Scotland 2002

We always get to Scotland, at least once a year. For us both it is such a break from work and the grind of life. The roads are few, but they are great fun, and the scenery is breath taking.

For years now we have been staying with Duncan and Mairie at their lovely guesthouse, The Sheilings, in Ullapool, North West Scotland.

They have a lodge house that you can keep your bike in and even a drying room, for that wet gear. A lovely large lounge, with a beautiful view over Loch Broom.

It is a great base to explore Scotland and the Western Isles, Kathy loves to visit The Smokehouse, in Achiltibuie, for it's famous smoke salmon

There is The Isle of Skye, with it's remote charm and laid back style, they call it "Skye Time" on the island, things just go slower, and more relaxed. The normal way to get there now, is over the Skye Bridge, which from Tuesday 21 December 2004 is now a free bridge. Yes no more tolls, the Scottish Executive has stumped up £27 million to buy the bridge from it's private owners, an American Bank.

We take the Skye Ferry whenever we can, to get there you turn off the A85 at Shiel Bridge and head for Glenelg, and just follow the signs for the ferry, if I remember right it is £ 1.80 day return, and you are putting your money into a local mans hand. Go to there website and you will get an idea of the things you are missing by taking the bridge.

Skye is a great place to visit, there are always lots of bikes touring the Isle. Very popular with German bikers, I know a lot of them come over here the week before the TT Races on the Isle of Man. So they get two weeks of biking nirvana (perfect bliss attained by extinction of personality)

On the Isle of Skye, near the village of Carbost, on the west coast, you will find the Talisker distillery. It is now the only distillery on the Isle of Skye, and takes its name from a farm some miles away

It was started in 1843 by Hugh and Kenneth MacAskill from Eigg. Hugh was a tenant farmer, and acquired the lease of Talisker House and estate of Macleod of Macleod. You can enjoy a visit there and have a lovely picnic on the shores of Loch Harport, and have a wee dram.

Skye's skyline is dominated by the Black Cullin Hills, which attract a large number of climbers most of the year around. We have rode up toward them but some of the tracks are more for the GS'ers out there.

A few words on our trips to Scotland

Kylesku