I've been to all the other "points" on the mainland of Britain, and indeed John O' Groats and Duncansby Head. I hadn't been to Dunnet Head, (confirmed after a conversation with my father!..although he's been since I went on family holidays as a child ) so this needed to be ticked. A suitable target for a short trip on my recently acquired BMW F800s.
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I dislike motorways on the motorbike so have a route I've used many times on trips through the Borders, here we see the entrance to the Kaygu Samye Ling Monastery near Eskdalemuir. |
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I stopped near Innerleithen for my lunch. The weather perfect! |
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I called in at South Queensferry for an ice cream.... |
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and to see progess on the new Forth Crossing. The towers are visable "under" the "old " bridge. It's due to be completed in 2016. |
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Onwards via Blairgowerie and Glen Shee to Glen Clunie and Braemar. I was booked in at the SYHA for the night. I crossed the road at this very point on the TGOC in May this year. |
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Tuesday morning and the weather looked good again, down to Crathie then up the road towards Tomintoul. This is the view for those who look back...Lochnagar. |
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Corgarff Castle was catching the sunlight as I started the climb up and over the Lecht. |
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I joined the A9 near Carrbridge and followed it North stopping and exploring the small villages which I haven't been to for many years. This is the monument to Neil Gunn beside the quay in Dunbeath. |
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This is the harbour of Lybster, the old buildings beside the harbour converted into a very nice cafe. Coffee and cake were sampled....excellent eaten outside in the glorious sunshine. |
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A short distance further North are the Walligoe Steps...it must have been a different breed who carried full baskets of fish back up these steps!! |
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Dunnet Bay, another crowded Scottish beach! |
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The view from Dunnet Head lighthouse, ominously the rain is starting to drift in across the Orkney's. |
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The object of the mission achieved! Amazingly it had been dry all the way from home, but as I turned to leave and ride to the hostel at Tongue it started to rain. Over the return trip rain would be a feature. Not many photos of the return trip! Plus it was all on familiar terrain. |
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Tongue hostel, I stayed here many years ago when it was SYHA. It's now an independant. I spent much of the evening chatting to a couple of guys walking Marilyns...one of them had done 1400! |
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It rained for much of Wednesday...infact only stopping when I arrived at the newly re-roofed Carn Dearg SYHA. This is a favourite hostel of mine, long may it remain within the network. The ride home was on more familiar roads, wet until Fort William, but mainly dry from there on. |