Roads and Ruins; 3 days riding Scotland.

Just returned from Scotland, with the weak dollar it is around $9.00 per gallon. But worth it. Scenery makes us for high fuel price. Also excellent scotch. Weather can always be iffy, but adds tp romance of the place.

I thoroughly enjoyed the pictures and appreciate the information regarding bike rental in Cupar. I visit family about once a year in Dundee, Milnathort, and Kirkcaldy, and always think about renting a motorcycle instead of a car. Now I'm thinking I could have a cousin pick me up at the airport, go to Dundee and drop off my luggage, then go over to Cupar and rent a bike. It all seems so simple. So, thanks for the great inspiration!

Amazing pictures - with medieval history to boot.....Thanks for the tour

Dang it! I always forget at least one picture.

This is a still from Dallas Dhu



After another huge breakfast, I decided to continue west to wards Ullapol. It was a good choice. After following the river, the road winds it way into the Highlands.

It was cold enough that I had to wipe the frost off the seat in the morning, but it looked like it might be clearish to the west.















The higher I got, the more spectacular it became

Time forced my to turn around before seeing the ocean. I cut the corner to avoid Inverness and went through Clannich to get to Drumnadrochit. Drumnadrochit is the closest town the Castle Urquhart.







The flag you see below flies at many locations in Scotland, and is it's flag. It is sometimes called the Saltire, for the cross that St. Andrew (Scotland's patron saint) was crucified on, as legend has it, sideways. The old golf town of St. Andrews is, of course, named for the saint.





On the way in you find this trebuchet that was built sometime around 2000 for a TV special on siege engines.



The lake you see behind the castle is the famous Loch Ness.





Castle Urquhart is a busy place, it gets buzzed by RAF Tornados at 200 feet off the deck and has piles of people visiting it.



But like any place, if you poke around in the corners and bide your time, you can make the place look deserted and peaceful.





The weather was typically Scottish. Cool and showery one second and sunny the next. By the time I got to the top of the tower the clouds had lowered and it was difficult to get a good picture.









I headed back to Drumnadrochit for food and fuel

My God.... is it on earth ?

Marvelous pisctures, what am atypic ride :eek1

Fantastic pics , so much more vivid than the Scotland I travelled through, the cloud never seemed to get more than 10 feet off the ground.

kill it. KILL IT!!!!

After lunch, I followed Loch Ness south to Speen Bridge. The weather continued to be Scottish, and I had to keep stopping to put on rain gear, then take it off when I started baking in the sun. Scotland can be fickle.





These beasties had to watch me change.



Loch Lochy







Heading to ward the A9









At the junction of the A9. Dhalwhinnie claims to be the highest Scottish distillery.



Even the A9 has some nice views





I returned to Cupar via Perth. Here some of the other rental units available



and a showroom of tasty bikes that we don't get on this side of the Atlantic



Thanks for riding along. I can't say enough good things about my experience in Scotland. It was my first ride off the continent, and the Scots made it easy. Wonderful people, certainly better drivers than North Americans, hospitable, friendly. The country side is amazing, and the sense of history is something that I have not felt anywhere else.

Thank you all so much for the kind comments. I had lots of raw beauty to work with, even though I had to fight rain on the lens and mostly overcast skies.

For those of you whose curiosity has been piqued by my ride, well thank you all the more. That is the best kind of compliment. Now go to Scotland and ride. You won't regret it!


Oh, if you want to see what a real photographer can do with the Scottish country side, check out Frogwell's recent RR threads....

Two Days in North Scotland

and

Redecorating the living room

thanks for the pictures and commentary, the first hand travel log through the eyes of a moto rider is better than the "brochure" could make Scotland out to be, great shots of the roads and country side

My brother just graduated from St. Andrews and I got to go see him a couple times. This past spring I went just before his exams and took a couple of days to drive over to Mull and Iona, and it was about the most beautiful drive I've taken. Maybe next time I'll be able to ride...

I live Scotland! I visited my sister in laws parents there a few years ago and stayed in Fraserburgh. I was just looking through my pictures (prints).

Hey Dwayne,
Great pictures , and glad you picked some of the best roads in Scotland to ride. The west coast is fantastic. How do I know? cos I used to live in Aberdeen also lived in Inverness, Ullapool and Lochinver which is further North. A shame you never got up that far.
Its weird, you go to Scotland , and I come and live in Calgary.
Shame about the weather but at this time of year it's a bit unpredictable. May to Aug is the best time of year to head over there if anyone else is thinking about a trip.
Thanks for making me think of home.

Great pics there.

Many thanks for some great pics from this Scotland groupie.

I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!:huh



The beauty that makes up the world, its a HUGE world and I need to ride it..

Beautiful pics of Scotland.
I read these reports, ANgola, Scotland, Old Structures etc and think My g-d I wish I was retired or independently wealthy...
Its a big world out there....
Thanks for the pics Dwayne...

Very cool trip.

Amazing how North American history seems just a tad too fresh in comparison. I'm ready to go. Thanks for the write up.