Re:
I have several Brooks saddles. B17 is the standard saddle for touring, might be handy to get some good technical advice about best fit. Comments about rails worth taking account of. Bag loops useful. My partner swears by her B17. My preferred Brooks, though, are Swifts: slightly less leather on the sides and found these broke in either easier or felt comfortable straight from the box. I’m aware that Brooks changed some of the leather thicknesses over the years so not impossible that this was the explanation for things feeling easier sooner. I do remember my first B17 from 1979 being a little firm for a while and I still have it although the bike unridden these days.
Spa Cycles make very good leather saddles and I have 2 of them (I live in York so an easy trip over to Harrogate). The price is very good. I found both of them harder than the Swifts at first and even now the one I use most still feels firm. They wear well but the leather has a glossier finish, not such a fan of this; the finish underneath is very good for resisting the wet. Similar colours to Brooks and their matching bar tape also good.
I’ve used both for long distance touring. However, when I sit on a Brooks Swift my backside knows it is safely home again.
In terms of going north from Inverness my favourite route is to go up and over from Alness to Bonar Bridge, on to Lairg and then up to Bettyhill (you pass the Crask Inn – something of a legend if you like eccentric, unless sold recently, still for sale earlier this year). Beautiful road from Lairg, usually very quiet, flowing and sweeping, about as good as it gets.
