The West Coast of Scotland Trip 2017. Dates booked.

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

What a truly fantastic day.

Glorious sunshine reigned supreme.

Started our day before breakfast and got in at 10.15pm.

I was woken by a text at silly o clock....do you want to go for a walk.

Had breakfast and then set of for the north of the island. 

We took the hotel owners son with us and he had a brilliant time and he said that he loved every minute.

Went to Staffin to look at the cliff waterfall and the dinosaur footprints.

Then it was over to the Quariaing via the Old Man of Store and the views where magnificent.

Then had a great explore at the Fairy Glenn and this is a wonderful place where all the fairies and the King of the Elves live.

Because of the hot weather we where going to go to the Fairy Pools but decided to head for the Skye Ferry and Eilean Donan Castle.

The Ferry was closed again due to repairs so it was over the Skye Bridge to the castle.

After there we ended up in a pub where we had tea and listened to three chaps, just sat at a table playing two fiddles and a guitar.

There has been so much happen today and we have had so many laughs, I just don't have the time to write it all.

I am with a great group of people and the places we go, the things we do together and the banter and the way everyone just helps each other.....I wish I could tell you all how great it has been today.

Tomorrow we have a long drive as going to Durness via Applecross and Ullapool.

Pictures will follow when I get a better internet connection.

 

[Ali and Gail]

37 minutes ago, Geoffrey (Buttercup) - North Yorkshire AO said:

What a truly fantastic day.

Glorious sunshine reigned supreme.

Sorted our day before breakfast and got in at 10.15pm.

I was woken by a text at silly o clock....do you want to go for a walk.

Had breakfast and then set of for the north of the island. 

We took the hotel owners son with us and he had a brilliant time and he said that he loved every minute.

Went to Staffin to look at the cliff waterfall and the dinosaur footprints.

Then it was over to the Quariaing via the Old Man of Store and the views where magnificent.

Then had a great explore at the Fairy Glenn and this is a wonderful place where all the fairies and the King of the Elves live.

Because of the hot weather we where going to go to the Fairy Pools but decided to head for the Skye Ferry and Eilean Donan Castle.

The Ferry was closed again due to repairs so it was over the Skye Bridge to the castle.

After there we ended up in a pub where we had tea and listened to three chaps, just sat at a table playing two fiddles and a guitar.

There has been so much happen today and we have had so many laughs, I just don't have the time to write it all.

I am with a great group of people and the places we go, the things we do together and the banter and the way everyone just helps each other.....I wish I could tell you all how great it has been today.

Tomorrow we have a long drive as going to Durness via Applecross and Durness.

Pictures will follow when I get a better internet connection.

 

What a day indeed, for once I'm speechless.

[Gary Taylor]

I can only echo what's been said and I have to say hats of to Geoffrey for inviting Andrew along his face was a picture and I'm sure this experience will stay with him for a long time , he even rounded the day of by coming with us this evening all with his parents blessings 

a great day out with some fantastic scenery craic and weather, good friends and memories to cherish , some very red faces tonight I drove home in shirt sleeves lovely 

 

[Ali and Gail]

If you see this man do not approach, call the police immediately.

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

Here is a few pictures.

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

And a few more.

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

And a few more.

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

Up in Durness now and we arrived like drowned rats.

We drove through shocking rain for about 70 miles with no roof or doors on.....because we could and we loved every minute.....well we did afterwards when we where talking about it.

We where followed by a car who stopped Gary and she said that she had followed us and was amazed....I will let Gary tell the rest.

We left Skye this morning and met with David and Christina who had driven for two hours to meet with us.

We then all headed over to Applecross and Gail was so happy that she drove the pass and she was like and excited child at the top...she had loved every minute of the drive and it showed.

From here it was upon the coast road to Gairloch.....Bob made friends with a lady who flatly refused to reverse her vehicle to let Bob pass even though it was difficult for Bob to reverse at the time.

I was two feet short of having a motorbike in the cockpit with me.

I drove round a sharp bend and a motorbike was on the wrong side of the road and he was about  20 feet from me heeding straight at me. I hauled all my brakes on and he did the same. He ended up on just the front wheel and he stopped right at the side of me. I looked at him and he said...."sorry" and that was about it. We where both really lucky.

We continued North and said cheerio to David and Christina at Ullapool and unfortunately David left with a missing cycle wing.

Onwards we went to Durness and the rain was heavy and constant....I pulled over at one point and asked everyone if they wanted their roofs on and their reply was...Where loving it...Bang on.....so we did.

Anyway, loads more happened as usual but it takes so long to write but everyone of us is having a fabulous time and we have met some lovely people on our way north and we have so much to do yet.

Starting to get tired a bit on a night also as our days have been full on from morning until night and already thinking about having a few days off to recover from the holiday.

Day around Durness tomorrow and then going onto the Orkney islands.

 

 

[Geoffrey Carter (Buttercup)]

Last lot of pictures for tonight.

[Gary Taylor]

Ok folks carbost on skye to Durness was about 300 miles on some of the best roads you will ever drive on !!!!! Only way to describe today is WOW , we had a glorious days driving and met up with Dave and his daughter making 5 cars for the day even the last hour in the rain didn't stop us Really folks put this trip in your diary for next year

we arrived here in Durness like drowned rats but happy ones if that makes any sort of sense and on checking in a young lady who works for the nc500 asked about the cars as she had been following us through the afternoon and had some pictures she asked if she could use them, She had been amazed that we kept on driving in the rain 

there have been so many great parts to today

[Onliest Smeg David]

3 hours ago, Garyt said:

"Ok folks carbost on skye to Durness was about 300 miles on some of the best roads you will ever drive on !!!!! Only way to describe today is WOW "

Can't wait to get back up there in my Westie again!

They're stunning, and very enjoyable even at a relaxed CamperVan speed as we did last week.

[David-hrv]

Many thanks guys for a brilliant run with you all yesterday. It was great to meet old and new friends and I'm only sorry that I missed out on getting soaking wet with you all on the run between Ullapool and Durness. It didn't rain on our way home after we left you!

A fantastic day all round and we did 330 miles door to door. Even losing my front cycle wing didn't spoil the day. Can't get Sunburst yellow anymore, so it looks like I'm going for black to replace them.

Enjoy the rest of the trip.

David

[Ali and Gail]

9 hours ago, David-hrv said:

Many thanks guys for a brilliant run with you all yesterday. It was great to meet old and new friends and I'm only sorry that I missed out on getting soaking wet with you all on the run between Ullapool and Durness. It didn't rain on our way home after we left you!

A fantastic day all round and we did 330 miles door to door. Even losing my front cycle wing didn't spoil the day. Can't get Sunburst yellow anymore, so it looks like I'm going for black to replace them.

Enjoy the rest of the trip.

David

It's was great to meet you and look forward to meeting you again. Here's a couple of pics for you @David-hrv

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Oh dear, adhesive give way?

[David-hrv]

Yes Dave, adhesive finally gave up the ghost after 19 years. My nice, shiny, unblemished arches are now no more (well one of them anyway) and will have to be bolted on in future. The colour is Sunburst Yellow and Westfield have a 6 week lead time. Rather than repair the one that jumped ship, it might be quicker, cheaper and easier to change both of them for black non-Westfield ones from somewhere else. I can change them both for less than the cost of one from Westfield.

Still, it was a great run and nothing worse happened.

Thanks to Ali for sharing the embarrassing pics.