1
2019 Highlands tour Wed Aug 28, 2019 6:40 pm
slparry
![slparry](https://2img.net/u/4211/29/48/93/avatars/6243-43.jpg)
active member
![active member active member](https://i.servimg.com/u/f80/11/71/56/74/bmw-1s10.gif)
Well … trip done, just shy of 1500 miles and everyone, except for the motorway slogs, a joy.
The weather Gods were mostly kind![Smile](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
Paul Davies and I stopped for coffee at Charnock Richard before making our way to the Kirkstone Pass Inn in the Lakes for lunch for a spot of soup![Very Happy](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_biggrin.png)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1417)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1418)
then on upwards to Moffat for afternoon coffee and cake![Smile](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1420)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1419)
bugged by wasps wherever we stopped which was irritating, I began to believe it was the same (fast) wasp![Very Happy](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_biggrin.png)
rather than go back onto the motorway we used the road that paralleled the motorway for a while from Moffat which broke the journey nicely
then onto the usual 1st night stop of the Erskine Bridge Hotel
despite the diet, caution was thrown for hols so a pint was in order after a splash in the pool![Smile](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1421)
Day 2 was to head north east towards Aberfeldy and the awesome Dukes Pass ….. but was foiled … to find the Pass had been retarmaced and chipped … didn't stop at Killin as we would usually but went on to Kenmore for coffee for a change, pretty little village.
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1422)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1423)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1424)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1425)
Then on via Pitlochry up to Glenshee for more soup for lunch, stunning piece of tarmac that invites much naughtiness![Smile](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1426)
After lunch at Glenshee ski centre (more soup) … it was on towards Balmoral, Liz declined to offer us tea which was a tad rude but hey ho![Wink](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_wink.gif)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1428)
We had some time to kill before going to the hotel in Tomintoul (the Richmond Hotel) so we carried on towards Aberdeen for a while before getting the sat nav to take us to the hotel. Again it convinces me that as far as Scotland goes wherever you go the roads are often stunning
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1429)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1430)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1431)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1432)
The hotel was very pleasant, we had dinner that night at the Clockhouse restaurant across the road. As a footnote I'm not sure what the catering industry is going to do after Brexit as everywhere seems to have Eastern European staff!
Next day after a fine breakfast in the Richmond we went up the A9 to Lybster Harbour for coffee (and cake)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1435)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1434)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1433)
Then up to John o Groats for the obligatory pics![Smile](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1436)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1437)
From there on to the nights stop at the hotel that proclaims itself as the mainlands most remote hotel, The Garvault Hotel..... it is very very remote, took ages to get to and a 400 yard gravel track (off roading on an RT ….. wooo hooo
)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1438)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1439)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1440)
lovely location, lovely eccentric owners, Adrian and Eva, no mains water, no mains electric, no phone, no tv.... wonderful!
Dinner that evening was with the owners and was a great way of spending an evening chatting and drinking and swapping tales. Adrian was ex RAF pilot and Eva was Austrian.
The battery lighting only extending to half of the hotel so navigating back to the room was via torch
….. the room itself did have lighting
Next morning was on the small B road on towards Altnaharra (which took ages) then onto Tongue and picking up the North Coast road and onto to coffee (and treacle tart) at the little café there. Have stopped there before, the owner, from Yorkshire moved up years ago and fell in love with the are and stayed, diving for scallops for a while before setting up the café.
Only moan was the amount of camper vans everywhere, and despite signage saying to allow traffic to overtake at passing places they'd trundle along blocking everyone else's progress.
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1441)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1442)
Stopped for more lunchtime soup (Cullen skink this time) at the Pie Shop in Lochinver before rejoining the NC500 near Kylesku for Ullapool
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1443)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1444)
There was a Harley event in the Highlands that week so there were a few of them in Ullapool, we stopped at the Ferryboat in for coffee and a chat with locals
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1447)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1445)
From Ullapool we continued on to the stop for the third night, the Poolewe Hotel. The hotels rooms are in an annexe behind the hotel and are very pleasant.
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1449)
after a lovely dinner I was "forced" to have a treble Ardberg 10 years old (it seemed a generous treble)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1450)
After breakfast in high winds and rain we set off towards Aplecross for the mornings coffee stop and the ride over the pass (stunning as always) …. stunned to find the pass is now covered by 4G so could post pictures as soon as taking them!
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1451)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1452)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1453)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1454)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1455)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1456)
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1457)
Then on to Eileen Donan for lunch …. guess what …. soup ….
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1458)
afterwards riding over via Kinlochleven and Glencoe to the Green Welly
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1459)
before riding down passed Loch Lomond to the Erskine Bridge again
![2019 Highlands tour File](http://www.boxertrix.com/phpBB2/download/file.php?id=1460)
Travelling home was on the bank holiday Saturday so traffic was a bit heavier. We did 1500 miles, the trip went all too quickly.
The weather Gods were mostly kind
![Smile](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
Paul Davies and I stopped for coffee at Charnock Richard before making our way to the Kirkstone Pass Inn in the Lakes for lunch for a spot of soup
![Very Happy](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_biggrin.png)
then on upwards to Moffat for afternoon coffee and cake
![Smile](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
bugged by wasps wherever we stopped which was irritating, I began to believe it was the same (fast) wasp
![Very Happy](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_biggrin.png)
rather than go back onto the motorway we used the road that paralleled the motorway for a while from Moffat which broke the journey nicely
then onto the usual 1st night stop of the Erskine Bridge Hotel
despite the diet, caution was thrown for hols so a pint was in order after a splash in the pool
![Smile](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
Day 2 was to head north east towards Aberfeldy and the awesome Dukes Pass ….. but was foiled … to find the Pass had been retarmaced and chipped … didn't stop at Killin as we would usually but went on to Kenmore for coffee for a change, pretty little village.
Then on via Pitlochry up to Glenshee for more soup for lunch, stunning piece of tarmac that invites much naughtiness
![Smile](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
After lunch at Glenshee ski centre (more soup) … it was on towards Balmoral, Liz declined to offer us tea which was a tad rude but hey ho
![Wink](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_wink.gif)
We had some time to kill before going to the hotel in Tomintoul (the Richmond Hotel) so we carried on towards Aberdeen for a while before getting the sat nav to take us to the hotel. Again it convinces me that as far as Scotland goes wherever you go the roads are often stunning
The hotel was very pleasant, we had dinner that night at the Clockhouse restaurant across the road. As a footnote I'm not sure what the catering industry is going to do after Brexit as everywhere seems to have Eastern European staff!
Next day after a fine breakfast in the Richmond we went up the A9 to Lybster Harbour for coffee (and cake)
Then up to John o Groats for the obligatory pics
![Smile](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
From there on to the nights stop at the hotel that proclaims itself as the mainlands most remote hotel, The Garvault Hotel..... it is very very remote, took ages to get to and a 400 yard gravel track (off roading on an RT ….. wooo hooo
![Very Happy](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_biggrin.png)
lovely location, lovely eccentric owners, Adrian and Eva, no mains water, no mains electric, no phone, no tv.... wonderful!
Dinner that evening was with the owners and was a great way of spending an evening chatting and drinking and swapping tales. Adrian was ex RAF pilot and Eva was Austrian.
The battery lighting only extending to half of the hotel so navigating back to the room was via torch
![Smile](https://2img.net/i/fa/i/smiles/icon_smile.gif)
Next morning was on the small B road on towards Altnaharra (which took ages) then onto Tongue and picking up the North Coast road and onto to coffee (and treacle tart) at the little café there. Have stopped there before, the owner, from Yorkshire moved up years ago and fell in love with the are and stayed, diving for scallops for a while before setting up the café.
Only moan was the amount of camper vans everywhere, and despite signage saying to allow traffic to overtake at passing places they'd trundle along blocking everyone else's progress.
Stopped for more lunchtime soup (Cullen skink this time) at the Pie Shop in Lochinver before rejoining the NC500 near Kylesku for Ullapool
There was a Harley event in the Highlands that week so there were a few of them in Ullapool, we stopped at the Ferryboat in for coffee and a chat with locals
From Ullapool we continued on to the stop for the third night, the Poolewe Hotel. The hotels rooms are in an annexe behind the hotel and are very pleasant.
after a lovely dinner I was "forced" to have a treble Ardberg 10 years old (it seemed a generous treble)
After breakfast in high winds and rain we set off towards Aplecross for the mornings coffee stop and the ride over the pass (stunning as always) …. stunned to find the pass is now covered by 4G so could post pictures as soon as taking them!
Then on to Eileen Donan for lunch …. guess what …. soup ….
afterwards riding over via Kinlochleven and Glencoe to the Green Welly
before riding down passed Loch Lomond to the Erskine Bridge again
Travelling home was on the bank holiday Saturday so traffic was a bit heavier. We did 1500 miles, the trip went all too quickly.
__________________________________________________
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Steve Parry
Greeter @ Chester
Current fleet
86 R80RS
90 K1
03 BoxerCup
14 F800GS
15 R1200RT LE
and a BMW i3 Rex for suit days