Woodend Wanderer

Todays leg was to Applecross 120 miles away. The weather has well and truly changed. The day dawned grey and overcast and the first showers of the day had started.

We rated the Caledonian Hotel 6/10. The staff were great and welcoming. But the twin room was the smallest we have had yet. The shower cubicle was tiny and you could hear every noise from the rooms above and beside us. That said the breakfast was good so 6/10 it is.

The road struck south on the A835 and was easy going albeit a bit wet. At Corrieshalloch Gorge we turned off the main highway onto the A832 to Gairloch and immediately started to climd. As we did so the temperature dropped and the wind increased. By now the cloud base had descended to cover the tops of the peaks. We had allowed plenty of time for this leg of the journey so we could stop frequently to warm our hands and just take a break. The scenery is staggering. The rain had charged the waterfalls.

At one particular viewpoint we stopped at, the sun was shining on a distant peak which made for a nice photo op. The temperature on my bike said it was 4C but the wind was around 30 knots and gusty. It felt raw. A delightful couple travelling Scotland in their motorhome were already at the viewpoint when we arrived. Andy waved at them, they waved back and we were invited into the motorhome for a cup of tea and a chat. Mick and Yvonne were from Sheffield and had just purchased their camper van and were touring Scotland in it for the first time. What a smashing couple they were. We were to meet them later in Applecross before they set off your Plockton and we said our goodbyes. That chance meeting reaffirmed our faith in humanity. They were running short of teabags so I gave them some of my Yorkshire Gold to see them through.

We turned off the road at the tiny village of Aultbea looking for a cafe and stumbled upon MacLennan Park overlooking Loch Ewe. Here we found the story of the Russian Convoys that would congregate in Loch Ewe before heading for Murmansk and Archangel. It was fascinating. Worth a detour to see for yourself. There is also a museum to the Russian Convoys here but it was closed when we passed.

The road continues along Loch Maree to Kinlochewe where the road to Applecross splits off to the west.

From here on in the single track road twists and turns its way along the exposed coast, blasted by the stiff North winds and throwing the rain horizontally at you. It was slow going on a narrow strip of tarmac. It was chilly and the wind found its way onto the back of my neck no matter how hard I tried to cover it. It was like a little needle.

The road finally drops down into Applecross. The wind dropped away and it was dry. This was a little oasis of peace. We took a late lunch in the Applecross inn before checking into our rest for the night at the Hartfield House Hostel.

Whilst having a cup of tea in the lounge we met Johannes and his fiancé Renee from Den Haag in the Netherlands. They are touring on a motorcycle and getting married as well. We chatted for some time about our motorcycles, their jobs and loved to hear of their wedding plans in Scotland. We wish them all the very best for their future together. Meeting people like this couple and Mick and Yvonne really makes me appreciate getting out and doing this. A chance meeting and saying hello is all that it takes.

Tomorrow we head for the Isle of Skye and it looks promising for better weather. We shall see.

The day dawned bright but much cooler. In the hour after sunset a bank of cloud had rolled in and whilst we packed up the bikes the temperature dropped a few degrees more. Andy cooked us up some scrambled eggs made from the eggs that were left in the pod by the proprietors laid by there very own chickens. A great way to start the day. We gave the Tignlochan pods 9/10. The bed for Andy was a bit hard and uncomfortable. But the views and location were sublime. Go stay and decide for yourself.

Whilst on 75 miles to Ullapool, this was a strenuous ride mentally. We rode to the lay-by at the Kylesku bridge to take a few photos before striking west to the small village of Drumbeg via the B869 road.

The road to Drumbeg is not for the faint of heart. It is single track, narrow, very twisty with lots of blind bends and summits. I rarely got out of second gear. It was intense riding rewarded with amazing vistas. Even though it required total concentration, I would do it again tomorrow simply for the views the road offers.

We turned off just past Clashnessie and took the winding road to the Stoer Head lighthouse. It lies atop a windswept outcrop where sheep graze and the wind bites through every layer of clothing you wear. Incidentally, you can hire this place to stay.

I wandered around the lighthouse buildings just soaking up the peace. What a place. Take the time to go and visit it and rest a while when you finally get there.

The road from here to Lochinver is equally demanding. These single track roads require total concentration. Not much room for error in these parts. The roads often have gravel on tier surfaces. A nightmare for motorcycles. The winter frosts and ice play havoc with the roads. Those in these parts are particularly affected. Be careful in these parts on a motorcycle.

The bikes were refuelled at Lochinver. We were refuelled at Lochinver with a fabulous Leek and Tattie soup and a coffee. A young man who had seen my youtube channel came up to us and we talked about motorbikes and the roads in the area before we set off south to Ullapool.

Again the road twists and turns through majestic vistas before joining the main A road into the town of Ullapool, the biggest town in these parts although modest in size to most towns further south.

The Seafood Shack is a must visit. So Andy and I simply had to go. The food is really good. No, I mean really good. Go visit it.

We finished the evening off with a cheeky beer at the Arch Inn. 

Tomorrow is the leg of the tour to Applecross. I hope the weather holds.

At only 110 miles today was meant to be a more relaxed day. A day to rest a little and enjoy the sunshine at days end. Wrong!

Our stay last night was at the Valleyview guest house in Murkle. Our host was really lovely and chatty and made us most welcome. The place was spotless. The beds were incredibly comfortable and the breakfast prepared by her husband was amazing. We scored it 9/10. It dropped a point only because the shower was a bit weak. I know. Picky.

We woke to a foggy morning, heavy with dew and chilly. By 9am it had started to break a little. We set off for Thurso hoping to stop at Tescos and failed. Miserably. As a navigator by trade I was mortified but there were no signs for a superstore. Nothing!

Not to worry. We refuelled and took a minor detour inland on a road I shall probably never ride on again. We passed the Douneray nuclear power station and joined what we thought was the ‘main road’ west. It quickly turned into lots of single track sections of road with often poor surfacing with passing places. It was the main road. But I must say most drivers were very courteous. There were a few numpties that avoided eye contact and would not yield but hey ho! Allow plenty of time to ride on roads in this area. We discovered what must be one of the remotest telephone boxes in the UK. We had to stop and be stupid. It was devoid of any telephony equipment but it made a perfect photo op. 

We stopped at the Weavers and Norse cafe and bakehouse near Tongue for a coffee and a slice of something naughty. Home baked goodies beckon. What a welcoming stop this place was. Visit it if in this area and what a view from their back garden. 

We then rode over Kyle of Tongue Causeway that crosses Loch Hope which for me marks the beginning of the west coast section of the ride. We stopped for photos and continued onto the road around Loch Eriboll. What a road! Mostly single track with plentiful passing passing places. Twisty. Views to die for. Slow going. But Oh My Lord! A must do. 

Next stop was Smoo Cave. Now I have visited many caves in the world and Smoo cave promised to be up there with them. I did not baulk at the £10 entrance fee. However I did take issue with the cave guide wearing a plastic Viking helmet complete with horns. The sheer majesty of nature does not need a muppet in a plastic helmet to show me around. Needless to say I chose not to part with my money and enter.

We continued on, passing Durness and then striking south to Scourie. We arrived at 14:00. Our accommodation for the night was not available until 15:00. What to do. It is fair to say that Scourie is not a sprawling metropolis. Places for food and drink are scarce. But the village shop was open, purveyors of essentials and we ate a cold pie with a bottle of water and it was divine. We sat in the sun until 14:45 and rode the 2 minutes to our accommodation for the night. The Tighlochan Pod. Wow. It is divine. Peaceful. Quiet and idyllic. You must try it. Owned by Krysha and her husband Wayne and their 3 children this is a little haven of peace. They are a lovely family and this is a new venture for them. They have one pod which we are staying in. Another is nearing completion and it is heavenly. Andy went into Scourie to a van selling fish and chips and we are set for the night.  I will let you know our thoughts in the morning. 

Todays leg was 202 miles. The day dawned stunningly beautiful once again. The Smithton Hotel is best described as basic but very clean and with friendly staff. The dinner menu although limited was good as was breakfast. Whilst not the quality of yesterdays accommodation it served our purpose beautifully and we both gave it 7/10. At least we got a decent nights rest, a good pint of beer and a mean Chilli Con Carne.

We set off for Cromarty on the tip of the Black Isle. It was always mentioned on the old BBC shipping forecast being one of the sea areas in the North Sea. I had to go there. We stopped and took in the peaceful view. There looks like an oil rig repair yard across the bay and parts for an offshore wind farm.

We crossed the Cromarty Firth and climbed into the hills to the North stopping at the viewpoint at Dornoch Firth before heading for Bonar bridge and a stop at a cafe in Lairg. A quirky little house sits on an island in the loch just to the south of Lairg. A photo op. 

From Lairg we climbed again and headed east along a single track road with stunning scenery to join the main highway North towards Wick. We had wanted a coffee there but could not find a cafe so pressed on to John O’ Groats for the obligatory photo at the sign post. Well why not.

I wanted to visit the NE tip of Scotland at Duncansby Point having rounded it many times on ships entering the Pentland Firth. The tide rips through here at up to 8 knots. It was today. The water appeared to boil.

A final stop at Dunnet Head lighthouse, the northern tip of mainland Britain was at the end of a winding and remote single rack road. Well worth the effort.

Click the highlighted links for more information.

Our lodgings for the night are in Murkle just to the east of Thurso. Valley View B&B. I will let you know more tomorrow. 

I’m keeping a close eye on the weather for the coming days. Looks like a change coming on Sunday perhaps. 

Day two dawned bright and sunny. The Huntingtower hotel is set in beautiful grounds. We gave it 8/10. It would have got a 10 but at 4am an awful noise eminated from a vent fan for 20 minutes right outside our window and that was a good nights rest ruined.

Not to worry. We set off on a superb morning for the ride north to our next destination, Smithton which lies just to the east of Inverness.

It was a journey that was supposed to be 150 miles but a road closure meant we had to take a diversion of around 40 miles further east to get to our destination. The road from Perth to Braemar at the foot of the Cairngorm mountains is motorcycling heaven. Twisty, scenic and relatively traffic free.

We dropped down into Braemar for a coffee and use the loo before taking the old military road to Balmoral Castle. A brief stop was needed to just soak up the peace and quiet of the place.

From Balmoral we had to take a large diversion to reach the small town of Tomintoul as a bridge on the original road, Cock Bridge, is being replaced. The alternative road was simply stunning but added to our ride considerably. Next town was Grantown on Spey and to our next stop at Culloden Battlefield. (link to the battlefield website) Like all battlefields I have visited I find it hard to imagine the magnitude of what occurred. But it is a place of peace and quiet and contemplation. It is a place I have wanted to visit for a long time. I was not disappointed.

I will leave you with some photos taken at the site. They can never do it justice. You need to see the place for yourself.

So that was day 2. Tomorrow we strike North again to John O’ Groats and Thurso and so far the weather looks to be holding. Fingers crossed.

We set off for the 151 mile run to our next stop in Perth. This is a mix of moorland roads, vallets and some suburbia. The road from Moffat to Selkirk winds its away along valleys and beside reservoirs. It was a cool and damp morning. The cloud hung low over the peaks beside us. We paused briefly for a photo stop beside an old AA box that would have been a common sight alongside the roads of Britain in the 50s and 60s. Alas no more.

After pausing briefly in Selkirk we moved on to Cardrona. I wanted to visit Cardrona only because of my connections to Cardrona in New Zealand. Cardrona Scotland is easily bypassed by a main A road but we turned off the highway just to say I had visited the place. Well were we in for a surprise! Whilst looking for a loo and a coffee we happened upon the village hall in Cardrona. A sign outside stated “Meet and Eat, All Welcome, £1. We thought we might get a coffee and use the Loo. Whilst we were taking our jackets off a lady came out of the hall to greet us and introduced herself as Ruth. “Come in” she said. “We have soup, sandwiches and cake.” A boon for a pair of bikers.

What a truly memorable experience we had. We were the first in the hall where tables had been laid. Andy and I had a bowl of the most delicious Chicken Broth accompanied by home baked sandwiches and bread, tea and coffe and cakes. Shortly after the local residents started to arrive and sat with us. We chatted away and explained what we were doing. They were so gracious.

The wonderful ladies explained that this was a once a month event that we just happened to come across. We were made so welcome and Andy and I booth said that our faith in humanity was restored by this chance meeting. This made our day. We watched the ladies serving the village residents, we heard the conversation and we both thought how wonderful it was to be a very small part of it. So, to those ladies of Cardrona, Thank you. You made two bikers very happy indeed and we take our hats off to you. You are all very special people. To others who may read this one day, go say hello to Cardrona. You never know, the ladies in the hall may just be there with their fantastic soups. This is what I truly love about touring. Get off the well trodden track and see what awaits you.

Back on the bikes we set off for the Roslin chapel. Made rather famous by the film the Da Vinci code it was worth a visit. It did not disappoint. It is well worth a visit if ever you are in the vicinity.

We crossed the Forth Road Bridge and made our way via the city of Dunfermline to our stop for the night at the Huntingtower Hotel just to the west of Perth. I will give you our review of it tomorrow. Until then goodnight from to weary motorcyclists.

The North Coast 500 isn’t just one of Scotland’s most scenic routes—it’s a motorcyclist’s dream. Remote roads hug windswept cliffs, single-track lanes curve through empty glens, and every mile offers something raw, elemental, and unforgettable. In this guide, I’ll share my route, riding tips, and the quiet moments that made this journey more than just a loop—it became a story etched into the road itself.

It was a cool and drizzly day that dawned. Andy and I had already loaded up our bikes for the run north to Moffat. Whilst the actual journey was one of getting to Moffat in a timely manner, there were a few things I wanted to see to break up the rather uninteresting motorway trip.

I wanted to see the Lockerbie memorial to those that perished in the air disaster and the second was to visit the town of Ecclefechan. The reason for that was that as a child Mum and Dad would take us to visit our relatives in Scotland and long before the motorway was built we passed through Ecclefechan and I wanted to revisit the place. I was amazed how many sights triggered memories from at least 50 years prior.

I was pleased to see that the memorial was very basic and understated. It was perfect. We spent some time at the garden just reflecting and remembering.

We then moved onto our accommodation for the night, The Buccleuch Arms Hotel in Moffat. Now this is a true motorcyclist hotel. Run by an effervescent Zimbabwean host who was fantastic. This place is a must stay for any biker looking to stay here. The rooms are very comfortable, The food and drink was very good, there are bike garages on the hotel grounds, and even supplies to look after your bike such as cleaners, air for the tyres and so much more. Stay here. You wont be disappointed.

The weather forecast for the coming days looks very promising.