Outer Hebrides and North Coast 500. Looking for advice.

[Andre Jute]

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.

[PH]

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.

[RonS]

 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

[Andre Jute]

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.

[Paralog]

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.

[RonS]

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

[PH]

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!

[John Saxby]

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

[in4]

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!

[John Saxby]

As the kids would say, Ian, "Wowzers!!"

[in4]

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. 😉