missyc

LOL, Alan, (must be a jibe at Moses???? - not knowing you guys????)


[Edited by missyc - 8/2/2003 11:25:16 AM]

missyc

Lastminute decision to take next week off work for a spirited tour of your spectacular country.

Leaving Sunday am with the bare bones of a plan!, but need to know what your best roads are, avoiding the obvious.

Intending to travel from Derbyshire, via Cumbria up through to the Highlands... camping en route (rain stay away) taking in mountains, the coast(s)... and for this week only!! unlimited smileage

Name your favourite roads and I'll do the rest
MY02 Silver Sport (Morettes and high-rise spoiler) will wave if I see you

Thanks

moses

road to trossachs and back of aberfoyle to milngavie or towards drymen and rowardennan u know where the carbeth is

and from the a77 cut of to galston and say hi to the russians their is a moscow their and from galston to darvel then to hamilton

JohnS

iTrader: (1)

OK then, the A82 north of Glasgow through Glencoe is very nice scenery wise, quite good to drive on, but watch out for police.

This road from Ballachulish through to Fort William is a bit sticky (no overtaking for virtually 15 miles), but once you turn off at Invergarry to head towards Kyle of Lochalsh, then the road is fantastic. Once at Eilean Donan castle, you can either continue across to Skye (costs about £10 on the bridge though!) where again there are superb roads and scenery, or take the road across to Strathcarron/Lochcarron. From Lochcarron, head north west for a few miles, and turn left and go via the Applecross peninsula. It's about 25 miles of single track road, but the views are stunning, and you won't believe how quickly you climb up the side of the mountain.

From there, you'll get to Shieldaig, and then further north through past Torridon and then take the coastal road up through Gariloch and eventually you'll end up at Ullapool. The road north out of Ullapool through to Laxford bridge is one of my personal favourites. Fast, flowing and huge fun to drive on. The road from there up to Tongue is also great, though does narrow in places, and you'll find some very scenic beaches tucked away. The road from Tongue to John O Groats isn't that great, and not too exciting scenery, so I'd be tempted to head south again. The road from Laxford Bridge to lairg is single track, but almost always empty and the near lunar ladnscape near Laxford Bridge is surreal!

Lairg to Bonar Bridge is fast and flowing, and when heading back to Inverness, take a right over the mountains instead of following the A9 around the black isle. The road on the South side of Loch Ness is far more enjoyable than the A82 on the north side. OK it doesn't have the overpriced visitor attractions, but it's great fun. At Fort Augustus,, you can head south on the A82 to Invergarry, before turning back to Invermoriston (can recommend the little cafe just before you come nito the village on this road). From there go to Drumnadrochit, and turn off to Cannich. Scenery not the best but it's enjoyable to drive on. From there you can head up to Glen Affric (very nice!), but it is very slow going (max 30mph on the single track road). ANother recommendation for this area is to go through Tomich for a couple of miles, and take the gravel road up to Plodda falls. Well worth the 40 minute walk around the forest to see the falls

JohnS

iTrader: (1)

Whilst in the area, you have to drive the section from Garve through to Lochcarron in either direction. This is one of the most amazing roads in the UK. It's is wide, smooth and at times you can see for miles ahead.

From Inverness, you can take the road frm Nairn to Grantown on Spay. and from there you have a choice of either the road to Aberlour, Dufftown and onto Rhynie (the famous Cabrach road), or head through to Tomintoul and on down to Ballater and Braemar. The road south of Braemar to Blairgowrie is fantastic, and used regularly by car magazines. If you want to headr eastwards from Ballater, then take the South Deeside Road (much fewer buses and lorries than on the main road). You can then turn off near the Feughside Inn towards the Cairn O'Mount road, which takes you out at Fettercairn. If you want to head in towards Aberdeen, then continue on the South Deeside Road.

Heading south towards Dundee & Perthshire, there are some other great roads I've driven on, but can't remember what they are called, and where they go to. I'm sure some of the locals will advise further

There are also some great roads in the Edinburgh area. I think it's the A702 which takes you out onto the M74, but the A701 is also quite good.

I thinks that's enough to keep you busy for a few days, and I'm sure that you can string out a route to includ most of them

Have fun.

John

AlanG

But watch out for oil spillage from over zealous EVO drivers blowing up their engines!

Alan

missyc

Cool, thanks Moses and John. Didn't expect such enthusiastic replies I've completely bamboozled Autoroute with so much info, so out with the highlighter on the road map.

A real shame my new exhaust didn't arrive today so won't be scaring the sheep

Better get packing a few bits'n'bobs and the camera.

Thanks again

pugoetru

the best road is an empty road

sandycam

iTrader: (1)

Ulapool to Garve road gets my thumbs up too! If your coming further north theres some good ones as well. Either the a9 past latheron wheel to thurso or wick is a real try out for a comitted driver (all within the speed limits officer!)

moses

alan g's post
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But watch out for oil spillage from over zealous EVO drivers blowing up their engines
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hahahaha that had me peeing laughing


well u said it maybe its true haha

and alan u going down mate i dont mean down as in fellatio oh or is is cunninglingus i mean u going down to totb i spoke to andy he said u might be going down , keep us updated mate and all the best to all of u

hedgehog

I agree that the road from Ullapool to Garve is great. It is a bit more crowded than it used to be so get on to it early in the morning. Also, watch out, as it goes from a good surface and wide sweepers (calculations have shown a theoretical 120mph+ possible around them) at the Ullapool/Loch Glascarnoch end to very tight 2nd gear twisty after Garve. Don't get caught by surprise :-)
Also, I believe there are a lot of traffic police based at Dingwall so after Garve and down towards Muir of Ord you might want to take it easy. Specially through the wee villages as it is easy to forget the speed a bit after such a good run.
Even with going 30mph or less through the villages and sticking to the speed limits down towards Muir of Ord and on the A9 it is possible to be going up the hill on the A9 out of Inverness exactly 56 minutes after turning on the engine on the Stornoway ferry. That gives an average of exactly 60mph and is a theoretical calculation based upon closed roads.
I've never encountered sheep on that road either, a good thing in view of the damage they can do when hit.

Doogsy

Cool pics of what you might see....if you slow down enough
can be found at www.stevecarter.com
Have a blast
Doug

missyc

Round(ish!) trip is currently at almost 1500mls Even having excluded some bits of your suggestions - and not taking into account getting lost and desperately searching for fuel while running on vapour!!! So theoretically speaking hedgehog I'd need to average 62.5mph for a 4 day trip driving for 6hrs a day! Ah well, good job I'm not back to work till 11th...
A section of the Ullapool/Garve road is definitely in the plan - thanks for the link to the stunning pics Doogsy.

Have fun I will

missyc

Wicked
Set off Sunday afternoon with the prospect of good weather!!! Covered 1697 miles and experienced WOW after WOW of scenery and roads, and temperatures peaking at 30 degrees
I'm sure my pics won't do justice to this brief adventure (it was more a long drive out than a holiday, so no real tourist shots. When you've managed to get past a convoy of motorhomes/caravans/perpetual sunday drivers, the last thing on your mind is stopping for a photo shoot, to have to pass them all again )

Durness was my furthest point north (mediterreanean!) and I did do the Kinlochewe - Garve road (both ways)

Will post pics ASAP

CharlieWhiskey

Nice stuff Christine

You should have asked me where to go

missyc

CW You should have come along

CharlieWhiskey

I would have been up for it, if I hadnt been in Pembrokeshire doing much the same

missyc

Clicky link to some pics when I remembered to stop. Still a few more to go up later tonight.

Thanks for your best routes

The Saint

Watch out for plod around Muir of Ord (gatso there too) and of course the plod epicentre of the highlands, Inverness = home of the much *admired* Highland Constabulary.

Saint

RS2 JIM

iTrader: (5)

Don't suppose you saw a fleet of classic Aston Martins on your travels? My mum and dad are touring that part of Scotland at the moment along with another 20 or so european Astons.

They were in Aviemore yeaterday and it was 30 deg's!!! Dad's car wasn't too happy in that heat!

Glad you enjoyed the drive!

James

AlanG

Best roads?

Ones with corners!!

Alan