S*d it, I'm away up north - inspiration?

[JamesMio]

Mrs Mio's busy horsing most of the weekend and I've hardly had a decent leisurely run on the bike in yonks, so b*gger it - come 5pm Friday, I'm slinging a leg over and heading for North.

The weather, despite it p!ssing it down outside just now, I'm led to believe is meant to be alright for the weekend, so that being the case I'll probably chuck the tent on the back and bail into a B&B/hostely type place as a fall back.

So.

All suggestions welcome of places to hit over the course of a weekend please.

I've a bit of an itch to see somewhere new, which embarrassingly doesn't rule all that much out North of Fort Augustus, so that's looking like a good option to gun for on Friday night.

Ullapool, Durness, what about the massive big chunk of land that looks like it's got no people/towns on it between the two? I suspect it's AWESOME, but any tips?

[littleoldman2]

Bibio told me about this little gem and it's brill https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/58...!1m0!3e0?hl=en

[Bibio]

you got to go to Durness. take the Lairg, Tongue, Durness road up then the west down.

i can guarantee you will be exited all the way up and your mouth will be open all the way down the west coast.

stay at the Smoo Hostel (not the posh one) then walk up the hill to the 'local' pub for a wee refreshment

i can post a route for you if you like.

[SIII]

Ullapool - Durness - J O'Groats. Epic.

Bunkhouse at Stomeferry good and cheap, might even get to share with SWEDISH GIRLS if yer very lucky.

Bunkhouse at Durness not brill, but OK.

[JamesMio]

How's the fuel situation up around Durness area for a Sunday fill up..?

I've got the guts of a route coming together now (thanks muchly to all of the above suggestions), which'll take me from:

FRI EVE - Moffat to Fort Augustus (quick splash n dash at Fort William) after work - 200 miles / good 4 hour+ ride and I know a decent hostel/campsite there.

SAT AM - Fort Augustus to Ullapool (the wiggly way, via Gairloch) - 165 miles / 4-4.5 hours, filling up at Fort Aug before I set off.
Find a chippy and petrol station in Ullapool and fill up the bike/belly.

SAT PM - Ullapool to Durness (again, the wiggly way via Lochinver) - 85miles / 2-3 hours. If I can fill up on Sat night in/around Durness, that'll buy me 150+ miles riding (certainly as far as Inverness) on the Sunday if things are a little sparse up there?
Camp/hostel up that way for the night, have a wander and see what sort of mischief I can unearth.

SUN - Durness to Dumfries - Ooh 'ech, this'll be a big 'un! Take the wiggly road via Tongue/Lairg down to Inverness for fuel. From there, the East side of Loch Ness looks inviting, then retrace the steps back down via Fort William, and maybe do a wacky detour via Argyll Forest towards Dunoon, hop on the ferry and skip out Glasgow/M74 and head for home via the A713/Galloway Forest Park.

That way, if I'm knackered I can always juke across onto the M74, tuck in and head for home.

Original idea had been to head via Dundee/Fife and then down the A7/St Mary's Loch road but I'd forgotten about the BSB at Knockhill and all the souped up power-rangers that'll be swarming the roads around there, so avoid that area like the plague I shall...

[Bibio]

for petrol http://www.whatgas.com/syndication.a...&colour=7D7D7D just grab and pull map then zoom with scroll wheel.

Ullapool. Petrol http://goo.gl/maps/ZfDxB

Ullapool. chippy http://goo.gl/maps/orjGQ

[Bibio]

James. dont go into Inverness on the way down do this instead http://goo.gl/maps/c78Aq cuts out all the shizz plus it takes in the falls of shin. there is a nice wee cafe (Glen Cafe) in Drumnadrochit for lunch.

[JamesMio]

Originally Posted by Bibio

James. dont go into Inverness on the way down do this instead http://goo.gl/maps/c78Aq cuts out all the shizz plus it takes in the falls of shin. there is a nice wee cafe (Glen Cafe) in Drumnadrochit for lunch.

Roger roger that, thank you kindly!

[Bibio]

arrrggg i hate the new gmaps... Glen Cafe http://goo.gl/maps/xhTl7

[Bibio]

have fun m8. if you have never been that far up north you are going to love it. scenery is simply stunning.