Trip 07 - Scotland

Day 1

Our trip to Scotland would give us an opportunity to meet up with Sylvia, who we had met when we travelled to Peru in September 2008. We had kept in touch via emails and I had suggested we visit her. It would be only a slight detour and so everything had been arranged to call in. To give us plenty of time to catch up with Sylvia I decided the best route would be to go straight up the motorway even though it can be quite monotonous. With everything packed and loaded onto the bike we departed at just after 7:45am on this bright clear morning.

Cruising along the motorway we made two stops, one for a breakfast break in Cumbria and the other for petrol with 200 miles on the clock. Our arrival in Barrhead just South West of Glasgow was a little after midday and we where welcomed by Sylvia with a pleasant afternoon meal of soup, sandwiches and fresh fruit, whilst sat in her sunny garden. The afternoon passed very quickly as we chatted about our trip to Peru and our other adventures. Sylvia had been very busy giving talks on her experiences on the Inca Trail as well as playing the piano in an orchestra. It was soon 5:00pm and it was time to leave and head off to our hotel, so we said farewell, whilst Sylvia took some photos of us sat on the bike.

We where soon heading north along the side of Loch Lomond and then turned west at Tarbet along the A83 to the picturesque town of Inverary on the shore of Loch Fyne. Again we turned north to our destination of Portsonachan which is found on the opposite side of the peninsula along side Loch Awe. As we approached the Portsonachan Hotel we could only see the bike of Greg and Sue parked at the side of the narrow road indicating that the rest of the group where still making their way. We had showered, changed our clothes and where sat with Greg and Sue outside having a refreshing drink when we heard the noise of a group of bikes coming down the road. The rattling noise from Kipper Mike’s bike could be heard over the rest due to a break in the exhaust pipe that had occurred on the way to the hotel. 

Everyone was now together and looking forward to the weekend and the rest of the evening was spent in the restaurant chatting and enjoying the tasty food whilst the sun slowly dropped below the horizon giving the sky a rosy pink hue that highlighted the ripples on the loch.

Day 2

Over breakfast Kipper Mike was discussing with Ma and Pa how to get his exhaust fixed.  They decided it would be best to set off early to Oban to find motor spares shop whilst everyone else was still having breakfast.  By the time my cooked Scottish breakfast of bacon, egg, sausage, beans, haggis, tomato and fried bread had arrived Mike, Ma and Pa where heading off down the Loch road to Oban.  This gave the rest an opportunity to have a leisurely morning and meet up later.

It was 10:45am when we finally left the hotel with me leading the rest of the group.  We soon left the narrow road from the hotel and joined the main A85 route to Oban which is a wide twisting road that follows the banks of the Loch and then turns inland before meeting the shores of Loch Etive just outside the village of Connel.  Upon entering the town of Oban I could see Lindsay waving from the pavement, so we pulled in to the roadside to see what was going on with Mike’s bike.  They had managed a temporary fix using a 2 inch diameter jubilee clip, some spit, a bit of polish and a lot of hope.  After walking along the sea front in the warm sun Mo decided she wanted a drink so we found a table out the Caledonian Hotel near to the railway station where I seem to order quite a lot of drinks for the two of us to help quench our thirst!  (Two coffees, one espresso, one sparkling mineral water for Mo, one still water and a can of coke for me.)

After leaving Oban I filled up with petrol at the first garage along the road which would ensure I had enough for the rest of the days ride.  Mike (Pa) had decided our destination would be Fort William and if time allowed he hoped to get to Mallaig along the fantastic A830.  He headed north to Connel, where we crossed an impressive steel girder suspension bridge over a narrow section of Loch Etive.  The A828 road meandered along like most road do in Scotland, giving a relaxing ride taking in the scenery until we came across a section that was being resurfaced with the dreaded tar and gravel.  It was so fresh it felt like I was riding on a sheet of ice and I was glad of my off road experiences in Spain on similar loose surfaces.  I am just glad Mo was oblivious to the riding conditions!  After crossing another impressive steel bridge at North Ballachulish over Loch Linnhe/Leven the road became clogged with cars and caravans making their way towards Fort William.  This stretch of the A82 is a nightmare on a bike because of the long sections of painted double solid white lines preventing any kind of over take of the slow moving vehicles.  Eventually we arrived in Fort William and went into the town to get some lunch.

Flicking the bike one way then the other each corner smoothly blended into the next along the twisting road to Kinlochleven and then climbs high to give a fantastic view of tree lined Loch Leven below.  After turning onto the main road we rode through the village of Glencoe and started to climb up into the large mountain range.  The road travels down the wide open valley with high mountain peaks on both sides and then flattens out giving a fantastic view for many miles ahead.  Along this road the group was spread out, with each taking their own time to take in the amazing scenery.  In contrast the last section of our day’s journey was on a single track road along side the meandering River Orchy which starts at Loch Tulla and eventually runs into Loch Awe a few miles north of Portsonachan.

Again the evening was spent in the hotel restaurant enjoying the great food and then retiring to the large drawing room to enjoy some time chatting about our day.

Day 3

It was early morning and there was a strange tapping sound coming from outside our first floor window. It sounded like a woodpecker repeatedly tapping on a sheet of metal. Upon investigation we discovered it was Kipper Mike trying to fix his exhaust pipe again with the use of an empty Red Bull can! At breakfast mike asked us had we had a good nights sleep and Mo replied “No, someone was outside our room tapping away at a piece of metal in the early hours.” Red faced Mike started to apologise, but Mo now had a smirk on her face and told him she was only joking. I enjoyed another full Scottish breakfast whilst Mo chose to have the smoked haddock and poached egg.

Pa had chosen to head south today towards Campbeltown on the large peninsula that ends only about fifteen miles from the coast of Northern Ireland. (Campbeltown is in fact 30 miles due south of Glasgow.) After filling up with petrol at the garage in Inverary, this seemed to be the meeting place for many of the local bikers, our convoy started to head south along the A83 which runs alongside the edge of Loch Fyne. The more Pa headed south the more we could see that the weather was changing ahead of us and so when we arrived in Ardrishaig we stopped and discussed whether to carry on. I was looking at my GPS checking for an alternative route when Greg turned to Sue and said, “Look he is checking out the weather forecast.” Sue believed him at first until he burst into laughter. Looking out over the Loch everyone could see the band of rain moving up from the south so the consensus of opinion was to head north. With an about turn back to Lochgilphead Pa came across a fantastic twisting road of the A816, some thirty-seven miles long all the way to Oban.

During our coffee break in Oban we discussed where we should go next and there seemed to be only one place to head for, Mallaig via the Corran Ferry to avoid the double white lines on the road to Fort William. After negotiating the same section of treacherous gravel from the previous day and crossed the bridge at North Ballachulish we stopped at the next garage to fill up with fuel, before making the short trip to the ferry. The small ferry was on the other side of the Loch when we arrived and so we had to wait for about fifteen minutes on the quay side for it to cross back. Once on board Greg and Kipper Mike where looking at my GPS unit and asked do I just follow the little guy on the bike or do I look at the road ahead. “I just follow the little guy on the bike and turn when he does.” I replied. “If he goes off the road into a wall it flashes up Game Over.” I explained.  By the time we had removed our helmets it was time to put them back on as the ferry had docked on the other side.  One by one we rode off the ferry up the stone ramp to wait for our pillions who had decided to walk off.  On this side of the Loch there is very little traffic on the single lane road allowing us to stop and take photographs of Fort William and Ben Nevis.

The highlight of the day was the ride from Drumsallie, where we rejoined the main road, up to Mallaig along the A830 consisting of sweeping bends and long straights running through the narrow valley and along the side of Loch Eilt.  Occasionally the single rail track of the Jacobite Steam Railway can be seen running parallel to the road as featured in the Harry Potter films.  The most difficult thing was trying to keep up with Pa; he seemed to be enjoying himself on his sport bike through some of the tight bends.  I think we all enjoyed the run through some of the most stunning scenery in Scotland, especially the white sandy beaches found near Morar, which have been used in films such as ‘Highlander’ and ‘Local Hero.’

We were sat out side eating a spot of late lunch when Sue asked when we would get back to the hotel because she wanted one of the chocolate mousse she had enjoyed the night before.  It was agreed that we would be back in time before the restaurant stopped taking food orders at 9:30pm.  We arrived back around 8:15pm after a superb ride back via Fort William, Glencoe and the Bridge of Orchy.  Mo and I had changed and decided to have a light meal in the restaurant in which Mo had a chocolate mousse for her dessert.  Greg and Sue had joined us along with Pa, Ma and Kipper Mike.  Following her main meal Sue told the waitress she wanted a chocolate mousse, only to be informed that they had all gone.  The look of disbelieve on her face was a picture and at first she thought Greg had set it up for the waitress to say they had all gone.  She had waited all day and it took a while to sink in that there was in fact none left.  To add insult to injury the next two desserts she requested were also off the menu and she had to settle for three scoops of ice cream, chocolate of course!

Day 4

It had been a good few days, but it was now time to pack everything and head back home.  Greg and Sue where continuing their holiday by going to the Isle of Skye so Lindsay and Mo thought about heading off ‘Thelma and Louise style’ for a few days together!  With everything loaded onto the bike we made our way along the narrow Loch road for the last time.  Initially we would be heading north to ride the great section of the A85 from Dalmally (which Mo referred to Dullmally) to the petrol station at Clifton.  Pa was leading and was being pursued by an erratically driven VW Golf GTi which was cutting the corners in an attempt to stay behind him.  Biding my time behind the car, when the opportunity arose I made my overtake, closely followed by Ma.  Somehow the sight of the two of us passing, fully laden, broke his spirit and he soon dropped back as we continued along through the sweeping bends.

After a brief stop for fuel and a minor change of direction in Cairnlarich we where cruising along the wide sections of the A82 before Audlui where the road then follows the side of Loch Lomond and becomes very narrow and twisty.  Here one vehicle can slow the traffic to a virtual stand still and Mike and Laura, Kipper Mike, Mo and I all got stuck behind a large logging truck on this section of road.  The trailer of the truck was meandering all over the road, with debris flying off the tree trunks being transported.  We ambled along behind the truck, taking in the view of the tree lined Loch until an opportunity to overtake presented itself.  A few miles down the road in Tarbet the rest of the group had stopped to wait for us to catch them up.  Whilst they were putting back on the helmets the logging truck came trundling past with a tail back of traffic behind it.  We would have to get by it for a second time.

On the approach to the Erskine Bridge the traffic had started to build up and eventually came to a standstill.  With the panniers fitted on my bike I was unable to filter through the two lanes of standing traffic and was relieved that Pa had stopped at the petrol station just down the road.  It was decided to take a short break to see if the traffic subsided.  Next to the petrol station was a pub so we sat outside with some refreshing drinks watching the traffic not going by.  The sun was high in the sky and it was getting very warm as we sat in the shade of the beer garden umbrellas.  Suddenly the traffic started to clear and this was our chance to continue with our journey.

Rather than just go straight down the motorway it had been decided to stick to the A roads through Dumfries and Galloway by heading south towards Kilmarnock.  At one point though we were travelling north towards Glasgow along side the M7 before turning south and passing through Moscow, a small village, not the capital of Russia.  At least I can say I have been to Moscow although I was disappointed not to see Red Square and lots of T80 tanks parading around!  The afternoon was getting very warm, so just outside Dumfries we stopped at a road side café, where they had on sale ice cream sodas.  Ma and Pa decided to go for a luminous green one each, whilst Jim, Robina and Kipper Mike chose strawberry.  While they were finishing off their sodas I went and filled the bike with petrol for the last section of our journey.  After leaving Dumfries we joined the motorway at Gretna and now it was just a case of watching the miles tick by.  We had a short break at Penrith Services and then it was only a matter of riding home.