Thursday 5th May 2022

A scooter trip out East with Billy (238 miles).

Billy came down from Dornoch on his scooter for 10.00. We left at 10.10. I followed Billy on the back-roads over the Blackisle over to Inverness. We first went to see our old mum. I had to replace a battery in a smoke alarm. It also gave us a wee chance just to check up on her.



After seeing mummy we left her about 11.30 and went to ASDA for petrol and supplies for the day. I didn’t get a receipt from the self-service pump so photoed the information. Petrol is almost £1.61 per litre! The world has gone crazy.

Yes there is Brexit and yes there is recovery from COVID19 but the main reason is that awful war in Ukraine. Why does Putin think he has the right to invade an innocent country and trash it. It is the poor ordinary people, like you and me who have no say, that I feel sorry for. They can’t go out for lovely scooter trips.

Our politicians over the last 40 years have a lot to answer for. There was the knee-jerk reaction towards nuclear power after the Chernobyl explosion in 1986. So we have no nuclear power. Dounreay led world research in fast-breeder reactors right here in Scotland. Also, we have barrels of oil sitting out in the North Sea which the Nationalists don’t want to use lest they upset the Green Party who they have a coalition with. We would be wasting less energy transporting it from our doorstep than from Siberia! Don’t get me going on the wasted energy required in building wind farms.




The delicious nutrition for the day.


We headed out to Farr by Inverarnie instead of by Loch Duntelchaig (it is a lovely route but a wee bit longer). We had to stop and take pictures of Loch Farr.






We then stopped high up above Glen Kyllachy for our lunch at about 12.35. We were warm and comfortable.






We then scootered on to Slochd, then Carbridge and just before Nethybridge stopped at Broomhill Station on the Strathspey Railway. My Satnav has always got it wrong on this part of the route trying to take us on to untarred tracks. So we (really me) made a few errors getting here. We were able to watch the train chuff away! It was lovely.










We went through Nethybridge. Again the Satnav made errors. The rain came on a wee bit as well. We needed to make speed so went on to Tomintoul stopping at Fodderletter to answer nature’s call.










We then passed on through Tomintoul and over the Lecht to Cockbridge. We stopped just over top of the Lecht away from people (2125 feet by Billy’s Satnav).






We went on and stopped beyond Strathdon at about 3.30 to have some more food (just a little).


Beyond Mossat we turned onto the road to Dufftown. This is at the Cabrach. I have stopped here before. I just love the gates here.




And the old cottage across the road.
















Billy took over navigation using his Satnav to get us to Hopeman via, Dufftown, Craigellachie, Rothes, Elgin and Lossiemouth. We got round Elgin quite easily and missed most of the awful roundabouts. Morven is showing down Harbour Road in Hopeman.


We went to the chip-shop. I purchased a Scotch Pie and chips.




We went down to the harbour to eat. The swallows are back and were swooping around us. They are the loveliest wee birds.


Portion sizes are far too big now. I couldn’t finish it.








We used the local toilet near this old crane.


We then headed to Burghead, Kinloss and Forres. We went by the back of Brodie Castle and Kingsteps to get to Nairn. This is at Brodie.






We also took the alternative route by Ardersier to get to Inverness. I was getting low on petrol by this point so we stopped at Tesco.




So for today this works out as –

33607.5 – 33429.4 = 178.1 miles.

9.16 litres = 2.02 gallons

178.1 / 2.02 = 88.4 mpg.

That’s not bad. I feel, despite the E10 petrol, that recently my fuel consumption is better. This is from my record.

dateodometerlitrescostmileagegallonsmpg

13/01/2232643.99.82£14.01165.92.1676.79
28/02/2232824.49.79£14.68180.52.1583.81
16/03/2232974.09.02£14.50149.61.9875.39
28/03/2233151.19.00£14.30177.11.9889.44
25/04/2233323.79.33£14.83172.62.0584.09
05/05/2233429.45.48£8.81105.71.2187.67
05/05/2233607.59.16£15.22178.12.0288.38



We crossed onto the Blackisle and again crossed it via back-roads. This is at Mount Eagle.










We came over onto the Struie Road but turned off onto the Scotsburn Road. As we cut down the road between Ardross and the Scotsburn Road five hinds ran beside us in the field to our left. They then leapt over the fence, crossed the road and jumped into the wood beside us. Quite a sight. We parted at Lammington above Kildary.


I arrived home at about 9.45 very tired and stiff. I’m an old man now! However it was a fantastic day. We passed through the most lovely countryside – arable, mountainous and coastal. It was lovely to have a chance to be out with my brother.