So when I had the opportunity to bunk off for 3 days during a visit to family in Edinburgh, it was a great chance to ride the relatively short hop up the East coast and put a tick in the box marked JOG Being slightly nervous riding an unknown bike for the first time I love riding over bridges so that was niceβ¦but the M90 and consequent A9 are heavy with HGV-Campervan-Caravan traffic, and actually a bit tedious. Wave if you see me! A quick ride down to the wide and empty Dornoch beach, back to the A9 and twice over the Dornoch Firth Bridge.
Catching a glimpse of a small brown sign I dived off left down a narrow single track road to explore. Meikle Ferry Slipway was the only way to cross the Firth before the Bridge at Bonar was built in Deserted now, it was the site of a major disaster in when the ferry sank and 99 people lost their lives.
A contemplative spot to watch the sunset over the Dornoch Firth and wonder where the 2 bolts that vibrated loose and dropped off the Scout had gone to. Up early and waterproofs strapped to the pillion padβ¦where they stayed untouched all day! Heading directly West towards Bonar Bridge in the morning sunshine was a lovely start in the day. The road winding alongside the Dornoch Firth on one side, and steeply banked pine forest on the other.
Skirting North along the edge of the Kyle of Sutherland, past the imposing but modern Carbisdale Castle at Invershin, built as a divorce settlement. The fast flowing, dipping and climbing A roads and wooded landscape changed quite suddenly to narrow single track winding across flat and open moorland.
Through Altnaharra and on to Tongue alongside the absolutely beautiful Loch Loyal, already tasting the sea in the air. A quick petrol stop in Tongue at an attended Mom and Pop pump alongside the village shop and post office.
