Highlands

[Lefty]

I went from Alford to Lairg and back today, awesome weather - like mid-summer!

Did the Lecht on the way up and the Cabrach on the way back

[stevoknevo]

James2593 said:

I think the best road of the lot was the A819 into Inveraray, very twisty but opening up for short periods to allow some leg stretching.

I drive the A819 fairly regularly (there and back on it today) and I don't know what it is about it, but I don't enjoy it for some reason? And I should, as it's a cracking road.
A816 Oban to Lochgilphead is easily the best road in Argyll IMO.

[James2593]

stevoknevo said:

I drive the A819 fairly regularly (there and back on it today) and I don't know what it is about it, but I don't enjoy it for some reason? And I should, as it's a cracking road.
A816 Oban to Lochgilphead is easily the best road in Argyll IMO.

I can understand why you don't like it, from what I remember it's quite enclosed with lots of greenery that did make it a bit gloomy at points. For me that made it all the better, the trees shutting me off from the outside world. Just me, the car and the road.

I was aiming to do the A816 > A83 'loop' through Oban, Kilmartin and Carrick to Inveraray but time was short and it would've added another hour onto the day. Maybe next time!

[cat220]

stevoknevo said:

James2593 said:

I think the best road of the lot was the A819 into Inveraray, very twisty but opening up for short periods to allow some leg stretching.

I drive the A819 fairly regularly (there and back on it today) and I don't know what it is about it, but I don't enjoy it for some reason? And I should, as it's a cracking road.
A816 Oban to Lochgilphead is easily the best road in Argyll IMO.

I really enjoy the A819, more so the stretch from the Portsonachan cutoff to Inveraray. Another favourite is the the A828 from Connel to Ballachulish. Great mix of fast flowing open stretches and some challenging twisties.

[Who me ?]

Red Devil said:

Oh quite, but only those who cba to find out. - http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=195500&y=... (total time taken from scratch: 20 seconds)

How can the angle at which rail crosses road make any difference to the relative locations of the bridge and junction?
I'm also finding it hard to understand your argument about scale. Large or small, a map can't magically alter any compass point (or bearing)!

As I see it the only way your argument can stand up is if the plotted lines of both road and rail are hopelessly wrong.
The definitive map for the UK is the Ordnance Survey. Maybe you know something it doesn't? - https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmaps/
(Requires manual navigation to afind the relevant location).
If none of the above convinces you, I'm done as I'm fresh out of ideas.

Simple- I work my position from local knowledge of this road, on over 50 years of driving on it(and this general area of the Highlands). I don't need road maps etc to get my position. You apparently seem to rush back to maps to find where you are.
HENCE I KNOW THAT the side road is positioned from a line from the bridge looking NORTH WEST to Mallaig. The A830, might duck and dive in various directions, but on a large scale map,with back to bridge, the side road is on a GENERAL NW tack to Mallaig(I omitted this ,to save confusing folks on the overall geography of the countryside).

[stevoknevo]

cat220 said:

stevoknevo said:

James2593 said:

I think the best road of the lot was the A819 into Inveraray, very twisty but opening up for short periods to allow some leg stretching.

I drive the A819 fairly regularly (there and back on it today) and I don't know what it is about it, but I don't enjoy it for some reason? And I should, as it's a cracking road.
A816 Oban to Lochgilphead is easily the best road in Argyll IMO.

I really enjoy the A819, more so the stretch from the Portsonachan cutoff to Inveraray. Another favourite is the the A828 from Connel to Ballachulish. Great mix of fast flowing open stretches and some challenging twisties.

Yep, great road; took the wee fella up Aonach Mor on Monday in the lovely weather - had a great run from Oban until about half way to Ballachulish, then got caught up by dawdlers doing 45-50 max, and to close too each other to pick them off when the opportunity did arise. Was even worse on the way back with coaches and lorries - that's a slow road when you catch a bit of traffic. Weather was great so I just enjoyed the views

A816 can be the same, although far less busy in general; however having driven it 100's of times over the last three years, I know it like the back of my hand - the Devil's elbow/13 bends section (there are 22 bends, 13 signs) is as technical as they come in a mile or so; up over the Bhealach is cracking too, both ways. It has sections that you can get e real lick on if you dare, but it's the parts that can be really enjoyed at/under the speed limit that are the best. Stunning views on a clear day of a lot of the inner Hebrides.

On my way back from Inveraray yesterday, I decided to take the back road from Taynuilt to Oban - fk me that's narrow and twisty, rarely got above 30mph; proper middle of nowhere stuff Saw an older Iveco camper around half way parked up just off the road, roof awning up, and an old boy sitting have a sleep shirtless in the glorious weather - that's the life!

The second Oban Motor Fest is on tomorrow from 1-4pm if any one is on a drive/ride out tomorrow

[theboyfold]

Here is an update to Day 2. https://goo.gl/maps/0Chzm I will go back through the comments to check that I've not missed anything

Roll on Wednesday

[vrsmxtb]

theboyfold said:

Here is an update to Day 2. https://goo.gl/maps/0Chzm I will go back through the comments to check that I've not missed anything

Roll on Wednesday

That's really intense! Are you sure that'll still be enjoyable, they are very tiring roads anyway. I've done similar to you before and got really burned out.

[theboyfold]

vrsmxtb said:

That's really intense! Are you sure that'll still be enjoyable, they are very tiring roads anyway. I've done similar to you before and got really burned out.

Yep, it's a plan, but we can drop out at any time. If it's too long / intense we don't have to finish it

[vrsmxtb]

Top tip - start early! I did a 5am mad dash from Glasgow to Elgol in Skye. One of the best drives ever, shaved nearly an hour off the google maps estimate and averaged just under the NSL. Just be on max deer alert!!

[JM]

theboyfold said:

Here is an update to Day 2. https://goo.gl/maps/0Chzm I will go back through the comments to check that I've not missed anything

Roll on Wednesday

No Applecross?

[theboyfold]

JM said:

No Applecross?

No, we did that last time and the other guys didn't like it. I was out voted 2:1. The twisty bit was bad when we went as we had trouble always waiting for other cars to be able to pass.

[s2kjock]

GetCarter said:

If you just mention to the crew when you arrive, they will put you on either first or last using some planks of wood to help the angle. Uig isn't too bad but Tarbet can be a bit tricky. The hotel at Rodel on S. Harris looks crap from the outside, but it's quite nice inside. We stay there every year.

Edited by GetCarter on Friday 18th September 15:44

Thanks, and also to Craikeybaby and JM.

I think might have to give it a miss this time due to difficulty fitting it in to my other plans.

[Red Devil]

Who me said:

Red Devil said:

Oh quite, but only those who cba to find out. - http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=195500&y=... (total time taken from scratch: 20 seconds)

How can the angle at which rail crosses road make any difference to the relative locations of the bridge and junction?
I'm also finding it hard to understand your argument about scale. Large or small, a map can't magically alter any compass point (or bearing)!

As I see it the only way your argument can stand up is if the plotted lines of both road and rail are hopelessly wrong.
The definitive map for the UK is the Ordnance Survey. Maybe you know something it doesn't? - https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmaps/
(Requires manual navigation to afind the relevant location).
If none of the above convinces you, I'm done as I'm fresh out of ideas.

Simple- I work my position from local knowledge of this road, on over 50 years of driving on it(and this general area of the Highlands). I don't need road maps etc to get my position. You apparently seem to rush back to maps to find where you are.

Playing the man rather than the ball is usually a sign that you are losing the argument. I don't need a map either. It just helps others understand what this debate is about. The only tool required is a compass.

Who me said:

HENCE I KNOW THAT the side road is positioned from a line from the bridge looking NORTH WEST to Mallaig. The A830, might duck and dive in various directions, but on a large scale map,with back to bridge, the side road is on a GENERAL NW tack to Mallaig(I omitted this ,to save confusing folks on the overall geography of the countryside).

I have done my best to back up my argument with known principles and logic whereas all you have brought to the table is 'I've been driving along that road for 50 years so I KNOW you're wrong'.

You keep banging on about the scale of a map. I repeat, that has no influence on this matter whatever. The cardinal points remain the same whatever the scale may be. Nor do I see how your belated qualifier 'with back to bridge' has any relevance at all. Whichever way you happen to be facing the 32 points of a compass won't change.

For the avoidance of doubt I am talking about the relative positions of the bridge and the Collop road turning off the A830. not whatever direction the A830 might be heading in at the latter point (which could indeed be North of West).

If you stand by the post midway between the chevrons on the Glenfinnan side of the bridge with a compass and face due West, I still maintain that the Collop road junction with the A830 will lie South of a line projected along that East/West axis. Not by much perhaps, but it won't be to the North of it. What evidence can you bring forward to show that my conclusion is false?

I am willing to be proved wrong but I'm still waiting for you to produce something more than your memory and personal convictions to underpin what you are claiming. The lack of this, while at the same time asserting 'I KNOW that I'm right' just goes to show the weakness of your argument.

I think the majority of people now accept the proposition that the Earth is a sphere. Yet the members of the Flat Earth Society remain adamant that they KNOW it isn't. I find it hard to believe that you are of a similar mindset.

If I could launch a drone with a couple of cameras and a compass on board to scan the location it would quickly prove which of us is right.

For now, I will make do with this - http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sidebyside.cfm#zoom...
By moving the cursor over either map you can see how the geographical co-ordinates change. I rest my case.

The Ordnance Survey half is interesting in its own right as it shows how different the road was a century ago.

[ORD]

WTF has happened to this thread?! It's like some bizarre nerd mating ritual.

[towser]

ORD said:

WTF has happened to this thread?! It's like some bizarre nerd mating ritual.

Amen!

[Red Devil]

You make a good point.

I'm quite happy to clean up the thread by pruning/deleting any/all of my posts re the specifics of the bridge/Collop road dispute.
My opponent will need to do the same though otherwise it will be a somewhat pointless exercise. I guess the ball is in his court now.

[clunkbox]

The derail was pretty interesting before it took strange turn!

[sun.and.rain]

Just go out and drive. It's not a mission to go to Mars.

[Ffffaster]

Red Devil said:

You make a good point.

I'm quite happy to clean up the thread by pruning/deleting any/all of my posts re the specifics of the bridge/Collop road dispute.
My opponent will need to do the same though otherwise it will be a somewhat pointless exercise. I guess the ball is in his court now.

Your "opponent"? You might be taking this too seriously. Get a grip man. Sad that PH always descends into this unwarranted behaviour that would never happen if people were face to face.