Just realised i hadnt posted this over here. thought it might remind those that forget that you can go north from England to get amazing scenery and roads too.

afternoon boys, girls & others. I got home about 10pm last night from my little trip to scotchlund, remind me not to ride back to burton from oban in one go again. i froze to death & it really wasnt a fun 12 hours on the road, according to google maps it was 401miles by the route i took.
anyway plan of the week went...
friday, up to the lakes. rode hardknott & wyrenose passes, bumpy up there - must be got wheelspin in 4th while loaded uphill on a straight thought strops was jumping a bit:P. never had to drop below 2nd either, more proof she'd pull longer gears. camped at troutbeck.
saturday i came out the lakes by caldebeck, over the common. very picersque but i forgot to use camera. got to glencoe for the night.
sunday i trundled up to ullapool sticking to the pretty roads when posible, not that there is much choice up there. bloody windy, took about 45mins to get the tent to stand up long enough to erect it. got some local(ish) tealleach ale from spar & it was lovely, yellow lid is better than red. the red is more stouty & not my thing. oh it rained too.
monday up the coast past the summer isles lunch at scoure, chatted to a bmw rider in the pub while having lunch. he thought i was mad using stroppy as hes gone modern 'due to riding to far to use a classic' (more of him later). also did applecross & that is a great road, just goes ooop ooop & ooop a bit more. i'd love to know why there are so many carins of stones built at the top everywhere you look. great moment of the day was a golden eagle flying over about 40ft away while climbing. had to stop & watch it for 10mins. crap moment was grounding the zorsts badly pulling over on to a rougher than it looked parking area to watch the eagle. stayed the night at a campsite next to the kyle of tougne at a place called Talmine, it'd shut for the winter & the owner opended the showers etc for me but wouldnt take a penny as she was 'shut' damn those tight scots eh? only other people on site where a couple in a motorhome, he runs a chopped hardtail guzzi covered in leather & was a good laugh to chat too. oh it rained too.
tuesday we did the rest of the north coast, visited smegoos (spelling?) cave which is rather impressive. lunch at john o groats which now has a costa (lotta more than its worth) cawfee place selling crap tea. carried on down the east coast & inland to lairg for the night. some point in the day i passed 'mr bmw' looking for a place to stop. oh & it rained.
weds, back across the center of scotland. massive long fast hoon on empty roads till it rained (again). somewhere on the way across stroppy blew the left zorst out of her head & sounded crap. got to the kyle of lochash, popped in a garage to beg a bolt & got told to wheel it in & use the workshop to fix her, cant fault that for helpful eh? i think it was cmw motors. rode over the skye bridge, turned right & camped in a lovely site at a place i cant remember:P starts with a S anyway. its a hotel on a sharp bend that also runs a bunkhouse, campsite & its own brewery about 7 miles south of portree. their own skye ale is wonderful, as was the roast duck (felt like spoiling myself). had popped over the moutain road next to the hotel before stopping & saw a couple of fish eagles. oh & it rained too.
thursday got about 5miles north of portree intending to circle skye when the hail got to heavy to ride in. was hurting stationary, damn that openface lid eh? :P so i turned around & headed for the mallaig ferry. stroppy then got noisey again & when i checked she'd not only blown the righthand zorst out the head she'd cracked a bit of the head off at the top of the port. i suspect i cracked it when i grounded the zorsts on applecross. decided at that point to cut it short & head home rather than do mull & iona as planned. off the ferry & down to oban to camp there. that site had a pub last year, but they couldnt get a manager this year for it . passed 'mr bmw again' oh & it rained all day too.
friday woke up to an unbelievable dry day with sun & everything! packed up & rode all the way home. damn it was cold my knees & calves still hurt now. had a nice surprise on the M6, stopped for fuel & when i went to start it the footpeg off the kickstart had run away! shes a bugger to bumpstart when covered in too much luggage to jump on.

so it works out according the lastest guesstimate on stroppy's lying speedo to be just over 2,000miles done. must must must sort that zorst problem as its the only real fault she had all week. piccies are finally uploading after fotof***it has admited its got an upload option, will post later.

EDIT:
oops i forgot a bit
stroppy now needs a new front tyre, it seems bald on the sides just likes 14's now explains why its slipped a few times on bends since john o groats. the blowing zorst port seems to have killed off the o-rings on the pushrod tubes so shes leaking so much she was actually smoking when i stopped for fuel! going to take the head off to get the ports fixed so it seems a good time to rip the lump apart, cure the leaks, find the rest of the gears & generally sort her over the winter. might will find a flowed head, warmer cams & longer gearing appearing on her while im doing it - seems rude not too

Piccies are at Fiskkeeper/Stroppy/Scotland 26th Sept - 3rd Oct - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting if you wanna look, but here is a few for the lazy.

Looks like you had a great trip, Hooli, and weren't you so lucky with the weather, LOL.

I'm sure most people on here would agree with you about Scotland, fantastic roads and scenery and you seem to have met some pretty friendly locals.

When it comes to mechanics, I have two left thumbs so I'm in awe of anyone taking an old Brit bike on tour.

I'm guessing the hotel on Skye was the Sligachan, old stone bridge beside it, view of the Cuillins? Shame you couldn't get up to the top of Skye or onto Mull. I did the trip last year in my knackered old Micra so I could take walking stuff and loved it. Next time I'll take the bike and aim for the Hebrides and all points north.

Indy.

thats the place.

yup my next trip up there will be all the islands. im thinking up the west side doing mull, iona, arran etc etc over to the outer hebridies, back to the mainland around the top & off to orkney. maybe shetland, depends on money & time i reckon.

Oh yes, I remember it well. last time I was in Skye it was exactly the same weather - except probably more rain! Only thing the pics don't show are the midges. We did have one great sunny day up around Staffin Bay that made all the rainy ones bearable

Nice to see pile it high touring is alive and well though. You're obviously a man after my own heart. This pic is from a trip to Rome many years ago - and we were two up!

im not the only one who packs properly then most of my gear is left over from before i got a bike & i cant see a reason to change it till its broken so it takes up space. who cares, it doesnt fall off & everything above the saddle is light stuff like sleeping bags so the bike rides fine.

i've been lucky last two years ive been up scotland way at the same time of year & no midges.

Hi Hooli,

Thank's for the pictures,nice scenery and roads!!

So,we plan a tour to UK June 09,especially Scotland for ten days.
Would you please give us some advice,where to go,where to stay?

Thank you in advance!

Regards,

Simon

Hi Simon, as a Scotsman i would recomend the NW of Scotland as the best area to tour, this is where Hooli's pictures are from. You must visit Applecross this is my favoroute place in Scotland. Almost every report from touring Scotland has a reference to Applecross; How does everyone from throughout Europe know about this place? Bring camping equipment, it can be difficult to get accomodation (which can be expensive) during high season.
i have toured Bulgaria twice in the last 2 years, mainly in the mountains and love the place. Sofia is also a great city to visit (and the Women are just so beautiful). Cheers Andy

Hey Andy,

Thank's a lot,I appreciate your information.Unfortunately I've never visited before this nice and beutiful part(the whiskey especially) of Europe and am so keen to come there.Hope to see you somewhere in Scotland.
Glad to hear that you like Bulgaria and the Women .

Next time you have to drop me a line when you decide to come here.

Cheers,

Simon

i'll just repeat what Andy said Simon, the NW is the best bit. I want to see more of the islands next time but there is plently on the mainland worth seeing so dont feel forced to visit the islands if your schedule doesnt allow.

Thank's Hooli,

Yes,you are absolutely right,maybe there will be not enough time to spend for the islands.I'm going to follow your and Ansy's opinion.

Cheers,

Simon

Hi,

Great pictures, I'm just back today after , This is what I've done Stranraer/Fort William one day .Fort William/Skye/Inverness/Aviemore second day
Aviemore/Edinburgh/Stranraer. third day.
Sunny all the way!!I really love the NW, I would come back in the NW and spend more time!

Gwel