Only one week this time but we still covered plenty of ground, 2,500km in a typically reliable fashion. Our total cost for accommodation during the week – Nil.
Our route....
As last year, we took plenty of photos
First stop, the Bridge House at Ambleside. Any excuse to divert off the M6 on a bank-holiday weekend
Bassenthwaite Lake, the only ‘lake’ in the lake district
Ouse Bridge at the top of Bassenthwaite Lake
I’m slowly exhausting border crossing points to photograph
To Dumfries and Palmerston Park, home of the only league club in the UK to get a mention in the Bible....
Matthew chapter 12 verse 42: “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.”
Luke chapter 11 verse 31: “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.”
Dumfries centre, and a house – but not any old house, the house of Robert Burns, “Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!” and all that malarkey
In the Burns mausoleum
Ae, Dumfries & Galloway, the shortest place name in the UK
Drumlanrig castle, Dumfries & Galloway
Wanlockhead....
....home of the highest pub in Scotland at 1531 feet (compare with Tan Hill Inn in England at 1732 feet). For future reference, there are some great wild-camping spots by the side of Mennock Water on the B797 on the way up to Wanlockhead from the A76
Stop for lunch at Drum Bay to the south of Dumfries
Carsethorn from Drum Bay
Then on to see John Paul Jones cottage. Sadly, it wasn’t the John Paul Jones I was thinking of, no electric bass guitars hanging on the walls
Time to set up camp near Glen Trool in the Galloway Forest Park....
....or rather time for the Jrs to disappear and leave us to set up camp....
....amidst typically Scottish weather.
The faint rainbow was a potentially good sign although this site scored 90 on the Midge-o-Meter....
....by morning we had typically un-Scottish weather which was to remain with us the rest of the Tour
....which merely prompted the Jrs to disappear again while we broke camp
Culzean Castle – what a place!....
....unfortunately they weren’t allowing photos inside, but the display of flintlock pistols is awesome
Electric Brae....
....our heavily-laden Bongo struggled to demonstrate this phenomenon
Dunure castle
Overlooking the Firth of Clyde with the Isle of Arran in the distance
Robert Burns birthplace, Burns cottage in Alloway near Ayr
First ferry of the Tour, Caledonian MacBrayne’s MV Loch Shira from Largs to the Isle of Great Cumbrae
This isn’t one of their most profitable routes
The Firth of Clyde, looking north from the Isle of Great Cumbrae
Cathedral of the Isles – the smallest cathedral in the UK....
....which seats only 80 people....
....but does have a Bösendorfer concert grand piano amongst other impressive pianos & harpsichords
Millport, Isle of Great Cumbrae
Largs on the mainland from the Isle of Great Cumbrae
A pair of Jrs on the viewpoint at the top of Great Cumbrae....
....waiting for the sunset over the Isle of Bute....
....and for the animals that only come out to play at night
Millport, Isle of Great Cumbrae, with the Isle of Bute in the background
Millport, Isle of Great Cumbrae
Torr Mòr, Isle of Bute
The Lion, Isle of Great Cumbrae
MV Loch Shira from the Isle of Great Cumbrae to Largs
Western Ferries MV Sound of Shuna from McInroy’s Point to Hunter’s Quay....
....altogether a more businesslike route
The Firth of Clyde looking north towards Gourock
Inveraray castle from across Loch Fyne
MV Corran from Nether Lochaber to Ardgour
So tell me, why would you pay to go on a proper campsite when you can camp here for free?....
....with breathtaking views of Ben Nevis across Loch Linnhe....
....where the Jrs can disappear again on their bikes....
....on desolate roads....
....while we prepare a sumptuous feast
Scotland. Given the right weather, you can’t beat it
Loch Linnhe was busier than the road we were on
MV Corran from Ardgour to Nether Lochaber
Loch Garry between Invergarry and the Skye bridge
Come on guys, give us a chance, all our maps are in English
Eilean Donan castle
Loch Broom from Ullapool
Overnight camp almost overlooking Loch Glencoul, Sutherland
Next step was to go to Cape Wrath, across the Kyle of Durness....
....on Fiona, the Cape Wrath ferry
....
Cape Wrath is the only place in the northern hemisphere where NATO combine air, land & sea training....
....one of the sentry posts....
....due to the obvious dangers.
The Cape Wrath cliffs are the highest sea-cliffs on the British mainland
The Ozone Cafe is open 24/7....
....so it’s your duty to try it out while you’re there
Kearvaig beach and ‘the Cathedral’
The Bailey bridge over the Kearvaig river – excuse the quality of this, it was taken through the back window of the minibus at speed
We were going to take the Bongo over until we saw the vehicle ferry arrangements....
For anyone in any doubt as to how inaccessible this place is, see HERE
Back from the Cape and wending our way across the top of Scotland, to Smoo Cave....
....where Muzette was the only volunteer for this ferry
Tràigh Allt Chàilgeag which possibly means something in English
The Jrs in charge of catering....
....which wasn’t looking promising
You see, this is the problem with northern Scottish beaches, absolutely rammed with tourists
Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the mainland
John O’Groats, just as uninspiring as all the previous times we’ve been
Duncansby Stacks and Thirle Door. Check out the seals basking on the rock in the bottom lefthand corner....
....awwwww
Geo of Sclaites (that’s what it says on the map)
The female is the one on the right
Keiss castle, Caithness
Next camp was in a forest to the south of Wick....
....which scored 99 on the Midge-o-Meter....
....drastic action to protect valuable supplies
Seems we weren’t the only ones determined to exterminate all the midges
On to the Camster cairns....
....like some kind of ancient amusement park....
....for the smaller ones to explore....
....so we are reliant on the photography skills of Muzette for these interior pics
Dunrobin castle, Sutherland
Dornoch Firth
Culloden, an impressive visitor centre for those who haven’t been....
Leanach cottage at Culloden
Then on to Fort George, one of the three forts along the great glen. Most famous are Fort William and Fort Augustus....
....but Fort George is still a functioning army garrison.
Blair castle, Blair Atholl, Perthshire
Bannockburn, scene of Scotland’s finest performance. Kenny Dalglish & Graeme Souness were playing that day
....plenty to occupy the Jrs....
....oooooh, get some tomatoes quick!....
....and some watermelons!
Robert the Bruce
Squirrel, the Nutkin
Our final task was to climb Arthur’s Seat, the main peak of the group of hills forming Holyrood Park. It was misty to start....
....but cleared up later....
....to give almost clear views of Holyrood Palace....
....and Edinburgh castle a mile away....
....must go back on a better day!
Och aye the noo Jimmy!
really enjoyed looking at them, Scotland's a place I've not been yet, I should go, got a mad relative up in the highlands somewhere 
.