can you do it in three days???

samgeo

Guest
Looking at trying Scotland for a weekend run, is it possible to hit the right spots in just three days, leaving junction 16 M6 Friday around 2pm and off to the bestparts. Help needed here as i dont know what to expect or which way to head. Total novice on this but have Adv and need to put it to the test sooner rather than later especialy as i have a weekend pass from she who must be obeyed. No she ain't coming. :beerjug:
 
Eyup fella,

Welcome aboard :beerjug:

You`ll only scratch the surface of Scotland in a weekend,mate...maybe Dumfries area for the first night...or on towards Fort William ( you`ve GOT to do the road to Mallaig ) and Spean Bridge.

Just remember that however far you go,you need to get back in time,too....

It`s not really enough time,but you`ll defo go back again... :bow
 
I rode from Cambridge to Glenco, then Lochinver, then back over a long weekend.

Flippin long way, no time to do anything except ride all day.
 
stay in the Drovers hotel - A82 north end of Loch Lomond, about 3 or 4 hours from J16 - fri / sat great night open fire, band - then fort william via glencoe, keep going north - over to skye via A87 past eilan donan (?) castle.

all good - depends on weather - i did drovers to jo'groats to swales in a day but the weather was fine. Use the A9 to return south it's much quicker

just heard both glasgow airports closed with snow - pack some thick socks
 
You may get a "flavour" and that will surely get you back there time and time again...

:beerjug:
 
My dad lives in Dallbeatie and I'll ride there on a Friday eveing from StAlbans so from J16 of the M6 you've got a nice head start.

You want to enjoy the roads in the light so I reckon first night Castle Douglas area, the ride up to Ayre and get the ferry north of there forgot the name (dunoon?) then take ride to fort bill for the night.

Find your own way home!
 
If you're just coming up for 3 days I'd recommend a circular route so you don't get stuck down a dead end and end up seeing the same, albeit beautiful scenery twice.
How about heading for Stirling, then up the A84/85/82 to Fort William up the Great Glen to Inverness, cross country to Grantown on Spey (nr Aviemore) then head over the Cock Bridge - Tomintoul road (A939?) over 'the lecht' and back south via Glenshee, Braemar down the A93 to Perth. Thereafter motorway back south.
This route from Stirling around to Perth can be done in one day if you've got the backside for it and you don't keep stopping for photo's!!!!
All the best
Bart
 
For my money, with just three days to play with, head for the Graham Arms Hotel at Longtown (01228 791 213) Biker friendly, safe parking, good food etc. and have a couple of days round Dumfries and Galloway.

Some cracking GS territory up there, ride the coast round to the Isle of Whithorn, Ride the forest road through Clatteringshaw's, or one of my very special all time favourites, but DON'T tell everyone about it...

A6071 Gretna... B721 B725 coast road to Dumfries. A710 New Abbey (Sweethearts Abbey for coffee) Cross country to Crocketford... A712 New Galloway... A702 yipeeee :D Thornhill... lunch in the cafe in the old school just as you go into Moniaive) continue A702 yipeeee :D :D Elvanfoot B7076... B719... A701 yipeee :D to Tweedsmuir turn right small unclassified Talla Reservoir... Megget Reservoir... A708 to the Gordon Arms Hotel, turn right, head south B709 yipeeeeeyoho :D :D to Eskdakemuir (tea and buns in the Tibetan Monastery and back into Longtown :clap :clap

You can spend a week in this neck o' the woods, great roads, no traffic, no police and no cameras... not that you'll be speeding of course :rolleyes:

DO NOT send this route off to the magazines for a tenner, next week it'll be full of bikers, then ambulances, then the police'n cameras!

Tell the Graham Arms (Stuart) I sent ya... enjoy :bounce1

Save the West Highlands of Scotland until you have more time to give them the justice they deserve.... :beerjug:
 
"A701 yipeee to Tweedsmuir turn right small unclassified Talla Reservoir... Megget Reservoir... A708 to the Gordon Arms Hotel, turn right, head south B709 yipeeeeeyoho to Eskdakemuir (tea and buns in the Tibetan Monastery and back into Longtown"

Oi! These routes must be kept secret, you might meet me on them... :D

Terrible place, don't go there.

M ;)
 
Everybody listen to Macfie & me...

Macfie said:
"A701 yipeee to Tweedsmuir turn right small unclassified Talla Reservoir... Megget Reservoir... A708 to the Gordon Arms Hotel, turn right, head south B709 yipeeeeeyoho to Eskdakemuir (tea and buns in the Tibetan Monastery and back into Longtown"

Oi! These routes must be kept secret, you might meet me on them... :D

Terrible place, don't go there.

M ;)
Click to expand...

You're right of course, I apologise most sincerely for even mentioning them.... please forgive me. Don't go there folks, for it's a terrible place indeed, but if you do then keep it quiet and under your hat OK! :beerjug:
 
HOI!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get tae f*** right of ma roads. :dabone

Div ee think av nithing better tae dae than pick you lot up when ee get carried away with the mile efter mile o brilliant roads. ;)

What Micky says will put a smile on your face :D :thumb

Mind and buy yer tea at Miss Ellies at Selkirk.
 
So as not to square your tyres too much and fall asleep with boredom on the M6, you could take the A6 from Preston northwards and, apart from maybe rejoining the M6 to skirt around Carlisle, you can then link onto the A74 for a bit and shoot off in any direction after that. The A6 going over Shap is far preferable to the M6.

You could, time permitting, head out towards Gourock and take the ferry across to Dunoon, up to Crianlarich and then head towards Perth before heading south again at some stage.

Stunning roads, friendly folk and beautiful landscapes.
 
A6 over Shap? ... a good road, but for me...

From middle England get yersen to Skipton by whatever means...

B6265 Grassington, the B6160 to Kettlewell, Buckden turn left over Langstrothdale Chase for a roller coaster of a ride over the tops and down into Hawes (biker cafe) A684 to Sebergh and Kendal (full of loonies on JapCrap on a Sunday, Police too) Kendal towards Windermere but at Ings turn right over unclassified road to Troutbeck on the A592 up and over the Kirkstone Pass, down past Brothers Water, Glenriding and Pooley Bridge, Penrith and head north on the A6 to Plumpton and turn right, B6413 Lazonby to Brampton then the A6071 into Longtown.

Regular haunt of mine... take the Dutch and the Germans, they tell me they're in heaven! But then I think that of course when I'm in Germany :D
 
Micky said:
A6 over Shap? ... a good road, but for me...

From middle England get yersen to Skipton by whatever means...

B6265 Grassington, the B6160 to Kettlewell, Buckden turn left over Langstrothdale Chase for a roller coaster of a ride over the tops and down into Hawes (biker cafe) :D
Click to expand...


Ahh Fleet Moss fantastic............ :D
 
Micky said:
B6265 Grassington, the B6160 to Kettlewell, Buckden turn left over Langstrothdale Chase for a roller coaster of a ride over the tops and down into Hawes (biker cafe) A684 to Sebergh and Kendal (full of loonies on JapCrap on a Sunday, Police too) Kendal towards Windermere but at Ings turn right over unclassified road to Troutbeck on the A592 up and over the Kirkstone Pass, down past Brothers Water, Glenriding and Pooley Bridge, Penrith and head north on the A6 to Plumpton and turn right, B6413 Lazonby to Brampton then the A6071 into Longtown.
Click to expand...

Sounds fantastic - how long does that route take?
 
Davel said:
Sounds fantastic - how long does that route take?
Click to expand...

I take the day to get up there, from SouthYorkshire, stop for coffee, eats at Kettlewell etc. Can easily set off 10am ish and be going through the door at the Graham Arms by 5pm 6pm. quick drink or two, shower then a good evening meal and more drink... good craic with the locals.

The next days ride round Dumfries and Galloway is about 200 miles... never busy even on a bank holiday weekend (The Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District full of course!) A cracking day out. You can easily have two or three days out from Longtown, Northumberland, Kielder Water etc. Isle of Whithorn...

Return by the North Pennines A6071 Brampton, A689 Alston, highest market town in England, cobbled streets an' all. B6277 to Middleton in Teasdale (Coffee) B6276 Brough.. more tea and coffee, sticky bun...south on the A685 Kirby Stephen, turn left to Nateby then either B6259 south to the A684 and back via Hawes again, or at Nateby take the B6270 over Birk Dale (this'll test your suspension, but terrific scenery) Keld, Thwaite and turn right over the Buttertubs to Hawes.

From Hawes you can take the B6255 to the Ribblehead Railway viaduct and on to Ingleton and pick up the M6 if you live in the west, or at Ribblehead turn left on the B6479 to Settle and in from there. If you've still got the time you can turn left off the B6479 at Stainforth and meander round the small lanes around Malham.

Great roads south of the border, and very busy (except the smaller roads) on Sundays and bank holiday weekends, but get a couple of days off in the week and enjoy some of the best roads in Europe, and they're on your doorstep :thumb

Then there's the Trough of Bowland of course......

Enjoy :beerjug:
 
last year i had 2 days off ,so loaded tent,sleeping bag and toothbrush and headed north (from warrington on a 1150gs) set off at 12.00pm m6- lancaster-devils bridge -A6 shap - m6/74 -A82 loch lomond - glen coe -fort bill - inverness then back to fort augustas £4 camping. day 2 fort bill - oban - west coast - dunoon ferry to gurrock - coast to A74 back to m74/6 - carlise - kirksone pass - devils bridge - m6 -home 10.30pm, 940 miles then ripped of my panniers getting bike through my back gate.
but what a ride absolutly fantastic now i want a week there,
did the same a few weeks later but went south through wales devon/cornwall to lands end and back in 2 days it was ok but nothing like scotland.
get it done youll love it.
 
Not saying the routes suggested aren't good, they're all brilliant!!!!
However you've only got 3 days! so make the most and take the whistle stop tour along the roads I suggested. If you've more time then yes take these back road routes because they're all good suggestions. However taking into account the time you've got you'll see more of god's country if you stick to the roads suggested in my first post.
I'm trying to sell the place as I'm on commission you know!!!!!!!!!!!!

These ARE the best roads in Scotalnd (for the visitor) and I should know, I've lived here for 40 years (ish).
Best of luck mate
Bart
 
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