Recommendations needed for 1 week Scotland tour

[Oren_Hershco]

Hello everyone!

I'm arriving with a friend to Edinburgh on June. We plan to do a one-week tour of Scotland.
We're both experienced riders, though I have more touring heritage than him.

We won't be carrying any camping gear, so we need to end every day in a descent hotel/ hostel.
We'll have road wheels, so off road, rough trails are not considered.
We look for scenic, remote landscapes, obviously.

Any recommendations? Tips?

Is it worth taking a train to Inverness, and cycle North or West from there?

 

[Booyaa]

Work your way up the east coast to get to Cullen. Then get the train from Inverness back to Edinburgh. Plenty of places to stay all the way up the coast.

 

[ScotiaLass]

Work your way up the east coast to get to Cullen. Then get the train from Inverness back to Edinburgh. Plenty of places to stay all the way up the coast.

+1 Not cycled that way but have driven every year for the past 3 years...lovely scenery and lots of places to stay

 

[Brandane]

Another alternative is to head south into the borders, and Dumfries and Galloway area. A lot of minor roads available with very little traffic. Avoid the major trunk routes wherever you go, especially the A9, A1, A75, A8.

Some sites which may be useful:
http://www.cyclingscotland.org/get-cycling/cycle-routes-in-scotland
http://www.sustrans.org.uk/scotland
http://www.cycle-route.com/routes/Scotland-Cycle-Routes-1.html
http://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/activities/cycling/national-routes
http://www.cyclescottishborders.com/

 

[Booyaa]

That was my second choice, head down the way, along the coast probably as it is beautiful and down into border country where the locals are a bit odd but mostly friendly. Especially if you like rugby.

 

[Oren_Hershco]

Work your way up the east coast to get to Cullen. Then get the train from Inverness back to Edinburgh. Plenty of places to stay all the way up the coast.

What about Cairngorms National Park? The route you suggest bypasses it. Isn't it worth a visit?

 

[Booyaa]

It is very beautiful, no doubt about that, I just prefer the coastal areas in the east of the country. You could do a loop and come back through the Cairngorms and there are plenty of great places both on the way out and back to there.

 

[Oren_Hershco]

More questions:
What about weather in this area, in mid June? How much rain should we expect?
What are the temperatures expected?
Are midges a problem in this area?

 

[Ticktockmy]

Take the train to Inverness, then take the Bike bus http://www.inverness-durness-highland-bike-bus.co.uk/ then you have a choice of routes Back to Edinburgh, Some routes are quite remote, with very few B&B or hotels or Hostels, but with some planning you can find accommodation.

 

[KneesUp]

I 'watched' this this morning to remind me to come on and recommend the bike bus - it's on my to-do list.

I'd like to do something like this:

Day 1 - Edinburgh - Inverness (train) Explore Edinburgh/Inverness.
Day 2 - cycle Inverness to Dornoch (c. 50 miles) via Black Isle - mainly coastal
Day 3 - Dornoch - Scourie (c. 70 miles) via Lairg / Loch Shin
Day 4 - Boat trip to Handa Island (wildlife sanctuary) to see puffins and then explore on foot / cycle to Smoo Cave or Durness/Sango Sands (50 miles round trip) depending on weather. Stay second night at Scourie
Day 5 - Scourie - Ullapool via coast (c. 75 miles or 45 if you don't follow the coast) Arrive to catch 18:15 ferry to Isle of Lewis (bikes are free)
Day 6 - Explore Lews/Harris. Catch 14:30 ferry back to Ullapool
Day 7 - Get bike bus back to Inverness

 

[KneesUp]

More questions:
What about weather in this area, in mid June? How much rain should we expect?
What are the temperatures expected?
Are midges a problem in this area?

Rain - anything from none (the first time I went) to 'does it ever stop?' (the second time I went) Sorry I can't offer more help! It should be mild, if not warm - with sea breezes it could feel chilly. I camp normally and when I'm up there I basically live in walking trousers that zip off into shorts. Sometimes I keep them long, some days they are shorts. It's unlikely to be cold, though - just a bit chilly in the morning or if the wind gets up.

Midges love damp - I've rarely been too bothered by them to be honest, and when I have it's mainly in the evening by the tent, but you will be indoors then And once when I stopped to check the map by a pond in the evening and got a car full of the little sods.

That said I haven't cycled in Scotland (yet) so it may be worse on the bike. Avon Skin So Soft is a spray on moisturiser but it keeps midges away. It isn't made as a repellent but you can buy it all over to use as one. I'm not sure of the midges don't like the smell or if it makes your skin too slippery to bite, but it does seem to work.

 

[Oren_Hershco]

Thanks, KneesUP! It looks like a good itinerary - wild and remote.
Ticktockmy suggestion looks attractive as well.

The only problem with not having camping gear - you have to make sure there's a bed waiting for you at the end of the day. We'll try to purchase local uSIM cards for our smartphones, so we can always book the accommodation for the following day. . I assume all cellular network have cover in this remote area, at least next to villages. Is this assumption true?

(I had a weird experience in Yellowstone National Park in the USA, two years ago, where there was no Wi-Fi, no 3G data and not even simple 2G availability for the phone I had. It was like being back in the '90)

 

[ska1903]

I am doing a small solo tour in Scotland in couple of weeks following NCN1. I will also be staying in Hostels and have planned all the stops, Need to get them booked though (tonight hopefully). Got nearly everything sorted and can't wait

My plans are

Day1 - Get train from Perth to Inverness, stay in SYHA first night.
Day2 - Cycle to Cullen and stay in Hostel there.
Day3 - Cycle to Aberdeen, Stay in SYHA.
Day4 - Cycle Home (Dundee).

 

[Rasmus]

The only problem with not having camping gear - you have to make sure there's a bed waiting for you at the end of the day. We'll try to purchase local uSIM cards for our smartphones, so we can always book the accommodation for the following day. . I assume all cellular network have cover in this remote area, at least next to villages. Is this assumption true?

There are a great many places in the highlands and borders with no mobile phone coverage. Mostly OK in villages, but there are exceptions.

My suggestion for your tour: Take 2 weeks instead of just one Failing that, I think you should decide on a region to explore, and not try to cover too big an area. From personal experience, I highly recommend the Mull/Lochaber/Skye area, but you really are spoiled for choice, with great cycling also to be had in the far north, the borders, the north east, the western isles, and the central highlands.

The weather is somewhat impossible to predict. If you are really unlucky, you could go a week without seeing the sun. Yes, even in June. Luckily, Scotland looks great even when covered in clouds.

 

[Oren_Hershco]

'I think you should decide on a region to explore, and not try to cover too big an area' - I absolutely agree. This is why it's so hard to pick one area. By picking one, you give up on the others
I tend to think of this as leaving a taste for more, at the end of the trip.