RE: 'Kinlochring': My Dream Drive

[V8Dom]

I've just arrived to sample the road. Thank you. I hope it's worth the detour from Manchester..

[ortontom]

the 360 cs for me has become a revelation in recent times, a few of us went to Anglesea and a friend of ours brought his along....he was suppose to bring the F40 but for good reason he didnt....

The CS was for me one of the most complete cars (well track biased) I have ever been in, always a fan of the GT3 but the amount of soul coming out of the CS..the GT3 cannot compete.
Ride, noise, turn in, brakes, power, looks......brilliant...

T

[b16a2_VTi]

Proper cars, great write up, looking forward including this loop in my road trip later this year.

[mlhj83]

Our tip earlier this year



And the rest of the photos:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/76338312@N06/sets/72...

[Podie]

Well, no screaming CS V8 today, but a rumble of Blackpool thunder seemed appropriate given the weather up here.

Driving rain, standing water and lots of torque aren't exactly a great combination, but the "Kinlochring" really in an enjoyable bit of tarmac.

We happen to be on holiday up here, and took the scenic route back this afternoon and stopped off at the seafood cafe for dinner - which was bloody fantastic (the scallops are stunning!)

Great drive, great food.

[nigelonich]

Hop on the Corran ferry and take the A861 south to Strontian round to Lochairlort and then onto the road to the isles to Mallaig and back. This is Dream Drive II.

The only tip is make sure you are first on the Ferry so you get off first and you have the road to yourself.

[Podie]

nigelonich said:

Hop on the Corran ferry and take the A861 south to Strontian round to Lochairlort and then onto the road to the isles to Mallaig and back. This is Dream Drive II.

The only tip is make sure you are first on the Ferry so you get off first and you have the road to yourself.

We're actually staying the Strontian side anyway. I'm fact the B&B owners suggested it was called the "Strontian TT"

It's on the list for tomorrow

Anywhere worth stopping off for a coffee / bite to eat?

[nigelonich]

Take a picnic! Glenfinnan House Hotel is nice for dinner on the way back.

[thatguy11]

mlhj83 said:

Our tip earlier this year



And the rest of the photos:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/76338312@N06/sets/72...

Ours! what did you make of the Durness - Ullapool roads?

[Podie]

nigelonich said:

Take a picnic! Glenfinnan House Hotel is nice for dinner on the way back.

Stopped at a random cafe for something to eat.

In correction of yesterday's comment, it is the "Ardnamurchan TT" circuit - did a full anti clockwise lap - and chased the Jacobite express up to Mallaig as well.

Heading south towards Loch Lomomd tomorrow.

Good timing on the article, and thanks for the tip. Mentioned your name to Kate (waitress) at the seafood place... so you may get a comment next time you pop in : hehe:

[Schnellmann]

Very timely as I'm driving up to Loch Tay on Friday for the weekend.

Used to own a black CS. Would have loved to try it on those roads. Currently have a hotrod early 911 and expect it will be quite fun too!

How long would it take to drive from Loch Tay to Ballachulish?

[ecs0set]

thatguy11 said:

Ours! what did you make of the Durness - Ullapool roads?

Very jealous of you guys that live further north. I didn't make it to the top but 1,700 miles in 4 days isn't too bad, especially given that it involved donating an entire month's salary to Shell!

[nigelonich]

Schnellmann said:

Very timely as I'm driving up to Loch Tay on Friday for the weekend.

Used to own a black CS. Would have loved to try it on those roads. Currently have a hotrod early 911 and expect it will be quite fun too!

How long would it take to drive from Loch Tay to Ballachulish?

allow 1.5hrs

[AdvocatusD]

nigelonich said:

Schnellmann said:

Very timely as I'm driving up to Loch Tay on Friday for the weekend.

Used to own a black CS. Would have loved to try it on those roads. Currently have a hotrod early 911 and expect it will be quite fun too!

How long would it take to drive from Loch Tay to Ballachulish?

allow 1.5hrs

Nigel: do you find any particular bits of the highlands to be no-go zones given the width of the CS? I'm thinking of the single tracks along the west coast specifically and around Applecross.

Schnellmann: I ended up with a black CS in the end !

[delboy735]

AdvocatusD said:

nigelonich said:

Schnellmann said:

Very timely as I'm driving up to Loch Tay on Friday for the weekend.

Used to own a black CS. Would have loved to try it on those roads. Currently have a hotrod early 911 and expect it will be quite fun too!

How long would it take to drive from Loch Tay to Ballachulish?

allow 1.5hrs

Nigel: do you find any particular bits of the highlands to be no-go zones given the width of the CS? I'm thinking of the single tracks along the west coast specifically and around Applecross.

Schnellmann: I ended up with a black CS in the end !

Talk to GetCarter, he'll advise you...especially as he lives near Applecross, and has an Audi R8 !!!
I'm not jealous........much.

[mlhj83]

thatguy11 said:

mlhj83 said:

Our tip earlier this year



And the rest of the photos:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/76338312@N06/sets/72...

Ours! what did you make of the Durness - Ullapool roads?

Nice! The roads to and after Ullapool were good, but much preferred the rally stage-type northern section of the A838, the B9007, the unnamed single track road that heads west from the A9 across moorland and joins the brilliant B851, and the unnamed road that joins Newcastleton to Langholm. My second time touring Scotland - never gets tired. The rest of the roads were simple long fast sweeping bends with the typically excellent scenery.

[Who me ?]

Podie said:

nigelonich said:

Hop on the Corran ferry and take the A861 south to Strontian round to Lochairlort and then onto the road to the isles to Mallaig and back. This is Dream Drive II.

The only tip is make sure you are first on the Ferry so you get off first and you have the road to yourself.

We're actually staying the Strontian side anyway. I'm fact the B&B owners suggested it was called the "Strontian TT"

It's on the list for tomorrow

Anywhere worth stopping off for a coffee / bite to eat?

The route Nigel advises is great. Some great ( if only now single and a half ) roads. This id my neck of the woods, and there's a lot of great roads off to the coast from the A861 to Strontian. One place of interest on the new stretch is a partly hidden side road which leads to the tidal island of Eilan Shona. Personally I would take a single use BBQ and a gas stove. However ,when in Mallaig, just past the police station, turn left and beside the station is a fish shop selling FRESH fish, and if you're lucky prawns, and even luckier, kippers.And on the way to Mallaig, a mile or two out, there's a right turn signposted as Glasnacardoch, B8008, which will take you in to Mallaig by the old road, through the twisting turns of the rail bridge and then Fank Brae , along the top with breath taking views of Rum and Eigg ,dropping through Annie's Brae to the protestant church on the right ,and the catholic church to the left and down into the harbour area. Station is to the left, and East bay to the right.
I'm always amazed at how many folks slurp over this route and the Kinlochleven loop. All these roads were part of my daily patch in the 60's. Corran to Strontian road was at times a cattle track. Ask a native about the "Red rocks", where there was no road surface other than a track over a patch of rocks. Fort William to Mallaig was 48 miles of bad road.Try various sections of the B8008 to give you some idea .

[nigelonich]

AdvocatusD said:

Nigel: do you find any particular bits of the highlands to be no-go zones given the width of the CS? I'm thinking of the single tracks along the west coast specifically and around Applecross.

Schnellmann: I ended up with a black CS in the end !

This is a tough one. Most roads that lead to fishing ports like Mallaig, Ullapool, Lochinver and Scrabster tend to be very good as the trucks struggle with single track. There are some B roads like the one in Glen Etive http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... that are a no go really unless you drive at a miserable speed just to get a photo. Id never take me GT3 back there.

For the CS and your trip probably the road between Invergarry and Skye is a good shout and has 'probably' the prettiest west highland castle on the lochside.

Never done the applecross route actually as it looks too tight for my cars apart from the Defender.

Im in Onich this weekend and joining the Cobra club for the Rest and Be Thankfull run on Sunday.

[delboy735]

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=833...

Shouldn't be a problem in the majority of cars.

[motco]

Before the bridge at Ballachulish was built you had to choose between a ferry or that circuit around the loch. I seem to remember an aluminium smelting works at the head of the loch - is it still there?

In 1984 or thereabouts I had to visit the fish (salmon) farm mentioned. It was owned by Unilever's company 'Marine Harvest' and it seemed that a few locals were doing exactly that -harvesting - under the cover of darkness! My brief was to propose a perimeter security system to try to solve the problem, but the winter weather conditions made it very difficult with the kit I had with the company of the day. It's a beautiful circuit but the rocks that protrude into the road in places are even more unforgiving than the tree in the thread about messing with Mother Nature. Hit one and it would barely notice as it cannoned you off into the deep black waters of Loch Leven.