Highlands

[GetCarter]

markmullen said:

Sealegs are an interesting thing, have a look if you see them recovering it, you can come in as a boat and drive straight up a beach without stopping.

We drive straight into his boathouse!

[coppice]

Richspec said:

setting off later today for a trip up north utilising some of the roads suggested on this thread so thanks to previous contributors, if anyone sees a convoy of a orange clubman estate, a black and a green mini (the proper ones) give us a wave Back down to Cumbria next sunday.


Rich

And I leave early tomorrow for Invergarry and on Monday to Kyle, Strathcarron, Applecross, Torridon, Gairloch,Lochinver , Durness and Halladale . The old git in a blue R400 with red noseband (on car not driver)is me making the pilgrimage 30 odd years after first doing it in Citroen Visa Super E.

[GetCarter]

coppice said:

And I leave early tomorrow for Invergarry and on Monday to Kyle, Strathcarron, Applecross, Torridon, Gairloch,Lochinver , Durness and Halladale . The old git in a blue R400 with red noseband (on car not driver)is me making the pilgrimage 30 odd years after first doing it in Citroen Visa Super E.

I'll look out for you!

[cat220]

coppice said:

Richspec said:

setting off later today for a trip up north utilising some of the roads suggested on this thread so thanks to previous contributors, if anyone sees a convoy of a orange clubman estate, a black and a green mini (the proper ones) give us a wave Back down to Cumbria next sunday.


Rich

And I leave early tomorrow for Invergarry and on Monday to Kyle, Strathcarron, Applecross, Torridon, Gairloch,Lochinver , Durness and Halladale . The old git in a blue R400 with red noseband (on car not driver)is me making the pilgrimage 30 odd years after first doing it in Citroen Visa Super E.

Have a great trip!

[mak250300]

Red Devil - Thanks for taking the time to put the links to the sections of road. It has given me a lot to change and go over but we will take it on board. We have had a change of plans so are now going next week instead and I can't wait.

[coppice]

Ho hum- wonderful drive up to Crianlarich ,Killin and en route North on short section of A9 when it it all went tits up; smell of fuel , stopped to investigate(had to be the new Mitsubishi in front I failed to convince myself) and saw fuel pouring out of tank. Seven has digital fuel readout and I'd lost 8litres in less than a mile...

Park up on layby, watch all those lucky buggers driving their classics north (VW campers much in evidence, MGs, Triumphs and a very Scandi cool beige 122S Volvo) and RAC were brilliant. Recovered to Perth -loan car laid on so drove home and Seven arrives later in week for surgery .

But but but -in an hour's time I'd have been heading for Strathcarron and beyond.

DAMN

[f1ten]

Just completed about 600 miles in 3 days. The driving this time was not the whole purpose of the trip but made do with a hot hatch hire car. Actually I think it was about the right size. Anything bigger than a hatch or Boxster is too big for some of the B roads I had to navigate fast.

First unexpected surprise the a86 to speak bridge I had to drive back to loch rannoch from fort William Ben Nevis climb at 9 pm the road was deserted. I was absolutely flying. One of the best drives I've had in probably 2 years.

Finally did the applecross loop and up to Shieldaig again. I love that place! It was perfect weather and buzzing on Sunday.

Applecross inn was fantastic eating seafood outside facing the sea with 20degrees sunshine!
The road up and round to kenmore was stunning along the coast and pretty deserted.

Torridon to achnasheen was good and deserted and true wilderness.
The a835 into Inverness was reasonably good also


B846 and b847 in and out of loch rannoch are tight and narrow but in a quich nimble hot hatch I was touching 70 on these in a few places. Deer at night an obvious risk and there were a couple of joined up humps in the road that launched me a couple of times but again a very enjoyable road which was deserted.

[f1ten]

[f1ten]

[HKGriff]

Just did the NC500. What an amazing experience. Inverness - Wick - JoG - Dunnett Head - Thurso - Durness - Gairloch - Loch Lomond.

[HKGriff]

[HKGriff]

[GetCarter]

f1ten said:

Finally did the applecross loop and up to Shieldaig again. I love that place! It was perfect weather and buzzing on Sunday.

We came here to holiday and decided to stay

Anyone here today is likely to get held up as we have two artics *trying to deliver these

• currently failing (stuck)

The owner is trying some deep breathing, but it's not helping much.

ETA: my house is 500 yards further on so we are prisoners. (I did leave a car elsewhere, knowing it would go pear shaped)

Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 31st May 10:50

Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 31st May 10:55

[Chris77]

Had a week in Badachro last week, my kids, 1 and 2 and a half with our Westie in the back and my wife who suffers motion sickness, so as you can imagine I didn't get to enjoy any spirited driving unfortunately, Still the weather was fantastic and I did see a few nice cars might be some guys on here?

Ferrari, Aston, Elise convoy on 21st near Loch Meree
A few Porsche, elise, exige, golf filling up in Gairloch mid week some time
NSX and Caterham together near Poolewe 26th and a group of older stuff same day (Morgan Jag XK120? Austin Healy)

[f1ten]

Hi Mr Carter

Sadly we didn't have time to stay at Torridon or Shieldaig as I booked the trip late and all hotels were fully booked had to stay much further south at Loch rannoch.



I can sympathise being totally stuvk up there ! God knows how they got that artic truck 45 miles up a single track road ? I had to pass another a truck on one of the b roads near Aberfeldy and I was glad I was in a hired hot hatch and not one of my cars.


The road to Torridon is excellent and wide enough to make quick progress. The b road round from Applecross round The coast to kenmore is tight but thankfully if deserted then it was pretty fun to negotiate and the view of Shieldaig was stunning.

I've only been up this way twice and I now want to buy a small house up here now! I'm embarrassed as a lowlander Scot that I've not been here more although my excuse is I live in London but I just don't understand why given all the tasty machines in Glasgow, Stirling Nd Edinburgh that I didn't see one supercar etc. It seems everyone is too busy cruising round the city centres or going to gleneagles for a latte than actually come and appreciate our amazing scenery, landscapes, pubs and hotels and wildlife in the North.

Anyone from further south than Perth I can assure you the roads up hear are so quiet and magical that you will not drive a better road in the UK. I've done Wales evo triangle and I am sorry but I say the north and North West win hands down.
When I take my cars out of London I have to go 45 miles away before any decent country roads are encountered and I reckon that free of traffic after 10am is at most 2 miles of driving before a big hold up or village with 30mph is reached. You can not compare the experience of driving on these empty roads let alone the scenery is out of this world.

[f1ten]

[f1ten]

Applecross Inn absolutely buzzing on Sunday in the sun! Amazing village and setting. One of the most isolated places in the UK to reach and just a magical little place because of it.

[f1ten]

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.

Very upset to see the A9 ruined by average cameras. I had a great run down it 8 years ago in my old 911 carrera 2 hitting probably 125mph on large sections of it on the 1st of January 2008. ( I REMEMBER IT BEING PARTICULARLY EMPTY!)

Damn the SNP for their communist ways. Even the draconian Southern English haven't killed A roads with average cameras.

I'm going to come back up to the Highlands with a foreign plated car and have my fun on the A9. Mark my words !

[mikey k]

f1ten said:

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.

Very upset to see the A9 ruined by average cameras. I had a great run down it 8 years ago in my old 911 carrera 2 hitting probably 125mph on large sections of it on the 1st of January 2008. ( I REMEMBER IT BEING PARTICULARLY EMPTY!)

Damn the SNP for their communist ways. Even the draconian Southern English haven't killed A roads with average cameras.

I'm going to come back up to the Highlands with a foreign plated car and have my fun on the A9. Mark my words !

Oh we have!
There is two I know off one in Nottingham and one near Sheffield
To be fair all three have averaging on them because they are busy and dangerous
There are FAR more entertaining routes that avoid them ALL

[Red Devil]

GetCarter said:

• currently failing (stuck)

The owner is trying some deep breathing, but it's not helping much.

Well it certainly won't move another inch without the cab unit!

f1ten said:

God knows how they got that artic truck 45 miles up a single track road ?

Something is wrong with your odometer...

If they came via the A890/A896 from Achnasheen the single track section is only 25 miles to GC's place (and contains a few sporadic short two lane sections). It starts at the railway bridge east of Achnashellach station. Getting through that underbridge would be tight as well. If they came in the other way on the A896 from Kinlochewe it's 19 and it includes a continuous 7.5 mile two lane section between Torridon and Shieldaig - https://goo.gl/maps/RqYWGiogyAq - so I reckon it is more likely they would have done it that way.

The reason for the two lane bit is it didn't exist prior to the 1960s (and nor did the A896). Back then Lochcarron to Shieldaig and Kinlochewe to Torridon were both (unconnected) B roads.
http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title...
http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title...
http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title...

f1ten said:

Anyone from further south than Perth I can assure you the roads up hear are so quiet and magical that you will not drive a better road in the UK. I've done Wales evo triangle and I am sorry but I say the north and North West win hands down.

Furthermore, if you go before the tourist season begins passing another car can come as a surprise.

f1ten said:

When I take my cars out of London I have to go 45 miles away before any decent country roads are encountered and I reckon that free of traffic after 10am is at most 2 miles of driving before a big hold up or village with 30mph is reached. You can not compare the experience of driving on these empty roads let alone the scenery is out of this world.

I know of some which are only around 30 from the very centre (Marble Arch). How accessible they are will depend on what part of London you're starting from though. I agree with you about timing. I start early on Sunday morning and finish at a cafe for a hearty breakfast. That way I seldom see any traffic worth a mention. Not having your rhythm/progress being set by other people makes for a far more relaxing and enjoyable drive.