Thorn Cycles Forum
Community => Cycle Tours => Topic started by: RonS on January 02, 2024, 08:13:55 PM
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As alluded to in my Japan 2023 post I do have another trip in mind and here it is. The Outer Hebrides, Skye, and part of the North Coast 500.
Here's the idea. Starting in Inverness, I would cycle to Oban where my daughter would meet me. We would then cycle the Hebridian Way and across Skye. It looks like my daughter could make her way back to London via bus from Portree to Inverness and then train, or by train from Mallaig. I would then continue on solo, joining the North Coast 500 at Lochcarron.
Timing. These are the possibilities for dates of the trip that coincide with availability of my daughter:
I can start the trip in Inverness about April 25, or about May 6.
I can start the trip anytime in Autumn.
Now that you know the plan I have some questions for my Scottish friends. Matt, I saw your Outer Hebrides journal on CrazyGuy, so I expect you can be of valuable assistance. (And you’ve met Mark Beaumont. How cool is that?)
Weather. Which time of year do you think would be better? Just looking at the climate stats it seems as though September and May have approximately the same daytime average high with nighttime lows being a bit warmer in September. Are the dreaded midges still a problem in September?
Traffic. My daughter has some cycling friends who are convinced that riding the North Coast 500 any time between May and September would be suicidal due to the tourists in caravans and camper vans. They have, however not ridden it themselves and admit that they are relying on second and third hand knowledge. What’s your opinion? I don’t have to follow the “official” route. I’m happy to take a different route to avoid traffic.
That's all the questions I have for now. This plan is still in its infancy. There is nothing that cannot be changed at this time so any opinions are welcome.
Thank you all, and happy new year
Ron
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What sort of schedule are you planning in terms of daily mileage and number of days.
Were you planning to cycle the NC500 anticlockwise from Lochcarron back to Inverness?
Fine weather can never be guaranteed in Scotland but I've had some good experiences in late May and early June. Accommodation is often easier to find at this time of year and there's the added bonus of long daylight hours. Weather wise the main problem on the islands is wind rather than rain. I once had three consecutive days on Barra when it was too dangerous to cycle and I've been blown off the road on the Isle of Lewis. At least the wind keeps the midges away.
I wouldn't say that cycling the NC500 is suicidal but it has certainly generated a lot more motorised traffic, caravans and motorhomes are a particular problem. You'd be well to heed the warnings. I've cycled most of the route at various times but only have limited recent experience. The NC500 has also put a significant strain on accommodation in the immediate area which adds further complication.
I'd also have similar reservations about traffic on Skye. In June 2015 after two weeks cycling in the Outer Hebrides I caught the ferry from Tarbert and cycled across Skye to the Armadale ferry. I was surprised by the increase in traffic on Skye since my previous visit some 10 year previously. The main road from Portree was particularly unpleasant. A good alternative would be the ferry from Stornoway to Ullapool. The Citylink 961 bus service from Ullapool to Inverness does carry bicycles and might suit your daughter. Alternatively its only a half day's cycle ride to the train station at Garve.
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Ron, as a credit card tourer (my painting gear takes up all the luggage allowance on even my most capable bike), I don't have any advice for the tour. But I've been on that overnight Inverness to London train, just once, which was a painful enough experience, and after that I went there and returned strictly Dan-Air, which always gave me a brilliant meal and hot and cold running drinks. First, as far as I can tell, the train was just about totally empty, and deservedly so. My ticket was on some kind of a special deal, and that caused the conductor to shout at me that if he wanted to he'd put someone in the compartment with me. I went looking for a drink and there was none. Secondly, you need to prebook your dinner on that train, or you will go hungry. Most important, don't book the lobster as whoever at my client who made my arrangements did for me; I considered myself lucky not to die of salmonella. It had been standing somewhere unrefrigerated for long enough to wilt the lettuce, which was all else on the plate. Hey, it was better than the "distressed" lettuce I once carelessly ordered at the Dublin Showgrounds restaurant, and put in my mouth without inspection: it turned out to be literally rotten lettuce on the menu for models to order as a very strong inducement to eat none of it. Back to the train: Even with the cheese plate (a charged optional extra) the miserably undersized lobster was hardly a snack for a midget, never mind dinner for someone my size. I gave the cheese -- processed, curled and suspicious -- and biscuits to a woman with small children whom the three dining car staff refused to serve any food because they hadn't booked.Thirdly, bring biscuits and a teabag for breakfast, a mug too, because they don't serve any breakfast whatsoever. Finally, make absolutely sure your daughter has queried carrying a bike on that train, and received a reply in writing (do it by email) about carrying the bike, and brings a printed copy, or obstreperous staff could easily simply refuse to open the door of the luggage compartment.
I turned my scathing report on that journey to my client (who was new to the North of Scotland), who afterwards carefully avoided that train, into an op-ed for one of the Sunday papers, and the editor made me wonder where he was educated by saying he loved the satire...
A wretched train line. (Try it with a hard Australian pronunciation: rat-sh!t.)
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Thanks for the replies
What sort of schedule are you planning in terms of daily mileage and number of days.
Were you planning to cycle the NC500 anticlockwise from Lochcarron back to Inverness?
My plan is to spend about three to four weeks on the trip. My daughter can join me for about 8 days, which we would spend on the Hebrides. I would then continue on the NC500. I would like to keep daily distance under 50mi and enjoy the sights.
The plan is to camp in commercial sites where available. I know I can camp almost anywhere in Scotland, but after a day on the bike I enjoy a hot shower.
The plan is to go clockwise from Lochcarron.
The suggestion to take the ferry to Ullapool sounds good. Skye traffic was a concern. I was there last May when my wife and I took a tour of the highlands on a small 13 seat coach. The traffic was quite heavy at times. It's just so beautiful I wanted to go back.
Andre, I plan on flying to Inverness from Vancouver, so no worries about being poisoned by the lobster on the train :)
My daughter has been in the UK for 2 years and has more knowledge than I of the rail system, so I will leave her end of the voyage to her. I will alert her to check out procedures for bike transport.
Ron
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Here are some thoughts on the Hebridean section of your tour:
The Hebridean Way is a good introduction to the outer islands and an 8 day schedule should allow enough time to explore one or two of the side roads that lead to more isolated locations. The road out to Husinis is an obvious example and is an excellent Choice, as is the road to Rheinigidale. There's wild camping at Husinis with access to public toilets and showers. The Hebridean Way goes up the west coast of Harris I believe, it's justifiably famous for its glorious white sandy beaches but you might also consider the east coast, the so called Golden Road, the rocky coastline and distant views of the Isle of Skye are a marked contrast to landscape in the west, but are no less spectacular. It's a tough choice and a circular tour would mean doing one of them twice. I'm also tempted to recommend the out and back route to Mealasta on the south west coast of Lewis but its quite a stretch and I think it would be too much on an 8 day schedule. For more inspiration I'd recommend the Cicerone guide book Cycling the Hebrides by Richard Barret.
https://www.cicerone.co.uk/cycling-in-the-hebrides-2 (https://www.cicerone.co.uk/cycling-in-the-hebrides-2)
Accommodation:
Upon arrival at Castlebay there's a small campsite a couple of miles away at Borve on the west coast of Barra but it's very exposed to westerly winds. A better alternative is Croft 183 on the east coast about 5 miles beyond Castlebay. They have an excellent campers kitchen and there's also very comfortable hostel type accommodation if the weather really turns nasty. There's more camping out by the “ Airport” but I've no personal experience. There's also wild camping on Vatersay, next to the community hall, with 24hr toilet facilities.
If you want recommendations for accommodation further north, then just ask when you better know your itinerary . But in the meantime one campsite that I've used and would recommend is at the RSPB Balranald Nature Reserve at Hougharry on the west coast of North Uist. Bring some lightweight binoculars if you're interested in birdlife. Finally I'll mention the Gatliffe Trust Hostels. They're quite basic but in stunning locations and well worth a visit, there's one ar Rheinigidale, mentioned above. They're more akin to Bothies in so far as there's no booking, its first come first served. The good news is you can camp and use the hostel facilities.
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Some further thoughts on your NC 500 trip.
If you opt for the the Stornoway ferry you could join the NC 500 at Ullapool but that would miss much of the west coast highlights. A better option would be for both you and your daughter to cycle to the station at Garve, a distance of around 30 miles, she could catch a train to Inverness and you could catch a train in the opposite direction to Strathcarran.
On the west coast section of the NC 500 there are opportunities to more closely follow the coastline on single track roads that discourage some of the larger vehicles. I'd definitely recommend the road to Applecross via the Bealach na Bà and there are similar single track excursions between Drumrunie and Lochinver and between Lochinver and Unapool. The downside is that they not only add distance but can be surprisingly undulating. The coastal route between Lochinver and Unapool is particularly challenging, and I found the road onwards from Applecross to Shieldaig tougher than the road in via the Bealach na Bà climb.
At Durness if you have time I'd recommend a trip out to Cape Wrath. It involves a ferry across the Kyle of Durness which is weather dependant but it's possible to take your bicycles and the road out to Cape Wrath is doable even on 28mm tyres. There are a couple of hostels in Durness which are handy if you want to leave your luggage behind. There's even a minibus out to the lighthouse that connects with the ferry if you'd rather leave your bicycle behind. :)
John o' Groats is a dismal place and unless you're desperate to visit I would avoid that section and the east coast route entirely, in particular the A9. There are a number of opportunities to depart the NC500 along the north coast and make your way south to Inverness. The route from Tongue via Altnaharra, Lairg and Invershin is excellent as is the route from Bettyhill via Strathnaver. The Crask Inn, south of Altnaharra, changed hands a few years back but by all accounts it's still possible to camp there. It's a unique experience if you get the chance.
I hope this helps, if you want more information just ask.
:)
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Some good advice already, I'd agree with most of what B cereus has said, I don't have much to add which isn't more of the same. I've done most of the NC500 roads, but before it was so well publicised. It includes some of the best of Scotland, but other sections could be missed or improved upon. For large sections, there are no alternative routes, if it's busy, you're stuck with it. The Eastern section, from John O Groats to Inverness I'd skip, take B cereus's advice to retrace to Bettyhill and south via Lairg, or jump on the train. I've ridden worse than that section, just IMO it's two or three days that could be better spent elsewhere.
I love touring in Scotland, just the feeling of space and how quickly the scenery changes. I usually go May or September, it's a gamble on the weather but there's been more glorious than terrible and I've been quite lucky at avoiding midges. In eight tours, about 20 weeks, I've only had one where the weather was foul for more than three consecutive days.
You're not going to see it all, so there's a choice to be made whether to cover a lot of Scotland or see more of a smaller area. I think the Hebridean Way is around 200 miles, but IMO a better tour of the Hebrides would be twice that. If you're going to cover more of Scotland, I'd include a trip out to Ardnamurchan, the most Westerly point on the British Mainland, you can drop on to Mull with a short ferry from there and a short ride and another short ferry back to Oban.
I hope you've not been put off the train, there's some great Scottish journeys, irrespective of conductors and lettuce. There's a bonkers line from Glasgow to Fort William, that only exists so the gentry could go hunting, over Rannoch Moor and Glencoe, familiar to those who've watched James Bond Skyfall, then on to Mallaig on the Jacobean line which might be familiar to Harry Potter fans. I think all, or most, Scotrail journeys require a bike reservation, but I've always found them easy to obtain. I have no qualms about mixing the train/bus and cycling if I'm touring, rather than a challenge ride.
Whatever you do, you'll have a great tour, for myself, starting in Inverness, I'd follow the Loch to Fort William and stay West of there till heading home.
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I've only traversed the NC500 by car (by bike is still on the bucket list) but would opt for late August/early September when it's likely to be warmer than May although the days are shorter and many of the tourists have gone home. I last drove that way in June 2022 and remember there was one section (near the NW corner IIRC) that was definite single track but elsewhere there's often enough width for a vehicle to pass a bike. Many of the A roads in NW Scotland are single track with passing places (usually indicated by a sign). As I understand it a fair number of the tourists are from Europe and their holiday season starts and finishes earlier than UK. This place is worth stopping at https://www.nwhgeopark.com/the-rock-stop-north-west-highlands-geopark-visitor-centre-and-coffee-shop/ if you are remotely interested in the geological history of the area.
I agree about considering missing out John O' Groats in order to take advantage of one of the quieter roads southwards. My LEJOG used the road north from Lairg and it was very pleasant cycling.
Many of the Scottish trains have good provision for bicycles https://www.scotrail.co.uk/plan-your-journey/cycling/bikes-trains. Much better than south of the border where it's often a matter of hanging a bike by one wheel on a hook in a small cupboard.
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Wow. Just another reason to love this forum. So much help from a fine group.
B, I will be researching all of your suggestions. I do think the idea of the train from Garve to Inverness- Strathcarron is excellent.
I have already acquired the Offcomers cycle guide to the Outer Hebrides, and the Sustrans map NC78- Oban to Inverness. Cicerone has an updated cycle guide to the NC500 available Jan 15. I will be ordering . I believe it includes an alternate route that avoids the A9.
Paul, I’m a see more of a smaller area type of tourist, so I’ll check out your suggested side trip. Also, being from Canada, I’m not put off by your rail system. At least you have one. :) Besides, where else could I visit where the fare is refunded if the train is an hour late? It actually happened on our trip last May on our Edinburgh to London train.
John, I will definitely check out the Rock Stop.
As for going in September, that is a possibility. In Canada and the US almost all the schools are out of session from mid to late June until Labour Day, which is the first Monday in September. Tourist traffic drops right off when everyone returns to class. I don’t know if theres a similar date in the UK where that happens. My daughter might have fewer time constraints then and be able to join me for a longer period as well.
Thanks to everyone who has offered advice here and by PM. It is much appreciated. I’ll let you know how the plan progresses.
Ron
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Hi, all.
Just thought I'd update you on the tour planning.
My daughter and I have decided to do the trip in September, as she will have a more open schedule to join me then. This has the benefit of more available time to plan. If I have more questions I'll be sure to ask.
Where will you go in the spring? Glad you asked. Anyone who has been looking at flight prices have probably noticed how high they've gotten. Flights from Vancouver have been about 50% higher than last year, and double the rewards points. On a lark, last weekend I went on my credit card rewards site and plugged in a request for a flight to Japan in April. Buried way down on page three of all the expensive flights with horrible routing (Vancouver to Tokyo via Frankfurt? Seriously?) was a business class ticket, Vancouver to Fukuoka, via Seoul. Total cash price? Zero! And less points than last summer! Even the economy seat on the same route would have cost $300 in excess baggage fees.
Needless to say, I jumped on it before they changed their minds (discovered their mistake?).
So, stay tuned for the next cycle tour: Four weeks on the island of Kyushu! That'll be on its own thread, though.
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Japan and at that price. Wow! Have a super time.
Re Hebrides: Just be mindful of the shortening daylight. That said you’ll have more space to yourselves as peak season will have passed.
What a great year in prospect. 😊 🚲
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Re Hebrides: Just be mindful of the shortening daylight. That said you’ll have more space to yourselves as peak season will have passed.
And the sea will have warmed up a few degrees compared with May which reduces the risk of some horribly cold weather. There might, however, be loads of rain.
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Re Hebrides: Just be mindful of the shortening daylight. That said you’ll have more space to yourselves as peak season will have passed.
And the sea will have warmed up a few degrees compared with May which reduces the risk of some horribly cold weather. There might, however, be loads of rain.
Check out: time and date .com
Stornoway last September was, err.... not dry.
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Re Hebrides: Just be mindful of the shortening daylight.
Looks like I'll start with just shy of 14 hours of daylight and end with just shy of 12, according to timeanddate.com. Not the 17 hours in late May, but still doable.
There might, however, be loads of rain.
Stornoway last September was, err.... not dry.
Matt, I've used timeanddate for sunrise/sunset times, but I never knew about the meteorological rabbit hole one could go down. Looking back at the previous 3 Septembers in Stornoway, the first half of the month has appeared to be "relatively" dry, and warmer than the first half of May. I am aware that, like the financial adverts say, " past performance does not guarantee future returns" :)
Also, It's Scotland. I believe the term "four seasons in one day" has been mentioned. Hence, I will have a plan B up my sleeve.
In Canada, 100 years is a long time. In the UK, 100 miles is a long way.
If the weather really goes sour, there are just so many places that your awesome-to-a-Canadian rail system could take me in a day. Eastern Scotland, the Cotswolds(where my daughter lives), Wales, the UK is my oyster.....
What a great year in prospect. 😊 🚲
Yes, Ian, I feel very fortunate to have the means and the health to do this. My wife said "Do it while you still can"
Thanks again everyone for the advice.
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Y'know, Ron, you could just plan for October in Vancouver, or anytime of year in Halifax, and you'd be fine.
In 2008, my wife and I were visiting the isles of Mull and Iona in mid-June. On Iona, the rain was coming in horizontally, driven by a fierce westerly. Marcia said to me, "John, this is like visiting Meg in Halifax." Sez I, "Well, sweetie, Nova Scotia was named 'New Scotland' for a reason."
Your Plan B in the Cotswolds sounds pretty good, too, expanded to stop in at SJS Cycles in Somerset, and a trip to my home turf of Dorset nearby. ;)
Cheers, John
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The tickets are bought. The trip is a go!
After arriving in Inverness on nickel-and-dime-air AKA British Airways, my tour will start on the morning of September 3.
I’ll head on down to Oban and meet up with my daughter, and we’ll head for the Hebrides on the 5th or 6th. We will have 7 days to explore the islands (and distilleries) before we take the ferry to Ullapool. She’ll make her way back home, and I’ll ride to Garve and then either keep riding to Achnasheen, or hop a train to Lochcarron. I then will have until the 26th to check out the north coast. As per your suggestions, I’ve decided to skip John o’Groats. Depending on how I’m doing time wise, I’ll turn south at Tongue, Bettyhill, or Melvich.
I’ve used the Offcomers guide to the Hebridean Way, and the Cicerone guide to the NC 500 to plan my overnight stops, mostly at campgrounds and the Gatliff Trust hostels. There seem to be lots of hostels to stay at should the weather turn foul.
Suggestions for points of interest are welcome. Already on the list are, weather permitting: Cape Wrath, Alt Cranaidh waterfall, Rock stop/geopark, and Smoo cave. And pie from Lochinver Larder :)
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Best of luck with your trip.
I've just booked a train from my home near Aberdeen to Inverness on Monday.
I'll cycle across to Skye and then plan to visit Eigg via Mallaig.
Weather looking wet so should be fun in my 2 man MSR.
I' ll report back with anything interesting for your own tour.
Cheers
Matt
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Have a great tour, whatever choices you make you'll not go wrong, lovely part of the planet to cycle. Good luck with Cape Wrath, I've had two failed attempts, weather and military, but the ride out is worthwhile in itself.
I’ll turn south at Tongue, Bettyhill, or Melvich
I don't know the route from Melvich, but of the other two, the route from Bettyhill to Altnaharra is one on the nicest roads I've ever cycled on. Those two converge at Altnaharra, don't be tempted to stop at the hotel there, press on to the Crask Inn which is apparently the most remote Inn in the UK. It's changed hands since I was there, it was possible to camp in the garden, I don't know if it still is.
If it were me (I wish it was!) and time was pressing, I'd be more inclined to cut a bit off the bottom, by getting the train, rather than cutting bits of the North coast. It's not that the route south of Lairg isn't good, just not as good as what you might have skipped to do it.
Looking forward to the photos and stories.
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Those two converge at Altnaharra, don't be tempted to stop at the hotel there, press on to the Crask Inn which is apparently the most remote Inn in the UK. It's changed hands since I was there, it was possible to camp in the garden, I don't know if it still is.
Yes, I was offered a spot to camp in the garden. It was a kind offer but I couldn't see the end of the garden due to the swarming midges. So pushed on South to Lairg.
New owners nowadays. I believe religious folks who hold Sunday services in the bar.
Matt
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Thanks for the tips, everyone. I'm getting excited. Four weeks from today and I'm off.
Matt, I hope the weather improves for you. It looks like the ferry trip to Eigg will take longer than the actual bike ride around it.
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Eigg...
I've had to pull the plug on that one today.
The groin injury is still with me and the weather coming in from the Atlantic looks bad for a week.
Fingers crossed for the following week.
Keep us updated on your trip.
Matt
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The groin injury is still with me and the weather coming in from the Atlantic looks bad for a week.
Fingers crossed for the following week.
Oh, no! I hope you recover soon. Don't want you to miss out on "Time to try Thai ii" :)
Re Crask Inn. According to the Cicerone guidebook, it was gifted by the previous owners to the Scottish Episcopal church
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That sounds correct. Still open as an inn.
I hear nothing but good about the place.
Will you be passing by?
Matt
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Eigg...
I've had to pull the plug on that one today.
Matt
Sorry to hear that Matt, hope you recover soon.
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The tickets are bought. The trip is a go!
After arriving in Inverness on nickel-and-dime-air AKA British Airways, my tour will start on the morning of September 3.
I’ll head on down to Oban and meet up with my daughter, and we’ll head for the Hebrides on the 5th or 6th. We will have 7 days to explore the islands (and distilleries) before we take the ferry to Ullapool. She’ll make her way back home, and I’ll ride to Garve and then either keep riding to Achnasheen, or hop a train to Lochcarron. I then will have until the 26th to check out the north coast. As per your suggestions, I’ve decided to skip John o’Groats. Depending on how I’m doing time wise, I’ll turn south at Tongue, Bettyhill, or Melvich.
I’ve used the Offcomers guide to the Hebridean Way, and the Cicerone guide to the NC 500 to plan my overnight stops, mostly at campgrounds and the Gatliff Trust hostels. There seem to be lots of hostels to stay at should the weather turn foul.
Suggestions for points of interest are welcome. Already on the list are, weather permitting: Cape Wrath, Alt Cranaidh waterfall, Rock stop/geopark, and Smoo cave. And pie from Lochinver Larder :)
1. Most people cycle The Hebridean Way South to North ( prevailing winds ) and get the ferry from Oban to Castlebay. Me being a contrary cove did it from Stornaway; catching the ferry from Ullapool ( good campsite there) There's a beast of a hill near Tarbert.
2. The road from Tongue to Altnaharra is a great ride. An upgraded logging route that follows a river.
3. Agreed re stopping at The Altnaharra Hotel. I pushed on to Lairg. It was too cold to hang about. I stayed at The Lairg Highland Hotel. Lovely place, staff and they have a garage for bikes, around the back. The Pier Cafe is excellent.
4. The ride from Lairg to Ullapool is fabulous fun.
5. The train services from Thurso and Kyle are great for bikes but as it will be high season you'll need to book. I travelled low season on both services but still got a legendary glower from the train manager person as I hjust turned up.
Regardless I'm sure you'll have great fun. Some of the beaches are profoudly beautiful and a few brought a tear to my eye.
https://www.thebeachguide.co.uk/north-scotland/hebrides/top-10-beaches
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That sounds correct. Still open as an inn.
I hear nothing but good about the place.
Will you be passing by?
If all goes according to plan, yes
1. Most people cycle The Hebridean Way South to North ( prevailing winds ) and get the ferry from Oban to Castlebay. Me being a contrary cove did it from Stornaway; catching the ferry from Ullapool ( good campsite there) There's a beast of a hill near Tarbert.
2. The road from Tongue to Altnaharra is a great ride. An upgraded logging route that follows a river.
3. Agreed re stopping at The Altnaharra Hotel. I pushed on to Lairg. It was too cold to hang about. I stayed at The Lairg Highland Hotel. Lovely place, staff and they have a garage for bikes, around the back. The Pier Cafe is excellent.
4. The ride from Lairg to Ullapool is fabulous fun.
5. The train services from Thurso and Kyle are great for bikes but as it will be high season you'll need to book. I travelled low season on both services but still got a legendary glower from the train manager person as I hjust turned up.
If the wind is blowing when I'm there like it has been the last few days ( 50-80 km/h from S ) I may not have to pedal! Pitching the tent is going to be another matter, though.
If I wind up taking longer than planned, it's good knowing I can get a train in Thurso or Lairg. Also, depending on how the jet lag affects me, I see there is a CityLink bus from Inverness to Fort William.
Got the new B17 installed and have ridden about 200km. Comfortable from the get go. Is it a case of once your rear has seen one B17, it's seen them all? :)
Thanks for the tips.
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Re the City link bus.
I tried to take it a few years ago and the driver insisted my bike was wrapped or boxed.
This was a big change from Stagecoach, who I had used from Aberdeen to Inverness.
The driver didn't look like he was open to discussion about the issue so I made other arrangements. I cycled!
Hopefully you won't need that bus, or have a more accommodating driver.
Good luck with the trip.
Matt
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Thanks for the heads up, Matt.
The bus to Fort William is only if the jet lag knocks me out and I don't think I can ride the distance before the ferry departure.
The CityLink website says that they provide the bike covers on all routes. Most routes have only one bike spot, but Inverness to Fort William and Inverness to Ullapool have two.
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My last post went “poof” so I’ll do another. As I told Dan in my PM, it’s a forum post, not my memoirs. I’ll get over it.
Greetings from the Crask Inn! I have been very fortunate with the Scottish weather, only 1 1/2 hours of pouring rain in 3 weeks. I have had 10 or more days of blue sky and temperatures near 20. The wind has been my biggest enemy, with probably 2 out of 3 days being in my face. My luck appears to be ending. Cold and rain are on the way, so I will return to Inverness by Tuesday, and relax until my flight.
Today I left Tongue, with a cold, strong headwind. I was running on empty when I arrived at the Crask Inn. Time for a spot of lunch. While settling the tab, I asked Shane, the proprietor, where he was from, as he had a North American accent. “Michigan” was the reply. “How did you wind up here” I ask. “I was the only Episcopal minister (the inn is owned by the church, gifted by the previous owner) qualified as a bartender who was willing to move here” (!!)
We chatted for quite awhile, and the conversation came around to how hotels jack up rates sometimes “just because”. For example, where I have booked in Inverness for £90 on Thursday, wants £229 on Wednesday. “We don’t do that here” Shane says. “The price is always the same”
“And how much would that be?” I ask. “£89, including dinner and breakfast. Let’s see. I can ride to Lairg and get a tent pitch for about £15, then buy supper for at least £20 ( if I’m quick enough as the only place open today closes at 6). Throw in £10 for breakfast. It’s a no brainer for me. I’m staying here, in a warm bed.
Now, about the Crask Inn. Shane and his wife Mack ( yes, like Mack the knife) are two of the most friendly, gracious hosts you will ever meet. And Shane is an awesome chef. Supper was one of the best of the trip. If you ride by here, stop in and say hello. You will not be disappointed.
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That sounds like a great call. I rode the same route last year the weather was beastly. It’s so exposed but probably a great place for wind turbines. I carried on riding to Lairg and was looked after by the good folk at The Lairg Highland Hotel. I paid around £70 for B&B but it was during low season. It’s £135 per night atm. The industry call that dynamic pricing. I’d call it something else!
I headed west to Ullapool from here. That was a fantastic ride and the weather was much kinder too.
Enjoy Inverness and thanks for sharing your journey.
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Enjoy Inverness and thanks for sharing your journey.
+1. Enjoying your trip vicariously, Ron.
I used to like the Albert Hotel in Nairn.* "I'll have a smokie," I said to the waiter at breakfast because the menu refused to come into focus, and that's a safe order in Scotland. He brought me a fish that hung over a large plate at both ends. "And cancel my order for everything else." I ate the entire fish and my hangover mysteriously abated.
*Past tense, because it is probably thirty years since I was there last, and hotels do change hands or even generations.
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Sorry your earlier report was lost, if you didn't catch my reply I was mostly commiserating on the midges. Sounds like you've had a great trip.
Glad the Crask Inn is still offering the same level of service and friendliness as the previous occupiers. We called in for a pint and ended up camping on the lawn and enjoying dinner and breakfast there.
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As some of you know, my parting gift form Scotland was a case of Covid, my first, hence the delay in this trip report. It was a mild case, fortunately, but it delayed the completion of the chores that awaited my return. I’m all better, and caught up, so let’s get to it.
I had great luck with the weather, considering Scotland’s reputation. With the exception of my last full day of riding, I had only two 2hr drenchings, and 2 days on the Hebrides where it would shower for 10 minutes and then dry out. Daytime temperatures were mostly in the low teens, and 5 days approached 20. I did find out my 2 degree sleeping bag is hopelessly overrated, as anything below 10, which was almost every night, I was cold. I guess a new bag will be my next big expense. The wind wizards were not as kind to me, as I only had the wind at my back maybe 4 days out of 22.
I arrived at my hotel in Inverness at 2230hr on Monday Sept 3 and had a great sleep, having been awake for 30 odd hours. The Travelodge Inverness Fairways was kind enough to hold my bike box until my return. Tuesday morning I built up the bike, headed to the local ASDA for a SIM card (£15 for 50gb. One of the few things less expensive in the UK than Canada) and a full Scottish at their cafe (I only had them twice. That’s a lotta meat!), I was off.
Part one of the trip was to head to Oban, where I would meet my daughter and her partner, take the ferry to Castlebay, and ride the Outer Hebrides. For this I merely had to follow the signs for NC78, The Caledonia Way. Except for a 5 mile detour on the A82 due to forestry work, and another detour up a gravel forestry track because of work on a hydroelectric generating station, I barely had to pull out the map. It’s a beautiful ride. I’d like to complete the route to Campbeltown one day. Here are a few pics from the ride.
1 We’re off! Singletrack road through the farmland near Inverness
2 High above Loch Ness before the big descent into Fort Augustus
3 The Caledonian Canal path
4 A lovely morning near Oban
Next instalment; The Outer Hebrides
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Thanks for sharing, Ron. There's an eery, otherworldly quality to your photo taken near Oban. Superb! Looking forward to the next section of your tour.
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I was on the Outer Hebrides this summer from Vancouver island and one thing i used was a prepurchased railcard. I bought the 2 month one that allowed 15 days of travel and it did stop any ticketing hassles. If you are using the trains, it can be a bit of a nightmare especially on the mainline ones as the can be limited space for bikes. The glasgow- oban train was about the best as it has a coach set up for bikes. They want you to pre book and get a ticket for your bike which is really a pain. I was told the train from Aberdeen to York had no space and they would not issue a ticket. I just jumped on and i was the only bike on the train for most of the journey.
If you are in Inverness it is worth visiting the Culloden battle field site its a short ride from town. I rode from Ullapool to Garve, excellent ride but with a big long hill.
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I rode from Ullapool to Garve, excellent ride but with a big long hill.
Yes, that hill is the real deal. Did you catch a train at Garve? I wanted to, but the Scotrail app thwarted my efforts to book a spot for the bike.
There's an eery, otherworldly quality to your photo taken near Oban.
Thanks, Andre. The ambient light seems to have fooled the white balance on the phone, but I liked the results.
The outer Hebrides may have been my favourite part of the trip, not least because I was joined on that stretch by my daughter and her partner. The scenery was spectacular and varied. I didn't make it “tip to tip” because the wind was just too strong in our faces and we didn't cover as much ground as was planned.
We spent six full days and two partial days on the islands. Accommodations were in commercial campgrounds, with one Gatliff trust hostel. In Stornoway we took advantage of a cabin at the local campground because the weather had turned quite windy and cold with showers. All the campgrounds had excellent facilities, with kitchens that we could use, and friendly hosts. When we arrived at the campsite, which was 8 miles out of town, on Saturday afternoon, the owner said “I’m just headed to the shops. Would you like to come along? Everything will be shut tomorrow.” Such a kind offer. Fortunately, we knew about Sunday on the Hebrides, and had stopped at the grocery on the way.
Please enjoy some pics from the ride.
1 Arriving at Castlebay from Oban
2 Loganair flight 451 at Barra airport. The only one in the world with scheduled flights that uses the beach for a runway. There were more tourists photographing the flight than passengers on the plane!
3 Riding across North Uist
4 Climbing the giant hill out of Tarbert
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Excellent photos and reports Ron, makes me want to go back! I've ridden the Fort Augustus road in both directions, it's a lot more fun going down!
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Esp liked the photo of the hill out of Tarbet, Ron. Brilliant colours & depth of sky and sea. Isles of the Blest indeed.
Cheers, John
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As I did The Hebridean Way from north to south I rode that Clisham hill toward Tarbert. It was a beast! I was banjaxed pulling in to the servo at Tarbert. I bought a pie there and asked if there was a campsite near by. The lady answered no but, pointing across the road, you can camp on our croft. Thus it came to pass Ian had the best, exclusive campsite with stunning views. A couple staying at a cottage nearby gave me cake as well. Happy days!
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As the kids would say, Ian, "Wowzers!!"
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As the kids would say, Ian, "Wowzers!!"
I believe ‘sick’ and ‘dope’ are also in the kids vernacular these days. Brat, both as a verb and noun too. My grasp of Middle English whithers by the day in the face of such an assault!
Forsooth! The kettle clicketh oft and I must wend my way to a bowl of sops. 😉
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I've ridden the Fort Augustus road in both directions, it's a lot more fun going down!
When I was screaming down that hill, one of my thoughts ( besides wheeeeee!) was that I wouldn't want to ride up it!
Esp liked the photo of the hill out of Tarbet, Ron.
That was another brutal hill. Strava said it was the third biggest continuous climb I'd ever done. The Aussie who ran the coffee wagon in Tarbert was a cyclist. He told me to remember to look back and not just grind up the hill. Good advice.
As I did The Hebridean Way from north to south I rode that Clisham hill toward Tarbert. It was a beast! I was banjaxed pulling in to the servo at Tarbert. I bought a pie there and asked if there was a campsite near by. The lady answered no but, pointing across the road, you can camp on our croft. Thus it came to pass Ian had the best, exclusive campsite with stunning views. A couple staying at a cottage nearby gave me cake as well. Happy days!
If that Clisham hill is the one I'm thinking of (leaving Loch Shipoirt) that would have been a beast indeed to climb. It was so windy when we descended it we had to creep down for fear of being blown off the road. That was a lovely campsite you lucked upon!
After my daughter and her partner took the bus from Ullapool to head home I took a day off (and bought a toque and warmer socks!) then headed south to join the North Coast 500, circling back to Ullapool four days later. I did not ride over the famous Bealach na Ba, having previously decided it was beyond my fitness level. When I arrived in Shieldag for a coffee, I met four young, fit road cyclists who had come over. They told me I hadn't missed anything as it was torrential rain, cold, and zero visibility at the top. I also had my one and only encounter with the infamous Scottish midges at the campground in Torridon. Luckily, I had a head net with me, but the beasties did manage to chew a ring around my legs, just below my knees in the tiny space between my knickers and knee socks. Next time I will be more generous with the Smidge! From Ullapool, I headed north towards the tip of Scotland. I took a day off at at Achmelvich Beach, mainly because my inflatable pillow had sprung a leak in the night and I woke up with such a horrible sore neck I couldn't ride. At least my day off was at a campsite with nice facilities and a beautiful beach. And it was sunny. And when I returned home, my pillow was replaced under warranty.
Here are some photos from that section of the trip.
1 Overlooking Loch Torridon. The bike looks freshly washed because the sun had come out after 2 hours of torrential rain.
2 Between Torridon and Laide, the scenery was amazingly similar to the Rocky Mountain foothills of southern Alberta
3 and 4 Lochs between Ullapool and Lochinver
FYI, taking the bikes on the bus from Ullapool was easy. Scottish City Link provided a stretchy bag to cover the bike and the driver had saved half of the luggage bay for my daughter and her partner to put the bikes and panniers. As almost all the passengers are coming off the ferry from Stornoway, the bus also waits when the ferry is late, as ours was.
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The Scottish Tourism Board should give you a hefty honorarium for those photos, Ron!
(My sceptical ancestors are muttering "Cooked! Redone in the lab!" -- ignore the doubters. ;) )
Cheers, mate.
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Thanks for the report and the photos Ron, Scotland's hard to beat when the sun is shining.
If that Clisham hill is the one I'm thinking of (leaving Loch Shipoirt) that would have been a beast indeed to climb. It was so windy when we descended it we had to creep down for fear of being blown off the road. That was a lovely campsite you lucked upon!
Presumably that would be where the road descends towards Scaladale. By coincidence it’s also where I was blown off the road. Three of us had spent the previous day sheltering from the weather at Reinigidal but by the following morning we judged that the wind had eased enough for us to continue. Once we reached the main road and turned north we were enjoying a massive tail wind and were sailing along at 40 kilometres an hour. We began the descent towards Scaladale and, at the point where the road swings round a long hairpin bend, we caught a massive downdraught as it funnelled down Glen Scaladale. We were all three of us blown across the road and and ended up on to the opposite verge. Luckily there were no oncoming vehicles.
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"Cooked! Redone in the lab!"
I'm no photographer, John, but " I can fix it in post!" :)
We were all three of us blown across the road and and ended up on to the opposite verge. Luckily there were no oncoming vehicles.
I can definitely relate to that. In a post that disappeared due to a forum technical glitch, I described how when nearing Achnasheen, my destination for the day, the wind unceremoniously blew me right off the road. Twice. With no shelter from the wind, no room at the bunkhouse, and not wishing to have my tent destroyed, I stayed at the Ledgowan Lodge for the bargain price of £190. I later learned that the manager had indeed given me a deal, as the booking.com price was £310. Dinner (extra) and breakfast (included) were wonderful, though.
My last week was spent with an eye to the weather forecast. The overnights were becoming too cold for my inadequate, sleeping bag and much rain was forecast to be on the way. As a result, when I reached Tongue, I pointed the bike south and started heading back for Inverness. The campsite at Tongue was the last time I camped. I spent the next night at the Crask Inn (previously described and highly recommended), the following night in Tain at a B&B and then reached Inverness where I stayed at the Black Isle hostel. I spent a day playing tourist in Inverness and rode out to the Culloden battlefield on my way back to the hotel that had stored my bike box for me. Then it was up at 0430 for the long journey home. I have to say I’m not a fan of Heathrow Terminal 5.
And that's it! I had a great time. Any negative experiences were mostly do to my lack of fitness. The Highlands are……hilly! I only had one day where it rained from start to end, and that was my last day riding from Tain to Inverness. That’s probably pretty lucky for Scotland. There were no mechanical problems (naturally) with Nozomi the Raven.
Here are some photos to close things out. I may do a post later of pics that didn”t make it into round one, but I like, or have a good story to go with them.
1 Alt Cranaidh waterfall. It’s a 15 min hike over mud and rocks to get here, so there aren’t many tourists.
2 I thought this was a loch, but it’s just an unnamed ( on GoogleMaps) river flowing into Loch Laxford
3 Coastline near Durness
4 Lucky rainbow on my last morning. If you look carefully you can see the rocks in the river bottom. The River Ness is 100m across but only 1m deep as it flows through Inverness towards Beauly Firth.
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Enjoyed the latest photos and report Ron, thanks. It is a stunningly beautiful area.
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Thanks for taking the time to share your trip Ron
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The rainbow the rainbow! John is right Ron, the Scottish tourist board should send you an honorarium. The rainbow, the rainbow!
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You're welcome, everyone.
The rainbow the rainbow!
Unfortunately, there was no pot of gold waiting for me at the end. 3 1/2 weeks of the sights, sounds and people of Scotland was reward enough though.
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Ron, hope I'm not letting out any Deep Secret here, but your "Seguin" trumps my "Burns" in one key area: Your love of high-grade steel-cut oats & your ability to cook 'em up in camp. Good on yer, mate -- that'll see you through, no need to know all the clan tartans, or to be able to list the sins of the Auld Enemy etc., etc.
Cheers, mate. (BTW, first snowfall of the season here, 15 cms overnight. A long way from the 140 cms that blanketed the Muskokas a few days ago.)
J.