Orkney Trip!

 Orkney here I come!

Here is a blog I posted on Ducatisti in 2009

Another week off work, and an appropriate pass, so I am off to visit my cousin in Stornoway, and having a wee ride round the Highlands on my way home! All courtesy of the 848.

I had intended to leave today but had to go to Donington to spend most of today hanging about in the rain waiting for my race meeting to be postponed! But that's another story. Anyway here's hoping the weather picks up as promised, and I can have a dry, if not warm, holiday.

I need to be up with the lark tomorrow, as my lost day means I have to get to Scrabster by lunchtime on Tuesday to catch the ferry to Stromness. I plan to pick up a B&B north of Inverness tomorrow night.

If I can find internet connections, I will keep you posted.

It is hard to come to terms with the fact that at 6 o’clock this morning I was leaving our Derbyshire village near Burton on Trent on my 848, and that just before teatime I am looking at this glorious sight some 15 miles from the northern Scottish coast from the same saddle!

The weather today had been dry as I made my way up the A38 to join the M1, took the A1 to Scotch Corner where I stopped for a coffee and a fill up. It seemed that the weakened mixture after its post Croatia service has given the 848 quite a bit more range, and I was able to make it to Newton Boswell on the 848 before she required another drink. I rode through a couple of light showers on the M90 and the A9 on my way to Pitlochry where I stopped for lunch and some more petrol.

After being fortified with lentil and bacon soup and a sandwich it was back onto the A9 for the ride to Inverness and onwards to Alness on the Cromarty Firth, before heading inland to Lairg, where I had originally intended to stay overnight. However it was still before 1700 and the Hotel was ridiculously expensive so I decided to keep going to Tongue, where I knew there were several places to stay.

Tongueward bound!
By now it was a lovely evening, and I had a really enjoyable ride over the single track road. Most of the traffic going the other way seemed to be German bikers. I didn’t know they had made so many BMW “Euanmobiles”. The local farmers must have noticed the trend and they had posted their notices warning that there could be lambs on the road in german as well as in english! I duly arrived in Tongue just after six, found a comfortable B&B (with wifi!), and after a couple of pints of heavy and a bar meal, here I am posting on Ducatisti!

Safe at Tongue in the B&B car park

Tomorrow I have a gentle ride along the northern coast to Scrabster, to catch the lunchtime ferry to Stromness, and an even shorter ride to Kirkwall to meet my cousin. If its as enjoyable day as today, I am in for some fun!

The beach at Thurso

I then went to the ferry terminal a couple of miles away in Scrabster, where I was greeted by name at check in! They obviously don’t see many white 848 in these parts! Loading was straightforward, and the crossing to Stromness smooth as a millpond under blue skies!

Scrabster ferry terminal

Disembarkation at Stromness was quick and I soon found the road to Kirkwall. The road, like so many on Orkney was straight and with little traffic I was soon at my destination via Tescos to pick up a bottle of wine which I could just find room for, for the short ride to my cousins. The 848 was quckly allocated a safe billet, and I enjoyed the hospitality of the family before turning in.

Wednesay

Wednesday was a rest day for the Ducati, as I was chauffeured round the island enjoying endless catch-up’s and the local scenery. We visited some stone age monuments and village, the Lairds house, the magnificent anchorage at Scapa Flow and the chapel built by Italian prisoners of war in their nissen hut, as well as the Churchill Barriers and the Kitchener Memorial, all under clear blue skies and very little wind. Not a regular occurrence I was informed! So tomorrow I will be packing up my Ventura

I felt a small shiver of anticipation as I pulled on my leathers this morning, as I was getting ready to get on board the 848 again! After breakfast with my cousin, I loaded up my gear, and set off for the ferry to the mainland at Stromness. As I loaded the bike a short shower broke out, which set the pattern for the day. Although it wasn’t oppressive, there was a steady stream of showers all day, borne on strong winds interspersed with bright periods. It wasn’t enough to spoil the days ride, and I dried out fine between bursts of rain.

Ready to embark for Scrabster

The crossing was again smooth, and I was soon heading back towards Tongue and onward to Durness fortified by a brunch taken on the boat. Some way after Tongue, when I was taking a few piccies I was joined by a flight of Honda Turbos, who were also on the way round the top of Scotland. Their team leader took a couple of snaps of the 848 and myself, before I continued on my way.

I filled up again at Durness and then headed for Lairg. The roads were good, with little traffic, but you do have to take care on the single track roads. A highlight was the 30 mile long glen to Lairg, where the road was straight and sheltered, allowing me to open the 848 up a bit in safety. After reaching Lairg and another fill up I took the road to Ullapool through some heavier showers. So when I arrived there I was ready to book in for the night. I soon found a suitable small hotel which overlooks the harbour, and made myself at home.

Scotlands north coastline Loch Lynnie

I didn’t check the trip meter before parking the bike up overnight, so I cant give Bradders a mileage update this evening. However today’s trip must have been about 250 miles.

There comes a time when you have seen so much achingly beautiful scenery that your senses just can’t take in anymore! I think I reached that point today. Yesterday and today I have seen so many fantastic scenes, varying from the dramatic sea lochs and mountains of the north coast, the mountains of the Western seaboard, inter Island Ferries and the softer landscapes of Appin and Argyll, that I am saturated. Not that I felt the need to slow down until I’d caught up, after all the whole point of the trip was to enjoy riding the 848 fast on fantastic, clear roads. You can never have too much of that!!

As I looked out of my bedroom window first thing this morning I saw the weather over the Ullapool harbour was very promising, and I was greeted with this tremendous sight:

After an Argyll Breakfast I was off towards Gairloch, to set the tone for the day following the western coastline around all its twists and turns to Skye! Its not far by the direct route, but I took the very pretty way by way of Loch Broom, Gruinard Bay, Loch Ewe, Loch Maree, Loch Torridon, Loch Carron, Loch Alsh, Isle of Skye, The Sound of Sleat, Sound of Arisaig, Loch Sunnart and Loch Linnhe. The ride round to Applecross was stunning, and the descent into Lochcarron almost intimidating. After that it was over the sea to Skye at Kyle, and then down to Ardmore to take the ferry to Mallaig. After that it was another long way round following the coast to Strontian for another top up, before taking the run to the ferry at Corran, and over Loch Linnhe giving me head start for the last leg of the day to Oban, where I am installed in a hotel on the road to the harbour. I was blessed with sunshine all the way today. The highest temperature I saw on the 848s dash was 23, and apart from the first leg this morning I was able to dispense with my overjacket, and ride all day in my leathers. I haven’t done that since Orkney!

Images of the Western seaboard

I noticed that when I crossed to Skye, normality started to make its unwelcome appearance! UK standard roadworks, marauding police cars and ..... a speed camera notice! However I wasn’t over there for long, the road to Ardmore was a regular racetrack, and the ferry was just docking as I arrived! However I did get the chance to grab a sandwich on the boat, and was ready to Explore the road to Strontian on arrival!

The day ended with a chain clean, an evening snack and a quick pint. Sadly tomorrow will have to be my last in the highlands before I come home on Sunday. The weather promises to be fantastic again so I plan to make the most of it!

I reckoned that it had to happen before too long, and when I was woken in the night by heavy rain on my window, I really thought it would be today! However by the time I’d breakfasted and got organised, the worst was over. Although the roads were wet, the rain was just stopping, so I decided against the rain suit, and set off wearing my trusty Alpinestars over jacket.

The road from Oban to Lochgilphead was most memorable for the continuous trail of spilled diesel on the wet road surface. It was most unnerving, and certainly kept my enthusiasm in check! Luckily the oil petered out after my Lochgilphead petrol stop, and I got down to the serious business of enjoying the really fast road to Campbeltown. I got there just before eleven, took a few piccies and had a coffee and scone before taking the back road via Carradale back to Lochgilphead.

Campbelltown harbour and lifeboat

This turned out to be a twisty single track affair, where discretion was certainly the better part of valour! The next fill up was at Tarbet on Loch Fynne, before the race up the Glasgow road to Inverary, when I turned inland for Tyndrum and Crianlarich. where I stopped for a late lunch.

I enjoyed my return to Crianlarich – I stayed at the Youth Hostel there for my first winter mountaineering holiday when I was an Edinburgh boy scout. That was just before the Scouts outlawed the wearing of wode! I took lunch in the station tearoom, a place we haunted for a warm on inclement days on the earlier trip.

I decided to take the road round the north of Loch Tay and thence through Aberfeldy to the A9, where I headed for Perth, and a MacDonalds to use their wifi and post yesterdays story, and book myself a bed near Polmont on the southern shore of the Forth. This turned out to be another trip down memory lane, as when I got here just after seven, I realised I used to drink here when I lived in my flat in Polmont! So now I have enjoyed a light meal, a couple more pints of heavy I am about to settle down with Le Mans on Eurosport. Excellent timing, as Kristel wouldn’t let me do that at home!

So sadly tomorrow has to be my last day on tour. I have to be back at work on Monday, and I want at least sufficient time at home tomorrow to unload and get my mind in gear for Monday. Think I’ll have to commute on the 748, as the 848 will need its chain cleaned again! I have had the maps out, and hope to find a “pretty way” back to Derbyshire without relying totally on the motorway.It was with mixed feelings that I loaded up the bike first thing this morning. I knew it was the last day when I put on my last clean clothes, and filled my pack with dirty laundry! I decided on a change of plan at the breakfast table too. All those breakfasts had sat heavy on the tum the last few days, so I took fruit followed by scrambled egg and a rasher of bacon!

I was all set by half eight, and took some time out to go and look at my old flat, before taking the M9 to Edinburgh. My route took me through Galashiels, where my grandparents used to live, so I stopped to take some snaps, as it is right on the A7. All this in glorious sunshine despite all the doom and gloom on the telly this morning!

Childhood memories of my grandparents house!

When I joined the A1 at Ripon, I realised that the holiday was coming to its end. I had enjoyed the pretty way home, but decided to take the motorway to the A38 and then home via Derby and Repton. Although the Peaks beckoned, I am avoiding them - and their over policed roads at this year. I don’t want to finance Derbyshire’s expanded camera programme!

I hadn’t remembered what a super road the A7 is, especially between Galashiels and Langholm, where it is a right racetrack! At some point along there I had a bit of fun with a girl on a JIL4. She was happier to go quicker on the straights than me, but the good old 848 soon reeled her in on the twisty bits. As I said, the A7 was a great road.

I joined the M6 at Longtown, and took it to the A684 junction, being careful to give the A66 a wide berth as it was the last day of the Appleby Horse Fair. I rode through the Dales to Sedburgh, Hawes, Leyburn and then to Ripon. I stopped at Hawes at the gathering of bikers, and grabbed lunch at the bikers cafe. The roads were varied, from tight sunken roads to open wide roads, all great fun.

Hawes High Street

Tuesday

Today’s start was pretty leisurely as I was only 45 miles from Scrabster, and the ferry wasn’t until one! I certainly made the right choice taking kippers for my breakfast this morning. If there is one place you could hope for fresh, sumptuous fish in the UK, you would choose Tongue, and my hunch proved spot on! After a quick run around with the camera I was enroute to Thurso. The early shower soon cleared, and it was noticeably warmer today.

I called in for fuel at Bettyhill Post Office, and noticed I had covered nearly 560 miles since leaving home. This surprised me as I had estimated just over 400 to Kristel last night on the phone! So Dieselinator Pete the answer is that I did 546 miles yesterday. I have to say it didn’t seem like it!

The route to Thurso has some fantastic bends, and the surface much of the way is billiard table smooth. So I quickly arrived in Thurso with a smile on my face, and the 848 grinning from fairing to fairing. A quick look round seemed to suggest that the Ducati workshop has gone, so as I had a bit of time on my hands I went to the front to grease the chain and take a coffee and some delicious Victoria sponge.