West Coast 08 tour

[Gizmo]

We're planning our next West Coast tour and have a couple of options, if anyone's got an experience of the roads and distances please let me know, remember we're both on trailie style bikes and don't want to spend from dawn till dusk riding. we tend to do about 250 miles on decent roads, less if its single track/twisty. Ferry times need to be considered as well.

Option 1
Day 1 Penrith to just outside Oban, 232 miles
Day 2 Oban to Portree via Corran ferry, Stronium, Mallaig/Armadale ferry, tour of Skye then into Portree ( option to cut short Skye if weather is bad) 217 miles and 2 ferry crossings.
Day 3 Portree to Tongue via Achnasheen, Ullapool, Kylesku, Scourie 216 miles
Day 4 Tongue to Fort William via Beauly 149 miles
Day 5 Fort William home 230 miles

Option 2
Day 1 Penrith to Tobermory via Oban 263 miles 1 ferry crossing
Day 2 Tobermory to Portree via ferry to Ardanmurchan, Mallaig/Armadale then tour Skye (option to cut short if weather is bad) 182 miles 2 ferry crossings
Day 3 Portree to Ullapool ( option to go round Skye if we didn't do it yesterday) Achnasheen then Wester Ross Coastal or straight to Ullapool 146 miles or 190 miles
Day 4 Ullapool to Fort William via Kylesku, Scourie, Beauly 198 miles, option to go via Wester Ross and Loch Clunie if weather bad
Day 5 Fort William to home 230 miles

Maps route 1

Day 1
http://www.ducati-upnorth.com/images/08tour/day1.jpg

Day 2
http://www.ducati-upnorth.com/images/08tour/day2.jpg

Day 3

http://www.ducati-upnorth.com/images/08tour/day3.jpg

Day 4

http://www.ducati-upnorth.com/images/08tour/day4.jpg

Route 2

Day 1

http://www.ducati-upnorth.com/images/08tour/day11.jpg

Day 2

http://www.ducati-upnorth.com/images/08tour/day21.jpg

Day 3

http://www.ducati-upnorth.com/images/08tour/day31.jpg

Day 3 with Skye

http://www.ducati-upnorth.com/images/08tour/day32.jpg

Day 4

http://www.ducati-upnorth.com/images/08tour/day41.jpg

[pibbow]

Hi Mike come to Arran you know it make sence:D :D

[Derek]

Michael,
When heading north from Ullapool, if you have the time, I suggest you take the road to Lochinver through Inverpolly estate (take the road to Achilitbuie but turn right at the junction after Loch Lurgainn) and from Lochinver the B869 coast road, re-joining the A837 at Newton. This road will take you through some of the best scenery in Scotland and I guarantee you will not regret it.

[ProjectImola004]

All the options look brilliant!! May any DuN members join you on any of your routes, as from past experience, it can be fun? :whistle: :p

[Gizmo]

route now sorted, we'll be heading north on Tuesday, first night at Calgary on Mull, second Portree, Thursday night in Ullapool and Friday Fort William, home Saturday. Got a few ferries to catch and intend to do the Glenelg one leaving Skye.

If anyone wants to meet up next week give us a shout :)

[ProjectImola004]

I think I will come up to Ullapool if you don't mind. You will have to PM me your mobile or something so I can contact you for a rendevous point etc. :)

[Gizmo]

Will do , no idea what time we'll be there really as we plan on doing a loop of Skye then the Glenelg ferry provided weather is OK, if not we'll be taking a more direct route. will PM my mobbie...

[alane]

Nice one Gizmo.
We'll be doing very similar the following weekend and using Shiels Bridge as our base camp.
The Loch Carron restaurant do a cracking beefburger and chips - sounds basic I know but by'eck it's nice.

[ProjectImola004]

..Well I've just got back in from spending a really nice evening in the company of our travelling wilburys in Ullapool. Both looked so chilled they were almost asleep - probably just knackered and were humouring my blethering on and on!!! ;)
It was great to see them and of course they are hating every minute of touring in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland!!!! :)

[dseered]

Nice one Ed, hope the weather has been kind to them !

[Gizmo]

well, back from another wet and windy west coast adventure, i'll write it all up in time but for now I'm trying a new format for my tours, this may work or may not <script type="text/javascript" src="http://triptracker.net/trip/4037/embmap/?w=800&h=620&title=Touring%20the%20West%20Coast%20by%20BMW%2012GS%20and%20650GS">
</script>

if it doesn't try this (http://triptracker.net/trip/4037/) link its a new site I'm using where i can add images with locations and you can download the route and open it in google earth

if you click on the google map it should open a slideshow window as well :thumbs:

apologies for the photo quality, bought a new small compact and it ain't so good in low light plus i need to learn to use it :(

[Gizmo]

woah, even better, you can view the slide show in the post here, just click on one of the underlined locations on the map above !

[Steve748]

That's excellent Mikey:) How:cool:is that! shame the weather wasn't better for you!

[Gizmo]

I'm hoping it makes ie easier for people to plan routes Steve, it might even work for ride outs or events, ride first, drop in photos at junctions so people know what to look for.

I need to learn more about how gps tracks work and have just split the route into days might edit the triptracker tonight if i get time

[Freak]

You can even zoom in and out of the map... excellent