Pepperami does Ardnamurchan (Scotland)

[pepperami]

This year I`ve done JOG so I thought I`d take the chance to do the most westerly point on mainland Britain while my Mrs had her grandkids stay for the week.
I`m a seasoned traveller now right? yer right! .
I`d done JOG and all of a sudden I know what I`m doing?.

Panniers packed and everything kept to a minimum because I`m doing the trip on my 250.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/Readytogo.jpg.

DAY 1 : Rain and then some more rain!
A14 onto the Catthorpe interchange --> M6 all the way to Carlise,
Time for a stop and fuel and a picture of the RAIN!
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/RAIN.jpg
Onwards on the A75 --> A76 into Irvine and a stop for the night.
Got to my B&B and thought that they had put me in the local Seamans Mission
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/TattyHotel.jpg
I did`nt care to much, I was just glad to get out of the RAIN! and dry some of my stuff.
No food available so it was of to town in the rain for Kentucky Fried Muck .
Not doing to well so far?

DAY 2 : RAIN! and lots of it.
A737 towards the edge of Glasgow --> M8/M898 to the Erskine Bridge and the first real hints to the fact I was in Scotland and some good views and roads.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/ErskineBridge3-1.jpg

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/intoScotlandforreal.jpg

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/ErskineBridge-1.jpg

Onto the A82 to the Corran ferry via Loch Lomond and the Glen Coe pass.
The Glen Coe pass is not a good place to be when the wind is howling across sideways and the wind is full of rain .
I`d forgotten how annoying the midges/bitey things are up on the hills .
What ever you do, dont get naked up on the Glen Coe pass or the bitey things will eat you alive
I think that it would be a wonderful place to be on a bike when the sun is shining and the wind is`nt trying to push you off your bike.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/GlenCoepass-2.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/Glencoepass2.jpg
Arrived at the Corran Ferry and a short hop across the water to save riding round the long way.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/Corranferry2-1.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/CorranFerry.jpg
While I`m getting some fuel in the local petrol station I come across these chaps from Germany on thier way to Oban.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/MienerDeutcherFrieund.jpghttps://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/Cooltourer-1.jpg
Now I`m on the Ardnamchuran Peninsular and the roads change from good to questionable and or even Bloody scary .
Firstly the A861 to Salen is ok and not a lot of traffic around .
then on to the B8007 to Ardnamchuran lighthouse.
If you`re going to do this road because you are doing the four-points, be careful.
This road (B8007) WILL BITE YOU if you dont pay attention.
It is narrow twisty and has lots of unsighted corners.
It nearly had me and if I had been going 1 or 2 mph faster I would of ended up in a ditch and the hospital.
At the end of this road is what I came to see and the place I wanted to be
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/ArdnamurchanLighthouse2.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/ArdnamurchanLighthouse.jpg
Now off to Fort William for the night.
Back down the B8007 --> Salen --> A861 --> Corran ferry --> A82 into Fort William to my B&B and another chance to try and dry out?

DAY 3 : RAIN! just for a change.
A82 to the edge of Glasgow and again to the Erskine Bridge. thought I`d stop and take a look see at the distillery https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/Hadtohaveavisit-1.jpghttps://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/57yearoldScotch-1.jpg--> M8 to just south of Glasgow and then pick up the M74 --> A74m.
If you lot with the latest plastic missles (zx/gsx/rr/whatever) have not yet discovered the A74m, I suggest you go get a look see.
It`s nice, wide, Sweeping bends, and a good surface
onto the M6 and into Penrith.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/Penrith.jpg
I liked Penrith and I wished I had a bit more time and a Fishing rod
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/Whatnofishingrod.jpghttps://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/Penrithnicelittleriver.jpg

DAY 4 : just for a change, more RAIN!
By now there is`nt a bit of me that is`nt wet or a piece of kit that the rain has`nt finally gotten into .
Not to worry, I`m on my way home and it`s an easy run : M6 all the way to the Catthorpe interchange then onto the A14 all the way to Ipswich.

I had a great time spoiled a bit by the shear amout of water ??.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/Erskinebridge2.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/Stunningviews.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/Scotchmist.jpg
The roads and the backdrops make me wish I live a little bit closer
The bike (Hyosung GT 250 efi) never missed a beat and despite all the rain chucked at it, it did`nt even pop or bang once.
She started first time, every time and pulled me over some fairly steep and difficult bits of road.
The bike easily kept up with the pace of traffic.
With the exception of the motorways, I would say my little V-twin was ideally suited to this trip.
Even on the motorway I was not embarressed, as she had more than enough speed to keep up with everything but the plastic missle boys and the turbo-nutter-barstewards.
I hope some of you find some of this of an interest
____________________
I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[harscot]

coincidense or what! I met the very same gents at my local fuel station ( Kinlochewe ) they were heading to Gairloch for the night before carring on south,
____________________
First bike R reg Suzuki 125 GT twin in 1978:
2nd bike X reg Honda 650 Deauville in 2011:
Wish bike a Triumph Thunderbird: Dream bike Triumph Rocket........

[Skudd]

All these people going to Scotlandshire this year when I'm not.............. Bugger.
____________________
Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[motoman]

good stuff , I'm heading to Kilchoan this weekend for a couple days camping (bike rally). done this road a couple of times and yet to see it dry!!
you could of got ferry from oban to mull then ride to Tobermory and get ferry to Kilchoan then just down that road once.
i like single track roads.

[iMark]

[pepperami]

[quote="iMark]

A75 into Dumfries? You must be mad

Nobody can drive around Dumfries.. that road is accident prone, always something about it in the local newspaper [/quote]

I came out the the other side all in one piece
____________________
I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[iMark]

Good to know

Hope the wind wasn't too bad can get some serious gusts of wind in parts of the A75
____________________
K8 GSXR 1000
"G" : you got him to have a look at a forum which seems to have established a picture of an erect penis in a cat's mouth as it's mascot and thought he might consider it ok?