Newcastle to Inverness, suggested routes?

[craig2003]

I am heading up from Newcastle area in a couple of weeks back home to Inverness hopefully after picking up a new car.
Always a lover of a back road blast what would be your preferred route?

I kind of thought of heading up the A68, Edinburgh to Perth on the main road, A93 to Ballater then one of my favourites the superb A939 but am open to any suggestions for an enjoyable run North with the minimum of worry about a camera round the next corner
I will be stopping for lunch somewhere on the way so looking for recommendations for a decent place close to the road

[sherman]

How about the A68-A720-M8-M9-A90-M90-A9-A899- A86- A82
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Newcastle+upo...yn9pNzg-jSPSDGB6AmGCUP-9Q%3BFarzZwMdd5e4_ynrOxv0DSGPSDHQPK8hlw8XEg%3BFY0KbQMdL4mykr3hctW3GPSDE9xD4u0QlDYg&oq=Inverness&t=h&mra=ls&z=10

[craig2003]

Good shout, maybe a little too much on the A9 though.
The estimated fuel cost of £58 gave me a laugh though! I doubt I would see the end of the A68 for that!

[JM]

A68 or A697 as an alternative to Edinburgh.

Then from Forth Road Bridge try the A823 through (or bypass) Dunfermline, up past Knockhill, through Gleneagles to Crieff. Then the A822 to Amurlee then the unclassified road through Glen Quaich and up and over to Kenmore.
B8a6 to Tummel Bridge continuing on to Trinafour, then take the unclassified road over the hill to the bottom of the dual carriageway at Drumochter on the A9.

You could then come off at Dalwhinnie and follow the other suggested route home from there or you could follow the route of the old A9 but trying to avoid Aviemore etc by going on more of the back roads B970 etc.

Edited by JM on Thursday 29th August 11:19

[craig2003]

Great suggestion, I will certainly use a good part of that.

Anywhere for lunch?

[craig2003]

http://goo.gl/maps/ENCjw

How's about that then? I will need to stop for fuel I would think somewhere around Edinburgh or at a push Perth and will top up again maybe around Blairgowrie, can anyone advise if they sell the decent stuff in that area?

[dcb]

craig2003 said:

http://goo.gl/maps/ENCjw

How's about that then? I will need to stop for fuel I would think somewhere around Edinburgh or at a push Perth and will top up again maybe around Blairgowrie, can anyone advise if they sell the decent stuff in that area?

The vast majority of Scottish cars seem to be diesel and for the
few petrol cars, there seems to be only unleaded.

I have driven for hundreds of miles in Scotland and not seen
any super unleaded at all. No one seems to buy it.

Also the A68 is clogged with the 40 mph club. The very few overtaking
opportunities are covered by speed cameras.

I'd take the A1 via Berwick, pop the cruise on 80 mph and make
sure I'd got plenty of good CDs and Radio 4 with me.

[ch108]

dcb said:

The vast majority of Scottish cars seem to be diesel and for the
few petrol cars, there seems to be only unleaded.

I have driven for hundreds of miles in Scotland and not seen
any super unleaded at all. No one seems to buy it.

Also the A68 is clogged with the 40 mph club. The very few overtaking
opportunities are covered by speed cameras.

I'd take the A1 via Berwick, pop the cruise on 80 mph and make
sure I'd got plenty of good CDs and Radio 4 with me.

Plenty garages in the central belt of Scotland sell super unleaded, so not sure what areas you have been in. Not sure if it maybe becomes more scarce the further north you go.

[craig2003]

dcb said:

The vast majority of Scottish cars seem to be diesel and for the
few petrol cars, there seems to be only unleaded.

I have driven for hundreds of miles in Scotland and not seen
any super unleaded at all. No one seems to buy it.

Also the A68 is clogged with the 40 mph club. The very few overtaking
opportunities are covered by speed cameras.

I'd take the A1 via Berwick, pop the cruise on 80 mph and make
sure I'd got plenty of good CDs and Radio 4 with me.

We have a couple of places to get super in Inverness but not as sure about the road North, I know there is places in Perth but doubt I would make it from there home on one tank.

Radio 4

[JM]

craig2003 said:

http://goo.gl/maps/ENCjw

How's about that then? I will need to stop for fuel I would think somewhere around Edinburgh or at a push Perth and will top up again maybe around Blairgowrie, can anyone advise if they sell the decent stuff in that area?

If you want to miss Perth, keep on the A823 to Creiff. (Plenty of cafes/hotels there for lunch)
Then continue on to the A822 to Dunkeld, then take the back road to Blairgowrie. (A923)
Or continue on to Pitlochry (get petrol) and take the A924/B950 to meet the A93 north of Blairgowrie.

What car are you getting, that you wont have enough fuel to get from Edinburgh to Inverness?

[Red Devil]

craig2003 said:

Always a lover of a back road blast what would be your preferred route?

I kind of thought of heading up the A68

Er, I thought you said back road blast...

A167/A1/A69 Newcastle to Heddon-on-the-Wall
B6318 to Humshaugh
B6320 to Bellingham
Unclassified through Kielder Forest
B6357/A6088/B6357 to Jedburgh
A68/A6091/A7 to the Edinburgh bypass

Avoid the A68 in Scotland as much as possible. It's infested with speed cameras

craig2003 said:

http://goo.gl/maps/ENCjw

^^This^^

craig2003 said:

I will need to stop for fuel I would think somewhere around Edinburgh or at a push Perth and will top up again maybe around Blairgowrie, can anyone advise if they sell the decent stuff in that area?

My car has a hissy fit unless it is fed a diet of 99RON so I have know where to find it. There are two Shell garages on or very close to your route above. The first is at South Gyle. Your route above goes right past it. The next is at Blackford which requires a short detour. Go west on the A9 for a couple of miles and loop back.

craig2003 said:

I will be stopping for lunch somewhere on the way so looking for recommendations for a decent place close to the road.

A bit difficult to provide any without knowing what time you're planning to leave Newcastle. We don't know how far along the route you will be at lunchtime!

[JM]

Red Devil said:

The first is at South Gyle. Your route above goes right past it.

There also one at Dreghorn on the A720 Edinburgh bypass.

If you use Tesco Momentum don't be tempted by the Tesco at the Forth Road Bridge, it doesn't stock it, despite the signs in the station. There's also a Shell near there as well.

[craig2003]

JM said:

What car are you getting, that you wont have enough fuel to get from Edinburgh to Inverness?

An RS4

Red Devil said:

Er, I thought you said back road blast...

A167/A1/A69 Newcastle to Heddon-on-the-Wall
B6318 to Humshaugh
B6320 to Bellingham
Unclassified through Kielder Forest
B6357/A6088/B6357 to Jedburgh
A68/A6091/A7 to the Edinburgh bypass

Avoid the A68 in Scotland as much as possible. It's infested with speed cameras

Thanks for that, I have never actually been through Kielder so that is a definite.

I never realised there were so many speed cameras around either, we are obviously very sheltered up in the Highlands!

[JM]

craig2003 said:

I never realised there were so many speed cameras around either, we are obviously very sheltered up in the Highlands!

That map list isn't acurate, several of the ones listed aren't there anymore, certainly some of them between Pathhead and Earlston are removed/away/missing/chopped down.


Nice car choice.

[Red Devil]

JM said:

There also one at Dreghorn on the A720 Edinburgh bypass.

Ah, of course. Next to the Travelodge.

JM said:

If you use Tesco Momentum don't be tempted by the Tesco at the Forth Road Bridge, it doesn't stock it, despite the signs in the station. There's also a Shell near there as well.

Indeed. Just south of Queensferry

I've filled up at both them. There's another not far off the Edinburgh bypass between Wester Hailes and Sighthill.

There are more Shell stations in Edinburgh than any other brand. Unlike Glasgow where BP has it sewn up. One might think it would be the other way round considering BP used to own the Grangemouth refinery.

[sherman]

There used to be a lot of BP stations. After BP sold the refinery quite a few of them have either been knocked down or changed to another brand. There are a few Murco petrol stations in the central belt now. They all seem to sell super unleaded.

The most expensive petrol station I know of is the BP station that still exists about 100 yards from the entrance to the Grangemouth oil refinery

[craig2003]

JM said:

Nice car choice.

Thanks, it should sound decent with the Milltek fitted. Here's hoping for a tunnel or two on route!

Is there a map anywhere showing the Shell stations or Tesco 99?

[Who me ?]

craig2003 said:

Thanks, it should sound decent with the Milltek fitted. Here's hoping for a tunnel or two on route!

Is there a map anywhere showing the Shell stations or Tesco 99?

Try a look on petrolprices.com .You'll have to register but they show fuel types for locations and prices .
My vote would be A68 to Airport A697 ( Unless it's camera heavy) .

Edited by Who me ? on Friday 6th September 21:24

[Red Devil]

craig2003 said:

Is there a map anywhere showing the Shell stations or Tesco 99?

.
http://www.shell.co.uk/gbr/products-services/on-th...
http://www.tesco.com/storeLocator/petrol-filling-s...

[craig2003]

That's great, I have now adjusted the route to include a couple of fuel stop options. Looking forward to the run now, if everything with the car is OK on inspection of course