Trip Report – West Highlands of Scotland
Just back from a quick camping trip to Gairloch in the NW of Scotland. Will do a report later. Just checking if I can attach photos.
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/64838891@N00/3500629046/sizes/o/)
River Tummel, Perthshire.
Stuart
Disaster posting pic, try again:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3354/3500629046_4d0bf61a41_o.jpg)
Stuart
Well done Stuart,
Would love to see more photo's from your trip. Nice photo and your bike looks good to..
Eric M
i know you have more great pictures... post'em up :good2:
KOokaloo!
Trip to Gairloch, NW Scotland – Part 1
Last weekend I attended the MZ Riders Club Rally at Gairloch, a small village in the NW highlands of Scotland. MZ as in Motorradwerk Zschopau, known for basic two strokes from East Germany & later Rotax and Yamaha powered bikes. This is an active club with meetings and rallies thought the country. Gairloch is about 250 miles from my home in Glasgow and the route into Britain's wilderness area offers some of the best biking roads and scenery this country has – weather permitting (as always in Scotland).
Note that the wide shots were produced using Arcsoft Panorama Maker
35 or so turned up with 20 hardy souls camping. The camp site was just behind the Millcroft Hotel, which provided me with an excellent dinner of scallops washed down with local "An Teallach" ale. For a laugh check out the brewery – Bud it ain't!
http://www.quaffale.org.uk/php/brewery/789 (http://www.quaffale.org.uk/php/brewery/789)
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My route - I went up the west coast route and back by the central route.
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Glencoe
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Glengarry
Stuart
Not sure what went wrong - worked in "preview"
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Glencoe
(http://[url=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3303/3496905743_bc06fc87eb_o.jpg%5Dhttp://farm4.static.flickr.com/3303/3496905743_bc06fc87eb_o.jpg%5B/url%5D)
Glengarry
Stuart
Oops - try again:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3415/3496904023_21eef0af0b_o.jpg)
Glencoe
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3303/3496905743_bc06fc87eb_o.jpg)
Glengarry
Stuart
Trip to Gairloch, NW Scotland – Part 2
I seem to be back on track!
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3635/3505108106_b557f199ee_o.jpg)
Glen Docherty looking towards the village of Kinlochewe and Loch Maree – a fantastic bit of road.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3352/3497728296_1103358576_o.jpg)
My camping set up. The FJ is providing a wind break – Two years ago at this rally there was a storm and a tent was found up a tree!
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3628/3497730518_cc6a29c926_o.jpg)
MZ 250cc MZ Trophy Sport from the early '70's – love the tank badge
Stuart
Trip to Gairloch, NW Scotland – Part 3 (last)
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Gairloch - sands and golf course south of town
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The middle of nowhere – near Achnasheen
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3571/3505106800_94fe40c335_b.jpg)
I had to include this – Scotland's worse named restaurant – at Loch Duich
Stuart
Stuart, thanks for the pictures. You have some beautiful country to ride in and camping along the way is the best way to enjoy yourself on the road.
Thanks on the update....
Eric M
Unbelievably beautiful scenery Stuart. Especially the road "Glen Docherty looking towards the village of Kinlochewe and Loch Maree". You must carry a tripod with you to do the panorama shots? I have been meaning to do some panorama's myself, but never have the tripod with me. I have Adobe Elements 6.0 that will seam the pics together but haven't got around to it yet.. :dash2:
And whats wrong with Jac-o-bite?? has a kinda ring to it ...not?? :sarcastic:
Thanks for the photo's...
Cheers...Jake
Great pictures Stuart, you sure do have some fantasic scenery to ride around and see!
KOokaloo!
Frank
Jake,
Thanks. Glad you liked the photos. I was lucky with the weather – it was very wet & windy either side of my trip. The Glen Docherty road was (the sign says) paid for by the European Union and has a racetrack like surface & alignment. Good old EU! I don't use a tripod I just keep the camera level and allow 30% overlap. Panorama Maker came bundled with a Nikon camera and works well. My experience is that Photoshop Elements doesn't work as well.
The name bad because it is a pun on "Jacobite", followers of Bonnie Prince Charlie, who tried to restore the Catholic Monarchy. The café is on the road to the island of Skye where Charlie fled after defeat at the battle of Culloden in 1746. Highlanders were subsequently persecuted because of their support of the Jacobites.
Stuart
Thanks for the heads up Stuart. I am not a big fan of Elements anyways. I picked it up mostly for the panoramic stuff, but don't really use it. Lightroom does all and more than I need for now.
I took my camera with me on my ride on Sunday, but it never left the tank bag. Actually I never really stopped in 4 hours. I was having too much fun on my first ride of the season. I really need to stop more and record the days adventure. Next time... :yes:
Cheers...Jake
Wow nice pics, Stuart.
How spooky, the UK FJ Owners Club actually organised a trip in Oban this past weekend and stopped off at the Jac-o-bite. In fact the club is up North again at the end of the month for a Dumfries & Galloway weekend so why not check it out - details are on the UK forum if you're interested then check out the link in my signature.
Look forward to seeing more photos.
Quote from: mz_rider on May 05, 2009, 06:13:10 PM
Jake,
The name bad because it is a pun on "Jacobite", followers of Bonnie Prince Charlie, who tried to restore the Catholic Monarchy. The café is on the road to the island of Skye where Charlie fled after defeat at the battle of Culloden in 1746. Highlanders were subsequently persecuted because of their support of the Jacobites.
Stuart
Stuart,
just as a side note , there is a jacobite group here in california u.s.a.
I was lured to a meeting once under the pretense of free beer and darts.
their mission is to free Scotland ,wear skirts,drink beer,talk shit.
I wasn't gonna wear the skirt so I left.
Kerry,
Not a complete coincidence, I know about this place from the FJOC run two years ago. Pity the MZ rally was the same weekend as the FJ meeting. I've not been to an FJOC event for a while and can't make D&G (holidaying in Italy – it's a hard life!), but will I try to get to the Hadrain' s Wall run or the excellent Cotswolds rally.
Stuart