2025 Around Scotland - 3
Northe Sea cycle route - From Tongue to Edinburgh
This Around Scotland page is part 3 out of 4. If you missed the introduction or any of the previous pages, just click HERE
to make a new selection.
Part 2 covers the 5th and 6th week of our trip, from Tongue to Edinburgh
If you would like to receive the zip file of the GPX track of our complete trip, please send a request to: dilistuffmail@gmail.com
Video on DILISTUFF
YouTube channel
The daily "Morning" shoot.
Every morning, Linda takes a "Morning photo" before we jump on the bike or go out for a walk.
At the bottom of this page (menu item: Where, when and how), you'll find for each of these photo's where we stayed that night, where we cycled to, how much km's, in which location we had something to eat or snack and where we did our grocery shopping.
Highlands
From Tongue to Inverness
After a nice breakfast in the Borgie Lodge hotel, we're back on the road direction Tongue. It's about 12 km on the same road as we were a couple of days ago. From Tongue, the NSCR goes south direction Inverness.
We still need to buy some food in Tongue for lunch and possibly also for dinner. We do not have an idea yet where we will end up. There seem to be 2 options, Altnaharra in 41 km or Lairg in 76 km.
The grocery shop in Tongue is also the local post office where we can post some of the postcards we bought yesterday in John O'Groats.
As soon as we leave Tongue, it just seems that we also left the inhabited world. We can see some isolated houses but no living soul. Always wondering how people live her, so remote from civilization.
The temperature is perfect for cycling, the roads are good and the inclination is moderate.
What you can not see on the photos is the wind. As usual, right in our face.
We had tailwind for the first 2 days of this trip. All the other days were with headwind and we've cycled west, north, east and now south.
Still remember we had exactly the same when we cycled around Denmark.
But, we're not complaining, it's today the 30th of april, we started our trip 27 days ago and so far, we only had one day of rain and a few of drizzle.
In Altnaharra, it looks deserted. There is a church, a school building, a few houses and a hotel which does not seem to be open.
We see a picnic table in the hotel's garden and decide that if no one is there, we can as well make use of it.
10 Minutes later, a door opens and someone with a brush and bucket comes out. "Yes, we can stay there."
"Can we also order something to drink?"
The bartender comes out to take our orders. "2 hot chocolates please."
15 Minutes later, we do not have our hot chocolates yet and are wondering what's happening. When I go to the toilet, he says it's his first day in the job and he did not immediately find everything.
When the hot chocolates arrive, it comes with an extra pot as he made at least one liter and it would be a waste to poor it away.
When trying to find the website of the campsite in Lairg, it seems this one is permanently closed.
Fortunately, there is still a chalet available just outside the village.
When we call, they tell us that the garden is full of kids as their youngest daughter is having a birthday party, but we're welcome.
There's a SPAR in the village so we can buy some fresh food for this evening.
For Dinner: Pappardelle filled with mushrooms and a tomato sauce with green asparagus and baby tomatoes.
Yesterday, my front break started screeching after breaking hard. After awhile, it disappears again but it's for sure high time to check the state of the breaking pads, replace or sand them if necessarry.
Next morning, just 1 km on the road, there is a sign "Road blocked". Always difficult and most of the time it does not really count for pedestrians or cyclists - but you never know.
Just before the Falls of Shin, they're re-asphalting a part of the road. No problem, we can pass.
The Falls of Shin, on the river Shin, is one of the best places in Scotland to observe salmon leaping upstream during their migration.
(Have not seen any)
At Invershin, we're crossing the Kyle of Sutherland via the Shin railway viaduct. The viaduct was opened in 1868 for the North railway line connecting Inverness with Thurso and Wick in the North. Pushing up the bikes on the 2nd stairway at the other end of the bridge is a 2-person job, unless you unload most of the bags.
The next 30 km are next or close to the train track till you reach Tain.
We're in Tain around 1pm, time for lunch. We both have a sweet tooth (at least when we're cycling) and we usually take a light lunch in order to still have space for some cakes with coffee. Linda's Scotland choice is a Millionaire's shortbread. My (Dirk) everywhere choice is Carrot cake.
Most locals told us that half a day for visiting Inverness should be enough. Also, it seems to be rather pricey. Our plan now is to cycle up to Dingwall, just leaving a good 25 km tomorrow to reach Inverness. If we're there around noon, we only need to book one night hotel.
While Linda is taking pictures of the surroundings, I am looking for places to sleep, for tonight in Dingwall and tomorrow in Inverness. Dingwall no problem, Inverness, also lucky to find one B&B below 150 euro's. Strange as in the area where I book, there are at least 60 other B&B's. All with no vacancy ??
Dingwall is a nice little town with just 1 shopping street and a few restaurants.
The owner of the B&B recommended us to have dinner at the local Thai restaurant "Miss Ying Thai Food & Shop".
A good recommendation, authentic taste, moderate prices, good service.
There's only a few tables and we had to come back an hour later.
We strolled around the town and went to "The Mallard" pub at the train station for our apero.
FYI, Miss Ying also has take away.
Since we left Newcastle about one month ago, we have not been around a bigger city. We're not at all used to the traffic noice anymore. It's only a few km along the A9 and we're all the time on a separate path, but it's still kind of a shock. We forgot all about our city life.
Pfff... the noice is gone.
Arriving in Inverness, it's the first time since we're in the UK that we are cycling on the wrong side of the road. There was a double bicycle lane on the right side of the street and when the bicycle lane ended, we just stayed on the wrong side. A car coming from the other direction started honking the horn and it took a while before we realized what was wrong. Thank you ....
For Lunch of dessert, go to Wild Wee Pancakes
For the best local beers and great pizza's, go to the Black Isle Bar
If you're in to books, certainly do not miss Leakey's book shop. Also when you're not in to books.
Ready to go, destination Aberdeen (in a few days).
While we're loading our bicycles, we notice a guy waiting next to a fancy car at the B&B. He's a professional driver of a travel agency touring around Scotland with tourists. When we're asking how much this would costs, he responds around 2.000 Euro per day and that's not including lodging or meals, just the driving and guidance. Woops, we're wondering why their clients were staying in this non-expensive B&B. Simple, all the expensive hotels were fully booked.
North Sea Cycle route - East coast
From Inverness to Aberdeen
Our last 2 postcards are surrendered to the Royal Mail. Let's hope they arrive before we do.
When we're about 10 km on the road, Linda suddenly notices that her rear brake does not brake anymore. When squeezing the break lever, absolutely nothing happens. Checking the cables and pads, there is no oil leakage and I suspect that there must be an air bubble somewhere.
If this happens at home, no problem as we would just bleed the brakes.
Small detail, it's a saturday, between 11 and 12 am and we have a bank holiday weekend ahead of us. Most shops will close in a few hours and will open again on tuesday.
There are 2 solutions, return to Inverness or continue to the next town in Nairn to find a bicycle repair shop, willing to help us. If they just have a bleeding tool which we can use, I can do it myself.
The only bicycle shop in Nairn closes today at 1pm and is 25 km's away. A close call. The other option is to return to Inverness where most bicycle shops are open today full day. I call the 3 biggest shops but none of them is willing to help out. They all have to many things to do for their clients and have no mechanics available considering it's a long weekend coming up. Even letting us use their bleeding tools is out of their comfort zone. BUMMER
The build up reputation of helpful and friendly Scots gets a big dent.
Each time I got a No from an Inverness shop, Linda says, call the one in Nairn. As a stubborn old man, I am not listening and try another one in Inverness.
After 3 failed attempts, I do call the Auldearn bike shop in Nairn and Ian tells me, we're closing at 1 but don't worry, take your time, I still have lots of things to do here so I'll wait for you.
OK, our bubble of confidence still survives and it's only in the bigger cities that people have lost their empathy and willingness to help a stranger in need.
We did not want to let Ian wait too long and we changed the route a bit. Arriving just after 1 pm, Ian was still working on another bike and he recommended to have lunch in the Basil Harbour café, a scenic 20 minutes walk from his shop. Time enough for lunch and dessert.
When we arrived back around 3 pm, he had replaced the rear brake pads (which I had provided) and solved the problem.
Thanks Ian.
Surprise, surprise, we're still able to do 66 km today and reach the campsite in Findhorn by 6 pm.
By the time, we have pitched the tent and changed cloths, the coffee shop at the campsite has closed. The pizza's of the local pizza tent is take away only but we feel that after all the fuss today, we deserved a nice dinner.
The Findhorn village is 1.5 km from the campsite and it's a nice stroll to the Kimberley inn. It seems one of the only restaurants which are open and we have to wait for a table while having our apero.
No problem, food was perfect, the day ended well.
It's sunday again, "everything closed" day, except for the larger supermarkets.
Tesco has been saving us already a couple of times. Todays Tesco is in Elgin, just before you reach the remnants of the Elgin Cathedral.
It's a little tricky here as the National Cycleway 1 is not exactly as per our track on the GPS.
Must have been changed since I downloaded this track 8 years ago. We decide to follow to new route as it comes together anyhow in a few km.
Sometimes, the NC 1 takes a strange detour and we always wonder what will come up next, most of the time, there's a good reason for it. A rest area, something to see, a dedicated cycle track, etc....
In Garmouth, we're first arriving at the Whistlestop Wood carpark where I use some of the tools of the bike repair station to tighten my action camera fixture. continuing to a cycleway on a previous train track over the river Spey.
At Portgordon, just behind the old village and harbour is the old railway walk. It has been transformed by the locals into a world of fairy houses
The Portgordon Fairy walk started small by a local who was off work ill and rather than sit around on the sofa, decided to go out to his shed and see if he could make something out of timber stored there.
Others in the village joined and the Fairy walk has now 16 fairy houses, painted stones, and so much more.
Looking at some of the options for stopping for the day, we decide to go for Cullen. Seems to be a nice little town with some restaurants, a supermarket and a cheaper than usual hotel with a better than usual satisfaction score for this price.
Our hotel has a bar area only, no dinner, no breakfast. We decide to have dinner in the Seafield Arms around the corner. Prices for the rooms are out of our comfortzone but the food is perfect.
Still time for an evening walk to the harbour.
We're planning our next rest day in Aberdeen, another 135 km from here. That means, we'll do it in 2 days and will start looking for some lodging after 60 km or so. Today, it's around 10 km next to the coast line and then we go inland.
Not sure if you noticed already but, for the last 35 days, we've only seen 1 colour of flowers and I really fit in with my yellow jacket.
Considering our options around lunchtime in Turriff, it's the first time on this trip that we do not find a campsite or hotel on the route for the night.
The closest option is 6 km away from the North sea cycle route in Old Deer.
From Old Deer, there is a shortcut back to the route so that we do not have to cycle the 6 km back on the same road.
Good.
And even better, when we leave the NSCR, we discover that we don't have to take the big road but have an old railway cycle track from Maud up to Old Deer.
Checking our routemap, the cycle track which we were on is part of the Formartine and Buchan way. The route is around 80 km long, entirely off road and relatively flat. From Maud (where we joined the track), it also goes to Dyce, on the edge of Aberdeen.
It's a no brainer, we will do the planned shortcut to Auchnagatt, but we will not join the NC01 or the NSCR.
Instead, we will go off road on the Formartine and Buchan way, all up to Aberdeen or at least as far as possible.
When we're near a village, we have to share the track with villagers walking their dogs but once we're a few km out, the track is just for the 2 of us.
A few KM before Elon, there are 2 cyclists with electric foldable bikes, who warn us for the flooded and muddy track lying ahead of us. They're all dirty and certainly because of their small wheels, it was a problem to continue riding they said.
With our 29" wheels, no problem and it immediately feels a little more adventurous when you have to slalom around mud pools.
In Newmachar, the NC 01 and the Formartine and Buchan way come together and it's another 18 km till we reach St. Machar's Cathedral located in the north of old Aberdeen.
Via high street with it's cobbled stones, you're passing the majestic buildings of the Aberdeen University.
A student from somewhere far away cycles next to us and starts asking lots of questions about our trip as he also wants to go cycling in the Highlands.
Our last day of rest was 9 days ago and we decide to immediately book for 2 nights. In hindsight, we probably would not do this again as half a day for visiting would have been enough.
I record the GPS track of the route we're doing and it looks like we have now covered a little more than 2/3rd of our trip. Time to celebrate with a good restaurant. Lucky to have the last table at Café Boheme.
Aberdeen is Scotland's 3rd largest city and is called the Granite city because of the many granite buildings and monuments.
Our hotel was one street away from Union street, known locally as the Granite Mile.
While this wide boulevard certainly has the charm to house fancy boutiques and fashion houses, it has standard retail outlets like Primark and fastfood chains.
Not really what you would expect in a street which certainly used to be high class.
Best way to kill some spare time :
Afternoon tea at "Cup Tea Saloon"
Via Instagram, Linda received a message from Guendalina: "Hey, you're in my city, can we meet for a drink". Yes, of course. Guen is Italian and is now finishing her doctorate while working in Aberdeen. We had a great evening. Sorry,no photo of Guen but she's on the video.
North Sea Cycle route - East coast
From Aberdeen to Edinburg
When we stay somewhere in a city for more than 1 night, we never take a room + breakfast. We like to check out different places and Linda found this one in Aberdeen. "Foodstory"
We're leaving the city via the Port of Aberdeen, the largest port in Scotland by berthage and area.
It's 5 km from the city centre to the Girdle Ness Lighthouse, just south of the entrance to Aberdeen harbour. 15 Minutes further, you're again on a coastal path with the most beautiful scenery.
Games people play
When we met in Aberdeen, Guen recommended to go for a coffee to The Old Pier cafe in the Stonehaven harbour. When we're sitting there on a bench outside the caffee, someone at the other side of the street calls us and says "I've seen you 3 weeks ago in the Outer Hebrides, the lady was cycling in front of you". Indeed, we were there 3 weeks ago and Linda is most of the time ahead of me.
Some 3 km from Stonehaven, the Dunnotar Castle shows up. It's on a 50 meter high cliff, surrounded on 3 sides by the North Sea. You can visit the casstle but this will again be for another time as we do not want to leave our fully loaded bikes unguarded at the carpark.
We called ahead to the Inverbervie Caravan site to check if they also have spots available for a tent. Reception may be closed but opens again at 6pm. The resident caravans are at a higher level and below, there is a large field for tourers just next to the Bervie Water river. Only 1 other campervan on the entire field.
We're just on our bikes when we're passing the Maggie Law Maritime museum in Gourdon, a first stop for a photo after 2 km only.
The Maggie Law was one of the first inshore lifeboats, build in 1890 and in service for 40 years.
Also could not resist going for a coffee at the Harbour bar some 500 meters down the road. The bar is only open as from 11am except for the friday when the bar doubles up as post office as from 9.30am.
Not knowing where we will stop today, Jane of The Royal Mail recommends Broughty Ferry, a little before Dundee.
While the first halve of our trip was mainly via paved roads, the second halve seems to go more offroad. After all, we're still on the same NC 01 and on this type of underground, our wider tires come in very handy.
In Johnshaven, the NC 01 bends a little inland and the view and feeling changes immediately, from the rough seaside to a peaceful and quiet countryside.
What 500 meters can do.
When we arrive in Broughty Ferry, we understand why Jane recommended this place. Broughty Ferry is a suburb of Dundee and clearly one of the locals' favourite seaside escapes.
With the sun out till late in the evening, all terraces and beer gardens were full of people.
Passing the old storage beach cabins of the Tay Sail Training association and the Dundee sailing club.
The Tay Road bridge between Dundee and Newport on Tay is around 2.250 meters long and one of the longest bridges in Europe.
A single path for pedestrians and cyclists is located between the 2 road carriageways.
On the Dundee side, cyclists can only access the bridge by an elevator.
... and across the Eden river, for coffee with cake.
Via the small village of Tayport, you're entering the Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve. Here, the cycle way is mainly on forest tracks or gravel roads.
No cars, just cyclists and pedestrians.
We're stopping for "activity" lunch at the Green in Guardbridge ...
Today, most of the route has been rather flat with just 1 slow climb to 150 meters over a distance of 12 km. Easy-peasy.
When we're getting of the bikes to enjoy the view and sip some water, Linda discovers a remembrance stone at the roadside with a bicycle and the following text:
"Loving husband, father, friend, still oiling the chain of our lives"
Charlie died while on a bicycle trip in Spain some years ago.
Just makes us realise how fortunate we are being able to do this.
"Cycling day 33" destination is "The Pillars of Hercules" in Falkland, an organic farm, shop and café with a love for cyclists.
The farm shop is open till 6 pm so we first go shopping for dinner tonight and breakfast tomorrow morning.
There is a seperate field for cyclists and backpackers and you do not need to book beforehand. It's one of the cheapest campsites of the trip at 7.50 euro per person, including electricity hook up. Aside to the cyclist campsite is an orchard with picnic tables. We're the only campers on the cyclist site and that means that when all visitors of the cafe have left, it's all just for the 2 of us.
For dinner, we're having gnocchi with fresh mushrooms, tomato sauce with basil and fried onion, topped with what was thought to be halloumi cheese.
When Linda started cooking, she discovered that it was not a real halloumi but a vegan variation. Also good.
For dessert, organic mango & passion fruit kefir with fresh blueberries.
In 1 day to Edinburgh, at least getting somewhere in the suburbs.
It's sunday and when we're arriving at Loch Leven, it's very busy. Today, it's the 40th edition of the Webster Loch Leven Half Marathon around the lake.
It's the first time that we were in swamps of small thunderflies and we wonder how all these marathon runners have been coping with this.
After Loch Leven, we're having a slow climb up to 300 meters but we also know that after this one, it's going to be mostly downwards to Edinburgh.
Too bad that they are going uphill and in the wrong direction. If it would have been downhill and in our direction, we for sure could have tried to keep up with them. (or is this wishful thinking)
There are 3 bridges over the Firth of Forth between North and South Queensferry (between Fife and Edinburgh).
Trains go via the Forth bridge and all other traffic goes via the Queensferry crossing.
We took the Forth Road bridge which used to be the main bridge but is now dedicated to buses, taxis, cyclists and pedestrians only.
It's really strange to cycle on such a huge empty bridge.
Mission accomplished, found a hostel some 10 km from the Edinburgh city centre.
When, where and how.
Where:
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April 30
Borgie Lodge hotel
76 km - Borgie to Lairg - NSCR
Tongue, Lairg
Borgie, Altnaharra, Lairg
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May 1
Star Cabin
80 km - Lairg to Dingwall - NSCR
Lairg, Tain, Dingwall
Lairg, Tain, Dingwall
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May 2
Garfield Guesthouse
27 km - Dingwall to Inverness - NSCR
Dingwall, Inverness
Dingwall, Inverness
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May 3
Atherstone Guesthouse
66 km - Inverness to Findhorn - NSCR
Inverness, Nairn, Findhorn
Inverness
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May 4
Findhorn Holiday park
63 km - Findhorn to Cullen - NSCR
KInloss, Cullen
Kinloss, Elgin, Cullen
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May 5
Grand Arms hotel
74 km - Cullen to Old Deer - NSCR
Portsoy, Bannf, Turriff, Old Deer
Cullen, Banff, Turriff
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May 6
Aden house
58 km - Old Deer to Aberdeen - Formartine & Buchan way
Old Deer, Ellon, Aberdeen
Aberdeen
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May 7
Coffee house hostel
0 km
Aberdeen
Aberdeen
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May 8
Coffee house hostel
67 km - Aberdeen to Inverbervie - NSCR
Stonehaven, Inverbervie
Aberdeen, Portlethen
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May 9
Inverbervie Caravan park
76 km -Inverbervie to Broughty Ferry - NSCR
Gourdon Harbour, Arbroath, Broughty Ferry
Broughty Ferry
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May 10
Fort Hotel
67 km - Broughty Ferry to Falkland - NSCR
Broughty Ferry, Guardbridge
Broughty Ferry, Falkland
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May 11
Pillars of Hercules campsite
63 km - Falkland to Edinburgh - NSCR
Falkland, Kinross (Loch Leven), Edinburgh
Falkland
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May 12
Full house hostel
11 km - Edinburgh to Edinburgh - NSCR
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
This Around Scotland page is part 3 out of 4. Click here below on the respective map to go to another page of this trip.
