Pepperami`s trip up north!

[pepperami]

Well I`m back from my latest little jaunt!
Guess what?.......... it rained EVERY day
This trip was to go to the highest metaled roads in England and Scotland for no other reason than because they are there.
I pre-booked a couple of Youth Hostels for the trip as money is a bit tight, and for £17 a night, it`s not so bad.

Day one was to the Killhope Pass and surrounding areas to see what roads I could find.
Nice new panniers packed and ready to go!
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0331_zps0f0416c8.jpg
I had to tell my cat that she couldn't come along as her bike doesn't have a tax disc?
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0293_zps79ac8cb0.jpg
I started off in Ipswich ->A14 -> A1 to junction 58 ->A68 ->A689 and over the Killhope Pass and on to Langdon Beck youth Hostel for the night.
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I got half way up the A1 and decided to have a break/coffee/sammich
at this venue and the food was good.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0332_zps2bab1037.jpgIt was nice to get out of the rain? and I`d only been on my latest adventure a couple of hours .
I got inside and a voice said "Hello mate", blow me down , one of my former students was also on his way up north and Scotland for a break.
Small world!
Onwards and the next stop was in High Etherly on the A68 I think?
I stopped where I could get a bit of Shelter and have a five minute break.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0337_zps00a8fabb.jpg
In the middle of nowhere and still dickheads leave their crap .
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0341_zpsde3e455b.jpg
onto the A689 and I think that is a road worth a mention.
Once you get past Stanhope, it`s a good road for bikes imho.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0368_zps986561af.jpg.
once I`d finished titting about on the roads, it was time to get to the hostel for food and sleep.
Langdon Beck YHA was clean tidy and friendly
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https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0362_zps0441fa29.jpg
Of course while I was there, I had to make a friend
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0354_zpsdc72f32b.jpg
The view from the room wasn't to bad.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0357_zps4c63728d.jpg
Day two was from Langdon Beck to Braemar in Scotland via the A686->A69-> A68-> through the out-skirts of Edinburgh -> A&M90 -> A93 over the Cairnwell pass and onto Braemar.
First stop was Boswell in the rain!
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0373_zpsd5103b2d.jpg
Crossing the Forth road bridge in the heaving wind and rain was an interesting experience to say the least.
So much rain meant little chance of a good picture.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0376_zps97d1b1d8.jpg
once I was over the Cairnwell Pass it was time to stop for some sammich , savory cheesy yum.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0382_zps328d55cb.jpg

I will post the rest up tomorrow (tired now)

Part two
Still on day two
On my way up to Braemar , I stopped in Perth for a bit of a look around.
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I was in Perth many many years ago and I was not impressed, however this time was a much nicer experience.
I stopped off at the local Quick-fit and borrowed some spanners to re-tighten my chain and give it a bit of lube as all the rain and wet was washing away any lube on the chain.
The fitter there was a good guy and didn't want any money but I gave him a drink anyway.
Whoever you are? thank you ..
Once out of Perth, it was onto the A93, Now I really liked that road and would do it again.
Over the Cairnwell pass and that`s the highest metaled road in Scotland
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0384_zpsa4dac040.jpg
Onto the Hostel.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0400_zpsa6c41ca8.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0399_zpsd96383d7.jpg
A Spartan affair ,but warm and dry.
They didn't have a full house but they still managed to put me in a room/dorm with a strange giggling tramp who never said a word .
However the view from the room made up for any shortcomings.
There was a squirrel feeder and two bird feeders right outside my window.
For the first time in my life , I saw red squirrels that were not in a cage
The pictures not very good , but they are there.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0390_zpsd86b2772.jpg

Day Three Braemar to Penrith/Polley Bridge.
Back down the A93-> back through Perth again -> back across the Forth Road Bridge.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0404_zpsa3a24e41.jpg
Through Edinburgh -> onto the A7 -> A6 into Penrith->Polley Bridge.
I liked the A7 and the A6 , but the usual stuff about getting stuck behind slower traffic applies.
Arrived at my hotel The Sun Inn
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A room of my own and a fat soft bed = RESULT
Not much to see in Polley Bridge unless you are a walker and get off the road.
A decent meal and beer were quaffed

Day four : Polley bridge->back to Ipswich.
The plan being the A66 -> A1 ->A14
This was more of a dash as I had to work in the evening.
The A66 is a great road spoilt by way to much traffic.
The A1 seem to have got better than it used to be.
I made good time on the A1 and was munching up the miles at a fair old lick
No jams or hold ups , and I even got onto the A14 without any troubles.
Even though I was cold, tired, and very wet I was still making good progress .
That was until 19 miles from home and my chain snapped
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0411_zpsb918ce6a.jpg
Sadly I ended up finishing my trip like this
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0416_zps5ab764e2.jpg
1180 miles and the last 19 are done in a van .
The chain destroyed my chain-guard or did my chain-guard stop my bike from further damage?
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0413_zps6723a5cd.jpg

I hope some of you find it of interest.
A couple of picture extra.

https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0372_zps6a901b79.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0389_zps777893d2.jpg
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0388_zpsa58aa7b1.jpg
Polley bridge.
https://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/pepperami_photos/SANY0408_zps0d3d150a.jpg
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[ukdiceman]

Nice trip and write up.

Sorry about the chain, mine gave up 2 miles from home after a trip, and caused much more damage than yours!

Was it a split link chain, and did the link fail?
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FZ6 Fazer

[pepperami]

it was a split link.
I have never had a split link fail on until then?

1000`s and 1000`s and 1000`s of miles and never a problem?
Good job it`s a newish bike or I would of shoved it in the hedge and set it on fire
____________________
I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!