NC500 PLUS in 32 days in July/August 2018

Discuss general riding stories and adventures here.
User avatar
Yogi
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 12:49 am
Rides:: Honda C90T
Location: Westerham Kent

NC500 PLUS in 32 days in July/August 2018

Post by Yogi » Tue May 07, 2019 10:39 pm

I would like to share with you some photos I took on my second 32-day solo camping trip to Scotland on my Honda C90T in July 2018.
(My first trip to Scotland in 2017 was also 32 days long. I went to Edinburgh and then as far as Loch Tay from Kent and back. As I am a learner rider, the trip on A and B roads only was 1627 miles long.)

On this occasion (2018) I couriered the bike to Edinburgh from Kent and then went to Inverness to see the Highland games via Stirling, Callander, Glencoe and Fort William. I camped in Glencoe and Drumnadrochit. From Inverness I went to Black Isle (a dolphin-watching boat trip in Cromarty) and did NC500 anti-clockwise. I was attacked in Strathpeffer, so had to relocate for the night to a holiday park in Beauly. Then I camped in Dornoch, Dunbeath, where someone took dislike to my Poppy; Melvich, where I attended a beach wedding; and Durness, where I survived a huge storm as well as went on a boat in the Smoo Cave. In Bettyhill I visited an Anglo-Nubian goat farm. I included the Assynt loop in my trip; this was where I came off the bike (and crashed on the rocks with my fully loaded Poppy on top of me) while trying to avoid a head-on collision on a single-file road. Two English and two German guys took half an hour to get poor Poppy back on the road. I revved up to a standing ovation from tourists trapped in ten car traffic jam. I camped in Achmelvich, Ardmair, Big Sands and Torridon. Having conquered the Applecross Pass I went to Plockton on a seal-watching expedition; then to Dornie (porpoise watching), where I stayed for a few nights. I made several day trips, one of them to the Isle of Skye. I got there in style via the stunning Ratagan Pass and then from Glenelg (white-tailed eagles and seal-watching trip) by ferry which is the only working turn-table ferry in Scotland. I returned to Inverness via Achnasheen and Garve.
Again, I went to Fort William from Inverness and then I popped in to Cairngorms National Park and stayed overnight in Rothiemurchus Forest (wild camping). I visited Blair Castle in Blair Athol, where I camped for 3 nights; some wonderful distilleries, where the nectar comes from, and then decided to pop in to the Trossachs for a few days. I got there via Aviemore, Pitlochry, Aberfeldy and Killin. The idea was to see Loch Lomond again and ride up and down Dukes Pass. I stayed in Callander and returned to Edinburgh via Stirling. Poppy went home by courier and I took the train from Edinburgh Waverley to London Kings Cross.
My trip lasted 32 days. I did 1596 miles. The cost of fuel was £93.73p.
The bike was fitted with TomTom Rider 450, LED lights and a double USB port. I had one 55 litres roll bag, 2 small sports Oxford panniers and a small basket at the front. I carried 2 litres of spare fuel, oil, inner tubes, first aid kit, an electric hook up, a stove and cook set, a table and chair, Banshee 200 tent and tarp, emergency food rations and water. All equipment was ‘super light, extra light, aero light’, three stone in total plus tools.
The bike needed no repairs during the trip. Sorry, this is not quite true. I had every conceivable tool in my tool box (top box) except for a big hammer which I had to borrow to straighten the foot pegs as the bike fell in the wind on several occasions.
Well, that is about it. I hope you will enjoy the photos!

https://client.karolinakrasuska.com/gue ... and2019%2F

User avatar
ally
Posts: 706
Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2013 4:51 pm
Rides:: forza 300 v90, v75a, c90-g, fj1200, CG125ES, cb250, ybr250
Location: lincoln
Contact:

Re: NC500 PLUS in 32 days in July/August 2018

Post by ally » Tue May 07, 2019 11:09 pm

cracking trip, spent many a happy time camping with the kids in glencoe, the west coast of scotland is a favourite of mine

it's on my to-do list on the bike

:)

User avatar
knapdog
Posts: 5335
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:51 pm
Rides:: '96 C90, '83 C90C, '98 Honda Valkyrie
Location: Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

Re: NC500 PLUS in 32 days in July/August 2018

Post by knapdog » Wed May 08, 2019 6:31 am

Very well done. Thank you for sharing that with us. Loved the photos. That was a hell of a trip and you packed so much in, in a month. You should write up your account and forward it to Ride magazine, with photos, for publication.
Once again the Honda Cub excels on an "expedition" and with just £93 spent on fuel. Brilliant.

User avatar
knapdog
Posts: 5335
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:51 pm
Rides:: '96 C90, '83 C90C, '98 Honda Valkyrie
Location: Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

Re: NC500 PLUS in 32 days in July/August 2018

Post by knapdog » Wed May 08, 2019 11:23 am

Ah so! All apparent, cap'n. :D

125erCrazy
Posts: 1613
Joined: Sat Nov 16, 2013 2:19 pm
Rides:: C125 Super Cub/Address 110
Location: Essex/Suffolk border

Re: NC500 PLUS in 32 days in July/August 2018

Post by 125erCrazy » Wed May 08, 2019 11:38 am

outstanding red team outstanding, getcha a case of beers for that one 8-)

Earnest Thrasher
Posts: 340
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 7:33 pm
Rides:: Honda Super Cub C125

Re: NC500 PLUS in 32 days in July/August 2018

Post by Earnest Thrasher » Wed May 08, 2019 6:05 pm

Great stuff. Sorry to hear you had some bad luck. I'm off up there soon. Anyone else doing the trip, two roads worth travelling if you have the time.

Laxford Bridge to Lairg, A838. And further south; Carrbridge to Nairn, B9007. Both superb in the sun.

If you're travelling up from the south, an alternative route to the West coast is Perth > Glenshee > Braemar> The Lecht > Grantown on Spey > Carrbridge > Nairn > inverness. North of Inverness you can stay clear of the A9 by going via Beauly and Dingwall, and keep to the back roads. It's all on the map anyway. Perth to Wick in a day going that way with an early start isn't too bad. (In the sun :D )

User avatar
knapdog
Posts: 5335
Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2012 12:51 pm
Rides:: '96 C90, '83 C90C, '98 Honda Valkyrie
Location: Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

Re: NC500 PLUS in 32 days in July/August 2018

Post by knapdog » Wed May 08, 2019 6:46 pm

And if you're ever in Bonar Bridge then you must stay in Kyle House .
Fbulous place withoak panelling everywhere like something out of Dr Finlay's Casebook.
Wonderful welcome and fantastic breakfast.
Twas our first stop after John O'Groats via Bettyhill then due south.
Saw the salmon leaping at The Falls of Shin.

User avatar
Yogi
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 12:49 am
Rides:: Honda C90T
Location: Westerham Kent

Re: NC500 PLUS in 32 days in July/August 2018

Post by Yogi » Wed May 08, 2019 7:44 pm

knapdog wrote:
Wed May 08, 2019 6:31 am
Very well done. Thank you for sharing that with us. Loved the photos. That was a hell of a trip and you packed so much in, in a month. You should write up your account and forward it to Ride magazine, with photos, for publication.
Once again the Honda Cub excels on an "expedition" and with just £93 spent on fuel. Brilliant.
I am glad you liked my pix. It was a long trip, but not too exhausting, because once I pitched my tent I stayed there for two or three nights and did 'day trips' without my camping gear. It saved me lots of heavy lifting, too.
Incidently, I started writing about my adventures so as to share them with everyone on our site; I am not anywhere near finishing it yet although I have 20,000 words so far. As I mentioned, I did two trips to Scotland of 32 days, so there is a lot to write about. I might put it in sections on here.
I wanted to start with the first trip, from Kent to Kenmore, but I am still trying to reconstruct the route. It was a 'Let's get lost in the UK' saga. No proper satnav, no route planned beyond Bicester and no sun rays beaming on my back to guide me north. Got lost so many times that it took me eleven days to Edinburgh. But I will write about it another time and give you a link to my 2017 gallery. :)

User avatar
Yogi
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 12:49 am
Rides:: Honda C90T
Location: Westerham Kent

Re: NC500 PLUS in 32 days in July/August 2018

Post by Yogi » Wed May 08, 2019 8:22 pm

ally wrote:
Tue May 07, 2019 11:09 pm
cracking trip, spent many a happy time camping with the kids in glencoe, the west coast of scotland is a favourite of mine

it's on my to-do list on the bike

:)
Thanks, ally, it was unforgettable to say the least. I met many guys on touring BMWs who said they had always wanted to do this trip on a C90. Lots of people who were travelling by car also said that a bike trip in the Highlands had been on their bucket list for a long time.
What bike do you want to do it on?

User avatar
Yogi
Posts: 46
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 12:49 am
Rides:: Honda C90T
Location: Westerham Kent

Re: NC500 PLUS in 32 days in July/August 2018

Post by Yogi » Wed May 08, 2019 8:39 pm

knapdog wrote:
Wed May 08, 2019 6:46 pm
And if you're ever in Bonar Bridge then you must stay in Kyle House .
Fbulous place withoak panelling everywhere like something out of Dr Finlay's Casebook.
Wonderful welcome and fantastic breakfast.
Twas our first stop after John O'Groats via Bettyhill then due south.
Saw the salmon leaping at The Falls of Shin.
Wow, have you got any photos from there? I am afraid I gave Bonar Bridge a miss and went to Cromarty instead. I wish I had enough energy to go up there on my way back. Never mind, next year the salmon will still be there.

Post Reply