This must have been the summer of the century in Scotland! I have no other explanation for hearing everyone complain about daily constant rain during their trip, for seeing pictures of John o′Groats in the net always in bad weather, whereas I had sunshine nearly everywhere. During 3 weeks in Scotland 2 weeks were sunny and warm, in between there was a week with - let's say - volatile conditions, but never long enduring rain which could have made me wet like a fish. I remember one 10-minute shower with raindrops falling horizontally, after which my bike pants were cold and wet on the right side. But well, that was it.
So I assume I had really a good fortune during my trip. This sunny summer conditions combined with the beauty of the countryside makes Scotland a country which can compete with any other tourist destination in the world. It was one of the most wonderful bike tours which I ever made in my life.
I had a direct flight from Frankfurt-Hahn to Glasgow-Prestwick, which was the perfect starting location of my bike tour, situated far away from the big city at the shore and no long searching of the campground. I planned to go to some islands in the west, but the nice weather encouraged me to extend this island hopping to the north to the maximum and to enjoy the very good ferry connections. Arran, Mull, Skye and finally the Outer Hebrides with Harris and Lewis were on my route, in between going along the shore or across a peninsula of the mainland.
On Arran I felt like on a mediterranean Island, in Mull it starts to rain, the changing weather lastet until Durness, and from there nice and sunny days seemed to be subscribed until the end of the tour in Prestwick. When ever I thought: this day must be the highlight of my tour, the next day added more to this.
There were unknown locations (at least for me in germany) like Lochgilphead, or the famous and praised Isle of Skye, the coast in the far North, Loch Ness, Ben Nevis, Glencoe or Loch Lomond - I got more and more excited each day. It's worth to take a look at the pictures.
