Scotland - the far North and prices

[wessie]

The Moray Firth coast is quite nice. We stayed in a cottage between Inverness and Nairn. We had a sea view and saw the pod of dolphins from the lawn. If this floats your boat, the best time to see them close is when the tide is going out. They push a shoal of fish into the increasingly shallow water and once the fish are in a tight ball, the feeding frenzy begins.

 

[TIJ650]

One of the things I have noticed much different (read worse) lately is the quality and price of food up North. I remember paying £16 for a fish supper at chippy in Ullapool ffs!! You used to be able to go anywhere and get decent steak pie, chips and veggies. No more, many of the good old places are closed and replaced with touristy places that are content to just fuck you once?! lol
Applecross Inn still produces good food though
PS. If there’s 4 or 5 of you, maybe chip in for caravan or lodge somewhere sexy and cook your own grub on bbq

 

[busy builder]

There are over 4000 dolphins around the Moray and Cromarty Firth.

Be careful on single track roads. Last year I pulled into passing lace on my side and the stupid woman driver coming the other way pulled into same passing place as me, I dont know how we missed each other.

 

[glenn2926]

There are over 4000 dolphins around the Moray and Cromarty Firth.

Be careful on single track roads. Last year I pulled into passing lace on my side and the stupid woman driver coming the other way pulled into same passing place as me, I dont know how we missed each other.

I’ve seen quite a few dozy fuckers pull into passing places on the opposite side of the road. Utter knobheads. Very scary as one is riding towards them and they suddenly Veer across the road.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

I agree the riding in Scotland is amazing, plus there’s so much of it. Apart from the rental campervans being a fricking nightmare at belach ne ba/Applecross the roads are quiet compared with England. The cost of the accommodation is one thing but eating out is doubly expensive and not always great. Its only these tourist areas that are so expensive as I often go to Lanark’s for work and pay much less, for hotels and food.

We’re staying at Kelso in April at the ukgser event

Hotel is £92/night b&b for a double room solo

I don’t think that is too expensive

 

[Davey B]

The smelly socks taking the piss. It will come back to bite them

I reckon a good proportion will be little englanders who've headed North to live the good life, post covid...

 

[John Armstrong]

I now stop somewhere like Tain and do day trips away from it. And from Tain you can head easily into the quiet roads eg Altnaharra. And the inland roads are just like the pre NC500 level of business.

 

[Davey B]

Stayed in or near Tain a few times now, lovely small town and as you say, easy access for the entire area.

 

[glenn2926]

I now stop somewhere like Tain and do day trips away from it. And from Tain you can head easily into the quiet roads eg Altnaharra. And the inland roads are just like the pre NC500 level of business.

Aye, they’re typically the roads we ride. The road up past the Crask inn to Altnahara is a great ride. Turning either left or right at the crossroads just North of Altnahara are both great roads too. The road along loch Shin is great too. It’s easy to find still quiet roads up there. We stayed at Thurso in the Premier inn last year and whilst Thurso isn’t the prettiest of towns it was ok for a meal and a few beers. I would use it again.

 

[Davey B]

Aye, they’re typically the roads we ride. The road up past the Crask inn to Altnahara is a great ride. Turning either left or right at the crossroads just North of Altnahara are both great roads too. The road along loch Shin is great too. It’s easy to find still quiet roads up there. We stayed at Thurso in the Premier inn last year and whilst Thurso isn’t the prettiest of towns it was ok for a meal and a few beers. I would use it again.

Ssshhhh.....all the NC500 bell ends will dip off the proppa route and spoil it....

 

[TIJ650]

Btw, I never been, but heard the fancy lodges in Lochinver are decent.
Maybe worth calling them direct and offering readies instead of AirBNB etc
Worse places to get shitfaced and reasonably close to Ullapool

https://lhlandc.co.uk/

 

[glenn2926]

Ssshhhh.....all the NC500 bell ends will dip off the proppa route and spoil it....

Nah, they’ll have to use a map and that’ll bollocks em.

 

[busy builder]

My wifes grand dad was the Duke of Westminsters Ghillie way back in the 40's and 50's.

A really lovely ride is along Loch Shin, takes you through the Dukes village, Acfary and onto Laxford Bridge where you can head north or south. She was looking for her grandads resting place along there as there are a couple of burial plots along there, but we eventually found him in Scourie, with a reference on the headstone to the Duke.

The Highlands really is a fantastic area, not just for bikes, but also for motorhomes/vans. There are so many beautiful places to stop for the night, countryside or beach, in my view it's difficult to beat, especially on a nice sunny day on your bike.

 

[HGS]

4 of us stopped here for 3 nights last year

https://corrieviewlodges.co.uk/how-to-book

Nice place, nice owners
Good off road parking
Went into Spean 1 night ate at the old station restaurant, good food but very busy 2nd week of September

Great location for days out

Stopped in Dunoon on the way there for 1 night....always like to get a ferry in the trip up north

https://www.parkhoteldunoon.co.uk/

then here on the way home

https://book.caterbook.net/Home/Wid...05/2026&adults=2&children=0&otaConnection=765

Made travelling and from to Spean Bridge a day out rather than a slog, once you get off the motorway at Carlisle

Went home via Northumberland, A7 was a lovely road, and North Yorkshire getting on the M6 at Lancaster for N Wales

 

[ThreeDawg]

Has the law recently changed then?

It’s never been illegal to sleep in a lay-by.

In fact, it is rather a part of its purpose (to rest).

I was really thinking of informal lay-bys. The sort landowners put massive rocks in to prevent campervans from parking in.

 

[boatman]

Been up there Many Many times , as my business often needed me to be up in the North West .
Also used to just wander the north west on my bike and come the end of the day find a modest hotel for not a fortune . Those days are GONE , supply and demand has made it stupidly expensive now !
I still wander with my bike ,,, but now Always Camp ,, or we have a wander up in the Motorhome ,, finding hotels / BB at random is going to be very difficult .

 

[John Armstrong]

Stayed in or near Tain a few times now, lovely small town and as you say, easy access for the entire area.

And if the weather is pants, there's the Glenmorangie distillery on the edge of the town

 

[Micky]

We’re staying at Kelso in April at the ukgser event

Hotel is £92/night b&b for a double room solo

I don’t think that is too expensive

Hope to be there in the CamperVan JB

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Hope to be there in the CamperVan JB

Hope you do, always good to meet up

 

[HxH]

Sometimes when in a group 4+ cheaper to go for an entire cottage as a weekly rent, but have to book early, up this neck of the woods.

Or if you don't mind roughing it slightly, a Youth Hostel, prices vary, but way cheaper, yup, and even oldies like me are welcome, and good fun in the evenings at local pubs with sing a longs.
Scottish Folk Music. Kilts Optional.