West Coast Riding!

Posted by admin on January 28th, 2009 filed in Events

Scotland’s West Coast and the surrounding area inland offers some of the best riding in Europe – here, with less traffic around, the sense of freedom your motorcycle provides will be greatly enhanced. Those lucky enough to call this wonderful place home take a different approach to life aboard two wheels. To those experiencing the area for the first time, here are a few pointers worth bearing in mind to ensure your maximum and safe enjoyment.

Much of the network of roads here was put into place by General George Wade in the first half of the Eighteenth Century, (to enable the quelling, disarming and forming of allegiances with clans at the behest of George I.) Much of Wade’s work is still in evidence, with single track byways threading their way through the spectacular scenery. Ideal motorcycling territory then in the 21st Century, however, for those unfamiliar so far, extra care is needed to enjoy a safe visit.

Road profile is mainly dictated by the surrounding terrain, with surfaces, cambers and edgings built around a beautiful but unforgiving landscape. Wild deer and livestock graze freely. A blind bend here is just that – a near miss with no run-off will usually still result in an unscheduled bike/ditch/rock interface or worse. Just getting to a hospital will take literally hours though any accident here could well be your last – enjoy it all carefully!

Please also bear in mind that these are working communities. Local traffic and other visitors may need priority which should be given freely. Consideration by all and to all will keep things moving, if only slowly at times. More patience than usual may be required – if you reach a passing place first then use it – the uphill-has-right-of-way “rule” was for cars with leather clutches!

Ride the Area!

To call it the Applecross Dash is a bit of a misnomer. The idea is to introduce discerning motorcyclists not only to Applecross, but also to a whole area that will provide a riding experience that is second to none. To suggest rigid routes would be wrong not only from a safety point of view, but would be a disservice to the place. Here, exploration is the name of the game – the “Dash” bit is just to get here. If you are reading this then you are already here, so relax and take your time to enjoy what will be an all too short visit. That said, here’s a suggestion or two.

Round Trip

From Applecross, take the road around the head of the bay and just carry on making sure you allow enough time to stop and gawp. Remember kids, gawping is good – do it properly, parked up, helmet off and with a camera. Pass above Sand Beach and on through Lonbain, Cuaig, (Weaver’s shop well worth a look,) Fearnmore, Arrina and Kenmore, until eventually you reach a T-junction. Turn left for Shieldaig’s wonderful lochside setting, a hotel for a cuppa and a shop (check opening hours) or right for some wild mountain scenery and the next leg. At Tornapress, take the turn signposted for Applecross and head back up the Bealach Na Ba (assuming that’s how you arrived at Applecross in the first place.) On a clear day, at a shade over 2000’, the view from the summit is awe-inspiring. Head down the other side to complete the circle. Allow at least three hours to include stops.

There and Back

Up and over the hill to Tornapress, through Kishorn (visiting the seafood bar and the beautiful shop Patterns of Light) and on into Lochcarron for a bank with cashpoint, award winning Spa shop, petrol station and helpful garages (check opening times beforehand if you need them.) Turn off left after the village signposted Strathcarron and Kyle and head around the opposite side of the loch. Watch out for a couple of sharpening corners – they can easily catch you out! The road winds on until eventually it becomes full double track, which ends at a T-junction at the A87. Turn right for Kyle and it’s shops, garages, supermarket and the Skye Bridge, or left to on a stunning run past Eilean Donan Castle of Highlander fame, through Shiel Bridge (tea and petrol when open,) and on and on and on…. When you’ve had enough just turn around and come back to do it all the other way around. You could be gone for days…

TheTorridons

Take the coast road around the bay and carry on eventually to the T-junction, turn left, then head up the hill through Shieldaig. Passing the Torridon Hotel, the road will take you through the Torridon Mountains. Either turn around and head back or, to do a full circle, carry on along the A896 to Kinlochewe and turn right onto the A832 to Ledgowan and right again onto the A890 (turns back to single track at a sharp bend at the railway bridge) to Lochcarron, then Tornapress and Applecross. This could take all day with stops.

Petrol

Petrol stations are thinly spread so if you see one, fill up. It might be a more expensive than the supermarket pumps but keeping your tank topped up is quite literally the way forward. Dont forget to use our own Community Company pump right here in Applecross!!!

By Andy Walker

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