Sutherland tour pics

[Kirstie]

I was going to post this on Cathryn's thread but decided that it should have one of its own!

We just got back from a week or so riding around the far north of Scotland. It was my other half's first 'proper' tour and my second time touring up there. We even tried an off road section in strath rusdale which worked out really well. We had stunning weather, favourable winds, and all in all a stunning week. We've posted a few pics on flickr - here's the link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrmichaelwright/sets/72157616674880643/

 

[jags]

ah great pic's ,looked to be quiet tough going well done.

 

[Noodley]

Very nice Kirstie.

I'm off there for my annual visit in July, really looking forward to it.

 

[Cathryn]

Some wonderful shots!!! I'm dead jealous now - you had amazing scenery AND sunshine. Should have gone to Scotland instead.

Nice arse, too

 

[HJ]

I was just about to write "show Cathryn what she missed" but she beat me to it...

 

[rualexander]

Excellent photos, looks like a great trip, what camera were you using? Some nice wide angle shots and the 3:2 aspect ratio makes a nice change from the normal digital 4:3.

 

[Dayvo]

Good pics, Kirstie!

I like the random formation of the migrating birds.

 

[HLaB]

Great pics, thank for sharing Kirstie.

 

[Kirstie]

Mike took all of the pictures which is why they feature me and not him - he's a great photographer. The camera is a Nikon D300 (yes, he carried it in a bar bag for 300 miles and it weighs a tonne!) and the lenses were Nikor 18-200VR and a Tokina 11-16 f2.8.

The bird photos we took at Carbisdale Castle - there was wave after wave of massive skeens of migrating geese. We haven't worked out what kind of geese yet.

Glad you liked them!

 

[just jim]

Great pictures. I have the same stove and mug!

 

[Kirstie]

Yay! Let's hear it for the stove and mug! They're titani-yummy...

 

[Crackle]

What's that furry thing on your top tube, did you tour with a caterpillar?

 

[Kirstie]

What's that furry thing on your top tube, did you tour with a caterpillar?

It's a tiny highland cow, which I bought at John o'Groats last year.

 

[snorri]

Looks like a fine tour Kirstie, but did you not know you are supposed to complain bitterly about the midgies in order to discourage hordes of cycle tourists and keep the place quiet for ourselves?

 

[Kirstie]

Looks like a fine tour Kirstie, but did you not know you are supposed to complain bitterly about the midgies in order to discourage hordes of cycle tourists and keep the place quiet for ourselves?

There's no midgies in April though! We nearly didn't go when we saw the forecast, which was for freezing temperatures and snow. It was like that for the first half day, and then it just cleared up into glorious weather. We definitely pulled a fast one weather-wise and have used up some of the weather-karma bank account!

If anyone is interested the route was:
1. Inverness - Tain via black isle, alness and invergordon
2. Tain - Bonar Bridge via Strath rusdale
3. Bonar Bridge - lochinver
4. Lochinvar - Rhiconich via coast road
5. Rhiconich - Carbisdale
6. Carbisdale - Inverness via dingwall and muir of ord