Discussion
mattwhite709 said:
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
just go M40, M6 then M73 up north but when you cross the border try and take a route that avoids the A9, it's 100 miles of (50-60 mph) average speed cameras and will eat away at your soul,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
mattwhite709 said:
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
Read this thread for all the info you need. But if you head for Fort William and stick to the west coast all the way to the top you won't go wrong.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
mattwhite709 said:
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?
Do you want to get there as quickly as possible (i.e. 400 miles of soulless motorway) or do you want to have some fun as a curtain raiser? I prefer the latter so I go up the east side to Barnard Castle which gives me options. Alston/Gretna/Dalveen or Mennock Pass/B7078/M74 to Glasgow or the route via Kielder to Edinburgh which I posted earlier. 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?
mattwhite709 said:
Also wanted to know what roads in Scotland are worth a visit?
That's quite a list. I can only suggest you invest time in reading through the thread. Basically anywhere north and west of the Great Glen (i.e the A82 from Fort William to Inverness) will be your oyster. The further you go the better it gets. As has been mentioned, Perth-Inverness has to be the A93/A939 rather than the A9. On the west side to reach Fort William, take the A82/A817/A814 to Arrochar, A83 to Inveraray, A819 to the A85. Then either turn right towards Tyndrum and the A82 over Rannoch moor to Glencoe or left to Connel and the A828 to South Ballachulish. Whichever one you pick will get you in position for the B863 loop (aka the 'Scotsburgring') around Loch Leven.
Hi all,
This summer a friend and I are driving up to the very north west of Scotland.
Considering the fact that the A9 is even more of a no-go zone than it used to be, does anyone have any suggestions as to the route?
The rough plan is to stop off for a night en route so suggestions there are welcome too. We are both greedy b*stards so somewhere with decent grub would be good!
I'm coming from Berwickshire and my mate is coming from Dumfriesshire so we are relaxed whether we go East or West coast to get there.
I have never done the west coast route so am leaning towards that. Otherwise the route up past Balmoral and over the Tomintoul hill are tempting. Then I guess carry on up to Nairn and head West from there.
This summer a friend and I are driving up to the very north west of Scotland.
Considering the fact that the A9 is even more of a no-go zone than it used to be, does anyone have any suggestions as to the route?
The rough plan is to stop off for a night en route so suggestions there are welcome too. We are both greedy b*stards so somewhere with decent grub would be good!
I'm coming from Berwickshire and my mate is coming from Dumfriesshire so we are relaxed whether we go East or West coast to get there.
I have never done the west coast route so am leaning towards that. Otherwise the route up past Balmoral and over the Tomintoul hill are tempting. Then I guess carry on up to Nairn and head West from there.
OutOfSync said:
Hi all,
This summer a friend and I are driving up to the very north west of Scotland.
Considering the fact that the A9 is even more of a no-go zone than it used to be, does anyone have any suggestions as to the route?
The rough plan is to stop off for a night en route so suggestions there are welcome too. We are both greedy b*stards so somewhere with decent grub would be good!
I'm coming from Berwickshire and my mate is coming from Dumfriesshire so we are relaxed whether we go East or West coast to get there.
I have never done the west coast route so am leaning towards that. Otherwise the route up past Balmoral and over the Tomintoul hill are tempting. Then I guess carry on up to Nairn and head West from there.
West is best (by a long way)This summer a friend and I are driving up to the very north west of Scotland.
Considering the fact that the A9 is even more of a no-go zone than it used to be, does anyone have any suggestions as to the route?
The rough plan is to stop off for a night en route so suggestions there are welcome too. We are both greedy b*stards so somewhere with decent grub would be good!
I'm coming from Berwickshire and my mate is coming from Dumfriesshire so we are relaxed whether we go East or West coast to get there.
I have never done the west coast route so am leaning towards that. Otherwise the route up past Balmoral and over the Tomintoul hill are tempting. Then I guess carry on up to Nairn and head West from there.
OutOfSync said:
The rough plan is to stop off for a night en route so suggestions there are welcome too. We are both greedy b*stards so somewhere with decent grub would be good!
Depends on the size of your wallet. If it's meaty enough, The Torridon. Otherwise crack on to Ullapool.More choice there as it's by far the largest settlement around (all 1500 inhabitants!).
GetCarter said:
West is best (by a long way)
Long being the operative word. 
Red Devil said:
OutOfSync said:
The rough plan is to stop off for a night en route so suggestions there are welcome too. We are both greedy b*stards so somewhere with decent grub would be good!
Depends on the size of your wallet. If it's meaty enough, The Torridon. Otherwise crack on to Ullapool.More choice there as it's by far the largest settlement around (all 1500 inhabitants!).
GetCarter said:
West is best (by a long way)
Long being the operative word. Thanks all who contributed!
Thanks for all the replies guys. I will defiently avoid the A9 I can't stand average speed check cameras at the best of time. Thinking of motorwaying up to this point. We will probably motorway up to this point because its a very long way for a 5 and 6 year old to go in the back. Me and the Mrs will share the driving so it won't be as bad for us.
We will be staying in Wemyss Bay, just trying to plan the itenary now. I will defiently invest a morning reading the thread though.
We will be staying in Wemyss Bay, just trying to plan the itenary now. I will defiently invest a morning reading the thread though.
mattwhite709 said:
Thanks for all the replies guys. I will defiently avoid the A9 I can't stand average speed check cameras at the best of time. Thinking of motorwaying up to this point. We will probably motorway up to this point because its a very long way for a 5 and 6 year old to go in the back. Me and the Mrs will share the driving so it won't be as bad for us.
We will be staying in Wemyss Bay, just trying to plan the itenary now. I will defiently invest a morning reading the thread though.
Since you're down that way, Arran is well worth a visit. We will be staying in Wemyss Bay, just trying to plan the itenary now. I will defiently invest a morning reading the thread though.
ds!Morning chaps,
Heading up to Skye (via Edinburgh) in a few weeks time, my car needs super unleaded (97+) so I've done a bit of research and it appears there's a station at Kyle of Lochalsh. Can anyone confirm if this is still open and serving up super?
Locations I have so far with super are:
- Perth
- Fort William
- Kyle of Lochalsh
- Inverness
This is my approximate route https://goo.gl/maps/hpdhZfwJrtG2 , over a few days of course.
Ta
Heading up to Skye (via Edinburgh) in a few weeks time, my car needs super unleaded (97+) so I've done a bit of research and it appears there's a station at Kyle of Lochalsh. Can anyone confirm if this is still open and serving up super?
Locations I have so far with super are:
- Perth
- Fort William
- Kyle of Lochalsh
- Inverness
This is my approximate route https://goo.gl/maps/hpdhZfwJrtG2 , over a few days of course.
Ta
Imperialjim said:
Morning chaps,
Heading up to Skye (via Edinburgh) in a few weeks time, my car needs super unleaded (97+) so I've done a bit of research and it appears there's a station at Kyle of Lochalsh. Can anyone confirm if this is still open and serving up super?
Locations I have so far with super are:
- Perth
- Fort William
- Kyle of Lochalsh
- Inverness
This is my approximate route https://goo.gl/maps/hpdhZfwJrtG2 , over a few days of course.
Ta
Yep. Kyle is open and still does Super. Opens late on Sunday.Heading up to Skye (via Edinburgh) in a few weeks time, my car needs super unleaded (97+) so I've done a bit of research and it appears there's a station at Kyle of Lochalsh. Can anyone confirm if this is still open and serving up super?
Locations I have so far with super are:
- Perth
- Fort William
- Kyle of Lochalsh
- Inverness
This is my approximate route https://goo.gl/maps/hpdhZfwJrtG2 , over a few days of course.
Ta
Add Ullapool to your list (in case you get that far north).
I've told this story before on here, but it's worth repeating.
Kyle was one of the last filling stations in the UK with a manual pump, so the bloke working there had to physically pump the fuel into the car with a large lever on the side of the pump. I never met the bloke but he was named Willy. Back in the early 70s a big American barge pulled in and asked Willy to fill her up. The yank left the engine running as this happened. After a while Willy said: " Can you switch her off laddie, she's gaining on me"
Kyle was one of the last filling stations in the UK with a manual pump, so the bloke working there had to physically pump the fuel into the car with a large lever on the side of the pump. I never met the bloke but he was named Willy. Back in the early 70s a big American barge pulled in and asked Willy to fill her up. The yank left the engine running as this happened. After a while Willy said: " Can you switch her off laddie, she's gaining on me"
Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 12th May 12:51
Imperialjim said:
This is my approximate route https://goo.gl/maps/hpdhZfwJrtG2 , over a few days of course.
Try this route between Grantown-on-Spey and Invermoriston - https://goo.gl/maps/dHLMGEaMTJM2It cuts out the A9 altogether and most of the A82 drag along Loch Ness. Neither have anything to recommend them imo.
If you are keen to try for a glimpse of Nessie take the B852 from Dores via Inverfarigaig and Foyers.
Thanks for the responses guys.
The missus is coming too and one of her requirements is that we visit Loch Ness, that other route looks more interesting though!
(https://goo.gl/maps/jQofbHKAJ3x)
Any suggestions about the section from the bottom of Loch Ness (nr. Fort Augustus) to Stirling?
We're not necessarily staying in Stirling, just somewhere between there and south of Crieff so this part is pretty open at the minute.
I went to the Trossachs last year (SW of this line https://goo.gl/maps/ozAMcJU9cJ82) so been there done that. Though the road from Loch Katrine to Aberfoyle is a beauty!
The missus is coming too and one of her requirements is that we visit Loch Ness, that other route looks more interesting though!
(https://goo.gl/maps/jQofbHKAJ3x)
Any suggestions about the section from the bottom of Loch Ness (nr. Fort Augustus) to Stirling?
We're not necessarily staying in Stirling, just somewhere between there and south of Crieff so this part is pretty open at the minute.
I went to the Trossachs last year (SW of this line https://goo.gl/maps/ozAMcJU9cJ82) so been there done that. Though the road from Loch Katrine to Aberfoyle is a beauty!
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