Was sitting in the 'Ferry boat Inn' on Friday afternoon and heard a familiar sound - looked out the window to see a classic shape silver WRX rumble past.

Do they get the internet up there?

 

Not me this time - Will be up there for a week in March - Might do an Ullapool big one - just me, the sheep and the russian drug exporters (I mean fishermen) - happy days!
If you're up there - do what this months SIDC mag suggests and introduce the scoob to the Torridon/Diabeg/Applecross run - best drive in the UK by a mile!!!

 

I will be up at easter time too staying at ardmair point chalets.Roads are just fantastic and when you pass the polis at the ferry you know they aint settin up speed traps on the tongue road!!

 

Know the area well as I used to live on the Torridon -> Kinlochewe road when I was a nipper!

Not had the Scoob up there yet but only a matter of time

Have fun, and watch out for the kamikazee sheep!

 

i've had a dram or two in the Ferry Boat - sadly not since my Scoobying days - always dreaming of taking it up there though!

 

Oh yes fine roads up there!! I have taken my MY93 WRX on a blast or two on the way towards the Ullapool ferry (heading for Stornoway).

Looking forward to taking my 400bhp STi 5 Type R up there to introduce it to the best roads around!!

 

I'm staying in Poolewe - have done evey year for the last 20 odd - taking the scooby and the mountain bike - cycle the slatterdale and Ffionn routes and over the headland toward Diabeg - quality. The roads are a dream - always see loadsa scoobs on the A9 but never any once onto the 832 and beyond! Always go in down the Acnasheen - Kinlochewe way - and out past Dundonnel to Braemore... Will keep my eyes peeled for scoobies up there as always!

 

This is definitely a SIAL, but worth resurrecting given the context :

http://www.remote.org/frederik/roadhog/scotland/

Can someone make this a clicky?

[Edited 'cos it looks clicky enough!]

Been up there in a Leggy, but never an Impreza. Fantastic part of the world, esp. around Gairloch, although the last time I was up I saw some signs of "Urbanisation" eg. smashed up 'phone boxes. Still love it though!

K.

 

Ken, great link, not SIAL for me, cheers!

 

These roads are all just a short blast from mine. Some great roads but there's still police around so watch out, esp at weekends.

 

Love the Wester Ross area.

Been going up there every year staying in the Aultbea area, and sometimes more than once a year since '86 and for the past 6 years in the Scooby '98-'01 in green classic and for the past 3 years in the P1.
Fantastic roads... I could sit here all night and list fantastic stretches of Tarmac but here are just a few of my fav's.

Kinlochewe to Loch Carron
All that mad stuff on the Applecross peninsular.
The run alongside Loch Maree
Poolewe to Aultbea
Gruinard Bay to where the A832 joins the A835

And is there a better car than the Impreza for getting round slower traffic on the A9 getting up there?... I think not.

TOP TIP....... Badachro Inn at Badachro, no finer place to spend an evening watching the boats over the rim of pint glass ( I let the GF drive home afterwards)

Roll on next summer, hopefully have the Tek3 remap by then. I'm sure I read somewhere the extra grunt will scare the midges away.

 

Has the old boy MacKenzie still got the inn? He was a character and a half, but I won't go into it for litigous reasons.

The last time I was there he was nowhere in sight, and I believe (a friend told me [alledgedly]!) his wife had been busy checking the quality of the hospitality...

I couldn't agree more though, a fantastic place and a hidden gem.

To a visiting tourist the area is impressive : stunning 3 - 4000 foot mountains, good cuisine, great beaches, good fishing, great roads.

And the locals have a different accent.

What more do you want?

Must get the Impreza up there, although I prefer the A82, up by Fort William and Loch Ness.

K.

 

Mr MacKenzie moved on few years ago, and I know what you mean about his wife, she was a bit of a character. The new owner has obviously put quite a bit of money into the place and improved it greatly without spoiling it's charm.

Good food there now also.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply mate.

Maybe if you're in an Impreza en route I'll give you a salute.

Any word on who owns the pub these days? Just curious; not thinking of launching a multi-thousand bid for it or anything.

Most of the land-owners in this region these days seem to be Dutch. In fact, I think the owner of the largest area in Scotland is of Low-Country origin.

No sleight on them, just an observation.

This is the guy who forgot to lodge the lottery tonight, to give you the drift on my business acumen.

K.

 

Well done Jamie for starting this thread. What a sentimental trip you've got me on. I grew up spending 3 weeks every summer with my Mum & Dad camping/caravaning to Mellon Udrigle near Laide. Stopped going regularly when I was about 15 or 16. I'm 41 now and only get up there every 5 or 6 years. That part of the world is ingrained into my brain. I'm off to dig out some photos. I must get up there next summer. It would be the first trip up there for the Scoob (plenty of octane booster in the boot). Excellent link Ken 275. No slagging for that sial!

 

Cheers it's just nice to see that there are loads of other people who appreciate that part of the world as much as I do. I'm now more determined than ever to take a trip up there in the Scoob - I've got no excuse really due to the fact that my parent's own a house in Kinlochewe Ooh - time for a shameless plug http://www.torridon-mountains.com/lochduich/ ...Scoobies welcome, it's a great base for visiting all of the roads mentioned above!

 

Glad some folks appreciated the link, and that it worked, although I apologise for stealing someone else's originality.

I actually managed to catch a glimpse of Slioch and Loch Maree on BBC Scotland this week : stunning. For the record, I keep a 'photo of Liathach on my office window-sill to look at for when the going gets rough. It's not digital though, so I can't post it.

I can recommend an excellent, if slightly out of date guide to the area. It's interesting if you like a bit of background to the views that you are seeing :

"West Highland Walks : 2" by Hamish MacInnes, the ex Glencoe "mountaineer and mountain-rescue legend in his own crampons" (ISBN 0-340-35972-2).

If anyone is interested, salmon fishing reports for last month are that the Gruinard is doing well this year, every other river is lower in fish than last year. Interesting to note that there are no esturial salmon farms in Gruinard Bay...

The smolt rearing company who use Loch Tollaidh, near Gairloch, have just been fined £12K for rearing 5 times the number of smolts whose effluent they were consented for. A$$holes.

Also, for anyone who fancies a drive up this way this weekend (8/10), the weather is high pressure (at least on Saturday) with good clear sunny spells. Take a camera.

No, I don't work for the Tourist Board, I just appreciate beauty when I see it.

K.

 

Ken,
How bizarre - while up there last month, as well as going to Ullapool, I climbed to the top of Slioch, walked the Corrie Dubh between Liathach and Beinn Eighe, AND caught a fish on Loch Maree!! Think it was a sea trout but not 100% sure as it was a bit dirty (had obviously been in the Loch for a while), was a good 3lbs though.

 

Mellon Udrigle beach...gorgeous. This view could compete with any exotic worldwide location. It is etched onto my heart. Thank God the Scottish weather is mostly crap or there would be high rise hotels here!

 

BTTT

 

Stunning Ive been to that beach so many times - got pics of An Teallach from there too - quality...
I've just booked a week in October next year here to takt the missus up there for the first time....

http://www.cottages4you.co.uk/uce/c4...ropertyTypeId=

The one I go to in March with the family is right next door

 

Just booked first 2 weeks in August 2005 at Mellon Charles.

Psssssssstttt...Don't tell anyone about the beach at Slaggan Bay.. It'll just be our little secret.

 

In reply to KEN 275........

Don't remember what the new Badachro Inns owners name is, will ask GF if she remembers later.

In reply to the local Dutch landowner question, I seem to remember last year chatting to a well known local of the Aultbae area and asking him if he was still around (think it was in reference to fishing access to Loch Fionn) and he said he'd sold up and the estate was now owned by a Scot called Wilson and the irony of it is that the locals had wanted for years for there to be a Scot owning the estate rather than foreigners (think the Dutchman was something to do with Philips) but the new owner was far worse than any of the previous ones, re access and local issues etc etc.... Allegedly!


BTTT

 

Just booked me easter week at Ardmair point chalets cannae wait tranquility and awe that!!!

 

Yes, his name is Pat Wilson, I think he is from Perth. He does seem to have a bit of a reputation

The dutch guy was called van Vlissingen or something, he was a major shareholder in British Gas I think and the Makro stores.

 

Thats correct it was Macro that earned him his fortune. We were under the impression he was still there... I cycled up to Ffionn via Kernsary etc this year - Am I going to get hunted by Gamekeepers in 2005?

Oh and the bike ride to Loch ne Sealga (sp from memory) which I did in March in the snow was stunning!! Loadsa pics available if anyone's interested!!

Slaggan bay is always a beaut - but I wont mention it if you dont!!
P