Highlands

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Red Devil

13,183 posts

214 months

Friday 5th August 2016
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mon the fish said:
I'm planning an Applecross trip for September from Aberdeenshire. Torridon Inn is already booked for the night, but I need some suggestions for lunch.

I reckon Lochcarron area will fit in time-wise, is the Lochcarron hotel any good? The plan is to get lunch before having a leisurely drive up and over to Applecross
I can't get my head round your timing. Unless you're not setting off until late morning or are all on bicycles. smile

From the Torridon Inn to Tornapress is only 14 miles. That won't take much more than 30 minutes: maybe an hour tops if you stop for a photshoot in Shieldaig.
Even if you go the long way round via Achnasheen, it will be under 90 minutes: maybe two hours at most if you make the usual stop at the viewpoint in Glen Docherty.

Why not have lunch after the Bealach at the Applecross Inn?

I've done it all the way from Ullapool after breakfast without difficulty using both routes: via Gairloch including a photostop at the Corrieshalloch viewpoint on the A832, and via Gorstan/Strathcarron. Stopped for more photos at top of the pass each time too.

Craikeybaby

10,671 posts

231 months

Friday 5th August 2016
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Red Devil said:
Both are east of Inveraray on the A83 near the head of Loch Fyne.
Top one here - https://goo.gl/maps/RWEuKqogVDp
Bottom one here - https://goo.gl/maps/NPDzhHyZdS52
I thought the top one looked like Loch Fyne, I couldn't have said that with any certainty, but just had a feeling. Surprised myself there.

Stevenr

915 posts

200 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
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mon the fish said:
is the Lochcarron hotel any good?
No it's awful apparently.
We're working in the area at the moment and a couple of boys had the joy of a few nights staying there because the Strathcarron was fully booked months in advance that week.They left the meals and packed their bags and travelled from Inverness for the week.
These are men working away from home all week,company paying the bill and they still left.

Each to their own but I'd be giving it a miss for anything other than a pint.

GetCarter

29,606 posts

285 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
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Red Devil said:
I can't get my head round your timing. Unless you're not setting off until late morning or are all on bicycles. smile

From the Torridon Inn to Tornapress is only 14 miles. That won't take much more than 30 minutes: maybe an hour tops if you stop for a photshoot in Shieldaig.
Even if you go the long way round via Achnasheen, it will be under 90 minutes: maybe two hours at most if you make the usual stop at the viewpoint in Glen Docherty.

Why not have lunch after the Bealach at the Applecross Inn?

I've done it all the way from Ullapool after breakfast without difficulty using both routes: via Gairloch including a photostop at the Corrieshalloch viewpoint on the A832, and via Gorstan/Strathcarron. Stopped for more photos at top of the pass each time too.
I think he's coming via Locharron, then Tornapress, then Applecross, then Torridon... so from Tornapress to Torridon is about 40 (ish) miles. Not a long trip, but a nice saunter.

O/P One other suggestion. We often eat here >> https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g551...

...rather then The Applecross Inn (it's about a mile away). It's more expensive, but a lot quieter and a more interesting selection of dishes. Good parking and you can reserve tables. The Inn is REALLY busy these days, and if you don't get there early you may have to wait or eat outside from this:



mon the fish

1,446 posts

154 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
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Thanks for the replies so far all, much appreciated.

We're setting off from Alford about 9am, over the Lecht, planning to stop at The Dairy at Daviot for coffee and to meet others coming from Moray, then head via Garve and Achnasheen down to Lochcarron to then do Applecross.

I was going by Google Maps timings, from experience 5 cars in convoy is always slower than I think it should be, even when they are Ferraris! I thought it would be best to have lunch before mucking about on the Bealach, stopping for photos etc and end up having a late lunch - I get hangry...

Torridon booked for dinner and accommodation, just the lunch etc to book

Edited by mon the fish on Saturday 6th August 18:24

Red Devil

13,183 posts

214 months

Saturday 6th August 2016
quotequote all
Ah, ISWYM.

If this is your route, I can see why the Applecross Inn is likely to be a bit ambitious. The Bealach cafe is probably achievable though.
The only other places I can think of are the Ledgowan Lodge Hotel at Achnasheen and the Strathcarron Hotel.

The latter is just off the route to Tornapress by the level crossing on the A890 to Kyle.
Haven't stopped at either of them though, so can't comment on the quality of their food.

Reg Local

2,690 posts

214 months

Monday 8th August 2016
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Here's an 11 minute video summarising my drive up to Kinlochbervie on Saturday set to some music which seemed to suit the Scottish roads.

Plenty of Scottish A roads/overtaking content from 1.25.

https://youtu.be/6NeXYVmUWg0

The roads are M65/M61/M6/M74/M8/M898, A82 over Rannoch Moor to Fort William and Drumnadrochit, A833/A862/A832 and onto the A835 North, through Ullapool & up to Ledmore Junction, A837 & A894 to Laxford Bridge and then the A838 North.

coppice

8,881 posts

150 months

Monday 8th August 2016
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memo to self- apply more Rainex before our September trip....

Patrick Bateman

12,314 posts

180 months

Monday 8th August 2016
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Good to see it's not just me that comes across folk braking as you overtake them on a clear stretch of road. Do they genuinely panic?

Red Devil

13,183 posts

214 months

Monday 8th August 2016
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Not to mention those in the vid who do the same when a car comes towards them on its own side of the road. rolleyes

Blue Lotus MLM on the M6. wink

White SUV moving across the dashed centre line on the right hander with a car coming the other way @ 7:35. shoot
Not content with that the driver drifts toward the verge then over corrects and veers back onto the centre whites just as Reg begins his overtake.smash

Texting, dozing off, or drunk?

@Reg. Is that vid recent? If so, I'm amazed how little traffic there is on the A82 over Rannoch Moor and passing the Glencoe Ski Centre.

GetCarter

29,606 posts

285 months

Monday 8th August 2016
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Red Devil said:
Is that vid recent? If so, I'm amazed how little traffic there is on the A82 over Rannoch Moor and passing the Glencoe Ski Centre.
I was thinking how busy it was!

Reg Local

2,690 posts

214 months

Monday 8th August 2016
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
Red Devil said:
Is that vid recent? If so, I'm amazed how little traffic there is on the A82 over Rannoch Moor and passing the Glencoe Ski Centre.
I was thinking how busy it was!
So was I! It was last Saturday, about 1.00pm - it's the busiest I've ever seen it. Still plenty of opportunities to make a bit of progress though.

Patrick Bateman

12,314 posts

180 months

Monday 8th August 2016
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That's been standard fare every time I went through.

GetCarter

29,606 posts

285 months

Monday 8th August 2016
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I guess it's just timing. Last time I went Tyndrum > Ft William, I saw four cars (and two of them were broken down).

Red Devil

13,183 posts

214 months

Monday 8th August 2016
quotequote all
Reg Local said:
GetCarter said:
Red Devil said:
Is that vid recent? If so, I'm amazed how little traffic there is on the A82 over Rannoch Moor and passing the Glencoe Ski Centre.
I was thinking how busy it was!
So was I! It was last Saturday, about 1.00pm - it's the busiest I've ever seen it. Still plenty of opportunities to make a bit of progress though.
I was basing my comment on the time of year: it now being the school holidays. To be sure it's series of edited clips but I was expecting to see rather more vehicles than that.

GetCarter said:
I guess it's just timing. Last time I went Tyndrum > Ft William, I saw four cars (and two of them were broken down).
On our annual bash in April we have the place pretty much to ourselves. The only place where you can be sure of seeing double figures is at lunchtime in the parking area by the Applecross Inn. smile

shambolic

2,146 posts

173 months

Tuesday 9th August 2016
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It was really busy over the weekend. I did a Skye trip Friday and Saturday and it's never been as busy. Possible weak sterling as every campsite was full.
Mostly Dutch and German.

Peanut Gallery

2,506 posts

116 months

Tuesday 9th August 2016
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I was in Skye over the weekend, as ^^^ says, there was a ton of traffic out there! - and stupidly slow camper/cara vans - Next time back up North to Applecross and beyond!

chalda

186 posts

146 months

Wednesday 10th August 2016
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Red Devil said:
Both are east of Inveraray on the A83 near the head of Loch Fyne.
Thanks a lot for your help!

I am now quite looking forward to my trip to the Highlands in october, into which I already had incorporated the A83 (and the nearby restaurant at Fyne ales). The second week of october must suffice to do the full scottish PH road loop in the west and north-west!

Janesy B

2,625 posts

192 months

Friday 12th August 2016
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I did post a while back about my trip which is in a couple of weeks now. There's five of us but we will split up when the road is single track so we're not causing a nuisance.

These are the routes I have planned out for the week. I expect the more experienced here will have some useful input and it would be greatly appreciated.

Day 1 Route - https://goo.gl/maps/SX8VbQwsf2Q2 - Stockton to Inverness via A68/A9.
Day 2 Route - https://goo.gl/maps/SXgzbDYTsbn - Inverness to Durness via A9/A99 (not much choice on that one).
Day 3 Route - https://goo.gl/maps/gdZQ9RqVYeQ2 - Durness to Gairloch via Kylesku.
Day 4 Route - https://goo.gl/maps/wZj8dLZVTxu - Gariloch to Skye, worth taking the long way round or the A896 and going up/back down the Applecross pass?
Day 5 Route - https://goo.gl/maps/XoesWpbeLBz - Skye to Cairngorms, geniunely no idea what's best. Worth going down towards Fort William and looping back up?
Day 6 Route - https://goo.gl/maps/aGapBwD2Vo82 - Cairngorms to Edinburgh, Old Military Road.

GetCarter

29,606 posts

285 months

Friday 12th August 2016
quotequote all
Janesy B said:
Day 4 Route - https://goo.gl/maps/wZj8dLZVTxu - Gariloch to Skye, worth taking the long way round or the A896 and going up/back down the Applecross pass?
Yes. You get good views of the Hebrides on that road, and get to go up and down both sides of the Bealach. Couple of nice beaches too, if you have time. It will only add 30 mins to the journey.

...and you get a bunch of views like this:







Edited by GetCarter on Friday 12th August 12:28