Our initial target for the day was starting to come into sight - Durness was where we planned to stay for the night after leaving the Isle of Skye.

This road has it all - big views, single track and on the whole quite quiet.

Now this kinda brings me onto a bit of a rant about British (but probably English on holiday) car/mobile home drivers, single track roads and motorbikes…… Initially they think the passing places are really marked up as ‘Please park here for your lunch’ not ‘Passing Place’  Then there is the motor home driver that pulls into said passing place, waves you forward (obviously wanting his lunch) and at the same time flashes a van driver who has stopped in the next pull in heading towards you.   Mmmm great now there are two vehicles with nowhere to go and the mobile home driver is tucking into his ham sandwich wondering why everyone is swearing at him

Next there is the car driver who sees a motorbike coming towards them as they get to a passing place, so continues on past their passing place (probably full with a mobile home driver eating a sandwich and drinking coffee out of a tartan flask!) then realises that a motorbike with full panniers on is about as wide as a mini metro, so panics, but does not even slow down and nearly knocks said motorbike off the road.

Then there is the motorhome driver doing 2miles an hour but refuses to pull into a passing place to let faster vehicles (motorbikes) overtake - well until they decide to pass one, then with no warning, stop,  and reverse into it to get a better view while they have their lunch - Then they look at you gone out when they realise after lots of shouting they have nearly knocked me off my bike! - Thats right they didnt even know I was there cos the road is just for them and after all it was nearly lunchtime!!!!!

The above happened to us (well me cos I was leading at the time) several times between Laxford Bridge and Keoldale (just outside Durness) where I had to pull off the road and have a bit of a shouting session at everyone who had tried to kill me in the past 15/20 miles!  It made me feel better anyway

Arrived at Durness about 3.30 after Id had my rant and Rob had said all he could see on the ride up was me shaking my head and giving people helpful hand signs

Now Durness is probably a nice little village, but for some reason when we got there it just felt like a bit of a rundown place.  Dont get me wrong the views are to die for and perhaps when its not blowing a force 10 its quite pleasant, but after a quick ride round looking for somewhere to stay (not camping tonight as Rob was not feeling 100% today the 12″ scar and associated post operation were hurting a bit) decided to push onto Tongue.

Oh my god! It just gets better and better!

From Durness to Tongue is all single track road as it works its way round Loch Eriboll.  It was now pushing 4 in the afternoon, but as we went down the west side of the loch my one boot was slowly getting hotter and hotter in the late afternoon sun.  Then as we crossed over to the other side…… yep my other boot took all the heat But up to now that has to be the best part of the trip.  The road was quiet, single track, dusty and hot

a383 on the way to tongue

loch eriboll

Now Tongue is fun place - not much there, but vary friendly.  Pulled into the village about 5/5.30(ish).  Had a bit of a ride about, then Rob had a bizarre conversation with a woman hanging out of a window on the first floor of a guest house saying she was full but thought her friend had a room and would phone to check for us.  So thats how we got our room for the night at Tongue

Funny really cos as we got to the B&B a couple had just driven up the path obviously looking for a room.  I think you had to be there to see the funny side of it as the car parked at an angle to block our progress and the lass got out of the car and ran to the B&B.  But lady luck had shone on us as the lady hanging out the window had booked us in, so it was smug smiles as the car backed away

For pic of Tongue look in the ‘Photos’ section as there are quite a few in there.  Ill just put a couple here…..

mmm beer - just what was needed after a dusty hot ride

After sipping a pint slowly all night (yeh right!!!) and had probably the best burger and chips ever at The Brass Tap we decided to call it a day.  Hard really as it had been such a cracking day and it was 11.30 and still daylight!

The B&B was called Inchverry and the owner was soooo funny and friendly, but cant find any links on the ‘tinterweb for it

daily - 209 miles
total - 795 miles

There are some roads in most countries that you know you just want/need to ride on.  Today we managed to nearly spend all day on just such roads

Filling up at Broadford I had a nice smile on my face knowing what was coming up today.  Even though Id got about half a tank it was better to fill up to the brim here as petrol stations will now be getting a bit thinner on the ground.  So the usual rule of thumb applied - ‘when one fills up - everyone fills up’

Headed back out over the amazing Skye bride to Kyle and then turning left near Balmacara onto the A890.  The A87 had served us well from Invergarry and onto Skye, but now part two of the trip really started by leaving it behind and moving onto the A890 heading towards Lochcarron.

This road wriggled its way up to the summit in fantastic fashion.  Going up and up and briefly down (just to keep you on your toes)  Then nipping through a steep sided cutting where the temperature dipped by a good few degrees - enough to feel the difference.

We were initially heading for a bit of an early morning stop at Strath Carran where the little village is sided by a nice old fashioned railway station with all the trimmings (level crossing, bridge, old style platforms and the like!).

Pressing on up towards the top I had to smile as I noticed a sign for the village of Strome Ferry and underneath in really small letter it said - ‘no ferry’

A photo op was crying out at the pull in at the top and what a view it was.  Rob just kept smiling and taking photos - its always handy when there is a pull in just where there is a good view

stromemore from a890 - remember - no ferry

loch carron from a890

From here this is an ‘A’ road like no other you have been on before!  Just round the corner from here it becomes single track with passing places as we descend toward Strath Carran, finally crossing the railway line and pulling in for a breather and a nice cold (but well fizzy - burp!) Dr. Pepper for me

After a brief wait for Rob to finish a phone call we were off again :-)  A quick run down the loch head and a right turn and there it was……… One of the best ‘A’ roads you will ever ride on.  Single track road passing through small villages (well when I say village I mean two houses!) like Balnacra and running alongside lochs on the right and hill views on the left.  It was only spoilt by some knob in a car who thought they were as thin as a thin stick and nearly caused a big big accident, just some hard breaking by both Rob and myself saved him - but you get knobs the world over!

Passing Loch Gowan we pulled into Achnasheen where with a right turn we were on the A832 sadly an ‘A’ road for real although quiet.  I think it was round about here where the road had been re-surfaced and I got blasted with chippings from the back of Robs bike! Not nice :-(  Lots of ducking and weaving went on for some time

Ullapool was calling - after joining up with the A835.  Another good road with views all around like Beinn Dearg an Loch Glascarnoch.

All day the weather had been just perfect and this didnt change on the ride into Ullapool where it just got hotter.

Rob suggested going to the Falls of Measach just near Ullapool, but when we got there it was well busy, well trippery and well we just couldnt be arsed, so went and filled up in town for the next leg of the trip.

Another early rise on the shore of Loch Linnhe - about 5ish (again!) but had a crackin sleep after sampling the local ales the night before

Managed to ‘escape’ out of the Bed and TOAST early to have a wobble down by the loch side before starting to pack up the bikes.  Frank stated hasling us at about 7.30 asking if he could turn the beds down as the cleaner was coming in at 9.30!!!! Whats that all about - 7.30 in the morning!!!!!

Finally got away from Fawlty Towers at 8 after one of the best plates of TOAST ever (oh and there was coffee!!!!).  So if you want a bit of a giggle look out for this Bed and TOAST on the main drag into Ft. William

best bed and TOAST in Ft. William - Click pic for a better view :-)

Not saying the weather was good, but by 8 it was already 68 in the sunshine Another warm one on the cards.  Rode out of Ft. William on the A82 towards Invergarry, stopping off at the Commando monument just after Spean Bridge.  Now north of Ft. William the roads start to take on their next phase of sexxy goodness - less traffic and more hills, turns and vistas to stare at.

The Commando monument always makes me just stop and think for a few minutes about life.  Not only is the monument impressive, but the location is perfect.

commando monument

commando monument again

Click here or look in Mawse’s trip photos for a panorama of the Commando monument and the view.

Dont think it would move me so much if I was here at say 1 in the afternoon with about 500 other people, but being here at 8.30 in the morning makes it for me as there were only us and a couple more people there.

What can I say about the A82 to Invergarry - its a cracking ride along the side of Loch Lochy and then crossing the Caledonian Canal.  To say we were stopping for loads of photo ops we made good time to where we left the A82 and picked up the A87.  We would be on this for the rest of the day as we were heading out over the water to Skye.

Im starting to struggle for words to describe the A87, but god its a bloody cracking road.  There were just loads of bikes here, at one point we ended up in the middle of a load of Italian bikes.

Shiel Bridge is basically a filling station a campsite and a couple of houses.  Here I decided to take Rob on a little de-tour up Mam Ratagan for a couple of reasons…. The road is mainly single track at about 40/45 degrees and the view at the top is amazing.

1 fazer, 1 caponord, 5 sisters

five sisters & loch duich - click for bigger pic

Back down to the A87 now passing though a few small villages as it winds its way along the loch side towards Kyle of Lochalsh.  Had a quick stop at Eilean Donan Castle - well you have to really.  Car park was as full as a full thing with large mobile homes and tour busses full of Americans on the ‘Sporan and Thistle’ tours

eilean donan

The road continues to meander along the side of the loch to Kyle where its time for a bit of a leg stretch, drink and a few photos before heading off over the water to Skye.

Rob had found this BB on the tinterweb that was for bikers so we were kinda heading for that once over the Skye Bridge.

The bridge to Skye used to be a toll bridge costing about 6 quid to travel about half a mile which is a tad steep if you ask me, but now its freeeeeee so bring it on Something special about going over impressive bridges I think.  It should have a pull in halfway over so you can stop and look at the view.

Now we were on the Isle of Skye Turned right at the roundabout and continued up the A87 from Kyleakin towards Broadford.

Every blog/journey/documentry etc always has to have a little bit of drama to keep the reader/viewer interested and wanting more, well what happened on the A87 on the way to Broadford was our bit of drama………

After about a mile or so riding up the road with the sea to the right, little hamlets of houses to the left and stunning views all around we came upon some roadworks.  They were giving the road a nice new shiny coat of tarmac, so a convoy system was being used - now Ive only ever seen this technique used in Scotland.

My thoughts on the convoy system….
basically they queue loads of cars up, so you can be sat waiting in a queue for about 15/20mins! and then drive them through the roadwoarks really slow - and i mean stupidly slow! but all you see as this happens is the workmen stood around or reading magazines!!! Once at the other end the cars who have been waiting to go the other way for 15/20 mins are then escorted through to see workmen stood around

Right then - back to the drama………

We queued…….. and then we queued some more……… and then we were off, well clicked into 1st gear and slowly crept forward with a bit of clutch slipping going off…. The surface we were riding on was ‘orrible.  The left was slippy smooth and new, the middle was just full of stones and crap, so after trying all the parts of the road I went for the right side.  Then it happened…………

wait for it…………..stop biting your nails……………sit back in the chair…………

Rob came off his bike! - Right in the middle of the roadworks!!!

As luck would have it we were going that bloody slow he managed to almost just lower the bike on the floor and roll away from it.

Im sure Rob will be able to give a better account of it all then I can as all I remember of it all was hearing his bike revvvvvvving like crazy, looking in the mirror and seeing his legs disappear out of view!

As you can imagine a few choice words were said once the bike was on its wheels and we were taking stock of what had happened stood in a little pull in.

We never did find the B&B we were looking for, but stumbled on another in Harrapool which was spot on with friendly cheerful owners and even better - secure off road parking.

BB on Skye

Riding round Skye in the afternoon was good.  Nice to have a blast without being all loaded up.  As you would expect Rob was a bit on edge for the rest of the day - but I think he still enjoyed the riding.  Had a ride out to Carbost and the distillery there, and down to Glen Brittle with cracking views of the Cuillin.

talisker distillery at carbost

the bikes and cuillin at glen brittle

Had a wobble into Broadford to get some snap for tea and then after sampling the local brew (several times!) decided to call it a day.

daily - 167 miles
total - 586 miles

Mmmmm 5am!

Thats what time we both surfaced from our tents!  A tad early, but that was the start of quite a few early mornings over the next few days.

Had a steady packup in the sunshine and by 8.30 we were back in New Abbey having a quick wobble round and taking a few more photos, this time of the Abbey.

Sweetheart Abbey at New Abbey

Then after a trip right through the centre of Dumfries (which we thought was going to be a ring road!) it was off onto the A711 to re-join the M74 near Moffat.  As Glasgow got closer the weather really started to close in with dark clouds really threatening, but luckily not producing any soggy bits of water.

The motorways in and around Glasgow can be totally crazy - there is even a sliproad joining from below you and on the right!!!!! Whats that all about???  Anyway we managed to navigate the M74, M73 and M8 without too much hastle.  Riding over the Erskine Bridge was as good as ever - and even better now its free - oh we like free Finally onto the A82 - which takes you the full length of Loch Lomond and beyond.

Loch Lomond was beckoning by now so had to pull over for a leg stretch and some photos - The loch was looking quite moody with all the low(ish) cloud and still wind

A Moody Loch Lomond

The break also gave the bikes chance to have a breather as they had been on the go from Dumfries

The bikes having a rest at Loch Lomond

Back on the A82 to take us the full length of Loch Lomond - this is a cracking road running right down by the Loch side in places. Its actually that close that at one point there are a set of lights to control the traffic as its only wide enough for a single lane which all adds to the fun of the twists n turns Not forgetting all the super wide German camper vans bimbling along at 5 miles/hour!!!!

The rest of the day was going to be on the amasing road that is the A82.  Not really for its quality, but for the landscape it goes through.  Next main stop was the Green Welly Shop at Tyndrum - Now yes I know its an odd name and an odd place to stop, but this is the first petrol station since Glasgow!  So its a bit of a ‘honey pot’.  There a bikes, bikes and oh yeh there are a few bikes.

This photo was actually taken on the way down to Callander, but you get the idea

Green Welly Shop at Tyndrum

It had been warm all day, but now the clouds had gone the temp was rising to a nice simmering point again.

Just after Tyndrum the road splits and the A82 goes off to the right through a snow gate and then the snow poles appear at the side of the road.  This for me is where the road start for real.  There are some amazing view as you ride below Beinn Dorain, Beinn an Dothaidh and then along the side of Loch Tulla before topping out on Rannoch Moor. And here the ladscape changes again.

looking out over loch tulla

sure this is what rob has just taken in the pic above

Time to push on over Rannoch Moor - One thing I remember about this section of the road was Robs head just going from side to side taking it all in.  I just knew he had to be smiling such a big smile :-)  Ive been on this road many times and I still have to smile as its just so……

rannoch moor

glencoe

more glencoe

even more glencoe

well why not

Ok so there are a couple of pics of Glencoe - As you go down the Glen to the village of Glencoe you have Aonach Eagach to the right with 5 or so Munro’s up there and to the left just so many Monro’s you have to stop and just try to take it all in.

There is (well I think) a really nice bridge at Ballachulish where you get a great view out over Loch Linnhe to the left and back to the Pap of Glencoe on the right so as you go over the bridge its a head left and right again.  Shame we didnt just stop half way across to take pics

Since leavin Loch Lomond, the temperature had been rising all day, so by now it was well into the 80’s!!!  But the end of the day was getting closer with every turn on the A82 - Ft. William

The A82 now runs right at the side of Loch Linnehe all the way into Ft. William so again some great riding was enjoyed.  Rode into Ft. William at about 4 and still it was up in the mid 80’s so we were kind gettin a tad sticky :-|  Decided to filll that evening so we could get off early in the morning, so had a quick fuel stop ot Morrisons (now thats so not very rock n roll is it!!!)

Because of the heat we just stopped at the first BB that looked ok - This could have been a mistake, but we just couldnt be bothered to go find another place.  This B&B was kind unique in a couple of ways - Firstly the bloke (who shall be called Frank for this purpose - well Frank was his name!) was telling us the rules when he came out with…… ‘but I dont do breakfast’ - So we were at a bed and BREAKFAST and it was really a bed and TOAST!

The next gem Frank came out with was…… ‘The front door is always open, but its locked at 12′.  Mmmm so to my thinking its not always open!

After the unpack and some well needed showers we hit the town!  Now Ive been coming through Ft. William for many years now and two things happened that evening that I thought would NEVER happen.

1. It was sunny and very very hot - and not too many midges!
2. I saw some ladies sunbathing down by the Loch shore in bikinis!!! Now that I really never thought Id see at Ft. William

Got to the main street and decided it would be rude not to have a drink or few After sampling the delights of several local ale houses decided to call it a night with a healthy burger and chips (for me) and chips and fishcake (for rob) down by the loch then stroll back to the Bed and TOAST!!

Bring on the next day!

daily - 210 miles
total -  419 miles

Well its kinda been raining here on and off for most of the day - so decided to put a few of Robs photos onto the blog.  Yep you guessed it….. click on the ‘Photos’ page and there you will find em (clever really!)

The day of the morning of the day we had been counting down to had finally arrived :-0 There was a rough plan of attack for the first hour or so, which was to see me meeting up with Rob at about 9.30 so an early(ish) start for me then.

We were going to take things nice and easy the first day to iron out any niggles that might show themselves.  So up the A61 from Sheffield through the woods and onto the M1 north.  Motorways are ok but they can so easily become dull on a bike.  Carried on through up to Leeds with no issues and then onto the A1 and a first stop at Weatherby.  Weatherby is admittedly only about an hour up the motorway, but as it was Rob’s first big(ish) tour taking it easy and chilled was important.

A couple of miles south of Weatherby there was what could have been the start to soggy ride north - it wall went very dull and the start of a drizzle.  Im not a great fan of waterproofs if I can get away with it, but at the stop decided to put on mi jacket - Now Rob on the other hand was taking no chances - Jacket and his amazing waterproof clown trollies!!! So wish id got a photo of the pantomime of him getting into them

Stood chatting to a bloke for a while who was on his way to Newcastle on a Triumph.

Then as everything was looking ok we were off again up the A1 up to Scotch Corner.

Now one thing about putting on watherproofs is that when you try to second guess the weather it always makes a fool of you - about 5 mins out of the sevices at Weatherby it totally dried up and by Scot Corner an impromptu stop was needed as I was sweeting so much inside my jacket in the now warm sunshine - so if I was sweating with just a jacket on god knows how Rob felt

Onto the A66 (based on an old Roman Road route) at Scotch Corner - this has to go down as on of the best cross country roads.  Its mainly single caridgeway with a few bits of duel caridgeway, but the route it takes from Scotch Corner across to Penrith near the northern Lake District is stunning.  Slowly climbing passing close to Barnard Castle then onto Bowes with panoramic views of the Yorkshire Dales on one side and the Lake District hills in front of you.  The road carries on climbing through to Stainmore and then what goes up……

As always a fuel and rest break at the only filling station on the road near Brough is needed - I always say the filling station is at Brough, but actually I think its closer to Appleby, but everyone always knows the one I mean.  By now my bike was showing an air temp of about 78

Fuel Break at Brough in the sunshine

The sun was sooo nice we chilled here for quite sometime after fueling up at a cost of £1.03/l

From here it was onto Penrith and then North up the M6 and into Scotland.  Our destination for the end of day one was a compsite on the Solway coast to the South of Dumfries, so as soon as the border post was passed it was a turn left onto the A75 towards Dumfries.

The bikes were both going well, and the weather was getting hotter by the hour.

Get held up for quite some time just outside Dumfries as there were some major and complicated roadworks going off.  My legs by now were getting blasted with all the hot air coming from the fan, but eventually progress was made through Dumfries and onto the A710 - the Solway coast road.

The A710 is a cracking road.  Narrow, with twists and turns, and ups and downs and then views of Criffel to the right and the Solway to the left.  We passed through several small villages, one of them being New Abbey - where we stopped for a cheeky shandy cos it was soooo nice and sooooo hot.

view from the abbey arms pub

abbey arms pub at new abbey

the bikes at new abbey

Dont know about Rob but I was sweating like a sweaty thing - but the shandy hit the spot big time.  It was nice sitting there chilling watching the world go by for an hour or so - now that I can handle

15/20 mins further on was Sandyhills.  The A710 for me just got better and better in the afternoon sunshine, narrow in parts with twists n turns, and views through the trees of the Solway coast line - spot on.  Pulled into the campsite and instantly liked it lots as the warden gave us a discount cos we were on bikes - two for the price of one (he must have know we were from yorkshire - and there are only one set of people tighter than the Scotts!)

sandyhills campsite

sandyhills campsite

what a view from the tent

sandyhills

arty shot of the bikes

Had a couple or few beers at the local bar and did chilli and rice for t and then crashed for the night after having a quick route plan for the next day

daily - 209 miles
total -  209 miles (now thats a suprise)

Thought I better start and get some photos uploaded onto the blog, so Ive put a couple of mine up.  Look in the photos section (now thats a novel place to put them!) under ‘trip photos’.   Not sure when we will get to see a selection of the 900 plus that Rob managed to take - but then again I had been round most of the area before.

I remember the days when you had 36 shots to last all week and that was if you were posh - otherwise it was only 24 and the last one was always of the back garden

Hoping to start the trip report tomorrow cos rain is forecast