Highlands

[Janesy B]

Going up to the Highlands with with a group of five in August, wanted to include Skye and the Old Military road as well so that's put extra miles on the NC 500 route.

This is my rough itinerary based on where I've booked accommodation - works out to be about 4 hours driving a day. Not really one for hiking/outdoor adventure so it will be a case of finding places to stop, take photos and move on.

Day 1 - Home - Inverness
Day 2 - Inverness - Durness
Day 3 - Durness - Gairloch
Day 4 - Gairloch - Dunvegan (Isle of Skye)
Day 5 - Dunvegan (Isle of Skye) - Craingorms
Day 6 - Craingorms - Edinburgh
Day 7 - Edinburgh - Home

Really looking forward to it

[Red Devil]

Where are you starting from? Your profile says London.
If so, Inverness in one day is ambitious and more than I would care to try.
I went from north Kent to Perth earlier this year and that was quite enough.

[thatsprettyshady]

Red Devil said:

A for the B6357. Three of us used part of it on the drive home on Tuesday - https://goo.gl/maps/jnhvS8ZcdDB2

We had quite testing conditions this time round. Including a snowstorm on Friday going north over the Lecht. Very poor visibility and effectively down to one lane near the top with the wind driving the snow into drifts. The rapidity with which condition deteriorated was startling to those who hadn't had previous experience in the mountains.

The weather was very changeable. We had a LOT of rain, some snow, and bright sunshine all in the space of an hour. Rinse and repeat.
Very different from previous years but still hugely enjoyable nonetheless.

were these part of your group?



If so i think we managed to pass you twice?

[Red Devil]

That's us. I remember seeing your group parked at the causeway across the Kyle of Tongue.
I was running right at the back (two behind the yellow car) at that point. Where was the other place?

[HKGriff]

Day 1 - Edinburgh to Invermoriston (via Balmoral, Old Military Road)
Day 2 - Invermoriston to Durness (via John O'Groats, Thurso)
Day 3 - Durness to Gairloch (via Stoer, Lochinver, Ullapool)
Day 4 - Gairloch to Loch Lomond (via Torridon, Applecross, Plockton, Ballaclulish)
Day 5 - Lock Lomond to Newcastle

Actually, Day 1 is Day 4 for me, as I am coming up from Southampton, via Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Pennines and Berwick-upon-Tweed, but the OP was for the Highlands!

I have prepared an NC500 pack with waypoints, distances, times, etc. If anyone is interested in receiving the Highlands bit, so they can see the route in black & white (well, colour), with maps etc, then drop me a PM with your email address.

Doing this in 2 weeks - most excited!

[GetCarter]

Red Devil said:

Where are you starting from? Your profile says London.
If so, Inverness in one day is ambitious and more than I would care to try.
I went from north Kent to Perth earlier this year and that was quite enough.

I've done London > Inverness > Torridon quite a few times stopping only for fuel at Tebay (J38). I used to leave before the London rush hour, get to the M73 by Glasgow after its rush hour, and be in Inverness early afternoon, home by about 3 pm. M6 Toll road a must!

Having said all that - as you have said, it's a long old drive! Audio books really helped shorten the journey. Luckily, I no longer have to do this, flying instead.

On that subject: Heathrow > Inverness restarted two days ago. Result! I bloody hate Gatwick, me.

O/T. Talking of long drives. I'm off to Kylesku today - 204 mile round trip... for lunch.

[thatsprettyshady]

Red Devil said:

That's us. I remember seeing your group parked at the causeway across the Kyle of Tongue.
I was running right at the back (two behind the yellow car) at that point. Where was the other place?

We passed each other heading towards Applecross (I think, someone else was navigating so I could be wildly wrong)

Was it you in the Red VX? You didn't have give me a jump when you came round the bend, I was in a white Civic.

[Red Devil]

thatsprettyshady said:

Red Devil said:

That's us. I remember seeing your group parked at the causeway across the Kyle of Tongue.
I was running right at the back (two behind the yellow car) at that point. Where was the other place?

We passed each other heading towards Applecross (I think, someone else was navigating so I could be wildly wrong)

Quite possibly. Was it before or after lunchtime?

thatsprettyshady said:

Was it you in the Red VX? You didn't have give me a jump when you came round the bend, I was in a white Civic.

No. Mine is a MR2 Mk2 Revision 5.

[Janesy B]

Red Devil said:

Where are you starting from? Your profile says London.
If so, Inverness in one day is ambitious and more than I would care to try.
I went from north Kent to Perth earlier this year and that was quite enough.

One of my friends lives in Stockton-on-Tees, so that's 'home' for the purposes of that itinerary. No one really wants to know about my drive from London to Stockton the night before

Edited by Janesy B on Thursday 5th May 14:56

[Red Devil]

Janesy B said:

Red Devil said:

Where are you starting from? Your profile says London.
If so, Inverness in one day is ambitious and more than I would care to try.
I went from north Kent to Perth earlier this year and that was quite enough.

One of my friends lives in Stockton-on-Tees, so that's 'home' for the purposes of that itinerary. No one really wants to know about my drive from London to Stockton the night before

Fair enough: the drive up is mind-numbingly boring. One of mine is in Middlesbrough.
Met up in Barnard Castle and went the fun way to Edinburgh - https://goo.gl/maps/ZG8jiNKeYoQ2
Mile upon mile of traffic-free B roads/unclassifieds until well across the border. Bliss.

[GetCarter]

Kylesku was surprisingly deserted yesterday lunchtime. Saw a bunch of MGs and bunch of porkers on respective blats.

Food was superb, as always

[Shaw Tarse]

GetCarter said:

Kylesku was surprisingly deserted yesterday lunchtime. Saw a bunch of MGs and bunch of porkers on respective blats.

Food was superb, as always

Git

[GetCarter]

Shaw Tarse said:

Git

I try hard

[Peanut Gallery]

I'm off to this area next week, traveling alone and stopping to admire the view wherever possible.

Lots of notes from this thread taken, I will just have to try and remember them!

GetCarter said:

So as you head north from Ullapool on the A835, turn left at Drumrunie (signposted 'Road to the Summer Isles'), then once passed the hill known as Stac Pollaidh (pronounced polly), turn right via Inverkirkaig to Lochinver, thence to Kylesku.

others said:

https://goo.gl/maps/XViVWDBNq8H2
General wades old military road, I thought there was only one previously

Feel free to wave at a blue Focus - I will be staying west, anywhere from Durness to Glencoe, but mainly in the Ullapool to Unapool area.

[Lancs Dave]

At Kylesku Hotel last month in our trip

[BullyB]

I had a quick run around Applecross today





a bit of rain at the top but other than that, a fantastic day

[jock mcsporran]

Few photos from our trip. Amazing how many bikes were at the Inn on the Saturday.

[skatty]

My quick run round Applecross today.



Bloody cold at the top. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[SmilerFTM]

Red Devil said:

Fair enough: the drive up is mind-numbingly boring. One of mine is in Middlesbrough.
Met up in Barnard Castle and went the fun way to Edinburgh - https://goo.gl/maps/ZG8jiNKeYoQ2
Mile upon mile of traffic-free B roads/unclassifieds until well across the border. Bliss.

I do sometimes forget how lucky I am living up here and having that lot pretty much on my doorstep. County Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria (also North Yorkshire if I head just slightly south instead) have some great roads and as you say are traffic free compared to everywhere else in England. The fact I do shift work and get days off in the middle of the week makes it even better

[mattwhite709]

Evening ph'rs,

Driving up to Scotland at the end of the month for a week for the first time. Any roads I should take on the way up there from London? Also wanted to know what roads in Scotland are worth a visit?

Thanks in advance for any help