I'm up there in June. Still trying to work out a route through England from Dorset. Going up the east side and I'd really like to avoid too much motorway. Its a long way to Fort Augustus from down here. Probably go for a stop over somewhere around York then take a windy non-motorway route from there. It would be a shame to ride straight past the the Dales, North Pennines and Northumberland National Park without taking a look. How long did it take you @doggy ?
I live in Sittingbourne Kent . I left work early on a Friday and rode upto a mates house in Widnes . Only stopped once for a fuel and wee stop but it took bloody ages due to Friday evening traffic and loads of m/way variable speed limits!. Think it took about 6hrs? Left Widnes the next moring after meeting up with the others and M/way upto Gretna green . Then fast A road to Moffat for a bite to eat . Quite a bit of congestion getting over a major bridge near Glasgow? Can't remember as I was just following the others as they had done the trip a few times before!. I think it took the majority of the day to get to Fort Agustus . Once up there though on empty deserted roads you can make really good progress on days out as the roads are empty and very few towns/traffic lights to slow down and stop for . Had some cracking rides out on roads in the middle of nowhere, beautiful scenery. Tongue is a fair way from Sittingbourne. Took two days to come back, staying at Widnes again. Left there earlyish in the morning and blasted back all M/way as quick as possible . Boring and a numb bum, but was home for late morning coffee.
Doing a car trip in June, Greenock-fort william-Skye-inverness-edinburgh couple of nights then home. 7 days, me and the missus and maybe Donkey & his partner. Hope its sunny, taking wires mini soft top
Heading for the aisle of Skye in mid May on the Beemer for a long weekend......camping......as long as the weather holds out. Looking at basing myself near Arisaig/Mallaig and taking the ferry for a day trip to Skye.
Book well in advance and you can get a holiday cottage for two weeks for that if you avoid the July and August peak, which Finm says is rainy season anyway and the roads are busier. Stacks available in Scotland. I've figured there's no part of Scotland or riding route that I can't get to from Fort Augustus. https://www.cottages.com/scotland/isle-of-skye?start=09-06-2018&partyprofile=1&sortorder=2®ion=1
yip, avoid july august like the plague.if its not pishing it down,there's a flood of tourists on the road. it was probably Erskine Bridge btw, no Tolls.
If it isn't I shall sneak behind the Cairngorms and head east. Everyone knows it never rains on the east coast of Scotland. Aberdeenshire is mostly sage brush and palm trees.
We haven’t done Scotchland so if swmbo likes it then maybe a holiday cottage for a week would work next time round. Hoping mid-June isn’t too full of midges either, given we plan to do a bit of walking as well as driving, drinking, eating and sightseeing
I paid a deposit on my holiday cottage back in November. Some of them were already fully booked right through 2018 by then. the west coast, Skye and all the famous/romantic spots fill up rapidly. June is cheaper than July. May cheaper still. The last time I stayed in Scotland for any length of time I went to the Isle of Harris for three weeks in June. There was plenty of rain but plenty of sunshine as well and I don't remember any midges, and I did plenty of walking. I was on or near the coast most of the time, whether that makes any difference I don't know.
its a shame you lot cant get up now, the weather around here has been superb for weeks. and yip, i use the heated mits all year round
We go end of June/ early July, just before school is out and stay just outside Inverness. Takes several hours from Manchester as it is. A variety of fun routes both North and south of Fort Augustus. As Finm says the Tourists can be a right pain in the backside in the later half of July & August. The visitors that'll eat you are the Mossers (little Buggers). Also be wary of 'undercover cops' too. They know all the good roads to hide out in and catch you.
Thinking of going up that way Tuesday till Friday but the weather looks cold and wet so not sure what to do, could be heading south lol
