After our taste of Scotland in 2010 we were keen to return and explore some more. In 2013 we started the trip with the very scenic train journey from Glasgow to Mallaig where we then crossed by ferry to Skye. From Skye we crossed to Harris to ride the road on the West coast that we missed in 2010 then back round onto The Golden Road (probably our favourite road ridden anywhere so far) and over the hills to Lewis.
Riding via Great Berneray and the impressive standing stones at Callanish we then headed to Stornoway to catch the ferry back to Ullapool on the mainland. From here we rode up the West coast to catch the ferry across to Cape Wrath (highly recommended!) then back along the North Coast to catch the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness on Orkney.
We had a few days exploring the Neolithic sites on Orkney and some walking on Hoy before taking the ferry from Kirkwall to Lerwick on Shetland where we then rode over to Eshaness then up to Yell and Unst for a memorable night camping at the most northerly point in the UK overlooking Muckle Flugga lighthouse in the company of hundreds of puffins.
We returned to the mainland on the longest ferry in UK waters between Lerwick and Aberdeen then a train journey back to Glasgow to collect the car.
Days of Riding: 15
Distance Covered: approx 750 miles
Ferry Journeys: 14
Islands: 10
Scenic train ride from Glasgow to Malaig
Glenfinian Viaduct
The advantage of S&S couplings
Waiting for the ferry, Mallaig
Ferry at Mallaig
Evening dip, Isle of Skye
Isle of Skye
Our own island for the night, Isle of Skye
The Cullins, Isle of Skye
Approaching Harris
Luskentyre, Harris
Spot the tent, Luskentyre, Harris
Evening dip, Luskentyre, Harris
Kirsty with her Kindle, Harris
Sunset at Luskentyre, Harris
Luskentyre, Harris
The Golden Road, Harris
The Golden Road, Harris
Old Mans Beard, Harris
Waiting for the baaas, Harris
Climbing over Harris
Over the hills, Harris into Lewis
Earth Mother, Lewis
Bike parking at Bosta, Isle of Lewis
Beach at Great Berneray, Lewis
Great Bernera, Isle of Lewis
Calanish Standing Stones, Lewis
The standing stones, Calanish, Lewis
Prescriptive playground on Lewis
Black House Village, Garenin, Lewis
Evening swim, Gearranan, Lewis
Gearranan, Lewis
Clifftop view, Gearranan, Lewis
Sunset at Gearranan, Lewis
Pentland Road, Lewis
Filling up at Stornoway, Lewis
Loch Lurgainn
Back on the mainland
Evening dip, Lochinver
Inverkircraig
Inverkircraig
Who ya gonna call?
Asynt coastline
25% hill on road from Drumbeg
Kylesku Bridge
Waiting for the ‘ferry’ to Cape Wrath
Ferry ride to Cape Wrath
Rough road to Cape Wrath causes our only puncture
Rough road to Cape Wrath
A foggy arrival at Cape Wrath lighthouse
The Ozone Cafe, Cape Wrath. Open 24hrs a day, 365 days a year.
Sea Fog, Cape Wrath
Clifftop camping, Cape Wrath
Cape Wrath campsite
Camping at Cape Wrath
Clifftop view, Cape Wrath
Fearless sheep, Cape Wrath
Cape Wrath
Cape Wrath
Cape Wrath Lighthouse
Cape Wrath Lighthouse
Cape Wrath
Sunset at Cape Wrath
Sunset at Cape Wrath
Sunset at Cape Wrath
Small Fog Horn, Cape Wrath
Big Fog Horn, Cape Wrath
Sunset at Cape Wrath
Kervaig Beach, Cape Wrath
Rough road from Cape Wrath
Leaving Durness
Lunch at Loch Eribol
Causeway at Tongue
Sand dunes, Far Bay, Betty Hill
Far Bay, in the dunes with the midges
St Johns Head, Hoy
4 tandems on one ferry! Scrabster to Orkney
Standing Stones of Steness, Orkney
Ring of Brodgar, Orkney
The Ring of Brodgar, Orkney
The Ring of Brodgar, Orkney
The Ring of Brodgar
The Ring of Brodgar, Orkney
Skara Brae, Orkney
Neolithic dining room, Skara Brae, Orkney Mainland
Evening dip, Skara Brae, Orkney
Sunset at Skara Brae, Orkney
Cows at a cafe, Birsay, Orkney
St Magnus Chapel, Birsay, Orkney
Twatt, Orkney
Stromness, Orkney
Kirsty’s view on a rainy day on Hoy
Rainy day on Hoy
The Bothy, Hoy
Bothy on Hoy
The Bothy, Hoy
Which way to the Old Man? Hoy
Walking to the Old Man of Hoy
The Old Man of Hoy
The Old Man of Hoy
Rush hour on Hoy, Orkney
Inside the Dwarfie Stone, Hoy
Dwarfie Stone, Hoy
The Italian Chapel, Orkney
The Italian Chapel, Orkney
Churchill barriers, Orkney
Churchill barriers, Orkney
Highland Park Distillery, Kirkwall, Orkney
Tasty Highland Park Whisky (for a price), Kirkwall, Orkney
Waiting for the ferry from Kirkwall to Lerwick
Shetland public toilet
Volcanic coastline, Eshaness, Shetland
Drinking Horse, Eshaness, Shetland
Lighthouse at Eshaness, Shetland
Volcanic coastline at Eshaness, Shetland
Eshaness, Shetland
Launching Puffin, Eshaness
Eshaness, Shetland
Evening dip, Eshaness, Shetland
Causeay to a Brock, Eshaness, Shetland
Volcanic coastline, Esganess, Shetland
Volcanic coastline, Eshaness, Shetland
Dinner time at Eshaness
Sunset Eshaness, Shetland
The world famous Unst Bus Shelter
The world famous Unst Bust Shelter, Shetland
John Peel Memorial Traffic Island, Unst, Shetland
The most northerly shop in the Uk, Unst, Shetland
Herma Ness, Unst, Shetland
Muckle Flugga, Unst, Shetland
Hermaness, Shetland
Views of Muckle Flugga, Unst, Shetland
Dinner time at Hermaness
Muckle Flugga, Unst, Shetland
Puffins at Herma Ness
Puffins at Hermaness, Unst, Shetland
The most northerly couple in the UK, Muckle Flugga, Unst, Shetland
Puffin photography, Herma Ness
Thousands of birds at Hermaness, Unst, Shetland
Feet wash after boggy trek to Hermaness
Shetland Ponies, Unst, Shetland
The plinky boat!, Unst, Shetland
Foggy day on Yell, Shetland
Off the ferry from Yell, Shetland
Shetland Mainland
Coldest swim of all, Shetland Mainland
Otter busy fishing
Final camp spot, Shetland
Tiny Shetland ponies, Voe Show
Small children on small ponies, Voe show, Shetland
Prize winning chickens, Voe, Shetland Mainland
Kitten at Voe Show, Shetland
Orange Sheep, Voe show, Shetland Mainland
Cake competition at Vow Show, Shetland
Voe Show, Shetland
Leaving Lerwick, Shetland
Back to ‘civilisation’, Aberdeen
Breakfast at Aberdeen station
Aberdeen Station
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Great pictures. I’ve been along most of those roads myself.