Some nights I just pinch myself – a photo montage

It was just six months ago that I placed an advertisement on the Moto Guzzi Club of Great Britain asking if people would help me buy a Moto Guzzi in the UK to tour the UK and Europe.

Six months later I’m sitting at my campsite at Kunzelsau in southern Germany half way through my tour to Europe.

I pinch myself again.

My last post summarised the tour of the northern mainland of Great Britain.

The European part of the journey started with catching the ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam.

Then to the new TLM premises in Nijmegen, the Netherlands to get a couple of issues I had with the bike sorted out

A quick dash across the German border heading north

To Hirtshals, at the top of the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark a ferry and fishing village and a crossroads for bike travellers

A ferry port for those going to northern Scandinavia

For me I was seeking a taste of Norway

I say a taste because Norway may be revisited. I think Scotland and Norway in one trip was too much high northern latitudes weather for a fellow from the driest of continents.

A dash to Rodby, Denmark thought torrential rain to catch the ferry to Germany

Where it’s warmer and drier.

Yes sometimes I pinch myself to check it’s not a dream.

I’m halfway through this tour and the Alps only 300km south.

Pinch pinch

Touring Northern UK on the mighty Breva II – a picture narrative

Went to England but not London

Went to Scotland but not Edinburgh

Didn’t do Manchester, Liverpool or Leeds

Touring a motorbike is on a different path

With strange admirers along the way

Crossing the Burway on the Welsh/English border

Started in Stoke

Made it to the top

Coast to coast

From Newcastle in the east

To Skye in the west

Past castles grand

And those that bare the scars of Britain’s violent history.

In search of monsters real or legend

In the highlands

And in the low

Went to England and didn’t do London

In Scotland missed Edinburgh

But saw a bit.

Mighty Breva II loaded and ready for the European adventure to come

Inverness and North Scotland

Inverness ancient trading city of the north

Vikings

Pictish

Roman

Scots

Romans

All have influenced this city

Inverness castle looms over the city

Destroyed and rebuilt a number of times

The Hanoverian garrison during the bloody Battle of Culloden that ended the Scottish uprising.

But I thing I was touched the by the Celtic Ray

At Hootananny where the beer and good craic flower

Inverness is the gateway to the very north of Scotland

The start and finish of the touring route the North Coast 500

It takes you the top of the British mainland

Dunnet Head the northern most point of mainland Britain

And the beautiful villages and dramatic coastline and history of North Scotland

Inverness’ Calladonian Canal opened a trading route into the northern highlands

Locks at the start of the Calladonian Canal stepping up to Loch Ness

So my rediscovery of the Celtic Ray stated in the old streets of Inverness.

Skye

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing

Onward the sailors cry

Carry the lad that was born to be king

O’er the see to Skye.

So goes the first verse of the Skye boat song and Skye is inextricably linked to the Bonnie Prince Charlie legend.

Skye is an island of deep fojds and sounds, rugged mountains and quaint villages.

When leaving Stirling I met a Spanish couple on a BMW. Who had said the beauty of Skye bought a tear to their eye.

And it is hard to disagree.

The vistas on each turn of the road surpassing the previous.

And the Scottish weather continued to smile.

Stirling to Skye – a run through the Scottish highlands

The Wallace monument stands tall looking across the Forth River at Stirling Castle.

The Scots watching the English, the English watching the Scots as it has been for centuries.

Back at Berwick upon Tweed tale had told how that city had changed from Scottish to English and then English to Scottish 13 times in 30 years.

Not that either could see much on the damp misty Stirling day.

In the highlands past Dalwhinnie the cloud lifted revealing the green rolling hills and small villages.

Gatehouses that mark the entrance to stately homes.

Still the homes of the clan chieftains.

The lochs opening up bigger and broader as the west coast of Scotland came closer and closer.

With grand castles standing on islets.

Across from Skye is the township of Kyle of Lochalsh.

A working port

End of the train line from Inverness and just o’er the sea from Skye.

In the middle of the working port

On the station at the end of the line.

There is a most beautiful seafood restaurant.

Waterside seafood restaurant on Kyle station

With a choice from delights such as langoustines, monkfish, sea bass

Beautiful day

Beautiful food

Beautiful sunset over the Loch at 11pm

And Skye still to be explored.