Kens Stag Trip - Day 3 (North 500 and Cairngorms)

Full English breakfast at the Station Hotel in Thurso then out for 10am. (we are on holiday after all)

Our first stop was to be John o' Groats!  I've never been here before and was pleased we made the effort,  for Ken and Paul M this marks the end of Loooong journey from Truro. We all shook hands and posed for the obligatory tourist photo.

From this point we started swapping bike.

• I was first on the Harley Fat Bob. Loved it. Id like one.  The bike throbs like its alive and you cant see anything in the mirrors.   Its great fun though, love the relaxed riding position. 

• Next up the Kawa VN 1700.  Its a 3 ton Sofa with wheels.  You feel its weight and have to plan every corner, it doesn't have much in the way of power, but is as comfy as any bike can and will ever be.  When you plan it right and its up to cruising speed its great for loping along. 

• Triumph Sprint 900 sport (1998) .  Is sporty compare to the other  bikes and youre stretched over the tank, handles like a razor when compared to the previous two rides.   As its half fared its easy to do speed and i love the triple engine characteristics.

• XJR1300SP similar to the CB1300, but more relaxed with pegs further forward and higher bars. Easy to go fast, easy to ride, smooth engine. A really nice bike. 

 During the bike swapping we covered 100miles to Inverness down the 500 east coast route.  It skirts the coast the entire way so you have the ocean to your side.  Great views on this, another bisteringly hot Scottish summer day.

As time passed the day got hotter and hotter so we headed over to the beech for lunch.  Nairn seemed to be costal so we pointed in that direction and twisted the grip.


It was packed and pale Scottish women in bikinis kept walking by, nice view i have to say.   We stripped off the biker kit and sat in the sun next to the beech at a beech hut / sandwich bar.

I'd booked a room whilst in bed this morning and so we knew we were heading to Cairngorm,  it was over lunch the realization that we were in Speyside hit me!  I like whisky and so started looking a distillery that was open on Sunday.  Found that Glenlivet was 52mins away, open for another two hours and doing tours!   We were off again.

Two hours later, three whiskys tastings and £55 lighter (a wonderful bottle of Sherry Cask 13 yrs Aged )  And we pushed the bikes to Grantown on Spey.  The roads here are great, the countryside beautiful.  If you own a motorbike, bring it to Scotland.

Starving we ventured out from the hotel (Ben Mhor Hotel).  The waitress suggesting that whilst they did serve food, we'd be better off elsewhere, and ended up at the 'the Craig'.  This establishment is a freehouse owned by Beryl.  She's originally from Wimbledon, still packing the southern accent, and full of character.  The pub only serves pies for food (great!) and is full of airforce memoribia that's been posted to her - even though she wasn't in the forces her self!  She tells a great story about ending up with it all!! 

theres are real 'Top Gun' cap in shot below.

Beryl entertaining us with her stories.  We all know she loves the stuff shes surrounded by.

Full of pie, beer, and Beryls stories...   Will needed a sleep.


The next establishment we visited boasted the following (bare in mind the year is now 2018)