Big Mac 2020 - MASTER LIST & SIGN UP - ORKNEY Up North - July 24th for 3 nights (2 days on Orkney)

Big Mac is back baby and it's as North as we've ever gone!!

Big Mac 2020 - MASTER LIST & SIGN UP - ORKNEY - Friday July 24th for 3 nights (2 nights / days on Orkney) (1 night in Tongue)

Getting there........
A few have already expressed an interest and the plan is to leave central belt (between Glasgow and Edinburgh) early (pre 9am) on Friday 24th July.

I live there already (Shotts) and can put some folks up for the night (Thursday 23rd July) if that helps with your journey.

https://goo.gl/maps/a57ckKQJNTP241Ur9

We will make our way west on the lovely M8 (needs must) to the Erskine Bridge and then the A82 (probably picking up the West Coasters (Ian, Gill and Dave)) and Dad’s Army in Dumbarton before heading up past Loch Lomond through the Cairngorms towards Inverness and then head for the 6:45PM ferry (need to be there by 6pm) from Gill's Bay on the north coast to St Margarets Hope on Orkney.

Cost is £16 for bike and £16 per adult and its a 1hr crossing

Since we'll only be staying TWO nights in Orkney we're probably looking at Youth Hostel accommodation (not 100% decided which one yet)
We've used Youth Hostel's loads of times in the past and they've always been fine and great value for money.

Cost appears to be around £20-£30 ish per person per night for accommodation

https://www.hostellingscotland.org.uk/hostels/kirkwall/
https://www.hostel-scotland.co.uk/hostels/Kirkwall-Peedie-Hostel
in Kirkwall

https://www.hostel-scotland.co.uk/hostels/Birsay-Outdoor-Centre
in the north

https://www.hostel-scotland.co.uk/hostels/Browns-Hostel
https://www.hostel-scotland.co.uk/hostels/Hamnavoe-Hostel
in Stromness

Just need to decide which best suits us....

Feel free to find/suggest better alternatives.

We'll have all day Saturday and most of Sunday to explore Orkney and do a bit of sight-seeing.

https://goo.gl/maps/a57ckKQJNTP241Ur9
We'll be doing more of Orkney that the above map suggests but it does show the way we are getting there and the way we are coming back.

(Probably want to have done our shop for supplies before we leave Orkney)
Sunday night (26th July) we'll get the 16:45 sailing from Stromness (need to be there no later than about 16:00) to Scrabster
Cost is £21.10 for bike and £20.30 per adult and its a 90 minute crossing.

Then head west for Tongue and stay at the youth hostel there.
https://www.tonguehostelandholidaypark.co.uk

Haven't got a cost for here yet - maybe a bit more expensive but hopefully not too much.

We will sort out food and drinks and divvy up the bill when we get there.

Open to everyone - there is other plenty of other accommodation if you want to organise your own digs and join us for some or all of the rides.

I can also put some folks up on the return journey (night of Monday 27th July) if that helps.

So far the following people have expressed an interest....

Rosco (Ross) - Ferry Booked & £70 paid towards accommodation
BravePill6 (Euan) - Rosco's part-time pillion - Ferry Booked and cheque in the post.
Robcat (Rob) - Ferry Booked & £70 paid towards accommodation
Fatcat (Ian) - Ferry Booked & £70 paid towards accommodation
GillyBaby (Gill) - Ferry Booked & £70 paid towards accommodation
Dirt Bike Dave (Dave) - Ferry Booked
Furball (Davie) - Ferry Booked & £70 paid towards accommodation
UncleAlbert (Christian) - Ferry Booked & £70 paid towards accommodation
ChickenTim (Tim) - Ferry Booked & £70 paid towards accommodation

Really looking forward to this one.
Looking forward to just riding there and riding back too.

Who's interested - Looking to get things booked by the end of Feb hopefully.

I'll try and get costs from the Tongue Youth Hostel and enquire as to group booking options
Will try and pick the most appropriate accommodation (prob one of the youth hostels) on Orkney soon too and enquire as to group booking

Once that is decided and we firm up numbers we will either pay me and I'll organise group booking for some or all accommodation or folks will book their own accommodation.

Everyone will be responsible for booking their own ferry tickets.

Cheers
Rosco

I'm good to go on this.
I'll either be coming up Thursday Eve to yours Ross or will just kick off around 3 in the morning as I'm most likely not going to sleep much on that Thursday night anyway.

Yep pop my name down for this, can’t say i’ve never been then, (and it’s only up the road from me)

Davie..

furball wrote:Yep pop my name down for this, can’t say i’ve never been then, (and it’s only up the road from me)

Davie..

Me and you both Davie.

Great you can make it.

Cheers
Rosco

Sounds interesting never been there, put my name down
Need my own room or nobody will get any sleep

Uncle Albert wrote:Sounds interesting never been there, put my name down
Need my own room or nobody will get any sleep

Fantastic Christian. Hoping to hear back from a few of the hostels soon as to availability and options.

Your snoring is legendary I’ve heard so will try and accommodate that.

Cheers
Ross

Chicken Tim in too now

Bob, Pete, Ray and Roger joining us and sorting their own accommodation in Kirkwall not too far from where the rest of us will be.

We are picking them up in Dumbarton on the way up and they are staying in Inverness when we are Tongue’ing it on the Sunday night.

Just that bit too far for me in that time span and I don't have enough holiday to space it out with something else. It looks a great trip

Ferries booked

Is Big Mack still on, what does everybody think?

Uncle Albert wrote:Is Big Mack still on, what does everybody think?

Hi Christian

There are no winners in this :(

I think the short answer is ..... it depends.

If government guidelines allow it then we are good to go I guess.
If they are the same as now then we'll be getting fined, likely not get off the mainland and not be able to get into our accommodation.
I think all we can really do if wait to see what the current and/or 3 weekly government advice is at the time.

Fingers crossed

Cheers
Rosco

That's everyone who paid their £70 refunded.

Let's try and do it all again in 2021.

Stay safe folks.

Cheers
Rosco