Where did I eat last night???

[AndyT]

I was planning a quick 3 day trip around the North Coast of Scotland but unfortunately my sons Grandmother who was fighting pancreatic cancer passed away on Thursday night the evening I got back from offshore. With family comitments I informed my mates that I wouldn't be joining them but however once the undertakers had been and the funeral was arranged my son just wanted to spend time with his cousins and everyone urged me to try and find the other guys for at least one night.

I set of on Saturday after lunch with the family and the weather was absolutely roasting so I thought it perfect occasion to try out my new Heine Gerrick Summer jacket I recon it was 25 miles before the first rain however it didn't last so i couldn't be bothered to put on my waterproofs. The run from Banchory over to Inverness was fantastic with little traffic on the roads and just myself so I didn't need to worry about the pace. I had planned to meet the guys near this Castle(who knows where it is), which wasn't too far away from where the B&B was. I hadn't managed to cancel my hotel for the first night in Ullapool which didn't matter as when they all turned up they had no record of the booking and sent them on their way I'll find the name of the hotel and suggest you all give it a wide berth. They couldn't get any accomodation in Ullapool as the Loopallu festival was on (hence why I recon the hotel over booked - tw@ts).

Anyway I had no phone reception and had to drive round the town where our digs were until I found them. I parked my bike outside this Fish Resteraunt (read Chipper) and they spotted me. Its a superb place and highly recomended but where is it your second question. The portions are huge with a fish supper consisting of 2 large pieces of fresh Haddock. The chips come separate as you can't get them all on the plate. This restaraunt used to be run by a transvestite who was very good friends with Barbara Cartland and the last time I was there it was all Pink and Chrome You weren't allowed to eat anything and just in case you thought would this guy was watching over you

 

[AndyT]

Anyway, the digs were down by the harbour and were fantastic. It is called the Cutoms House B&B and I can't recomend it enough. Its run by an old lady who still has the first car she ever bought an old Wolsey. Its like a B&B should be with lots of tacky things in all the rooms, 50 coat hangers in the wardrobe for an overnight stay and 200 bars of part used soap in the bathroom hiding amongst 25 bottles of shampoo...brilliant stuff. Breakfast was top notch too. I shared a table at breakfast with a retired chap who worked on that particle accelerator thing underground in Switzerland and had a most enjoyable natter over a full Scottish and toast

ANyway one of my mates who I go away with every year (and is loaded) always seems to turn up with bald tyres and this trip was no exception, in fact he surpassed himeself. It ws only one of the other lads following him that noticed a "flashing" coming from his tyre as if he had ridden over some white paint but when they stopped found it was down to the wires Up until that point he had been hard over at over a ton regularly. YOu wouldn't think he's a pensioner

We had to get a call out on Sunday morning to fit new tyres and Invergordon Tyres ticked that box. Again highly recomended. They said they would be there at 1000hrs and at 1001hrs they arrived and fitted a new rear tyre. Thats what I call service.

We had a cracking ride back down to INverness via Black Rock Gorge which is the eastern end of a fault line which cuts scotland in half and runs from Ullapool on the West. Very impressive in the flesh. We went for a spot of Dolphin watching at Fortrose and this little baby caught my eye, at least a couple of million pounds I recon. Someone said it was Ambramovichs but I don't think its big enough. The helicopter had been and gone and the large white speedboat at the stern (about 40 foot in itself) is one of the tenders Check out the yacht strapped on the deck for when they want to do a spot of sailing....Anyone know who it belongs to

Anyway, no dolphins out today so off to Dingwall to fill up and back home via the lecht. We had a stop for coffee in Tomintoul and I couldn't believe how many different whishys were on display. Apparently he has over 500 different types in stock and there was a try before you buy option too... As I was riding I stuck to coffee. An excellent fast ride home before slowing down for the obligitory speed cameras on the A93 between BAllater and Aboyne. Even though I could only make one night I really enjoyed myself and will do the round the top ride another day.

Have Fun

AndyT

 

[Scottishbmwbiker]

Nice place helmsdale. We where down that way must have just missed you "yellow gs" Try Gilberts for food too opposite La Mirage up the street a bit

Dunrobin looks quiet too lol

 

[AndyT]

Nice place helmsdale. We where down that way must have just missed you "yellow gs" Try Gilberts for food too opposite La Mirage up the street a bit

Dunrobin looks quiet too lol

You win any prize from the top shelf young sir!! Gilberts did look nice but was fully booked. Dunrobin was chock-a-block.......................with midgies

 

[columbus]

Abramovich new toy is here

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...ga-yachtski-The-worlds-biggest-submarine.html

 

[Big Si]

Anyway, the digs were down by the harbour and were fantastic. It is called the Cutoms House B&B and I can't recomend it enough. Its run by an old lady who still has the first car she ever bought an old Wolsey. Its like a B&B should be with lots of tacky things in all the rooms, 50 coat hangers in the wardrobe for an overnight stay and 200 bars of part used soap in the bathroom hiding amongst 25 bottles of shampoo...brilliant stuff. Breakfast was top notch too. I shared a table at breakfast with a retired chap who worked on that particle accelerator thing underground in Switzerland and had a most enjoyable natter over a full Scottish and toast

ANyway one of my mates who I go away with every year (and is loaded) always seems to turn up with bald tyres and this trip was no exception, in fact he surpassed himeself. It ws only one of the other lads following him that noticed a "flashing" coming from his tyre as if he had ridden over some white paint but when they stopped found it was down to the wires Up until that point he had been hard over at over a ton regularly. YOu wouldn't think he's a pensioner

We had to get a call out on Sunday morning to fit new tyres and Invergordon Tyres ticked that box. Again highly recomended. They said they would be there at 1000hrs and at 1001hrs they arrived and fitted a new rear tyre. Thats what I call service.

We had a cracking ride back down to INverness via Black Rock Gorge which is the eastern end of a fault line which cuts scotland in half and runs from Ullapool on the West. Very impressive in the flesh. We went for a spot of Dolphin watching at Fortrose and this little baby caught my eye, at least a couple of million pounds I recon. Someone said it was Ambramovichs but I don't think its big enough. The helicopter had been and gone and the large white speedboat at the stern (about 40 foot in itself) is one of the tenders Check out the yacht strapped on the deck for when they want to do a spot of sailing....Anyone know who it belongs to

Anyway, no dolphins out today so off to Dingwall to fill up and back home via the lecht. We had a stop for coffee in Tomintoul and I couldn't believe how many different whishys were on display. Apparently he has over 500 different types in stock and there was a try before you buy option too... As I was riding I stuck to coffee. An excellent fast ride home before slowing down for the obligitory speed cameras on the A93 between BAllater and Aboyne. Even though I could only make one night I really enjoyed myself and will do the round the top ride another day.

Have Fun

AndyT

Did they have any Jamesons??!! I like Jamesons, me!!

 

[Klanky]

You shoulda said you was up this way, i'd have made the effort to avoid....sorry...meet up.

Yup, the 'Special' portions in La Mirage are epic, I'd recommend it to anyone travelling up here

Romans' jolly boat has been loafing around up here for a day or so now. The general opinion is that he went over to the Orkney Show on the pish in the beer tent....or went on the pish with HRH (no, not that one) Charles at Mey Castle.

 

[skyenet]

We went for a spot of Dolphin watching at Fortrose and this little baby caught my eye, at least a couple of million pounds I recon. Someone said it was Ambramovichs but I don't think its big enough. The helicopter had been and gone and the large white speedboat at the stern (about 40 foot in itself) is one of the tenders Check out the yacht strapped on the deck for when they want to do a spot of sailing....Anyone know who it belongs to

Its the Le Grande Blue, one of Abramovich's previous yachts.

http://yachts.monacoeye.com/files/legrandbleu.php

 

[AndyT]

Thats the very beast, the dory was blasting up and down as well - very nice if you can afford it.


Right now back to the Ullapool Hotel that let everyone down, its the Glenfield Hotel and the guys say it didn't look up to much (No sour grapes honest)

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...split=1&gl=uk&cid=10228068661620324822&li=lmd

Give it a wide berth