Highlands

[Chris944]

Thanks for the correction!

[Patrick Bateman]

Spoke too soon, traffic's been a bit st.

[Pulse]

Patrick Bateman said:

Spoke too soon, traffic's been a bit st.

You're not wrong there.

[Pulse]

Weather is doing well here... Also, one for Red Devil... Where are we? (Are you still playing the location game?)

[Chris944]

Loch Torridon?

[GetCarter]

Chris944 said:

Loch Torridon?

Not here. Looks like Loch Long to me.

This is the other end of it in better weather!

Edited by GetCarter on Monday 10th April 08:45

[Red Devil]

Bah! Beaten to it. - https://goo.gl/maps/ptHY2cpwzMA2

I would be interested to know when that photo was taken because:

Girl Beth (BRD649) is a traditional Scottish small creel boat. In 2000 she was registered at Broadford on Skye.
Definitely still operating from there in 2009. Photo - http://trawlerphotos.co.uk/gallery/showphoto.php?p...

In 2012 she was re-registered at Ullapool under the name Opportune.
http://www.fao.org/figis/vrmf/finder/!/display/ves...

Not sure whether the restoration took place then or later (hence my question above)
At some point her home port changed to Rosehearty in Aberdeenshire.
Certainly there in 2014. Photo - http://trawlerphotos.co.uk/gallery/showphoto.php?p...

According to the current UK fishing vessel list (under 10 metres), Opportune's home port is now Fraserburgh.
From the same list, the name Girl Beth is carried by a different boat, WK674. Registered at Wick, home port Torridon.
http://www.fao.org/figis/vrmf/finder/!/display/ves...
Photo taken in May 2015 at Plockton - https://rbarrywalker.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/p...

[Pulse]

Well done, Steve! I thought that might've been a tough one, but obviously not. Photo was taken yesterday - interesting to see the history of the boat. It's still there today, and certainly doesn't look to be going anywhere fast!

[birdcage]

Up to the lake district on Wednesday for a couple of days and then off to Torridon after that for a few days and then back to lake district.

Driving and hiking holiday. Looking at the weather I'm taking the RS4 over the Porsche.

Any recommendations for around Torridon from anyone who's been in that area?

[Red Devil]

Pulse said:

Photo was taken yesterday - interesting to see the history of the boat. It's still there today, and certainly doesn't look to be going anywhere fast!

In that case there must be something wrong with the record or my interpretation of it. Most likely the latter (see below).
The boat in your photo is an exact match (give or take some extra rust/flaking paint) with the one of her taken back in 2009.

I have had another look at the spreadsheet for the current UK fishing vessel list (under 10 metres).
The common denominator is the registration number B12903 and the descriptor is 'Registry of Shipping and Seamen number'.

I'm thinking that it is not, as I first thought, an alteration and renaming at all.
BRD649 Girl Beth has been laid up and de-registered: the number has then been reallocated to UL29 in August 2012
The equivalent of transferring a VRM.

Two different craft of the same spec/design: possibly even from the same builder?

birdcage said:

Up to the lake district on Wednesday for a couple of days and then off to Torridon after that for a few days and then back to lake district.

Driving and hiking holiday. Looking at the weather I'm taking the RS4 over the Porsche.

Any recommendations for around Torridon from anyone who's been in that area?

A no brainer.

[GetCarter]

birdcage said:

Any recommendations for around Torridon from anyone who's been in that area?

What do you want to know? (I live here)

[Pulse]

Red Devil said:

In that case there must be something wrong with the record or my interpretation of it.

You're right with your first photo, certainly - that's definitely the boat, and it's nice to see it in the water!

[Pulse]

birdcage said:

Up to the lake district on Wednesday for a couple of days and then off to Torridon after that for a few days and then back to lake district.

Driving and hiking holiday. Looking at the weather I'm taking the RS4 over the Porsche.

Any recommendations for around Torridon from anyone who's been in that area?

Since you're taking an RS4, I think you'd find the following 'route' fun, but Steve can correct me as he has far more local knowledge. Depends how much driving you want to do, of course.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Torridon,+Achnas...

For similar mileage, but slightly smaller roads up on the 'Drumbeg Loop', you could do this:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Torridon,+Achnas...

Both (for me, anyway) are utterly addictive. To be honest, from Torridon, you're not going to go far wrong anyway, as there are shed loads of good roads.

ETA: Yes, I know you're doubling back on yourself in Skye, but it's worth it! Especially the road from Sligachan to Dunvegan.

Edited by Pulse on Tuesday 11th April 08:47

[Red Devil]

Re the first link, personally I would prefer greater variety than using the same roads both ways. YMMV.
It is basically two return trips (Torridon->Dunvegan and Torridon->Ullapool) linked together at Achnasheen.
I would achieve the same result this way - https://goo.gl/maps/AujfxZDNphN2

Thus the only 'out and back' sections are reduced to:
- The A835 between Breamore Junction and Ullapool
- The A890/A87 between Strathcarron and Sligachan
The cost is more time and distance but well worth it imo.

If time is an issue you could cut out Applecross.
Just stay on the A896 from Tornapress to Shieldaig.
It would be criminal to omit going over the Bealach though.

[Pulse]

That's what I would do as well (in fact, it's almost the exact route I took last year), but in an RS4 I'm not sure I'd enjoy the smaller roads. You're right to miss out the Quiraing road though - I didn't enjoy it, as the road surface was appalling.

ETA: It's worth a stop here https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.5495798,-5.51658...

And you can look out on this https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.5496883,-5.51728...

Edited by Pulse on Tuesday 11th April 16:55

[Brum_Brum]

GetCarter said:

Anticlockwise fine.

I'd add this. South of Kylesku, where A894 meets A837, turn right to Lochinver, then head south on the B road via Inverkirkaid, then turn left along Loch Lurgainn to rejoin the route at Drumrunie.

My fav road in Scotland (around Inverkirkaid). It aint fast, but blimmin' heck it's pretty.

A yt link >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRsfrcPAJdQ&t=...

Ta for the comment BTW. Have a sunrise:

Well we did our trip last Mon-Tues,. bloody brilliant fun! First time driving a Caterham, just couldn't stop grinning, as soon as we branched off towards Lairg from before Inverness the traffic just melted away. My favourite road had to be from Durness down to Ullapool though, fantastic!

Stopped overnight at the Kylesku Hotel, food is awesome, hospitality superb!

Steve, on your recommendation we did the Lochinver road, christ there are some glorious views along there, the sump guard on the car caught a few times though


Cant recommend Highland Caterham Hire enough. Boyd, the owner is a lovely chap to deal with.


The missus is already talking about doing it again

[GetCarter]

Brum_Brum said:

Well we did our trip last Mon-Tues,. bloody brilliant fun! First time driving a Caterham, just couldn't stop grinning, as soon as we branched off towards Lairg from before Inverness the traffic just melted away. My favourite road had to be from Durness down to Ullapool though, fantastic!

Stopped overnight at the Kylesku Hotel, food is awesome, hospitality superb!

Steve, on your recommendation we did the Lochinver road, christ there are some glorious views along there, the sump guard on the car caught a few times though


Cant recommend Highland Caterham Hire enough. Boyd, the owner is a lovely chap to deal with.


The missus is already talking about doing it again

[Red Devil]

Pulse said:

That's what I would do as well (in fact, it's almost the exact route I took last year), but in an RS4 I'm not sure I'd enjoy the smaller roads.

Yet your second link includes the B869!

Pulse said:

You're right to miss out the Quiraing road though - I didn't enjoy it, as the road surface was appalling.

Actually the reason I omitted it was due to the extra time and distance it would add to a already long day.
While the Quiraing itself is spectacular, I agree that the road from Uig to reach it is pretty dire.
Instead, if you want to visit the northern part of Skye take the A855 coast road to Staffin
Which is what I did in September last year. Do it clockwise: the views are better that way.









If the Quiraing is a 'must do' on your bucket list, go from Staffin to the car park at the top. Then return to the A855.

[Pulse]

Well, you're right - but the Drumbeg Loop is not to be missed! Plus we still managed to carry some speed through there as I recall - though I was in an MR2.

Thinking of exploring this bit beyond Ullapool tomorrow. What's your view, RD or GC

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Dornie/Achiltibu...

[Patrick Bateman]

I did the pass through the Quiraing this morning and the road surface is crap but to be honest it's not that different to a lot of Skye.

I've never encountered so many 'oh st' holes in the road, some of the sections from Portree up towards Staffin are horrific.