Tuesday 16th August 2016

School started yesterday, the pupils returned today. The weather is fantastic now that we are back to work, after a miserable summer, and the forecast for today was amazing. I’m older. There are none of my colleagues that went through the years with me left. Especially missed is my great friend Stuart. We started in Invergordon Academy on the same day. So to cheer myself up I decided to have my supper at the chip shop in Broadford.

I left the house about 8:10 am and took the low road to school. As I passed Morrisons I filled the old XS up with petrol. I got to school and taught. It started with two periods of Maths, a subject I taught 35 years ago! I didn’t get away quite as sharp as I would have liked as I had to deal with a gentleman who needed persuasion to see life as worth more worthy living. I got away at almost 3:45 pm. 


Here is where I park my bikes at the back of the school. Doesn’t my old XS still look a beast.



I came through Dingwall, Maryburgh, Brahn, Contin, Garve, Achnasheen, Lochcarron, Kyle of Lochalsh and over the bridge to Kyleakin and then onto Broadford. I didn’t stop till I reached Skye. That’s not good because part of a trip is stopping to rest and see the views. So I have no photos till I reached Skye. And the views were stunning, so a shame to miss them. The traffic was bad all the way to the Cromarty Firth roundabout so I lost speed. I’m afraid that as the day went on I drove more aggressively overtaking most of the way.

But I reached Skye for my pie at about 5.45 pm. I went to the chip shop and they had no Scotch pies so I had to settle for a steak pie. There was a fair bit of gravy in it which I managed to spill all over myself.



I ate it at the wee park over the pedestrian bridge across from the chip shop. It was really hot so I had to get all my gear off. There were no midgies.

What an awful selfie. looks like I’m asleep.



















Broadford was so busy, just full of holiday makers. It took 15 minutes to get petrol but I got it and then headed back for home, leaving about 6.35 pm. I returned through Glen Shiel, Invermorrison, up Loch Ness, the Coul na Kirk, across the Black Isle and home.

This is in Kintail – the five sisters.











I stopped by the Cobb monument on Loch Ness side.

















I had to get the sunset from the Black Isle.



It couldn’t be a day out on the old XS without some mechanical problem. Just coming down to Kiltarlity she started coughing and spluttering. I opened and shut the throttle violently a few times and she seemed to settle.

This is Ben Wyvis.






I reached home just after 9.00 pm.