In Scotland, we have proper weather . . . . .

User avatar
Steve T
Posts: 2621
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2010 7:13 pm
Location: Moray
Has thanked: 256 times
Been thanked: 836 times

In Scotland, we have proper weather . . . . .

Post by Steve T »

1st up a huge thanks to LargeWayRound (LWR) for taking on the org of this year’s Scottish ABR gathering in Ullapool and all the work he’s put into compiling & maintaining the huge rally thread.

LWR and Raymo gathered at my place near Elgin on Thursday morning, so’s we could form our own little convoy up to the camp site via a very scenic route. Got bored following traffic within 15 miles after leaving Elgin, so back roads it was to Inverness and a fuel stop. I had considered taking the road through Beauly & Dingwall, onto the old A9, but the weather wasn’t that great, so I headed straight up the modern A9, with the Skiach services as our next stop, for some proper adventure bike riding man food – all day breakfast it is then!
Once fed. We headed north to Ullapool via the Struie, Bonar Bridge & Lairg. The weather got better as we headed north west, so spirits were high when we finally got to the camp site to find a small gathering of early callers already on site . . . .
Image
Friday arrived after a relatively calm night (compared to the rest of the weekend’s weather) and the hardy early arrivals awoke to blustery winds and some squally showers. LWR and I decided that we’d go cloud dodging and just head where there was a patch of blue sky – north it was then. We rode into some really heavy showers as we headed out, but we were always looking for that blue bit of sky. Here you see the bikes drip drying next to Kylesku bridge after a particularly heavy deluge.
Image
Onwards to Durness and some sunshine . . . . . . . . . . which we eventually found. But not before we found some decent coffee & cakes at the Cocoa Mountain café. Here we see LWR visualising his diet flying out the window . . . .
Image
And onto the views across the beach beyond Balnakeil.
Image
The beach is the route the military take to get to Farad Head, the control tower you can see in the distance beyond the bikes, on top of the headland. From there they control the ground to ground, ship to shore and air to ground ordinance delivery onto Cape Wrath range.
Here we see LWR considering his lot as he stares north, over the beach beyond Durness.
Image
We rode round Loch Eriboll in more sunshine, and then took the itsy-bitsy little road down past Ben Hope to Altnaharra. We encountered a little more precipitation as we covered the miles down this grass filled road. Here we see LWR trying to spot a break in the weather, so’s we can head for it . . .
Image
From Altnaharra headed for Lairg and a fuel stop for the bikes, then the Falls of Shin for a coffee stop for the riders. Once man & machines were fed, we took the usual route back to Ullapool via Ledmore junction. The wind on the last leg was horrendous – a head wind all the way after Ledmore had me crouching over the front panels of the F8GS like some demented sports rider, trying hard to reduce my co-efficient of drag down to a level that would allow me to go forwards!
On our arrival back at the camp site we were confronted by a much increased tent count . . .
Image
On Saturday, after a horrendous night of truly gale force winds and heavy rain which saw even more tents totalled and many people packing up and heading home, 3 of the 4 ride outs were cancelled due to the weather. I decided to change the route of my ride out, in an attempt to “out-run” the weather. It took us about 50 miles to achieve that objective – Strathnaver to be precise. Whilst the roads were drying out, they were, in places, covered in chippings. These little devils took their toll on one of the riders, who had the front end of his machine slip away from him, only to have the tyre grip and high side him into the undergrowth. The bike – a nice little lightweight Honda XL1000V Varadero, kingly followed it’s rider into the green stuff and promptly pinned him face down! The tail end Charlie was there in a flash and lifted the errant machine off of its rider – not bad for a man with an acute heart condition. The faller had sprained his shoulder and elected to RTB, with the TEC as escort.
The remainder of the riders headed for Helmsdale and some really remote, barren landscape that abounds on the east coast of the Highlands. Here are the riders in the middle of no-where, with the road as the only man made thing in sight . . . .
Image
I think we didn’t see another vehicle on the road for approx. 15 miles, then, once we headed a bit higher up another glen, we stopped and took in this view . . . .
Image
. . . . . . . only to have to shift the bikes for 2 vehicles within 2 minutes!

On we rode, with the Falls of Shin as our next stop after fuelling the bikes at Lairg. We crossed from the A9 towards Lairg via the A839 Strath Fleet road. This is where one man’s angle was definatly flying faster than its rider. So glad that the rider ended up being un-scathed, even if his machine, on first sight, left me cold, it was that messed up!
Once those left standing had fuelled up their machines and themselves at the Falls of Shin, we headed for the campsite at Ullapool. I personally felt totally detached from reality on that ride back to camp, after the seeing the remnants of the accident riders bike and not knowing what the riders condition actually was, even though he’d managed to walk to the ambulance! As it was, he was fine. The hospital in inverness had given him a clean bill of health, and before 9pm that evening he was quaffing ale in the Arch. You cannot imagine how happy I was to see him standing in front of me.

Sunday dawned after a quieter night, weather wise, and most of those left at the camp site were packing up in prep for some very long rides home. Some of us, however, were prepping our steeds for a little dirty excursion courtesy of AustinW. That ride write up I’ll leave to Austin, cos it left me truly speechless, such was the quality of the vistas thrust upon the 6 riders that ventured forth.
Oh, and this was the site that greeted us on our return to the camp site . . . .
Image

Now, who do we need to talk to get the weather sorted for next years rally?

Steve T

B)
ZEN DOG

He knows not where he's going, for the ocean will decide
It's not the destination . . . . . . . it's the glory of the ride
appleby
Posts: 937
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2010 6:06 pm

Re: In Scotland, we have proper weather . . . . .

Post by appleby »

I go to that part of the world every year between Easter & the end of May & have had mostly great weather most of the time!
I did go late September last year & got a Hurricane & endless rain.

Do the maths boys, you live up there & you don't need me to tell you! ;)
LargeWayRound
Posts: 4048
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2010 2:54 pm

Re: In Scotland, we have proper weather . . . . .

Post by LargeWayRound »

Great Report and Pictures Steve

I got in trouble over that cake .. LOL

Cheers LWR
africajim
Posts: 3118
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 6:13 pm

Re: In Scotland, we have proper weather . . . . .

Post by africajim »

appleby wrote:I go to that part of the world every year between Easter & the end of May & have had mostly great weather most of the time!
I did go late September last year & got a Hurricane & endless rain.

Do the maths boys, you live up there & you don't need me to tell you! ;)
Sorry mate but must point out the last three weekends have been blue skies and sunshine, I've posted up pics and ride reports highlighting this, also if you remember the last weekend of September last year, we were basking in the 30 degree temps.
The end of the midge season makes for better camping and socialising, that tied with the campsite availability for over 100 pitches, we took what we could get.
Agreed, the odds my be better at the beginning of the month, before the Loopaloo festival, but that's up to the campsite. But then, we are supposed to be adventure bike riders? It was certainly an adventure!
Hopefully next year will be better weatherwise, but it is the NW of Scotland.
Honda, the power of dreams.
africajim
Posts: 3118
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 6:13 pm

Re: In Scotland, we have proper weather . . . . .

Post by africajim »

Sorry SteveT, forgot to mention, nice ride report and cracking pics!

A damned fine adventure was had, one you won't forget for a while! I would have came on your ride out if my tent hadn't given up the ghost! Decided to pack up as we had already had three days of rain and wind! LOL!
See you soon mate.
Honda, the power of dreams.
Paul-S
Posts: 3601
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 6:36 pm
Been thanked: 5 times

Re: In Scotland, we have proper weather . . . . .

Post by Paul-S »

Nice report and pics Steve
appleby
Posts: 937
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2010 6:06 pm

Re: In Scotland, we have proper weather . . . . .

Post by appleby »

africajim wrote:
appleby wrote:I go to that part of the world every year between Easter & the end of May & have had mostly great weather most of the time!
I did go late September last year & got a Hurricane & endless rain.

Do the maths boys, you live up there & you don't need me to tell you! ;)
Sorry mate but must point out the last three weekends have been blue skies and sunshine, I've posted up pics and ride reports highlighting this, also if you remember the last weekend of September last year, we were basking in the 30 degree temps.
The end of the midge season makes for better camping and socialising, that tied with the campsite availability for over 100 pitches, we took what we could get.
Agreed, the odds my be better at the beginning of the month, before the Loopaloo festival, but that's up to the campsite. But then, we are supposed to be adventure bike riders? It was certainly an adventure!
Hopefully next year will be better weatherwise, but it is the NW of Scotland.
Fair point Jim!
It has been exactly the same down here, glorious followed by wet & windy the last week or so.
All I know is I have had some fantastic holidays with really settled weather in May on the West Coast over the last 20 years, and no midges either.
GUNDOG
Posts: 564
Joined: Thu Jul 29, 2010 6:46 pm

Re: In Scotland, we have proper weather . . . . .

Post by GUNDOG »

Thanks Steve.. ;)
Treat every situation like a dog..

If you can't hump it or eat it, piss on it and walk away.
fendruid
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:48 pm

Re: In Scotland, we have proper weather . . . . .

Post by fendruid »

Good report Steve.I rode past on Sunday just as you were forming up for Austins run and thought about dumping my kit and joining in but i had a great run back to the FENS and enjoyed the ride. Enjoyed the meet., WE DON'T DO THINGS BECAUSE THEY ARE EASY
ninothedude
Posts: 78
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2012 3:32 pm

Re: In Scotland, we have proper weather . . . . .

Post by ninothedude »

Thanks Steve on the great ride out and fantastic report.
It's very difficult for me now to put words of thanks together as everyone was so welcoming and happy for me to see me in the pub pouring Guinness down after word and pictures where circulated....
and now reading trough and seeing pictures, the whole experience coming back and your words are so father-figure-alike, genuine and worm....

thank you and everyone who was around and there,
wish you all many safe miles and hope to see you all soon...
just one quick about rain..."some people get wet, and others feel the rain...."
best wishes
nino
Post Reply

Return to “ABR Highlands Rally Ullapool 28th - 30th Sept 2012”