Driving holiday in Scotland

[t1grm]

I have two weeks off in August and am planning on having a “driving” holiday. My original plan was to do my usual blast through Italy down to Malta. However, it has stuck me that there’s whole lot of the British Isles I haven’t explored yet.

So I was thinking Scotland. Has anyone got any suggestions for a route and stop off points? What about the Shetland Islands? Is it easy to take a car up there? Would that be a holiday in itself or could I just do that as a three or four day stop over as part of a larger “tour”?


>> Edited by t1grm on Sunday 24th July 14:48

[mybrainhurts]

Beware men in skirts.....

[glocko]

Make sure you get over to the East Neuk of Fife, Anstruther, Pittenweem, Crail etc and then 10 miles down the road is St Andrews.
Absolutely beautiful.
Great hooning roads, golf, whisky.
The Golf Hotel in Crail reckons they are the oldest pub in Scotland, no doubting it's old (the pavement is about 5 inches underneath the window ledge due to the numbers of road relaying over the years!! Original DPC is probably 3 foot below ground level!!!) but well worth a visit for the grub.
Enjoy and Hoots Mon keep aheld o' ye troosers!!!

[andy4200]

Have a look on the Scotland forum and talk to GetCarter. He knows some great roads up in the North.
Basic route, West Coast A82 to Loch Ness area. Turn off to go west, do loop around towards Inverness via Applecross. Modify as needed when you find small squiggly lines on the map.

[t1grm]

andy4200 said:

Have a look on the Scotland forum and talk to GetCarter. He knows some great roads up in the North. Basic route, West Coast A82 to Loch Ness area. Turn off to go west, do loop around towards Inverness via Applecross. Modify as needed when you find small squiggly lines on the map.

Andy

Thanks for the info. I notice you say take the west coast route and then head west. Is there not much worth seeing on the East coast?

[andy4200]

t1grm said:

I notice you say take the west coast route and then head west. Is there not much worth seeing on the East coast?

Not in my opinion but then I'm from Glasgow and biased

The A82 is a great road up past Loch Lomond and through Glen Coe. There are bits where you will get stuck behind a caravan or truck but hang in there and a good overtake will turn up.

The loop to Inverness from the A82. From Invergarry take the A87 to Eilean Donan Castle then A890 to A896 to Tornapress. Take turnoff to Applecross. Follow it round and you will hit the A896 again then A832 to Garve then down to Inverness.

Applecross Pass (one of GetCarters photos)

[shirepro]

Edinburgh festival?

[tvrbob]

Watch out for speed cameras in the Borders region. Last time I was in the area there were cameras every few miles.

[Prof Beard]

Don't forget the lowlands of Scotland - the Dumfries and Galloway area is worth a visit - we'll I enjoyed it anyway...

Prof Beard

[Tabs]

Get your accomodation sorted first. Was in a Travelinn in Inverness last August (pre-booked in June) when a couple asked for a room. It was fully booked. They'd driven from Skye calling at every B+B they passed, to no avail.

[DaGinge]

I'm organising a similar trip for some friends, you REALLY want to follow this route:
www.porschaforum.com/bestdrive/day1.htm

Most of this is from Steve Carter's route.

I've driven all over Scotland and the Western highlands are the place to drive, don't waste your time going east - not that its bad, just that it is nothing compared to the west.

PM me if you want the rest of my route and some suggestions for extra days and a way back....

[lottie]

Hi, You must go over to Mull from Oban on the west coast. It is stunning. Went in my Elise two years ago and did our own "Tour of Mull"!! Also if you decide to upwards, go to Ullapool and over the top to Wick and stay in a lovely B&B called Loch Watten House then down to Pitlochery where the salmon leaps are. But wherever you go have haggis and neaps !!A wee dram to warm those toes!

[apache]

You could do with taking the A9 up to Aviemore, I grew up biking on these roads and they are are amazing, a drive up to the Cairngorms would be worth it alone, take the B970 past Loch Morlich.

[andy4200]

DaGinge said:

I'm organising a similar trip for some friends, you REALLY want to follow this route: www.porschaforum.com/bestdrive/day1.htm Most of this is from Steve Carter's route.

Yep, up to virtually number 10 on your route is what I was suggesting except I went round to Inverness. Carrying on to Ullapool and beyond is recommended though if you have time.

On the way back from Inverness you could come down the Loch Ness back road B??? (can't remember off hand) and stop at Foyers for the waterfall (and Aleistair Crowleys old house) then carry on through Fort Augustus to Spean Bridge. Turn left towards Roybridge and off towards Dalwhinnie and the A9 (Aviemore). It's a long way to Aviemore but huge fun.

[bikerkeith]

Just had an excellent week in the Highlands on the bike. Superb weather (for part of the time) helped. Agree with other comments on places to go, including Applecross. Best the British Isles can offer in the way of passes, wicked hairpins etc. The Applecross Inn has superb food and drink, so worth booking for a night. (If you can't get a room at the Inn, they will suggest others nearby).
And don't forget the Borders for a stop on the way/coming back.

[Nevin]

andy4200 said:

t1grm said: I notice you say take the west coast route and then head west. Is there not much worth seeing on the East coast? Not in my opinion but then I'm from Glasgow and biased The A82 is a great road up past Loch Lomond and through Glen Coe. There are bits where you will get stuck behind a caravan or truck but hang in there and a good overtake will turn up. The loop to Inverness from the A82. From Invergarry take the A87 to Eilean Donan Castle then A890 to A896 to Tornapress. Take turnoff to Applecross. Follow it round and you will hit the A896 again then A832 to Garve then down to Inverness. Applecross Pass (one of GetCarters photos)

Eurgh, a weedgie.

Seriously though, anywhere north of Edinburgh or Glasgow will see you right, but you do tend to get better scenery in the middle and west of the country until you get as far as Inverness, then both coasts are great.

The drive from Edinburgh to Aberdeen is boring as hell, but turn off at Perth for some quality driving.

[joecooool]

I stayed at these two places last summer - I highly recommend both of them.

www.glengarry.net/index.php

www.kildrummycastlehotel.co.uk/

[joncastle]

Scotland - all the best bits begin AFTER Inverness...

Seriously, the A9 has some wonderful bits north of Perth, particularly as it goes up through the Cairngorms, but it's the stretches in the far north which are the most fun. Berriedale Braes in Caithness is spectacular.

If you've come this far you have to go to John'O'Groats (briefly), but when you're there, go to the easternmost corner (Duncansby Head) and then west to the most northerly (Dunnet Head), both much more memorable than the tourist trap.

Now keep going west, through Thurso, past Dounreay and on into Sutherland for the trip round the top. Melvich, Tongue, Durness - still some of the very few single lane A-class roads in the UK. Turn the corner at Cape Wrath, and south to Ullapool and beyond. On a good day, awesome.

And not a camera in sight...

Enjoy!

Jonathan

[rooster]

glocko said:

Make sure you get over to the East Neuk of Fife, Anstruther, Pittenweem, Crail etc and then 10 miles down the road is St Andrews. Absolutely beautiful. Great hooning roads, golf, whisky. The Golf Hotel in Crail reckons they are the oldest pub in Scotland, no doubting it's old (the pavement is about 5 inches underneath the window ledge due to the numbers of road relaying over the years!! Original DPC is probably 3 foot below ground level!!!) but well worth a visit for the grub. Enjoy and Hoots Mon keep aheld o' ye troosers!!!

och don't you've just made me really homesick, been down sarf for 4 uears now and miss Fife dreadfully!!!I lived in Cellardyke.

>> Edited by rooster on Monday 25th July 09:08

[Vitesse39]

glocko said:

Make sure you get over to the East Neuk of Fife, Anstruther, Pittenweem, Crail etc and then 10 miles down the road is St Andrews. Absolutely beautiful. Great hooning roads, golf, whisky. The Golf Hotel in Crail reckons they are the oldest pub in Scotland, no doubting it's old (the pavement is about 5 inches underneath the window ledge due to the numbers of road relaying over the years!! Original DPC is probably 3 foot below ground level!!!) but well worth a visit for the grub. Enjoy and Hoots Mon keep aheld o' ye troosers!!!

yep north east fife is good, and Knock hill circuit is there abouts if you fancy.
The A9 up from Perth to Inverness is a nice run (it's not so bad on the way back down either), but it is a purpose built speed trap.

Ignore what any of the west coasters have said about the east, (they're just jealous of the better weather on the east )