Tuesday, 21 June 2011

ABC Tour – Changing a Tyre

SATURDAY 18 JUNE

Saturday was predicted to be a wet old day, so we had opted to stay a second night at Fort Augustus.  This provided us with the perfect opportunity to attempt to get a new front tyre for Olga, as hers was getting a bit worn.  Mick called a bike shop in Inverness at 5pm on Friday, just on the off chance, and they said they could have one in by about 11am on Saturday morning.  How good is that.

Saturday dawned dry, so we headed the 35 miles north along the side of Loch Ness.

JH Sat 18 Fort Augustus & Inverness 003

We didn’t have an actual address for the bike shop, but had the postal code, which you can enter into the GPS.  It got us there, but instead of along the main road she took us on this road.

JH Sat 18 Fort Augustus & Inverness 007

Which ended here!  I won’t use the postal code feature again.

JH Sat 18 Fort Augustus & Inverness 008

We checked that no trains were coming and crossed the rails and went around the corner to the bike shop.  After a bit of a wait for the courier to arrive with the tyre the job was quickly done.  It was a big, very busy shop on a Saturday.  There aren’t that many bike shops around in the highlands.

JH Sat 18 Fort Augustus & Inverness 010

Meanwhile, as you can see, it started to rain.  It was the heaviest, most set in rain we have had all trip, so we just headed straight back to Fort Augustus for a late hot lunch and use of internet in a cafe.

Eventually, the rain stopped and we went for a stroll in the evening.  These photos were taken at about 10pm.  The lock ladder looks great at night with the water cascading over the lock gates with the lighting.

MH Loch Ness 9.30pm 004

We then walked down to the start of Loch Ness.  This is apparently the smallest lighthouse in the UK, but don’t take my word for it.

MH Loch Ness 9.30pm 008

Do you think any monsters live in that lake?

MH Loch Ness 9.30pm 011

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