Norton Strontian weekend 7/06/19

We had been looking forward to that time of year again, to strap the tent and associated camping gear to the bikes, for the annual Norton Club gathering at the Sunart campsite in Strontian. The weather forecast was to be heavy rain over the weekend, thankfully we had a good run and it was sunshine all the way and we even got the tent up in the dry.
Unfortunately no rain meant hellish amounts of midges. The Friday night was spent in the local hotel with beers and our tea in like minded company.
The next morning we went for a clear the head walk along to the cafe for tea and pieces, killing some time before going to the pub again. By the time we had walked back to Strontian, the pub was open so we went in for a couple before a visit to the shop, for supplies for our homemade tea. The Saturday night was spent at the campsite bothy, a great night of  good food, beer and more blethering.
On the Sunday morning, the midge hat was a godsend for packing the tent up and loading the bikes.
After saying our goodbyes, and a bit of breakfast, it was time to get on our way.
We had an atmospheric run through Glencoe, read damp and misty, stopping off at a very busy Tyndrum for a tea top up and a change of gloves. The last leg was almost all in sunshine, unfortunately for Gino, Fiona and Alec they encountered some heavy showers on their run home.
 Another great weekend in good company, thanks to those that did all the organising and the Saturday night tea prep.

Filling up the bikes for the journey

On the Corran ferry

Our bikes at rest

Phil's Ducati 

Fiona's 750 Commando

Gino's 850 Commando

Alec's V7 Guzzi

David and Anne's Ducatis

The Big Yam and the Street Triple parked up for the weekend

Friday night beers and good crack

The troops discussing whether or not to head to the pub

Alec re-enacting Ginos Friday night falling over, it was the pot holes fault!!!

5 mountains and 1 big birthday part 7 Summer Isles boat trip 18/05/19

On the last day of our holidays, we went for a walk from Achiltibuie beach to some smaller hills. It was a bit of a dreich day but it was still fine to get out for a couple of hours as we had some time to kill, we had booked an evening boat trip, this time around the Summer Isles aboard the Isabella, piloted by Ian MacLeod.

A couple of old rusty buoys

Some locals

Lesley aboard the Isabella

Heading out into the mist

Shags or Cormorants, feel free to let me know

Lesley at the wheel, watch out for the rocks!!!!

Very misty mountains

Ben More Coigach

5 mountains and 1 big birthday part 6 Stac Pollaidh 17/05/19

Our last mountain day of our holidays was Stac Pollaidh, what it lacks in height or the time that it takes to climb it, certainly makes up for it by the views that you get from the top. I had read lots of reports all saying the same, they were right. A well made path takes you from the carpark around the base, before veering off towards the saddle. After reaching the point where we had intended to stop to take in the views and then head back down, I saw a route up through the rocks towards the eastern end, this meant hands on rock and scrambling up to the plateau, it was worth it for the stunning views over to Suilven, Cul Beag and Cul Mor. Thankfully I had managed to take a few photos up the top because as I was clambering over some rocks on the way down, I dropped the camera, the impact meant the lens and the camera body did not have the close relationship the once had. Thanks to Fuji repair, for a fee, the camera and lens are now the best of friends again.

The jagged outline of Stac Pollaidh

Lesley admiring the view

Lesley on the eastern plateau

Me trying to balance another rock on top of the cairn

Views over to Cul Mor on the left with Cul Beag on the right

The western end, looks pretty fragile

The eastern end where we had been looking equally fragile

Sailing boat in Old Dorney Bay around the coast from the Altandhu campsite

Altandhu campsite

Sunset at Altandhu

5 mountains and 1 big birthday part 5 Achmelvich 16/05/19

On the day of my birthday, on my way back from the showers, I was wished happy birthday by a couple of fellow campers, I had no idea how they knew, that is until I spotted our tent that Lesley had decorated while I was away for my shower, hard to miss the flags, she had even brought cards and birthday cake too, a great start to the day . Our walk for the day was from Achmelvich Beach along the coast to Altan'abradhan Cove. It wasn't the sunniest day of our holidays but it was still good to see the white sandy beaches along the way. We did pass an old ruined meal mill which was built around 1760, with mill wheels still to be seen.

Our tent with birthday flags

The meal mill

Mill stone with the groove for the wooden post still very visible

Me in the cove

Lesley in the cove

Looking out to sea towards Stornoway with three canoeists having just arrived and parked up.

Achmelvich Beach

The view over to the Summer Isles on our way back to the Altandhu campsite

5 mountains and 1 big birthday part 4 Handa Island 15/05/19

We opted for a less strenuous day by taking a boat over to Handa Island, a Scottish Wildlife Trust nature reserve, home to puffins, great skuas and lots of other other birds and wildlife.
The weather was great again making it even more enjoyable. We walked the four miles around the island path, stopping off to see the puffins nesting in the cliffs. Well worth a visit if the weathers fine, be early as the car park fills up quickly.

The boat landing at Handa island

The Handa beach

Arctic Skua

Squawking Skuas 

A puffin

Curious puffin looking at the tourists

Sailing boat

Views over to Quinag

Me on the beach

Lesley on the beach

Loch Assynt

Quinag

5 mountains and 1 big birthday part 3 Quinag 14/05/19

The second big mountain walk of our holidays was Quinag, a range of three separate Corbetts, Spidean Coinich, Sail Ghorm and Sail Gharbh. We made an early start to make the most of the lower temperatures before the sun got higher in the sky. An 8 hour day lay ahead with stunning views all the way around. This was a different adventure compared to Suilven, a succession of climbs and steep descents from the off, hands on rock on the ups and downs. An amazing day, probably the best mountain day yet!

The view of our day lay ahead

Rocky mountain, not good on the ankles but good for the soul

A view over to Suilven, our first amazing days walk

Loch Assynt with Ardvreck Castle on the far left

View to Little Assynt and out towards the Western Isles

Lesley on Spidean Coinich 764m, first of  the three today

Lesley with a view over to Sail Garbh in the distance

Hands on rock

There is a way up there!

Lesley approaching the summit of Sail Ghorm

Summit photo on Sail Ghorm 764m

The very quick way down, would stop hurting when you got to the bottom

View over to the Kylesku Bridge

Pano of the route to and from Sail Ghorm

Photo of us on the summit of Sail Gharbh 808m

Pano of our days walk