Highlands

Author
Discussion

CarbonXKR

1,275 posts

221 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
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Craikeybaby

10,369 posts

224 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
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House of Bruar is a good shout!

Almost as good, but a bit further south is the Baxsters place just next to the A9 between Dunblane and Perth.

matchmaker

8,462 posts

199 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
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There's a cafe at Ballinluig - trucker like food, but well cooked and plenty of it!

Red Devil

13,055 posts

207 months

Monday 6th October 2014
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stroberaver said:
I expect we'll just be using the dreaded A9 to get to Inverness as it's still quicker, coming from NE England.
After all that has been written on this thread you really still want to use Scotland's most boring and dangerous major road? If you must, definitely do not use it any further than Pitlochry. Then A924/B950/A93/B976/A939/B9101/B9090/B9091/B9006 to Inverness. Yes it will take longer but there are several upsides:

- No speed cameras
- Very unlikely to encounter any police
- Far more fun and much better scenery

Food-wise on this route, omit the B976 and head for the Station Restaurant at Ballater.


Ennoch

371 posts

137 months

Monday 6th October 2014
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Ballinluig is definitely a good spot - it doesn't hide the fact it's a greasy spoon but it is a good one. Bottomless coffee too which is a bonus.

Another worth mentioning is Rallia which sits just south of Newtonmore. A nice place and good food.

Who me ?

7,455 posts

211 months

Monday 6th October 2014
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Red Devil said:
stroberaver said:
I expect we'll just be using the dreaded A9 to get to Inverness as it's still quicker, coming from NE England.
After all that has been written on this thread you really still want to use Scotland's most boring and dangerous major road? If you must, definitely do not use it any further than Pitlochry. Then A924/B950/A93/B976/A939/B9101/B9090/B9091/B9006 to Inverness. Yes it will take longer but there are several upsides:

- No speed cameras
- Very unlikely to encounter any police
- Far more fun and much better scenery

Food-wise on this route, omit the B976 and head for the Station Restaurant at Ballater.
I don't know what extra distance /time the diversion would take,but I've done an Autoroute planer from Newcastle ( as no point in NE is mentioned) .Up the East coast to Edinburgh which uses the A1 and A9( to Inverness) and an alternative up the West coast via Stirling /Crianlarich and up the A82 to Inverness and in time it's about an hour longer and approx 30miles more. To Crianlarich camera wise I can't say as I've avoided this/ not had any need to venture over that side for a lot of years. After that, AFAIK there's no fixed cameras and the mobile sites are published ( though I have seen a van in honey spots near Laggan ,betwixt Loch Oich and Loch Lochy .)Food- no real idea as we always carried our own ,but I'd imagine there's likely to be decent places after the M9.There used to be places in Crianlarich ( including the station )and further up in Tyndrum .Better scenery than the East coast and allowing for the fact that the road through Glencoe is long overdue for an upgrade( AFAIK it's only had cosmetic work in the 40+ years I driven it) ,it's a great drivers road.

downsman

1,099 posts

155 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
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Hi, I just want to say what a great thread this is smile

I'm helping to organise a group of kit cars to tour the Highlands next May, and reading through this thread and Get Carter's brilliant website has really inspired me.

We'll only get 3 days in the Highlands, but starting near Sterling we are doing the Duke's pass and on to the Loch Leven road then to the Commando monument and to Skye via the bridge.

Second day we'll head up to Ullapool via Applecross on the route on Get Carter's website.

Third day we'll head north and then take the road to Bonar Bridge, down the B9176, a little bit of A9, then head east B9006, B9090, then A939, A93, A827 and back to Stirling.

I can't wait smile

Duncan

GetCarter

29,358 posts

278 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
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downsman said:
Hi, I just want to say what a great thread this is smile

I'm helping to organise a group of kit cars to tour the Highlands next May, and reading through this thread and Get Carter's brilliant website has really inspired me.

We'll only get 3 days in the Highlands, but starting near Sterling we are doing the Duke's pass and on to the Loch Leven road then to the Commando monument and to Skye via the bridge.

Second day we'll head up to Ullapool via Applecross on the route on Get Carter's website.

Third day we'll head north and then take the road to Bonar Bridge, down the B9176, a little bit of A9, then head east B9006, B9090, then A939, A93, A827 and back to Stirling.

I can't wait smile

Duncan
May is a great time to do it... if you can, just avoid whitsun week (last week of May) as that is always busy.

stroberaver

196 posts

167 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
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Red Devil said:
After all that has been written on this thread you really still want to use Scotland's most boring and dangerous major road?
Not really, but then I'm going with a group of photographers, not petrolheads who will enjoy being flung along swooping, fun driving roads at a respectable number of leptons. The alternative route looks good for me but it adds on a lot of journey time, given that we'll want to get there before dark in case some folk will want to capture the evening light if the skies are clear(ish).

OvalOwl

924 posts

130 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
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stroberaver said:
Not really, but then I'm going with a group of photographers, not petrolheads who will enjoy being flung along swooping, fun driving roads at a respectable number of leptons. The alternative route looks good for me but it adds on a lot of journey time, given that we'll want to get there before dark in case some folk will want to capture the evening light if the skies are clear(ish).
Speaking as a photographer of sorts I'd take the twiddly route at a few less leptons and be prepared to stop if a vista presents itself in the "golden hour" of evening light.

Red Devil

13,055 posts

207 months

Wednesday 8th October 2014
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OvalOwl said:
stroberaver said:
Not really, but then I'm going with a group of photographers, not petrolheads who will enjoy being flung along swooping, fun driving roads at a respectable number of leptons. The alternative route looks good for me but it adds on a lot of journey time, given that we'll want to get there before dark in case some folk will want to capture the evening light if the skies are clear(ish).
Speaking as a photographer of sorts I'd take the twiddly route at a few less leptons and be prepared to stop if a vista presents itself in the "golden hour" of evening light.
+1

confused I didn't say anything about being flung anywhere. The majority of the route should have little traffic and fun doesn't necessarily mean going fast. It's just as much about being in tune with the road and enjoying the flow.

The trade off is in time against photo opportunities. There are very few on the A9 and you're reliant on finding a convenient layby if/when one presents itself. On the route I suggested you won't struggle for places to stop. There are plenty of superb panoramas and other opportunities to be found. Amongst them, Glenshee, The Strone (if you use the B976), and several places along the A939 including The Lecht and Bridge of Brown. Beyond Inverness, the A835 below and above Loch Glascarnoch isn't bad either.

Staying in Ullapool means you're reasonably close to the Corrieschalloch Gorge (on the A832 just west of the A835 at Breamore Junction), so you could do that the next day if you're short of time.


JM

3,170 posts

205 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
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Red Devil said:
After all that has been written on this thread you really still want to use Scotland's most boring and dangerous major road?
Now that most of the tourists are away the A9 is not too bad.

I came south yesterday afternoon and between the bottom of the dual carriageway at Tomatin and halfway between the Aviemore junctions I past one truck, and there were no other vehicles heading south.
I was sitting at about 70 all the way.

There were a couple of busier bits but probably only about 6 or 7 vehicles in a queue at the most, and the majority of cars overtook the slower HGV's etc.


stevoknevo

1,672 posts

189 months

Friday 10th October 2014
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Who me said:
I don't know what extra distance /time the diversion would take,but I've done an Autoroute planer from Newcastle ( as no point in NE is mentioned) .Up the East coast to Edinburgh which uses the A1 and A9( to Inverness) and an alternative up the West coast via Stirling /Crianlarich and up the A82 to Inverness and in time it's about an hour longer and approx 30miles more. To Crianlarich camera wise I can't say as I've avoided this/ not had any need to venture over that side for a lot of years. After that, AFAIK there's no fixed cameras and the mobile sites are published ( though I have seen a van in honey spots near Laggan ,betwixt Loch Oich and Loch Lochy .)Food- no real idea as we always carried our own ,but I'd imagine there's likely to be decent places after the M9.There used to be places in Crianlarich ( including the station )and further up in Tyndrum .Better scenery than the East coast and allowing for the fact that the road through Glencoe is long overdue for an upgrade( AFAIK it's only had cosmetic work in the 40+ years I driven it) ,it's a great drivers road.
I'd definitely go your route via Stirling and Crianlarich; can't remember any fixed sites off hand, but keep to the speed limits through the villages and don't rip the arse out of any long strights and you'll be fine. Provided the weather is clear, I think any photographer worth his camera bag will be delighted that you took him through Glencoe! They didn't film Skyfall there for nothing! Couple of decent eateries in Tyndrum which is 4-5 miles past Crianlarich.

Red Devil

13,055 posts

207 months

Friday 10th October 2014
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Skyfall was filmed in Glen Etive not Glencoe - http://www.scotlandthemovie.com/movies/skyfall1.ht... - this confusion seems to arise due to reaching the turn off to the Glencoe Mountain Resort (which is not in Glencoe itself and several miles from Glencoe village!) before the turning to Glen Etive when heading north on the A82. Glen Etive is quite an appropriate location as Dalness Lodge used to be owned by the Fleming family.

GetCarter

29,358 posts

278 months

Friday 10th October 2014
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The Bealach this morning:


heebeegeetee

28,590 posts

247 months

Friday 10th October 2014
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GetCarter said:
The Bealach this morning:

Fabulous! thumbup

stroberaver

196 posts

167 months

Friday 10th October 2014
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Red Devil said:
confused I didn't say anything about being flung anywhere. The majority of the route should have little traffic and fun doesn't necessarily mean going fast. It's just as much about being in tune with the road and enjoying the flow.

...

Staying in Ullapool means you're reasonably close to the Corrieschalloch Gorge (on the A832 just west of the A835 at Breamore Junction), so you could do that the next day if you're short of time.
I know you didn't say anything, but I did. wink Looks like a nice, sweeping road in places that would be fun to pick up the pace and get into a good rhythm. But I know that's not what my passengers would appreciate. They'd be happiest on the straightest, smoothest route. But I'm glad to hear the A9 is ok at the moment, outside of tourist season. It was certainly a pretty easy, quick, straightforward run when I used it to come back from the Highlands nearly 3 years ago.

Although I understand the average speed cameras are due to go on soon, if they're not already?

Thanks for the tip about Corrieschalloch Gorge, will look into it.

@ GetCarter: Amazing photo!

Laurel Green

30,770 posts

231 months

Friday 10th October 2014
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heebeegeetee said:
GetCarter said:
The Bealach this morning:

Fabulous! thumbup
yes

JM

3,170 posts

205 months

Friday 10th October 2014
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GetCarter said:
The Bealach this morning:

Looks better than it did on Monday. frown


Craikeybaby

10,369 posts

224 months

Saturday 11th October 2014
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stroberaver said:
Although I understand the average speed cameras are due to go on soon, if they're not already?
28th October is what I've heard. I'm not normally a fan of average speed cameras, but something needs to be done on that road.