After a roadtrip threw Europe, from The Netherlands to Gibraltar and return crew Mont Ventoux and Switzerland back to The Netherlands, last may/June. The next trip will be in Scotland.
See the different kind of pics.
Almost not on a hi way/motor way but little roads so you can look around and enjoy the sightseeing.
See the last picture of the route I’m gone ride in Scotland. It will be in 11-17 September.
What kind of object/places do I have to visit. Where are the most authentic or most beautiful places. I’m do driving and not visiting for a walk. (whiskey brewery etc…)
I stay at some hotels and airbnb’s.
How about the midge? Will they be gone in September (or less)
Edinburgh and St Andrews are beautiful places, other big places less so.
Glasgow - where I was born - is Scotland’s largest city, a big, exciting place with lots going on. See if your hotel can get you tickets to a Rangers or a Celtic football match - probably best to avoid a match in which they play each other, as these can get pretty ‘lively’!
I have no idea whether Linn Products do factory tours, but it would be fun to watch an LP12 being built. (I’m sure that your local Linn dealer could find out for you.)
See if you can book yourself into the Buchanan Arms in Drymen, a wonderful place to stay, not far from Glasgow. Drymen is a small village, within walking distance of Loch Lomond.
If you’re riding as far North as Inverness, do stop by Loch Ness with your camera, and take a photo of Nessie (the Loch Ness Monster) for us!
A number of whisky distilleries do guided tours. I have been to Easter Elches, the home of Macallan, near Craigellachie. You would need to speak to someone with contacts in the drinks industry to ask about this. I can’t help, I’m afraid.
I’m happy to try to answer any particular questions you may have. If I can’t answer, some other Forum Member surely will!
That route looks great. Big distances, but fantastic scenery, and September a great time often with ‘4 seasons in one day’ and not too many midges.
We have explored much of the W Coast over many years. Skye is popular for a reason but personally we prefer the less visited areas on the mainland; Torridon, Ullapool, Gairloch etc (in red on your plan). Might also suggest the area around Arisaig, Mallaig, and across to Mull from Oban which are not included, but you can’t go everywhere. The far NW above Ullapool is another world too.
As for cities, Edinburgh is great but Stirling worth a stop, cheaper by far for accommodation and a short train trip into its bigger neighbour.
Food and hotels vary, but you can find some great places now. Those big prawns in the paella might even have come from NW Scotland as Spain is a very big customer for them!
In the end most trips like this give you a flavour, and when you return you will have a better idea where to focus. We have spent thirty years doing just that (back yesterday from kayaking in the rain on Loch Lomond).
Let’s assume that he means, ‘midges’, rather than wee, red-haired men wearing kilts!
Avon Cosmetics used to sell a skin product called ‘Skin So Soft’, which was reckoned to be the best thing to ward off midges. Or take up smoking a pipe with particularly rank tobacco!
PS I have just looked online. Skin So Soft is for sale on Amazon.
Don’t let midges put you off, you may hardly get any mid-September and anyway, without them Scotland would be packed with people who have woken up to how beautiful it is.
My parents used to live in Dumfries & Galloway on the border.
The Galloway Forest is quite beautiful and the nature trails hold many opportunities to see uniquely Scottish wildlife.
Also, Hadrians Wall is nearby as is the Solway Firth Estuary.
Dumfries itself is the last resting place of Robert Burns as he lived there for much of his short adult life. The Robert Burns Centre is definitely worth a visit.
Lots of artists live in the area too, and the Art festival is worth a look if you go at the right time of year (normally the end of May).
We pretty much did that whole route (apart from Skye).
Fabulous scenery etc.
Don’t underestimate the time it takes to get from one place to another, doesn’t look far on the map but those roads do twist and turn.
A friend tried the route North of Ullapool upto to John O’Groats last year and unfortunately he said it was horrible all the world and his wife in big RV’s on small roads.
Take the NC 500 route from Inverness via Thurso to Ullapool and Gairloch.
Magnificent wild scenery all the way. Great for a biker.
Can recommend the Ben Loyal hotel in Tongue to stay
Glen Affric near Inverness is worth a detour when you start heading west from there… might be easier to spend a couple of days in Inverness if its an option so you could do Loch Ness as well.
