NC on the NC . . . or The Longest Day Run

Steve T

Well-Known Member
Have done a run north for several years on the longest day (if the weather is on my side), always with the intention of watching the sun NOT set. This year, the weather was a bit “Mehh” but I went north anyway, dragging a neighbour along as well - he wants to get a picture of the JOG sign and his bike :motorcycle:.

Having a rough plan of making Durness our destination, we set off at a leisurely pace after lunch.

Brief stop at a bike shop outside Inverness, so’s neighbour could dribble over the latest Yamaha World Rally Tenere, then onto the Gairloch loop.

The view to Loch Maree just before Kinlochewe . . . with some bike spoiling the view of course
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Stopped off for a brew at the side of the loch, which allowed us time to listen to the occasional screamers hooning along and not taking in the scenery.

Loch Ewe hove into view – this picky taken at the spot that over looks the NATO refuelling point
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Neighbour thought we were going to wild camp at this spot over looking Little Gruinard bay
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Chish and fips at Ullapool for us and some E10 for the machines saw us filled up and ready to carry on north . . . after neighbour had gotten over having his supper raided by the thieving gulls. My only condolence to him was that I thought the fish was sh1te.

Here we see neighbour doing a little dance, hoping to invoke the rath of “whatever” on the thieving gulls
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Had to stop for a photo at the bridge – it’s obligatory you know
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Spent a very quiet and damp evening at the camp site in Durness. For info the pubs open but the restaurant isn’t.

Had a giggle at some weegies expense – the instructions for putting up the new tent they’d obtained were obviously not written in weegie. I politely enquired about their camping experience – nil – then mentioned that they might like to fix the fly sheet so that it wasn’t in contact with the inner tent, to save them from the intensifying level of drizzle that was being blown along by ever strengthening winds. Did they listen? Did they feck. By 4am the next morning the flysheet had left the campsite, leaving 3 weegies and a big shaggy dog dripping and shivering in the grey morning light!

Within less than half an hour, they’d dumped what was left of the tent into the bin, stuffed their sodden belongings and themselves into the beemer and buggered orf.

On the road early to avoid the speeding nutters and the camper vaners, a pleasant run east along the top coast road was had in heavy drizzle. Looking across and down Loch Eribol at the weather we were leaving behind . . .
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I dragged the man up to Dunnet Head, seeing as we were already on the road in that direction
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Fantastic view of all sorts of sea birds off of the cliffs at Dunnet head . . . and all observed in the growing brightness that was now filling the sky.

On to JOG so that the man could get the picture he wanted . . .
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And I snuck a picky of my ride at the same time
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Under an ever brightening sky and after a pit stop in Wick, we meandered south via quieter roads than the A9 when the opportunity availed itself, knocking up a brew at the Falls of Shin . . . the visitor café at said location is still not open.

So, a cracking 530 mile ride and I didn’t even get to NOT see the sun set . . . cos it was raining.

Steve T

:cool:
 

Lowflyer

Well-Known Member
JOG -- What a shithole :D Gotta be one of the worst places I've ever worked in, apart from Shetland of course
The best bits are the road in and the road out of JOG
Nice pics of said roads though :thumbsup:
 
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