Discussion
Probably my favourite road on Skye. 
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.6232502,-6.30443...
Back in April this year. Wall to wall sunshine.
Rush hour.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@57.6232502,-6.30443...
Back in April this year. Wall to wall sunshine.
Rush hour.
Stylus said:
I thought I'd add some pictures from a trip earlier in the year as I forgot to at the time, only remembered as I've just booked the next one!
We rented the Jaguar XKR from Avis Prestige (great service btw) from Edinburgh airport and headed north. Myself and my wife are from Scotland so know the areas, and living in the Middle East miss the scenery immensely.
First stop was Fort William to meet up with friends, then a few nights on Skye to chill, and then on to see families.
We did an immense amount of driving over the 5 days so I won't share a route as it's been done so many times before, but here's a couple of pictures.
On day one my wife hated the car as "it feels like it wants to kill me", but that was more to do with the continual rain than the car.
Fortunately for me I've a business trip back to Scotland in September, and with one day free I'll be picking up the F-Type V6S from Avis this time. Route is to head out from Edinburgh, along the Forth Valley and over the Ochils to Perth, picking up the Old Military Road from Blairgowrie and over the Sheet to Braemar, the Lecht and then it's decision time depending on time. Hopefully follow the road onto Inverness and follow the Great Glen south and back through Glen Coe, Callander and return to Edinbrugh.
Cannot wait!
Damn you!!! That's sent me straight to the Avis Prestige site to look up the cost of an F Type for a few days in the Highlands!! We rented the Jaguar XKR from Avis Prestige (great service btw) from Edinburgh airport and headed north. Myself and my wife are from Scotland so know the areas, and living in the Middle East miss the scenery immensely.
First stop was Fort William to meet up with friends, then a few nights on Skye to chill, and then on to see families.
We did an immense amount of driving over the 5 days so I won't share a route as it's been done so many times before, but here's a couple of pictures.
On day one my wife hated the car as "it feels like it wants to kill me", but that was more to do with the continual rain than the car.
Fortunately for me I've a business trip back to Scotland in September, and with one day free I'll be picking up the F-Type V6S from Avis this time. Route is to head out from Edinburgh, along the Forth Valley and over the Ochils to Perth, picking up the Old Military Road from Blairgowrie and over the Sheet to Braemar, the Lecht and then it's decision time depending on time. Hopefully follow the road onto Inverness and follow the Great Glen south and back through Glen Coe, Callander and return to Edinbrugh.
Cannot wait!
Blown2CV said:
intrigued to hear hire costs if that's not too vulgar a request...
They're listed here, no hidden charges so what you see is what you get.http://www.avisprestige.com/index.php
You can pay £30 quid odd if my memory is correct to bring the excess down to £750 which I'd suggest is worthwhile. Having said that I've never had any issue with them being too fussed about looking at the car when I've returned them and certainly things like stone chips won't be a concern, so aside from some serious damage I wouldn't worry about it.
Word of warning though, check out the mileage limitations on your intended vehicle. For instance on the F-Type they have the V6s and the V8 available for the same rental price, but the V8 is limited to 100 miles per day, however the V6 is unlimited. Easy choice in my eyes!
Back up next week, couple days on Skye, then up to Gairloch and Lochinver, then across to Braemar.
Any suggestions for
a) Nice cut across from the A1 to Glasgow, balancing time/scenery/fun roads as it'll be at the tail end of an all day drive from Kent.
b) Creative route from Lochinver to Braemar.
Any suggestions for
a) Nice cut across from the A1 to Glasgow, balancing time/scenery/fun roads as it'll be at the tail end of an all day drive from Kent.
b) Creative route from Lochinver to Braemar.
vrsmxtb said:
Back up next week, couple days on Skye, then up to Gairloch and Lochinver, then across to Braemar.
Any suggestions for
a) Nice cut across from the A1 to Glasgow, balancing time/scenery/fun roads as it'll be at the tail end of an all day drive from Kent.
b) Creative route from Lochinver to Braemar.
a)Consider taking the A68 from just past Darlington then crossing over to the west past Jedburgh via Peebles on the A72 and into Glasgow that way. A68 has some nice bits a few cameras but easily spotted.Any suggestions for
a) Nice cut across from the A1 to Glasgow, balancing time/scenery/fun roads as it'll be at the tail end of an all day drive from Kent.
b) Creative route from Lochinver to Braemar.
b) Lochinver to Inveness all roads are good :-) then Carrbridge- Tomintoul- Cock Bridge- Bramaer via the b967 (small cut through)
We had a great trip up to The Torridon hotel the week before last!
Driving from Fife up to the hotel we wanted to take in some scenic routes, trying to avoid that bloody A9!
This was the route we took.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Kirkcaldy/Crieff...
Stopping a few times to shoo these out of the way
Looking over Loch Torridon
The Torridon. Fantastic hotel, would recommend to all. We stayed for 2 nights in the Liathach room. Food, service, hospitality, whisky, all excellent! Even the weather was great when we were there.
Driving from Fife up to the hotel we wanted to take in some scenic routes, trying to avoid that bloody A9!
This was the route we took.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Kirkcaldy/Crieff...
Stopping a few times to shoo these out of the way
Looking over Loch Torridon
The Torridon. Fantastic hotel, would recommend to all. We stayed for 2 nights in the Liathach room. Food, service, hospitality, whisky, all excellent! Even the weather was great when we were there.
sjabrown said:
Red Devil said:
Known locally as seagulls island. Sgorr na Ciche* is the mountain behind it.
- https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sgorr+na+ciche&a...* Not to be confused with Sgùrr na Cìche in Knoydart - https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sgurr+na+ciche&a...
vrsmxtb said:
a) Nice cut across from the A1 to Glasgow, balancing time/scenery/fun roads as it'll be at the tail end of an all day drive from Kent.
I'm also from Kent and this is my preferred route - https://goo.gl/maps/gVfuPMiddleton-in-Teesdale -> Alston -> Bampton definitely ticks the scenery/fun boxes.
Janluke said:
a)Consider taking the A68 from just past Darlington then crossing over to the west past Jedburgh via Peebles on the A72 and into Glasgow that way. A68 has some nice bits a few cameras but easily spotted.
b) Lochinver to Inveness all roads are good :-) then Carrbridge- Tomintoul- Cock Bridge- Bramaer via the b967 (small cut through)
The problem with a) is that, while the A68 and the A72/A721 west of Peebles to Carluke are OK, whichever alternative you pick from Jedburgh to Peebles will be anything but.b) Lochinver to Inveness all roads are good :-) then Carrbridge- Tomintoul- Cock Bridge- Bramaer via the b967 (small cut through)
The traffic in the area of all the borders towns can be a right PITA: if you get stuck in a camel train behind a HGV it's game over.
Re b) you have got your numbers mixed up, the B967 is in a different part of Aberdeenshire - http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title...
The cut through is the B976 - http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title... - via The Strone.
There are only really two practical choices for Lochinver to Inverness.
Via Bonar Bridge - https://goo.gl/maps/rGldR
Via Ullapool - https://goo.gl/maps/xzMUP
An option for the latter, but only if you have sufficient time, is to head south from Lochinver va Inverkirkaig to Badnagyle.
Then left onto the road to the Summer Isles past Stac Pollaidh to the A835 at Drumrunie.
I can't abide the A9, so instead of via Carrbridge I would go this way - https://goo.gl/maps/ybHr4
The B roads via Cawdor are nice plus you get to do another 21 miles of the superb A939.
Red Devil said:
The problem with a) is that, while the A68 and the A72/A721 west of Peebles to Carluke are OK, whichever alternative you pick from Jedburgh to Peebles will be anything but.
The traffic in the area of all the borders towns can be a right PITA: if you get stuck in a camel train behind a HGV it's game over.
Re b) you have got your numbers mixed up, the B967 is in a different part of Aberdeenshire - http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title...
The cut through is the B976 - http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title... - via The Strone.
Jedburgh to Peebles fair comment I'm usually on a motorbike so it didnt flag up in my wee brain :-) but its not that far over the whole journey The traffic in the area of all the borders towns can be a right PITA: if you get stuck in a camel train behind a HGV it's game over.
Re b) you have got your numbers mixed up, the B967 is in a different part of Aberdeenshire - http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title...
The cut through is the B976 - http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/wiki/index.php?title... - via The Strone.
B976 yes sorry typo
Thanks for the suggestions!
Red Devil - I like the look of that route, I have done a mixture before, sometimes cut across the A66, sometimes done the A696/A68 way but not done that route across the Pennines. We shouldn't be in a huge hurry so might give that a try!
Regarding the Lochinver to Inverness, I've done both at some stage but can't remember the differences - which one is prettier / better drive etc. I will have come up from Ullapool to get to Lochinver so might take the A836 across to the A9. Want to stop off at the Moray to try and see the Dolphins anyway.
I think I'll use the route Red Devil gave me one year for Inverness to Braemar, the one that cuts down through Cawdor on the B9090 and joins the A939 that way. That is an epic drive, will not forget trying to keep pace with a spiritedly driven Focus ST170 down there in my Mx5 one year. Great fun!
Red Devil - I like the look of that route, I have done a mixture before, sometimes cut across the A66, sometimes done the A696/A68 way but not done that route across the Pennines. We shouldn't be in a huge hurry so might give that a try!
Regarding the Lochinver to Inverness, I've done both at some stage but can't remember the differences - which one is prettier / better drive etc. I will have come up from Ullapool to get to Lochinver so might take the A836 across to the A9. Want to stop off at the Moray to try and see the Dolphins anyway.
I think I'll use the route Red Devil gave me one year for Inverness to Braemar, the one that cuts down through Cawdor on the B9090 and joins the A939 that way. That is an epic drive, will not forget trying to keep pace with a spiritedly driven Focus ST170 down there in my Mx5 one year. Great fun!
calum_ek said:
This may be of interest: http://www.thetorridon.com/blog/the_torridon/pass-...
(though I don't think they quite realised I sped the footage up!)
vrsmxtb said:
I think I'll use the route Red Devil gave me one year for Inverness to Braemar, the one that cuts down through Cawdor on the B9090 and joins the A939 that way. That is an epic drive, will not forget trying to keep pace with a spiritedly driven Focus ST170 down there in my Mx5 one year. Great fun!
It's the same one in the link I posted above. Gassing Station | Roads | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff