Cycling UK Forum

To A Mouse

Wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa so hasty,
Wi' bickering brattle!
...
Robert Burns (25.1.1759 - 21.7.1796)

Update:

Paulatic wrote:Update:
3A0D8FCD-524B-4EC4-A93C-D790DA4B3D1A.jpeg

+1

According to recent news reports parts of Scotland have become tourist traps and the roads and services can't cope with the huge influx of visitors especially on places like the Isle of Skye. Its a shame as I remember it as a quiet peaceful and beautiful country

Lawrie9 wrote: become tourist traps and the roads and services can't cope with the huge influx of visitors especially on places like the Isle of Skye.

If they will build road bridges and not promote the very scenic railways with lots of spare capacity.

No crowds of motorists in the Western Isles.

jgurney wrote:

Lawrie9 wrote: become tourist traps and the roads and services can't cope with the huge influx of visitors especially on places like the Isle of Skye.

If they will build road bridges and not promote the very scenic railways with lots of spare capacity.

Wasn't aware the train went to Skye? The majority of the west highlands is nowhere near a railway. As for the bridges? I like a ferry as much as anyone but for the locals living there 24/7 I think the likes of the Ballachulish, Skye, Kessock etc bridges are welcome.

hondated wrote:Whether that was directed at me or not ambodach that is a really positive contribution to this thread. Some years ago I suggested on here that I would like to tour Scotland and someone posted a message offering a parking space for my van and if that person is reading this I have tried finding your name to let you know what happened but I could never find it so apologies.
I say your contribution is positive as its an idea that could achieve great results for comparatively little effort. I also like the idea of not having a time restraint so if there are days when it feels too hard to cycle I could take a rest day.
The thought of island hopping also appeals as I am forever wondering what they are actually like in reality rather than watching videos of others visiting them.
As for Scotland I discovered it far too late in my life and now I cannot get enough of it.

Was that perhaps me? I'm in Fort William and was in a rented house to start with. Shortly after we were speaking we decided to buy and with that went the related upheaval. I'm still in the area though, about 16 miles out of Fort William on the shores of Loch Eil and with a MUCH bigger drive available if required Handy for Mallaig, Lochaline, Kilchoan and Oban.

irc wrote:Wasn't aware the train went to Skye? The majority of the west highlands is nowhere near a railway. As for the bridges? I like a ferry as much as anyone but for the locals living there 24/7 I think the likes of the Ballachulish, Skye, Kessock etc bridges are welcome.

Not quite to Skye but you can get the train from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh and cross the bridge... it used to be a couple of minutes' walk to the ferry from the station.

Just rediscovering George Mackay Brown again (3rd time), his novels set in Orkney are very good and not too long (The Golden Bird, 130 pages), he wrote short stories too, I really must get hold of those

I was down in Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull recently and we discussed the tourist problem of far too many of them. Apparently the camp site at Fidden which is the only one in the area shut the gates several times this summer as there was no more room on the site. The long stay car park at the Columba Centre which is currently free will have charges soon of at least £1.00 per hour. Not very good for those overnighting on Iona. On my way down and back I kept an eye out for possible wild camping sites both tent and motorhome. Not many and I got behind a dreadful fankle in Glen Mhor caused by motorhomes stopping in unsuitable places which were designed for cars. Argyll and Bute Council are planning to cash in by charging for every square inch they can. Those who live here are going to have a very difficult time and life is going to get much more expensive and complicated. It is assumed that everyone has a smartphone to pay the extra charges if for example the ferries are delayed.

The Guardian reports that Orkney has the best quality of life in Britain, but is Orkney part of Scotland, what about Zetland?

Seems a bit inaccessible, are ferry tickets expensive? Do they always sail even in bad weather? It has a university but no railway

Does have one of the best authors mind, George Mackay Brown, Plus One!
He describes how a feud between two families started, they were sharing lobsters
'You have the last big one!'
'No, I insist you have it'
The feud lasted generations
People up there can be stubborn too, plusminus

In many respects, Orkney is not part of Scotland. The consider their largest island as 'Mainland' and refer to Scotland, not as the mainland but as Scotland.

When I was there I never saw a single satire but many Orkney and Norwegian flags. I can well understand the report naming this s the best place to live.

Oldjohnw wrote:In many respects, Orkney is not part of Scotland. The consider their largest island as 'Mainland' and refer to Scotland, not as the mainland but as Scotland.

When I was there I never saw a single satire but many Orkney and Norwegian flags. I can well understand the report naming this s the best place to live.

It would be a queer strange place for the likes of me, a lot of weather
Bet Orkadians fly a lot too

Cyril Haearn wrote:

Oldjohnw wrote:In many respects, Orkney is not part of Scotland. The consider their largest island as 'Mainland' and refer to Scotland, not as the mainland but as Scotland.

When I was there I never saw a single satire but many Orkney and Norwegian flags. I can well understand the report naming this s the best place to live.

It would be a queer strange place for the likes of me, a lot of weather
Bet Orkadians fly a lot too

I'd be bothered by the lack of cycling options. I can make up a dozen different circa 25 mile rides from my doorstep with little thought, but on a modestly sized island,,,,,,,

I've not cycled there but I for a tourist there is loads if cycling, including visiting the other islands in the archipelago. Orkney can be reached by public transport easily enough if a little slowly.

For those interested in ancient and pre- history, it is world class. Similarly for bird and marine mammal life.