Lonewolfs 1st trip of the year to Scotland, with pics & a sexy bird!

[Lonewolf]

Almost eight weeks now since I part x'd the old GTR for my magnesium one so finally took it out for a decent run today. Had a run upto Scotland, the west coast to be precise. Portpatrick, one of my favourite 'hamlets' in Scotland. I've been three or possibly four times now in the last year, doesn't seem like many times I know but it is a big haul on a round trip there and back in a day. Four hundred and seventy miles exactly, completed today on my trip.
The weather forecast was promising so I set off at 08:45, much later than I would have hoped because I slept in. 
Straight up the M6, (boring) but no choice really. Then headed west on the A75, another pretty un-eventfull road, a better alternative route would have been to go through the Galloway Forest Park, but as I said I slept in so didn't have time for that detour.

First stop on route was for some fuel (£1.38 a litre) at a Shell garage just outside Dumfries on the Annan Road where I got chatting to a small group of bikers who were travelling down from Scotland to Devon & Cornwall. Taking the sensible option, they were doing it over two days. 



They assured me that the Sun was shining in the direction they had just travelled from, I unfortunately couldn't assure them in the same way.    Twas dry but a bit nippy on the way up.


Next destination, I stopped off at Cardoness Castle just off the A75 near Castle Douglas.  Strange but I've never noticed it before! Perhaps it's a new build.



A might fine looking magnesium GTR.



The vistors centre.



Another shot of the bike, sorry!



As a few of us on here are well aware there are distinct advantages to working shifts, we sometimes get the roads to ourselves if we're lucky.





Having said that I did have five'0    behind me for a while on this stretch of road. They have silver cars for some reason. Whats wrong with good old fashioned white? When I did eventually see a car, I overtook it, (yes Asif, you heard me correctly I overtook it),  silver car followed me for a few miles and then he shot past me and disappeared towards the horizon with a friendly wave.

On arrival at Portpatrick.



Watch out for the KILLER red squirrels!



What do they do? Why do you need to beware of them? Do they have 

Not wanting to find out what unique skills they had to make you wary of them I pressed on the last couple of miles and parked up in the familiar surroundings of Portpatrick.

Everytime I go to Portpatrick I notice something different or discover new sights.





I've never noticed this before. Princess Victoria, it says? A sunken ship of yesteryear perhaps? I wish now that I'd read the plaque at its base!





The sun was out, it was a glorious day. Had a brief stroll around the harbour and had a fish from one of the stands down there whilst being watched by a hungry bird.



Plenty of boats for all to see, some on dry dock and some afloat. Also a view of the inlet to the harbour & the coastal line.

That's it really, I rode there, I had my fish for lunch, I rode home.    Soon as I exited the M6 on my return journey and headed for Kirkby Longsdale etc it pee'd it down and still is as I'm writing this,  .

Hopefully tomorrow will be a brighter day and I can wash the bike. Hope you enjoyed reading and viewing the pics.

[Mogster]

Nice one dood! one of my favorite pastimes is that...... the solo run out, no one else to pleases but ya self 

[Nok12rs]

Looks and sounds superb Mr Wolf.  How great is that? To be so near Scotland.

Red squirrels

As I am sure you know, Scotland is the last bastion  of our native reds. The rest of the country havng been ethnic cleansed by the bastard Amercan Greys 

So, beware not to kill them! he says, stating the bloody obvious

Off to to Loire Valley on Tuesday until Saturday pm.  I promise not to post pictures of the bike(s)

[coman37]

Whats in the panniers ????

Coman

[Lonewolf]

We have red's in The lakes & Cumbria as well.

[coman37]

why do Red Squirrels drive slower than Greys ????

Coman

[Nok12rs]

Whats in the panniers ????

Coman

Stowaway red squirrels 

[Nok12rs]

why do Red Squirrels drive slower than Greys ????

Coman

Bugger; You just beat me to it Mr Coman.   

[Nok12rs]

We have red's in The lakes & Cumbria as well.

GTR Pannier Stowaways?  Maybe that's why the are slow

[Lonewolf]

Whats in the panniers ????

Coman

Well, I'm glad you asked. I carry a Nikon digital SLR with varous accessories, spare digital compact camera, first aid kit, tyre pressure sensor, tyre valve, extra layer of clothing for when it turns bitter as it can up in Scotland, road map, sandwiches, mobile phone, satellite phone for if I break down where there is no normal reception, lap top, spare lap top in case the first one fails, etc etc.

I like to travel light.......

[Nok12rs]

   :yes:You have just made my packing list for next week look very boring.

[Mogster]

ah lap top...I take a netbook myself.. 

[Kwikasfuki]

Phone and touchpad for me. Touchpad is only if I'm staying overnight

[Nok12rs]

Phone and touchpad for me. Touchpad is only if I'm staying overnight

I need laptop to download and recharge GoPro at the end of the day.  With Battery back and 32Gig card it gives about7.5 hours.

If nothing worth keeping occurs, just deleted and recharge.  I did not have it mounted for my GTR rental day
It probably would have been smashed

[Boomer]

The Princess Victoria was a car ferry that sank.
Used to run between Larne and Stranraer.
http://www.geograph.ie/photo/1760176

The one that you saw is a tribute to the Lifeboatmen who tried to help her.
http://www.geograph.ie/photo/26385

Why the sky filter on the pics? Makes it look gloomy when it should look sunny.