Highlands

Author
Discussion

vaderface

422 posts

140 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
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mikey k said:
Steve I'd apprecaite that!
We've been looking at plots/house in the Highlands for a while now.
Not found anything that pulls the heart strings yet.
But that location is fantastic!
And another not to far away!
Near you Carter?

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prope...

Id sooner demolish this one to be fair.

GetCarter

29,371 posts

279 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
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vaderface said:
Near you Carter?
About 200 yards!

What they don't say on the stats is that it can't be used as a holiday let (it's in the deeds)... so be warned.

And yes, it needs to be pulled down - it's junk.

vaderface

422 posts

140 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
About 200 yards!

And yes, it needs to be pulled down - it's junk.
Thought so!
Its a couple of years since we were up that way,old dog so we cant quite drive that far frown
It wil be a shame if they level red roof.

Wonder which pop star, car designer will buy it? biggrin


GetCarter

29,371 posts

279 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
quotequote all
vaderface said:
Thought so!
Its a couple of years since we were up that way,old dog so we cant quite drive that far frown
It wil be a shame if they level red roof.

Wonder which pop star, car designer will buy it? biggrin

Ha!

Know the feeling with old dogs. We are not able to do our yearly trip to the Outer Hebrides this year as long journeys and ferries are a no no.

Red Devil

13,060 posts

208 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
quotequote all
mikey k said:
But that location is fantastic!
yes - https://goo.gl/maps/xHjJERp67tG2.

Hopefully any new build will not prove to be a blot on the landscape.
It's very visible. No screening trees like GC's retreat.
There is a great pic of it in winter in his Torridon & Shieldaig gallery: 2009. smile

GetCarter

29,371 posts

279 months

Tuesday 21st March 2017
quotequote all
Red Devil said:
mikey k said:
But that location is fantastic!
yes - https://goo.gl/maps/xHjJERp67tG2.

Hopefully any new build will not prove to be a blot on the landscape.
It's very visible. No screening trees like GC's retreat.
There is a great pic of it in winter in his Torridon & Shieldaig gallery: 2009. smile
ah... that one!


VTECMatt

1,168 posts

238 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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Just got back, I had It all weather wise, sun, really heavy rain, snow, but oh my the roads so pleased I went for an AWD. In the end hired an F Type V6S, £400, was the perfect car for the conditions, my cars would have made it such a lesser experience.

Was a bit lonely drove yesterday for 2 hours, saw 1 car!

Will post up the final route which was perfect and a few photos, think it was around 1100 miles in three days, with an average mpg of 16.1! God only knows what it would have been had it been dry.

Chongwong

1,045 posts

147 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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So Tornapress - Applecross - Ardheslaig, or Ardheslaig - Applecross - Tornapress? We're coming down the west side so the second option makes more sense, but if the views are much better heading upwards I'll happily add the extra hour to the journey.

GetCarter

29,371 posts

279 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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Chongwong said:
So Tornapress - Applecross - Ardheslaig, or Ardheslaig - Applecross - Tornapress? We're coming down the west side so the second option makes more sense, but if the views are much better heading upwards I'll happily add the extra hour to the journey.
The second option is fine, but just after Ardheslaig (at the top of the hill), stop, get out and look back over Loch Torridon. One of the best views in Europe.

It also means you drive down this bit (and a further 5 miles of pretty steep downhill), not up, which depending on your driving style can make the brakes smoke! (As some here will testify)


s70rmp

651 posts

129 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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We did the Applecross Pass yesterday afternoon, oh it was fun but the higher up you go the more snow you come across

It was very well gritted yesterday

Chongwong

1,045 posts

147 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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GetCarter said:
Chongwong said:
So Tornapress - Applecross - Ardheslaig, or Ardheslaig - Applecross - Tornapress? We're coming down the west side so the second option makes more sense, but if the views are much better heading upwards I'll happily add the extra hour to the journey.
The second option is fine, but just after Ardheslaig (at the top of the hill), stop, get out and look back over Loch Torridon. One of the best views in Europe.

It also means you drive down this bit (and a further 5 miles of pretty steep downhill), not up, which depending on your driving style can make the brakes smoke! (As some here will testify)

Cheers, i think i'm going to go for the first option anyway, as It surprisingly only adds around 20 minutes to the journey. Cheers

VTECMatt

1,168 posts

238 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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Day 1

Left Stainton at 7:45 and arrived in Edinburgh to collect the car for 10am, headed straight across the Fourth Road Bridge.

M90
B915
A823
B934 - Dunning
B8062 briefly onto A824
B8062 – Crieff
A85 – Crianlarich

A82 – I started to stretch the legs on this road and the rain began peeled off and took a drive to Loch Etive, stunning area.







Double backed as was conscious for time onto the A82 – Glencoe
B863 - Loch Levan Loop

Quick stop to see Ben Nevis, under a cloud, a common theme that would occur throughout.



A82 – Invergarry, superb road and really fast, some great views too, saw a couple of Focus RS and Porsche.
A 87 – Dornie, really good road, not much traffic and loads of passing places.
A87 – All the way to Uig



A855, arrived around dusk before heading to the B&B, dinner was some truly awful fish & chips in Portree.


Edited by VTECMatt on Thursday 23 March 14:20

VTECMatt

1,168 posts

238 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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Day 2
Skye - Tongue
Skye as amazing, I will go back, explore and island hop.





A855 – Portree
A87 – Auchtertyre
A890 – Kirkton
A896 – Tounapresss
Bealach na Ba – Plenty of snow
Applecross
A896
Sheildaig – Kinlochewe
A832 – Gairloch
A832 – all the way pat Dundonnell
A835 – Ullapool – Ledmore
A837 – A894
Kylesku my overnight stop, dropped bag
A894 – Scourie – Laxford Bridge
A838 – Durness, lovely beach IIRC
A838 – Tongue
A836 – Lairg, loads of no again
A839 – A837 Ledmore
A837 – A894 Kylesku for a well deserved seafood supper












VTECMatt

1,168 posts

238 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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Day 3

Out before 7am



Kylesku in the morning!

Part of the B6869 was closed, but thought head along anyway, got to Drumbeg and carried on and decided to drive to the lighthouse and go back for breakfast, glad I did, wonderful views. No cars at all.

A894
A837 – Inveran
A836 – Bonar Bridge
B9176 - Novar Toll
A9 – A96 - Nairn
A939 – Dava
Granton-on-spey
Tomintoul
Ballater
Braemer
Bridge of Cully
Perth
Edinburgh

A939, what a great road!
Train to Penrith















Firstly thank you to all those who have contributed on the thread and the suggestions made, I’m pretty sure I missed some stuff out but I had an incredible time and whilst it won’t be a regular trip I will be returning later this year with my family in tow.

The weather forecast looked shocking so left the daily drives at home and opted to rent via Avis Prestige a brand new F Type V6S Coupe with AWD and reflecting back this was the best choice I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much in the others.

The F Type is a fantastic car, handles well considering the weight, few niggles, the paddles are a bit short, sometimes difficult to see due to low ceiling and pillars and the fuel economy isn’t great! Dynamic mode is hilarious although it is easy to find the limit in the wet and the pops and music from the pipes is glorious!

Fuel Economy: 16.1mpg (god only knows what it would have been in the dry)
Total Mileage: 1143
Petrol cost: a fair amount biggrin
Hire cost: £370 for three days

Red Devil

13,060 posts

208 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
The second option is fine, but just after Ardheslaig (at the top of the hill), stop, get out and look back over Loch Torridon. One of the best views in Europe.
https://goo.gl/maps/hi9ekXjJ9j82 - here's hoping the weather will be like that on 21st April. smile

We'll be passing by that spot after lunch at Applecross. If you spot us near Shieldaig give us a wave. thumbup




InsolentMinx

94 posts

141 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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Back in 2009 I rode up to John O'Groats as part of a 24hr Iron Butt from Land's End.
Stayed up there for 3 days riding around the Highlands before making our way back down to London.
Basically followed the coast West from JOG and then cut inland at Ullapool and headed via Loch Ness.

The roads and views were fantastic, and in June the weather was glorious with only a little bit of fog at times.

edit: don't forget, you pretty much won't be able to get petrol at all on a Sunday.








Pulse

10,922 posts

218 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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Where did you rent the F-Type that cheaply? (Sounds like unlimited/generous mileage)

ETA: Are there any companies up in the Highlands who rent out things like Caterhams? I know there's one further South, but I'm thinking near Skye where I'll be.

Edited by Pulse on Thursday 23 March 17:35

VTECMatt

1,168 posts

238 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
Pulse it was through Avis Prestige. I Rent quite a lot, usually supercars, the more reputable companies will deliver where you want it, obvoiusly at a cost but nothing like at this price and with £1 per extra mile over 100 miles, so quite restrictive, usually works out a couple of grand minimum. I'm signed up with a lot of companies in Europe and America so wait for the offers.

I was offered the V8 version for the same price, but when adding mileage on it worked out a lot more.

Edited by VTECMatt on Thursday 23 March 19:43

Red Devil

13,060 posts

208 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
Syke is a bit too remote from any major population centre for a rental business to be based there. Added to which is the lack of public transport.
It's a very scenic but infrequent 2hr 40 minute train journey from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh - https://www.scotrail.co.uk/sites/default/files/ass...

AFAIK, the only option that far north is - https://goo.gl/maps/5CC1vbxQYD72

lukeyman

1,009 posts

135 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
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^

I'm hiring one of their Caterhams Easter weekend! Can't wait!