Rogue Runners 16 Photo thread.

[DJ.]

I'm posting lots of pictures, so I thought I would start a new thread to save the other one for more comments.

Day 2
Tony and I stop for breakfast on our way to Dumfries in one day. I started just after 4am and met Tony at 5.30.
We put the hoods up in case it rained during breakfast, but put them down after. It poured about mid day so they were then up until we reached the hotel.



This is in the Yorkshire Dales, a very nice road and not much traffic.



Day 3

Bob arrived at Dumfries, and we drove some superb roads through Galloway forest.



Stopped in Largs for an ice cream at Nardinis



During the afternoon, Matt, Linda and I drove in convoy, and stopped for a nice coffee at Tyndrum.



Here are some shots taken looking towards Loch Tulla, just after Bridge of Orchy on the A82.
Very friendly Dutch Harley riders and a couple on a huge trike with massive trailer which had broken its transmission and stranded them.







We arrived at the Clan MacDuff Hotel which had a magnificent view across the loch, if your room was on the other side of the building



Here we are parked up:

[DJ.]

Day 4
Fort William to Ullapool.
I was late leaving this morning as I'd forgotten to remove my pedal lock while checking tyre pressures...
As I drove through the town with a little drizzle, everyone else stopped for fuel, I didn't need to so carried on assuming they'd soon catch up. Great roads, not much traffic, and the rain stopped after a few minutes

I stopped for a photo by a bridge on the A87 heading towards the Kyle of Lochalsh:



As I was stationary, Tony and Henry belted past, so I jumped in to see if I could catch them.
As we pulled into a petrol station, 3 enormous wind turbine blades came past with a police escort, we were glad we didn't get caught up with them.............the others did unfortunately
We stopped for a photo opportunity just past Castle Eileen Donan:







Next we carried on to the Applecross pass, it was dry but the top was shrouded in cloud.







Coming down the other side, I was held up by three 20mph motorcyclists. Henry and Tony kindly waited for me.







We had a lunch stop at a great little bar at Shieldaig:





We had a couple of heavy showers to get through between there and Ullapool, but not bad enough to stop and put the hoods up

[DJ.]

Day 5

Ullapool to Inverness via John O'Groats. A long day today with about half on single track roads, the sun was shining and we'd chosen to go the right way as there were hoards of mobile homes coming anti-clockwise.

Here are some photos of Ullapool and the Harbour Lights Hotel:









The roads from Ullapool to Kylesku are fantastic, and there is a good viewing point near the bridge.
Here Matt comes towards us:



And here are some shots near the bridge:





And a group photo, I used a photo editor to graft myself in at Henry's suggestion, but if you look closely, I have Henry's shadow



Tony recommended a coffee shop so we stopped there:



Here's the quickest Golf diesel in the Highlands:



Here are some photos taken on the way to John O'Groats:

















And here is Tony in front of the sign:



It was then quite a long run back to Inverness (last time I was there in the Seven, we left at the same time and were heading to Edinburgh on Legend 2 I must have been mad!) and the A9 isn't a patch on the other roads, but is good fun until the last 20 minutes to Inverness at which point it started raining. Graham and I put our hoods up in the nick of time, as it was quite heavy by the time we arrived in the Inverness rush hour.

[Martin S]

Great right up Duncan...stunning photos mate....despite the rain it sounds like you guys /girls had a great time....martin

[kirmodawn1]

Great pics and write up Duncan.

Bob

[locost220]

Great photos and write up Duncan, glad it went reasonably well.
Rich.

[DJ.]

Day 6

The weather turned overnight, so there aren't many more pictures!

I had decided to make a detour to take in the Dukes Pass that I missed last year.
Graham, Tony, Roger and Henry headed off to do the normal route, and I waited in the car for Matt to come out. The wind was from behind and blowing rain in the back of my hood, so I moved the car and guess what the wind changed So I headed off and ended up coming out in front of Roger not long after passing Culloden.

We continued over flooded roads in wind and rain until having just caught the others they stopped for coffee. I carried on through Braemar and Glenshee to a petrol stop at Pitlochry. The wind and rain had eased considerably, so I started enjoying pushing the car on much less flooded roads and really enjoyed the A827 past Loch Tay where I took this picture while drinking my flask of coffee:



By the time I reached Callander it wasn't raining and the roads were nearly dry. I liked the A81 to Aberfoyle, and stopped at Liz MacGregor's for an excellent chocolate cake and tea. My daughters love the cakes there! I had a clear dry run along the Dukes Pass which made all the effort worthwhile and then headed east to Dundee.

Day 7

Oh dear no photos........however some of the roads were great particularly just before Peebles, and having left late Matt and I caught the early group at Selkirk for petrol and coffee. Hoods down in the afternoon was a mixed blessing as it meant we could smell more of the deisel smoke coming from Tony's car

Day 8

Not so lively at breakfast as we were all heading home, and some how, I seemed to miss everyone and had a fairly lonely run to lunch apart from a few miles where Steve caught me up and there were some nice bends. Here's a picture of the last of us at lunch before the final run home:



For next year I propose not returning on a Friday, the A23 was blocked, Haywards Heath and Lewes were gridlocked

Brilliant tour, shame it's over, can't wait for next year

[Red27]

Fab photos Duncan. They give a real flavour of proceedings - although there are far too many which seem to suggest that there was sun/dryness. Much more than I remember anyway Shame no-one else was paying attention at the departure point. What do I look like, that jacket makes my legs look even shorter

The action shots are superb! Don't suppose you got one of me did you? Or was I too close after Graham had come along Those cobbles that Tony was parked on taking a photo.... reminded me of "the" cobbles on that uphill section. Those ones were their little brothers

[Fury1630]

Excellent photos Duncan, here's some of mine - I've tried not to double up.
Day 2
Proof we used the same café by pure fluke

IMGP8612.JPG (208.69 KiB) Viewed 3552 times

Day 3 Largs

IMGP8641.JPG (185 KiB) Viewed 3552 times

Sunset Ft William

IMGP8654.JPG (160.71 KiB) Viewed 3552 times

Day 4
Eilean Doonan

IMGP8678.JPG (212.14 KiB) Viewed 3552 times

Applecross

IMGP8683.JPG (188.95 KiB) Viewed 3552 times

[Fury1630]

Still Day 4, Still Applecross

IMGP8686.JPG (170.11 KiB) Viewed 3549 times

IMGP8692.JPG (158.22 KiB) Viewed 3549 times

Shieldaig

IMGP8711.JPG (182.12 KiB) Viewed 3549 times

Arriving at Ullapool

IMGP8717.JPG (181.58 KiB) Viewed 3549 times

IMGP8727.JPG (205.37 KiB) Viewed 3549 times