Hi folks. I've been a bit slow to catch up on this thread.

If any of you pass through or near Aberdeen, please contact me for support or accommodation.
Aberdeen has the ferry/ship to Orkney/Shetland. I have been to both several times and can highly recommend them.

A few years ago I rode from the top of Scotland/Shetland, down to the Southern most tip, Mull of Galloway, via the Outer Hebrides and islands.
So can offer advice/thoughts of the West side of Scotland.

Best wishes

Have you considered using the train for both forward and return journeys to London and leaving the bike somewhere secure in Edinburgh? In my opinion the time saved cycling between London and Edinburgh would be better spent exploring Scotland in more detail, it would also address earlier comments about bike security in London.

Indeed. There is, for example the north western half of the NC500 https://www.northcoast500.com/ which I confess I've driven but not cycled but have seen touring cyclists on it. It's probably best tackled clockwise as the prevailing wind is from the SW. Probably the biggest hazard is tourists in campervans. There's potential for a good circuit comprising Edinburgh - Glasgow - Fort William - up the west side - along part of the north - south to Lairg - Inverness - Edinburgh. This misses out JOG which, to be honest, doesn't have much to offer except being one end of the LEJOG (Dunnet head is further north).

Hi, George

I’ve thought of a few things that may help with your planning. in no particular order, here they are.
...

I planned to make the reservation for the airline, three hostel stays (upon arrival, in London, and just before my flight home), and train in the next week or so.  The train from Edinburgh to London is the only train I anticipated. 

I need to do a bike ride with my mirror to see if I like it, but tentatively it should work.  But it does vibrate slightly.  First photo.  I think I should have the mirror on the right side, for one thing that will remind me to ride on the other side of the road.

My helmet mirror can only go on the left side, it has a clamp that clamps onto my visor, second photo, the clamp is at an angle that puts makes it specific to only the left side. 

I am not going to go out of the way to save a few (almost said bucks for USD) quid (for GBP) if I am only riding one train ride.  But thanks for the suggestion.  A month and a half means that the costs will add up, but by mostly camping and hosteling, and most of my food would be cooked in a campsite, the total trip cost should be quite reasonable for that amount of time.

I did my Iceland trip a decade ago, about five weeks long.  That same year my sister did a two week guided group tour of several countries in Europe.  Afterwards I told her she really screwed up, her trip was only 40 percent as long, but cost twice as much as my trip.  She could have done two of my trips for the price she paid.

Third photo.  This was either Nova Scotia or PEI (Canada), the mosquitos were waiting for me to open the door for them in the morning to let them in for breakfast. 

I mentioned a few times that I have sprayed some of my clothing with Permethrin.  One problem with bugs and biking is that most bike jerseys are mesh and all those tiny little holes are there just so that bugs can easily bit you the moment they land on you.  Hopefully, but treating some of my clothing, that should help.

I am used to camping where there are a lot of bugs.  I am originally from Minnesota (USA).  And as a Minnesotan, I have some immunity to mosquitos.  In Minnesota, the mosquitos are quite large.  If they taste a baby human and the baby tastes good, they carry the baby off to eat later.  But if they taste a baby that tastes bad, they leave them behind.  Thus, after several generations, the humans don't taste very good to mosquitos.

Still available.

Hi, George

I’ve thought of a few things that may help with your planning. in no particular order, here they are.

UK trains;
Lightyears ahead of Amtrak and VIA. You will be impressed.
Depending on how much you plan to travel by train, it may be worth the £35 cost of a senior Railcard, which gives you a 1/3 discounted fare.

https://www.railcard.co.uk

Very unlike Amtrak and VIA, depending on the rail company, you can claim a fare refund for a late train. On LNER it is 50% for 30min and 100% for 60 minutes late arrival.
Fares are less with advance booking. Edinburgh to London is about £80 for a train tomorrow but only £40 if you book a month in advance.
The UK is serviced by different rail operators but the NationalRail phone app allows you to purchase tickets on any of them.

Like John, I use the Take-A-Look mirror that clips to glasses, although I clip mine to my helmet visor. What’s not widely known is that you can get a mirror drilled for use in places where they drive on the left. The wire frame is the same. They just drill the hole in the mirror on the opposite side. I have used it on my trips, and it makes adjustment for a good sight line so much easier.  Just email them and they’ll drop one in the mail.

I was reading a journal on CycleBlaze recently, and the author mentioned camping at Camping and Caravanning Club UK facilities. I had thought, based on the name and looking on their website, that these were member only campsites geared to motorized travellers. The author noted that there is an unadvertised policy of not turning away backpackers or cyclists. No membership needed. He stayed at several, and the price was £7 to £10. When I camped in Scotland in 2024 I paid £12 to £16 for a campsite.

https://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk

https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/le2jog/

I second Paul’s recommendation for using Cycle.Travel for route planning.
Your RWGPS file shows taking the A9 from Inverness to John ‘o Groats. A quick look at street view will show you you don’t want to cycle there. JohnR’s route is much better. I can also vouch for the recommendation to check out the Crask Inn. When I stopped there in ’24 it was managed by a lovely couple (from Michigan!). You can pitch your tent in the back yard, but I took one of the reasonably priced rooms.

I was in Scotland in September ’24, the tail end of midge season. There were a few evenings when they were annoying, but one night at the boggy Torridon village campsite, I was happy to have a headnet. It’s one of those things where you won’t believe how bad they are until you see it first hand.

My last tidbit of wisdom has nothing to do with cycle touring, but, I think it’s the most important suggestion I can make. As a fellow lifelong resident of a right side traffic country, but one who has visited left hand traffic countries several times, I strongly suggest you practice this before you leave and never forget while you’re there, especially the first few days while your body is adjusting to the 6 hour time difference. I do this, and I believe it has saved me a world of hurt: every time you cross the street, say to yourself (I do it out loud) “LOOK RIGHT!”

Happy planning

On 14 May I will start cycling south from Inverness. If all goes according to plan, I will reach Hull and the ferry to Rotterdam on 4 June. Wouldn’t that be something if our paths crossed. I’ll keep a lookout for a yellow Nomad. Keep your eyes peeled for a black Raven