Scotland beckons

[JulesW]

Got a week off work next week and thinking about a few days on the bike up in Scotland. If the weather looks half decent I'm hoping to spent 3 or 4 nights there. Something on the lines of....


Day 1. Getting there, perhaps Fort William area which is about 6 hours from where I live.


Day 2. Ride some great roads around the west coast.


Day 3. Day off from riding, go walking maybe.


Day 4. More riding of great roads.


Day 5. Head home


Hoping that some of the good folks here can point me in the right direction for superb roads, cheap (but nice) B&Bs and bunkhouses and other useful stuff.

[sputnik]

Howsabout delaying until the end of the month and joining us on http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=206552

followed by...
http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=207293

which seems to tick just about all your requirements (apart from maybe the walking but you are of course free to do your own thing). Jolly japes guaranteed.

[carelesschucca]

I wouldn't stop in Fort William its a bit of a hole. Make your stop The Macdonald Hotel Kinlochleven 10 miles south and on one of the best roads in Scotland.

Second day I'd say head up to Skye on the A87 (stop for fuel in Broadford) once you've done Skye cut back and go to Applecross for the evening.

on your way back down I'd say to make the effort to go back to Skye and come across the Glenelg ferry.

if you want some more details give me a shout.

[Dave20046]

Sorry to high-jack, chucca- is fortwilliam really a hole? I'm sure we'd stopped there on/after a previous GM and it had a nice centre with loads of water features ...and presumably good roads if we stopped there! Am I thinking of else where?
I'm off to fortwilliam next week...unless it's a hole!

Gutted to be missing the missing the GM, wish I'd checked the site - assumed I'd missed it in June :(

[sputnik]

I'm with Chucca on this - I may be wrong but I think the general consensus would be... hole. It is a convenient stop for various activities and places but (IMHO) it one of the drabbest places in christendom, even on a nice day... which it rarely seems to be in FW! This is all the more stark given how many fantastic places surround it within a few miles in almost any direction. By all means go to the 'Fort William area' but I'd bypass the town itself other than for petrol and pees!

[Bibio]

the only nice thing about ft billy is the road out. for being one of the major tourist places in Scotland its a disgrace. just outside of ft billy you have errmmm Ben Nevis and Neptune's Staircase but that it.

[sputnik]

the only nice thing about ft billy is the road out. for being one of the major tourist places in Scotland its a disgrace. just outside of ft billy you have errmmm Ben Nevis and Neptune's Staircase but that it.

Indeed, I should have added that Ben Nevis is also one of the dullest mountains in Scotland too. Just looks like a big hill - I can only hope it is more interesting to climb than it looks! But not far away, Glencoe, any number of nice lochs (inc Kinlochleven), and the road up towards Skye/Applecross etc.

[Bibio]

i have been visiting ft billy and the surrounding area for decades but never been up Ben Nevis.

[Dave20046]

Cheers Chaps :smt023

[stuR]

You MUST visit the Clachaig inn, Glencoe. The best locationg for a pub ive ever been to. Too much choice of real ales, about 300 whiskeys and great food. Whats not to like?

As for general site seeing/roads, just about anywhere around there is superb to drive to. Camusdarach is the nicest beach I think ive ever been to, I can give you some more specific directions etc if you want.

[JamesMio]

This might give you a little inspiration?

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=212456

[JulesW]

Thanks for all the good info. Weather's looking half decent, if the forecast doesn't worsen I'll head up Sunday or Monday. Not too thrilled about the 4+ hours of motorway, really thrilled about the rewards that lie beyond :)

[carelesschucca]

Jules, if you're bored on the motorway jump off at Junction 15 and either take the A701 (beeftubs road towards Edinburgh) or blast along the B7076. They'll break up the monotony.

Another good option is come off at Gretna come round via Dumfries & Thornhill and come up the A702. Both options will add a little time to the route but will add a lot of joy to the day.

[JulesW]

Plans have been made and accommodations booked and I'm officially excited :D

Many thanks to everyone who gave tips and advice, you've been a huge help with planning and finding nice places to stay and ride, very grateful :)

Day 1: Wirral to Kinlochleven via B7076, thanks chucca. Stay at MacDonald Kinlochleven Hotel in one of there cool little cabins.

Day 2: Kinlochleven to Applecross for lunch, about 125 miles via the Bealach na Ba road. Then over to Skye and the Armadale / Mallaig ferry. Stay at Glencairn House B&B in Morar. Full day of riding and probably quite knackering. Several good malt whiskies this evening.

Day 3: Remain in Morar and let the heat of the haemorrhoids die down. Rest day, little or no riding. Walk on the beach, read a book, check the bike.

Day 4: Morar to Glencoe. Book in to the Glencoe Indy Hostel, looks cheap and cheerful but gets great reviews. Then do Inverness, Aviemore, Glencoe loop. Dine at the Clachaig Inn this evening (cheers stuR).

Day 5: Back to Wirral. Early start and try to get in some nice detours and a good lunch in a picturesque place before the long haul back down the motorway.

Google reckons its 1200 miles and takes 26 hours, hope I'm not being too ambition but nothing set in stone apart from the booked accommodation.