Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Regional Forums > Europe
Europe Topics specific to Western and Eastern Europe, from UK to the Russian border, and south-east to Turkey.
Photo by Daniel Rintz, Himba children, Namibia

The only impossible journey
is the one
you never begin

Photo by Daniel Rintz,
Himba children, Namibia



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11 Jun 2011
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: China
Posts: 13
North Scotland

Have 10 days to explore Scotland late July / early August, thinking north and islands.
Anyone with suggestions of most suitable for bike.
ken
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11 Jun 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Wessex, UK
Posts: 2,136
The coast road from Ullapool up the A835-A837-A894-A838 to Durness is pretty nice, from here you can carry on along the north coast to John O'Groats which is not so special or head south down the A836 to central Scotlland which is.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11 Jun 2011
MikeS's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,187
If you only have 10 days, I'd stick with anywhere along the west coast and up to the north coast is great. I would't rush back to John o'Groats, nothing much there apart from a bunch of disappointed looking tourists.

For Islands, Skye and Mull are great. Depending on your route, you could get the ferry from Oban to Mull, go down to Iona, camp at Fidden Farm near the ferry. Plenty of free camping on Mull too, one place is Calgary Bay. You should then get the ferry from Tobermory to Kilchoan on Ardnamurchan. Lovely little campsite in Kilchoan. Ardnamuchan is very nice, some great beaches (Sanna Bay & Singing Sands).

Singing Sands beach
http://www.ardshealach-lodge.co.uk/photos/sands.jpg

Sanna Bay
http://www.sannabay.co.uk/
__________________
Mike


www.singapore-scotland.blogspot.com
www.argentina-alaska.blogspot.com
My little Vid: India/Pakistan

BMW R1150GS
Suzuki DR650 SE: Ride it like ya stole it. Oh, somebody just did...

Last edited by MikeS; 11 Jun 2011 at 12:24.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11 Jun 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Inverness, Scotland
Posts: 249
Blimey, where to start?

Perthshire and the Trossachs are lovely, but very crowded and over policed at weekends. Further north from there the road through Glencoe is spectacular (the Clachaig Inn just outside the village of Glencoe is a good place to stay) and you could then head up to Fort William and take the fantastic 'Road to the Isles' to Mallaig and catch the ferry to Skye.

From Skye I would head over to Lochcaron and then to Applecross (superb pub and good camping) via the Bealach na Ba pass and go round the Applecross peninsular to Sheildaig. Then through the spectacular Torridon area (good pub at Torridon village) to Kinlochewe (stonking lunches at the Whistle Stop cafe) and on to Gairloch on the Wester Ross Coastal Route. Good food at the Old Inn, Gairloch) Stunning mountain senery on one side- beaches on the other, what's not to like?

From there go up to Ullapool (Ceilidh Place has great food, as does the chippy by the harbour) and continue north to Assynt. Lochinver is the main town here, and the road from there round through Drumbeg is a stonker. You could also go to Achiltibuie if you've got time, it really feels like the end of the world, it's so remote.

Head up the coast to Durness and along the top to Thurso, or down through the middle at Bettyhill to Lairg. The east coast is a very nice run on a god day, but much of Caithness is a bit flat... Into Inverness you could then go south via the Spey Valley, Tomintoul, Braemar and Glen Shee to come out at Perth and then go south from there.

And I haven't even mentioned the islands yet. CalMac do an island hopper ticket which will save you money if you want to visit several islands.

Undiscovered Scotland is a good online resource: Undiscovered Scotland: Home Page

Anyweay, that's just a few ideas from me. Coupla pics might whet your appetite...

Coastline on the Wester Ross Coastal Trail



Beer Garden at the Applecross Inn


Loch Cluanie on the way to Skye


Eilean Donan


Bealach Na Ba

__________________
Our FB page: https://en-gb.facebook.com/Africa2Up/
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 12 Jun 2011
mj's Avatar
mj mj is offline
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 303
Scotland is an amazing place, we spent a significant amount of time during last year's five-weeks-through-the-UK-trip in Scotland.

The area north of Ullapool is very nice indeed. If you're into camping there's a very beautiful and cheap (10 pounds per night for tent + 2 people) campsite in Thurso, right at the cliffs with an awesome view over the sea Northwards. There are also several good places for wild camping along the western coast, some right at the beach and well hidden from the road:





Although it has been said before: don't go to John O'Groats. It's a sad sad place and you don't want to go there. We did. We shouldn't have. If you do want to go to the northernmost place in mainland Scotland go to Dunnet Head, a few miles west of John O'Groats. There's nothing there except for a lighthouse and some (ok, lots of) sheep but it's the actual northernmost place you can drive to on the main island.

The Orkneys are also interesting, but probably less so than the Hebrides. The Shetlands are very interesting, too, but you'd have to take a rather expensive overnight ferry from Kirkwall (Orkneys) or Aberdeen. But it's worth it if you have the time and money:





Attached Thumbnails
North Scotland-0182.jpg  

North Scotland-0183.jpg  

North Scotland-0403.jpg  

North Scotland-0397.jpg  

North Scotland-0385.jpg  

__________________
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid across the line broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, leaking oil, shouting GERONIMO!"
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 12 Jun 2011
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 12
Scotland Tour

A couple of years ago some friends and I spent a week going around the coast of Scotland. If you check out the link below you will get an idea of our route. On some of the pages there are addresses in which to stay. We often talk about that trip, and all agree it was the best trip we have made together.

Good luck.


Highland Tour 2009
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 13 Jun 2011
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Sunderland, UK
Posts: 26
Lots of good advice on here so far. I would recommend you take a ferry out to the Hebrides, or Western Isles. The Isle of Harris is really pretty with mountains and some spectacular beaches. Lots of wild camping spots too.

The ferry company Caledonian MacBrayne Official Caledonian MacBrayne Hebridean & Clyde Ferries site do some tickets called Hopscotch which allow you to travel on different routes working your way across the islands.

Other roads that are particularly good:
Perth to Braemar up the A93
Braemar to Speybridge on A939
Kingussie to Spean Bridge on A86
Anything to north and west of Inverness

Hope you get good weather. Most important of all take some midge repellant. Avon Skin So Soft works as well as DEET in my opinion.

Enjoy it.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 13 Jun 2011
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 16
Its all pretty good and great roads everywhere but the best bit of advice I could offer you is to watch the weather like a hawk. The west of Scotland is no place to get trapped for 2 - 3 days if the weather is grim. Some of the west coast islands are the places to head to but only if the weather is good. Use your own lap top or visit the tourist information offices to get accurate weather forecasts off of BBC weather or other web based weather system. The weather is often warm and sunny in the east whilst it's bucketing with rain on the west coast.

You could use a place like Inverness as a more permanent base and tour to the west coast from there and return again each evening. You can get one fine day and the next terrible on the west coast so nipping over on the good days is not such a bad plan as its means you could avoid getting caught in 2 days torrential rain. July/August is no guarantee of good weather.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 17 Jun 2011
Contributing Member
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Belgium
Posts: 3
Lots of good advice here

Nr 1, especially if you're on a tight timeline (Scotland is a lot bigger than you might think), is to forget John O'Groats and explore the N West Highlands and Hebrides

Calmac Hopscotch tickets are the way to go if you're island hopping.

For weather: Mountain Weather Information Service http://www.mwis.org.uk/nw.php

I've just come back from a 10 day trip taking in highlights

* Applecross peninsula round from Lochcarron over Bealach na Ba to Loch Torridon. Stay at the famous Applecross Inn - or at least eat there; Pub of the Year 2008,9




* Ullapool - Durness via the tiny beautiful B869 coast road from Lochinver and detour to the Stoer lighthouse on the Minch














* Outer Hebrides (ferries Ullapool-Stornoway, Tarbert-Uig,Skye), especially the Harris Gold Road loop










* Isle of Skye loop over the NE tip, Elgol to view the Cuillins




* Isle of Mull W Coast road from Tobermory, Calgary to Iona. As mentioned above, wonderful Fidden camping next to the sea at Fionnphort. Iona monastery, only if you love crowds - but do not miss the boat trip to Fingal's Cave on Staffa Island.















Oops - got a bit carried away there...

Have fun!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 21 Jun 2011
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: hull, east yorkshire
Posts: 23
Getting excited reading this thread, will be up northern scotland some time in the summer, i love the place! great photo's on here plus good advice too, first went up to john o groats 20 years ago and never felt the need to go back, too many other far better places to go than there.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Chile and heading north/north-east over 6+ months deeve007 Travellers Seeking Travellers 1 16 Sep 2011 22:52
North West Highlands of Scotland. A wee charity event. April 25. VermontScot Route Planning 0 26 Feb 2010 00:02
North West Scotland, camping silver G Europe 12 14 Mar 2008 14:20
Van parking in north east Scotland August 2007 chris Europe 1 29 Apr 2007 16:49
Van parking in north east Scotland August 2007 chris Iceland 0 27 Apr 2007 10:37

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

HU Event and other updates on the HUBB Forum "Traveller's Advisories" thread.
ALL Dates subject to change.

2024:

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

HUBBUK: info

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:36.