POSTSCRIPTS

We left Inverness this morning with a full load in the van.  It was raining but cleared by afternoon.  We drove thru rolling hills, moors, small villages and crossed the River Spey, where spey fishing(two handed fly rod)originated.  Sort of a pilgrimage for me personally...my group endured my antics and allowed me time to savor the moment...a really nice diversion.  Braemar is a touristy place but proved to be fun

DAY 6 Ullapool to Inverness

I'll take this one...uh huh

Do they really need to be reminded...?

Looks a lot like home...yes we have "Scottish Mist"(rain )

Congressman Weiner

These two beauties were also staying in our B&B. Morgan still makes beautiful cars! 

Our host, looking racy

Lots of deer signs...but not much deer sign...

We take our dumping seriously.

Icy...?  it was cold but at least we had a tailwind...
a raging tailwind 25 knots or more

The weather began to warm up...this is just a few miles outside Inverness...suck it in , big boy!

Poor Pierre...he is so sad.  He has been married for 30 years and its his anniversary...and he found out that she's planning to stay another 30 years!




 

DAY 5 Lochinver to Ullapool

We started the day under partly cloudy skies and it continued thru the morning.  Calm winds cooler temps probably 50 ish.

Just another view of the North Atlantic  and some of the rugged terrain we've been riding through for several days.. Today its 47 miles and some 15% climbs for a total of 4500 feet for the day

 

Leo looking at yet another road warning sign...this time for...cows?  I guess so!

 

More miles of single lane pavement, few cars and a loch(lake) at every corner... pullouts every few hundred feet for passing traffic

Leo Randy and Beth paused at an intersection

More single lane, often green and often rocky

 

stunning vistas...everywhere

                                                                                     Welcome to Ullapool  

 

 

The official end of the Highland Route

 

An island ferry in the port town of Ullapool.  This is the largest town we've seen in the past week. We watched it unload the cars and trucks.  It services the Hebrides Islands offshore.  We had a great dinner at a place on the waterfront called the Arch.

 Randy and Beth on the waterfront..soaking up a little sun

 

DAY 4  Kinlochbervie to Lochinver

What a beautiful morning...cool but sunny...and a mere 47 miles to ride today.  We spent the night in a B & B called The Old School overlooking the water.  It actually is an old schoolhouse with the Headmasters office still intact.  It was built in 1876 and what great food and owners.  They even did our laundry!

Ian and Leo leaving the Old School B & B getting ready to go to Lochinver

 

An interesting sign...we were looking for... big plants???  Turns out it refers to trucks and construction equipment!

Watch for ...pigs? Apparently...as there was pig doo on the road

 

We followed the northwest shoreline most of the day.

 A few pics along the way...rocky, unspoiled, sparsely inhabited...lots of lochs(lakes)


The sign says it all...it does?  hmmmm

                            

The Kylesku Bridge over the firth...WW2 subs took refuge here

Fish farming pens

I was glad it was down instead of up...the ups were only 17-18%...piece of cake

And there's the up piece

No, no please don't get up!

A small village along the route...Everthing was closed on this Sunday

Our B&B for the night

DAY 3 Tongue to Kinlochbervie

Pretty much sums up the way this day started!  Cold, windy, wet.  We woke up to horizontal rain pushed along by a stiff north wind.  Our B&B hosts let us linger a while, waiting for the weather to clear.  The forecast was for clearing around noon.  And it did!

 

Ian kicked us out of the van in Durness, which as it happens, was one  of John Lennons favorite places.

Scottish moors...finally found a reason to wear the leg warmers!

This big fella waited just long enough for his picture

Peat harvesting...they still burn it for heat after it dries

 The clouds finally blew off and we were left with a brilliant stunning afternoon!

 



 The firth and the small village of  Kinlochbervie in the distance.  Our B&B for the evening is somewhere in between!

 An actual old schoolhouse from the 1800's...still in use...wonderful accomodations

A romp on the beach before dinner is always a fine adventure...this one is Oldshoremore beach



Anothe fine evening meal in the Old School B&B.  Fiona, the owner even did our laundry!  highly recommended accomodations