Highlands

[AdvocatusD]

A wonderful journey. The Applecross peninsula was superb and the Cairngorms quite epic.

I'm going to buy a small cottage property with some mates. Look out for that thread...

Edited by AdvocatusD on Tuesday 23 September 09:45

[crispyshark]

Here's a few pics from my club's recent trip to Fort William via Kinlochleven (Scotsburing), Ullapool via Applecross and then down to Edinburgh via Glenlivet distillery.

[GetCarter]

AdvocatusD said:

I'm going to buy a small cottage property with some mates. Look out for that thread...

Watch out, I did that... supposed to be few weeks a year, then it was a few months and eventually moved here full time. It's bloody hard leaving this place once it gets under your skin.

[Slippydiff]

GetCarter said:

AdvocatusD said:

I'm going to buy a small cottage property with some mates. Look out for that thread...

Watch out, I did that... supposed to be few weeks a year, then it was a few months and eventually moved here full time. It's bloody hard leaving this place once it gets under your skin.

I can imagine that, though I think that even with massive doses of Vitamin D I'd struggle with the Winters up there.

[Red Devil]

You also did rather more than just 'buy a cottage'
Was it something in the local drinking water perchance?
Or maybe a product for which Scotland is renowned across the world?
I think the previous poster would be well advised to read the 'other stuff' page on your website!

[GetCarter]

Slippydiff said:

I'd struggle with the Winters up there.

They are tough. I just work, and then take spring off.

[mikey k]

TransporTed is excellent!

[Slippydiff]

GetCarter said:

Slippydiff said:

I'd struggle with the Winters up there.

They are tough. I just work, and then take spring off.

I've studied your website in the past (what's the music to the 996 Turbo video BTW, I did tag it with Shazam years ago, but I've since lost it) but never got into the nitty gritty of "Other stuff", so thought I'd take a look on Red Devil's say so.

I've got as as far as "The screed in one room was not flat".

Ah yes, screeders, the Untermensch of the building trade.
And let me say here and now I consider the building trade on the whole to be one of the most inept, inconsiderate, unprofessional, greedy and bloody-minded trades in existence, and had I run any of my businesses in the manner my main contractor ran his, I'd have been bankrupt many times over.

Which is strange, because less than 12 months after finishing (in the loosest sense of the word) my development project of six houses in N.Wales, that's precisely what he did.

In doing so he left me with large amounts of snagging, pavements not completed satisfactorily (so I couldn't be released from the bond I had with the local council in the event the pavement wasn't completed) surface/storm water connected to the foul drains (which almost scrapped the newly installed Biodisc) and vice versa.

But best of all, 12 months after "completion" cracks started to appear in the travertine floor tiles in the kitchen/dining areas.

Why was that Slippy ? I hear you asking .......

Because the screed that the architect had specced at 12cms thick, was actually less than 25mm thick in some places.

As for quantity surveyors, don't get me started !

Edited by Slippydiff on Tuesday 23 September 21:21

[Red Devil]

Slippydiff said:

...thought I'd take a look on Red Devil's say so.

My post was actually aimed at AdvocatusD who said he's going to buy a cottage.
Hadn't noticed yours because I went to make a cup of coffee before hitting the send button!

[Slippydiff]

Red Devil said:

Slippydiff said:

...thought I'd take a look on Red Devil's say so.

My post was actually aimed at AdvocatusD who said he's going to buy a cottage.
Hadn't noticed yours because I went to make a cup of coffee before hitting the send button!

No matter, reading Steve's frankly comical building blog bought back lots of fond (and not so fond) memories !

[Neural]

[quote=Slippydiff]Well, where to start ?
I drove past you in the white SC Elise, struggling to remember where exactly!

1,000 miles of awesome driving other than the scary huge red deer carcases by the side of the road!

[Neural]

BrotherMouzone said:

Went to the Highlands for the first time (in terms of driving trip); we were really lucky with the weather. I did 1,913 miles in the whole trip and even managed an evening track day at Knockhill.

Most of you will recognise the locations.

I passed you lot too in my white SC Elise - I spotted the Exige. I had to detour 100 miles to Fort William after being caught in the road closure at Glen Coe.

[BrotherMouzone]

Neural said:

I passed you lot too in my white SC Elise - I spotted the Exige. I had to detour 100 miles to Fort William after being caught in the road closure at Glen Coe.

Us too on Monday, had to go the long way round.

I spotted a white Elise, waved and got a wave back. Can't remember which day it was though so not sure if it was you.

[Who me ?]

GetCarter said:

Slippydiff said:

I'd struggle with the Winters up there.

They are tough. I just work, and then take spring off.

They're not too bad. Try them in an old house with no central heating and single glazing. When the dog crept down under the blankets to keep both you and him warm.And from what I hear in a generation ( over approx 60 years) they've gotten warmer. A bit south of GC, ( about20-25 miles as the Blackback gull flies), lies Mallaig, and between Mallaig and Morar ,there's a lily pond. I can remember only one occasion of it freezing over to support weight. Yet my mother told me that in days gone by it was a regular event and curling contests were held on it. But again, if you want the best of both worlds, try slightly to the south of Arisaig where there's a tropical garden ,with plants from hot /warm climates surviving in a supposedly hostile( to them)environment.

[GetCarter]

[quote=Who me ?]

GetCarter said:

Slippydiff said:

I'd struggle with the Winters up there.

They are tough. I just work, and then take spring off.

They're not too bad. Try them in an old house with no central heating and single glazing. When the dog crept down under the blankets to keep both you and him warm.And from what I hear in a generation ( over approx 60 years) they've gotten warmer. A bit south of GC, ( about20-25 miles as the Blackback gull flies), lies Mallaig, and between Mallaig and Morar ,there's a lily pond. I can remember only one occasion of it freezing over to support weight. Yet my mother told me that in days gone by it was a regular event and curling contests were held on it. But again, if you want the best of both worlds, try slightly to the south of Arisaig where there's a tropical garden ,with plants from hot /warm climates surviving in a supposedly hostile( to them)environment.

It's actually much warmer here than where I lived in Oxfordshire, cos I'm right on the coast. My problem with the winters is the 18 hours of dark!

[Who me ?]

AH, yes ,GC- BUT, in summer,I'd imagine 30 mile north from my stamping ground in summer , there won't be much dark. I can remember taking dog for a walk at about 2330-midnight and it wasn't dark or light in MALLAIG. Then here's the Gulf Stream, which I'd imagine gets up your way and helps keep things warm in daylight.( Although the sea even in summer can be a bit nippy)

[GetCarter]

You're not wrong there!


I did a 24 hour longest day time lapse from me' garden a few years back > http://www.stevecarter.com/summer-solstice.mpg

[stroberaver]

Looking forward to heading up to Ullapool later this month with a few friends and acquaintances for a few days of photography. I'll try and remember to take some road & car related views while I'm up there!

I expect we'll just be using the dreaded A9 to get to Inverness as it's still quicker, coming from NE England. Although I'm still undecided on whether to take the A1 or A68 to Edinburgh - both are infested with speed cameras and can be busy, but I'm thinking the A68 might be slightly quieter and a more interesting & scenic drive.

Anyway, assuming we're past Edinburgh by lunchtime, any good places to get lunch on the A9 on our way to the Highlands? I'm thinking any well regarded family run cafes within a mile or two of the road, rather than the likes of Little Chefs and trucker cafes. Quite like the idea of stopping for a proper break and a good feed.

(EDIT) A bit of googling and research hasn't turned up much, other than the Ralia Cafe which looks good but a bit further north than ideal. Anywhere else good?

Edited by stroberaver on Friday 3rd October 21:22

[Who me ?]

You might want to look at the A697 from Newcastle to just outside Edinburgh( whereit joins the A680), although I haven't driven it for years so it may well be another camera alley. there's also the A696, which joins the A68 a bit further south.

[jshell]

stroberaver said:

Anyway, assuming we're past Edinburgh by lunchtime, any good places to get lunch on the A9 on our way to the Highlands? I'm thinking any well regarded family run cafes within a mile or two of the road, rather than the likes of Little Chefs and trucker cafes. Quite like the idea of stopping for a proper break and a good feed.

(EDIT) A bit of googling and research hasn't turned up much, other than the Ralia Cafe which looks good but a bit further north than ideal. Anywhere else good?

Edited by stroberaver on Friday 3rd October 21:22

Very well worth having a quick snack and holding out for the House of Bruar which is North of Pitlochry. Huge complex, but with very, very good freshly prepared food. http://www.houseofbruar.com/ The rest of the A9 is very poor for decent food places.