Scotland or South?

[fatpies]

Simply.

Easter = no teaching

1 week off, from Halifax what would be a good route to say go to Scotland and back?

Note hates midges, does not really sight see, camps, does not like cities.
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"It's easy to attack and destroy an act of creation. It's a lot more difficult to perform one"

[chickenstrip]

Mid Wales

Going by your dislikes I take it you DO like riding good roads? So that's my answer.

[ws4936]

[map]

If want Scotland then I'd stick to the left side and try and get above Perth and Pitlochry. Get as far north as you can.

Best quick way up but I once did break the journey with a stay in lake district. Maybe too touristy / busy Easter though.

Fast but not pretty is use the motorways to get there. I'd have thought A65 to A6 (I used to stop off at Rohan shop in Long Preston to look at their clearance outdoorsy clothes). Then A6 (motorway of you wish) up to Carlisle. Then I'd go A74 to miss Glasgow and the traffic going the Loch Lomond route and head for Stirling (Stinkwheel will have better routes - try a search on here). Then either head for Glencoe (Fort William) or Perth and Pitlochry and the highlands. Just my suggestions though.

Highlands will have midges although in April it might still be a tad cold for them. They like anything hot and sweaty and are attracted to black. So that's most motorcyclists in their gear then.

[chickenstrip]

[spnorm]

Scotland without a shadow of a doubt - some of the best biking roads in the World and World class scenery (not that you'll appreciate it by the sound of it )

From Halifax take the A65, A6 and A7 to get above Edinburgh quickly (there are some other great roads). Once you get to Perth take the A93 and A939 to Inverness via Braemar as it's a brilliant ride. Then head out to Ullapool and enjoy the coast road up to Kylesku and back.

Return home via Gairloch, Applecross, Lochcarron and the A87 and A82 to Tyndrum. Head out to Oban, drop down to Lochgilphead on the A839, back up to Inverary before taking the Dunoon - Gourock ferry and A76 to Dumfries

You should just be early enough to miss the midgies. We were up there in April 2011 when it was sunny (!) and warm for the week (22C) without problems. A month later and they'll eat you alive on the West Coast near water.

[chickenstrip]

It's been said before, but I'll reiterate here: For protection against the midgies, use Avon Skin-So-Soft. It doesn't work for everyone, but as far as I can tell, it does for most. Seriously, it's a very effective midgie repellant.

So if you'd really rather do Scotland than Wales (and spnorm is quite right, it IS fantastic there too), I'd have to recommend the old standard if you haven't done it before: A87 from Fort William (more experienced people will tell you there are better places to stop than F.W. itself - they probably know better than me on that one! - although I have used the big campsite there; bit commercial and can get pretty busy, but ok for a night or two) to Kyle of Loch Alsh, and if time permits, onto Skye at least as far as Portree. There's a good cafe/restaurant at Kyleakin just off the roundabout after you cross the Skye bridge, and a chippy there too. Also, a quiet campsite at Shiel Bridge on the way to Kyle of Loch Alsh, behind the petrol station, with the classic view of the 5 sisters of Kintail.

The Applecross road I've heard recommended so many times, that without even doing it myself (yet) it's gotta be worth investigating.
Ol' muggins here did Loch Carron direct across the Applecross peninsular to Torridon (furthest north I had time for), and heard all about the joys of the coast road afterwards Although that's not a bad little mountain road too - like a moonscape; a slower, more technical road than the big A roads, but really feels like the middle of nowhere, considering.

God I love all this talk of touring!

[delsol]

[chickenstrip]

Hot and sweaty, wearing black, or pink with yellow polka dots - it don't matter, they'll have ya! Little fkrs go for your eyes too

I normally arrive at a campsite, dig out the Avon (always keep it handy!) even before I remove lid and gloves, and apply it as I strip off the bike gear - hands, face, neck, hair and anywhere they might get into your clothing - tuck trousers/jeans in, put it well up your arms, even in long sleeves. Re-apply regularly, especially if you do get a bit sweaty, e.g. putting the tent up etc.

Rain won't stop em, only thing that keeps them at bay is a good brisk wind. If you're a smoker, you have a slight advantage, but only slight and you'd have to chain smoke for this to be of any real use. Make sure you seal your tent inner instantly every time you go in and out, or they'll be lying in wait when you get in there. I tend to spray a bit of the Avon around in the tent, especially around the entrances, actually on the material of the inner tent - don't know what this'll do to the materials, and I do it a while before I'm gonna zip myself up in it - anything is better than suffering an attack of the wee beasties!