The PistonHeads Highland Tour 2011
Join us in May to drive the very best Scottish roads
The roads are a mix of fast sweeping bends and tighter, twisty, technically challenging sections designed to put a smile on your face. We've arranged some great local hotels, the fuel stops are marked and of course you'll have the benefit of a tour manager in a lead car, sat-nav files, licensed walkie talkies and detailed route notes contained in info packs.
It's a small and friendly tour with numbers being limited to just 15, and all the hotels we'll be staying in are small, welcoming independents. Who says you need to head overseas for a great driving holiday?
- Day 1 - 190 Miles
The tour begins with lunch on the edge of the Lake District (there will be a convoy from London for those who live in the South of England). After lunch we head on through the Lake District and over the Kirkstone Pass, heading north past Glasgow and up to Loch Lomond, for our first night in a haunted coaching inn (if you like that sort of thing).
- Day 2 - 165 Miles
Leaving Loch Lomond, we continue north past Loch Leven and Fort William to Eilean Donan Castle, and on to the Isle of Skye before our next hotel, near Torridon.
- Day 3 - 170 Miles
Time to head on up the western coast, enjoying the amazing scenery, mountains and twisting tarmac of the highlands, including the beautiful Kylesku bridge
- Day 4 - 220 Miles
We hit the northern coast of Scotland in the morning, almost as far north as you can go on the mainland, to visit the Glenmorangie distillery before heading further south to arrive at the Balmoral estate in time for a sumptuous traditional Scottish dinner for our last night in Scotland.
- Day 5 - 280 Miles
Onwards and downwards, a dash past Glenshee ski area and a visit to the Falkirk wheel before heading across the border on our way to the Yorkshire Dales, where we will be spending the night in a hotel owned by a true petrolhead.
- Day 6 Homeward Bound
Yes it's the last day, but we still have a fun drive in store. We'll take you on a specially prepared route across the Yorkshire Dales with breathtaking views and our usual mix of fun twisty sections and gentle sweeping bends before stopping for Lunch. After lunch it's time to head home.
The booking deposit is £250 per person.
What's included:
5 nights bed & breakfast
Sat-Nav Files
Walkie-talkies
Route info packs
1 tour manager
What's not included:
Lunch, dinner, fuel, tolls.
Breakdown cover (for your own peace of mind we make this a requirement on all tours)
If you would like to book, please call the guys at Petrolhead Nirvana on 0845 838 7363.
Having said that doing it yourself won't offer the experience of going as part of a group and it is the social aspects of this event that probably makes it something special.
Having said that doing it yourself won't offer the experience of going as part of a group and it is the social aspects of this event that probably makes it something special.
I'm pretty sure I could book a week's tour for my Wife and I for around £200 B&B. Where is that extra grand going?
From posts above re cost, the Tours are well worth it having experianced the Alpine Tour last year. Meeting new people and the banter over the high powered radios really makes these trips. Having the peace of mind of a tour manager being there for when things go a little wrong is also very welcome (as a few will vouch for from the Alps) along with the knowledge of which roads are best...
Personally I think they are great value.
Take advantage of the pre-Christmas offer and the fact that VAT is increasing in the new year and the cost of the tour has barely risen over last year's tour (which 15 people thoroughly enjoyed).
I know these tours aren't for everyone, but the vast majority of people who came on tour with us during 2010 will agree that the whole experience we provide is actually pretty good value for money.
In this as in all things, you get what you pay for with hotels and organisation so if you wanted to do this for £200 you might just be able to (although i can't vouch for the quality of hotels you'd find for that)
We have tried to balance a decent standard of accommodation with a fair price.
For some it will seem cheap for a week away with all the organisation that goes into;
finding hotels,
booking them out completely in some cases,
arranging routes to ensure that the mileage per day is not too excessive.
factoring in fuel stops,
making sure the routes have the right balance of fun roads but little traffic,
covering everything we do with proper tour and liability insurance
building the sat nav files so everyone knows where they are going,
supplying good quality licensed walkie talkies with a true 5 miles range (they are upwards of £75 each - not the £20 maplin ones)
and of course having a tour manager along to take care of everyone, leading the group and setting a reasonable pace.
There is a lot to be said for driving in a group with everything taken care of and that is why these tours regularly get filled up quickly.
Yes you could do some of these things yourself if you wanted to and a lot of people do, you might be able to save a few £'s here and there, so for some that is a saving worth making.
It's like deciding whether you want to buy standard or high octane fuel, or drive a £100 shed or spend a bit more and get an MX5.
Other companies will charge far more for their tours and give you less.
so if you want to do it yourself absolutely, but if you want someone to take all the strain and do it for you this trip is one of the best value organised trips you'll find.
As Ross says our tours are popular because we put a lot of effort into making them the best they can be.
Having said that doing it yourself won't offer the experience of going as part of a group and it is the social aspects of this event that probably makes it something special.
Have fun though, its a blash up there.
If you'd like to come along as a solo driver then you will be sharing a room with another solo driver or put into a single room (where available). Single rooms throughout are available, but this is subject to prior arrangement and a small additional cost.
Hi Colin,
At this point in time there are just 3 places left. Cars booked so far on this trip:
AM DB7 Volante
AM V8 Vantage
BMW E92 M3
BMW E46 M3 cab
Maserati 3200GT
Nissan GTR (tbc)
TVR Chimaera 500
The hotels are chosen for location, cleanliness, character and food, and of course each hotel has an onsite bar
Having said that doing it yourself won't offer the experience of going as part of a group and it is the social aspects of this event that probably makes it something special.
Have fun though, its a blash up there.
The 10% discount offer officially closes at Christmas, but if anyone would like to take advantage of it, then either call us before then on 0845 838 7363 or leave us a message on the answerphone any time before the new year and we'll call you back in the first week of January.
You only need to pay a deposit to secure the discount, the balance will be due 8 weeks before we leave.
Merry Christmas!
- so we now have two places available on this tour Gassing Station | Events & Meetings | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff