Road Trip to Scotland
Discussion
The exchange rate for the Euro is pants so instead of heading the 700 miles South I am heading north (I live on the coast near Dover).
I have only been to Scotland twice both over 20 years ago as a kid.
Plan is to drive up to Wigan drop the Baby off with the Mother in Law (The wife will catch the train
) head over to the East for a Trackday at Croft, head North to somewhere near Knockhill, Track Dat at Knockhill and head North to hopefully find some fab roads. This will be late July.
Any suggestions for some good driving roads avoiding traffic and holiday makers. Taking the Elise. Not fussed on the mileage.
Thank you
I have only been to Scotland twice both over 20 years ago as a kid.
Plan is to drive up to Wigan drop the Baby off with the Mother in Law (The wife will catch the train
) head over to the East for a Trackday at Croft, head North to somewhere near Knockhill, Track Dat at Knockhill and head North to hopefully find some fab roads. This will be late July.Any suggestions for some good driving roads avoiding traffic and holiday makers. Taking the Elise. Not fussed on the mileage.
Thank you
Look at the west coast routes - but be carefull - this time of year Loch Lomand /etc starts to b
get icy ,as does GlenCoe ,and the snowgates at Tyndrum mean that you're in something low -it won't get won't get through . On the other hand , if things are OK - THE WEST COAST ,INCLUDING Argyll will be marvelous .
But don't forget - at this time of the year an essentiaal bit oF kit is "SHOVEL "- SNOWPLOUGHS - MORE OF A MYTH than a reality , and as in times of old - they cause more problems than they cure .
So - if in Highlands in winter - be prepared tolook out for number one ---from a native of up north , used to driving on unsalted/unploughed roads with only mates for company
get icy ,as does GlenCoe ,and the snowgates at Tyndrum mean that you're in something low -it won't get won't get through . On the other hand , if things are OK - THE WEST COAST ,INCLUDING Argyll will be marvelous .
But don't forget - at this time of the year an essentiaal bit oF kit is "SHOVEL "- SNOWPLOUGHS - MORE OF A MYTH than a reality , and as in times of old - they cause more problems than they cure .
So - if in Highlands in winter - be prepared tolook out for number one ---from a native of up north , used to driving on unsalted/unploughed roads with only mates for company
lol, he said JULY.
The biggest problem will be loads of slow tourists and caravans, not to mention a few midges
Someone with more experience will be along soon I'm sure, but I'm betting that Ullapool and north will be quiet even in July, and the roads are SUPERB. Can't really go wrong in the highlands.
Steve
The biggest problem will be loads of slow tourists and caravans, not to mention a few midges
Someone with more experience will be along soon I'm sure, but I'm betting that Ullapool and north will be quiet even in July, and the roads are SUPERB. Can't really go wrong in the highlands.
Steve
millband said:
Ah-ha, a couple of threads
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=522...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=521...
Thankshttp://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=522...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=521...
VTECMatt said:
The exchange rate for the Euro is pants so instead of heading the 700 miles South I am heading north (I live on the coast near Dover).
I have only been to Scotland twice both over 20 years ago as a kid.
Plan is to drive up to Wigan drop the Baby off with the Mother in Law (The wife will catch the train) head over to the East for a Trackday at Croft, head North to somewhere near Knockhill, Track Dat at Knockhill and head North to hopefully find some fab roads. This will be late July.
Any suggestions for some good driving roads avoiding traffic and holiday makers. Taking the Elise. Not fussed on the mileage.
Thank you
when you going.... I live in Folkestone....?I have only been to Scotland twice both over 20 years ago as a kid.
Plan is to drive up to Wigan drop the Baby off with the Mother in Law (The wife will catch the train
) head over to the East for a Trackday at Croft, head North to somewhere near Knockhill, Track Dat at Knockhill and head North to hopefully find some fab roads. This will be late July.Any suggestions for some good driving roads avoiding traffic and holiday makers. Taking the Elise. Not fussed on the mileage.
Thank you
After Knockhill I would pootle up the A9 to Inverness (a rubbish road full of cameras so any detour you can do away from it might be an idea but just to get there)then head over west to Garve, then Ullapool (nice wee town to overnight in maybe) then down the coast to Gairloch, Kinlochewe, Torridon, Applecross (over the famous pass, Lochcarron, Plockton - then down to Fort William (A82)Loch Lomond and Glasgow.
Wide range of roads from new ones with well sighted corners to single track with passing places. Great views to be had coming down the West Highland coast but be aware that by the end of July there will be lots of tourists around that might well slow down progress and of course, the midges!
Anyway, enjoy!
Wide range of roads from new ones with well sighted corners to single track with passing places. Great views to be had coming down the West Highland coast but be aware that by the end of July there will be lots of tourists around that might well slow down progress and of course, the midges!
Anyway, enjoy!
millband said:
lol, he said JULY.
Whoops -
(possibly sight of someone wanting to go up north -sort of jealousy attack blinding my vision)
Would think then attack of the lesser brained caravaneer might be a problem .Midges definately .Great possibility of meeting up with the "motorist non brainus " ,and on single track roads the "where'll I go bloke /bird "(when faced with an oncoming car keeps on going till they're faced with decision -stop or go where ).Then there's the "scenic gourmet " - no time to watch the road ,must see the scenary ,and haven't got time to stop .
And after braving all that - sit back ,stop often to enjoy the scenary (but not long enough for the midges to feast -tip ,avoid disturbing vegetation ,espedially if ground /air moist )If you get a car full of midges - open windows and stick foot down - sucks them out .(From experience of courting in highland glens ,in my mad youth )
And after all that - if on west coast - nice diversion is to go to Kyle of Lochalsh (off A82,Inverness -Fortwilliam road)(only done this once ,and as a native of this part of the world -couldn't believe that I'd not done this sooner) -cross the Sky bridge , head south to Armadale (NB - CHECK FERRY TIMES)and cross back to Mallaig on the ferry ,then down the new A830 to Fort William (If you want to get the feel of the old A830 - try the B side roads ---they were the pre 70's version of this-something I used to drive daily on -imagine 48 miles of this ,done in about an hour ) ).There's always another alternative - at Lochailort -head down the a861 which becomes single track part way .Head for Salen ,then Kilchoan and take the ferry to Mull ,and then Oban - going south the choices are endless -look up Oban on Multimap -and see why .Hopefully added some ideas to any that others will add .BTW - DON'T FORGET that a lot of these roads have low clearance on the humps and bumps .
Edited by Who me ? on Friday 16th January 18:36
VTECMatt said:
The exchange rate for the Euro is pants so instead of heading the 700 miles South I am heading north (I live on the coast near Dover).
I have only been to Scotland twice both over 20 years ago as a kid.
Glark ! It's a 610 mile run from Dover to Fort William.I have only been to Scotland twice both over 20 years ago as a kid.
That's over 1000 miles of UK motorway tedium.
It's only 520 miles from Calais to Luzern, Switzerland,
or 670 miles from Calais to Innsbruck, Austria.
Given the choice between more sun, faster roads, better lane
discipline, better food, higher hills, more hairpins,
fewer speed cameras, more snow and fewer of those
pesky midges, versus spending over 1200 miles mucking
about on the M25, M1, M6 and points North, I know I wouldn't
take much time to make my selection.
I bought 12 liters of Marks and Sparks lager in Belgium
yesterday for three Euros, so I don't think GBP has
gone *completely* down the toilet versus the EUR just yet.
VTECMatt said:
GingerWizard said:
when you going.... I live in Folkestone....?
Leaving 17 July for a week. I live in Eastry near Sandwich. You can tag along if you wish.Edited by VTECMatt on Friday 16th January 17:28
dcb said:
Given the choice between more sun, faster roads, better lane
discipline, better food, higher hills, more hairpins,
fewer speed cameras, more snow and fewer of those
pesky midges
Ahhh, but some of the proper northern Scottish roads are amazing even compared to the Alps. Not so hilly, but the A-roads are often well surfaced, *very* fast, and not patrolled very often...discipline, better food, higher hills, more hairpins,
fewer speed cameras, more snow and fewer of those
pesky midges
whirligig said:
After Knockhill I would pootle up the A9 to Inverness (a rubbish road full of cameras so any detour you can do away from it might be an idea but just to get there)
A good detour from the A9 is the A93/A939 from Perth to Aviemore via Glenshee and the Lecht. The A93 especially is a proper rollercoaster of a road in great surroundings. Prob. try and do this early in the day though, it's hard to overtake tourists on it.I'd second that: fantastic roads and scenary - and if you go in the early Spring, there's much less traffic than in most of the Alps too. The distance from the South of England is only an advantage really - if it wasn't so far away it would be overrun by enthusiasts!
millband said:
dcb said:
Given the choice between more sun, faster roads, better lane
discipline, better food, higher hills, more hairpins,
fewer speed cameras, more snow and fewer of those
pesky midges
Ahhh, but some of the proper northern Scottish roads are amazing even compared to the Alps. Not so hilly, but the A-roads are often well surfaced, *very* fast, and not patrolled very often...discipline, better food, higher hills, more hairpins,
fewer speed cameras, more snow and fewer of those
pesky midges
millband said:
Ahhh, but some of the proper northern Scottish roads are amazing even compared to the Alps.
Fair opinion, but I think if you check onhttp://www.alpineroads.com/
you'll find some pretty interesting roads.
Certainly more extreme than anything in the UK.
There are some fantastic roads in the south of scotland. A previous post of mine:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
You might want to sign up to Scottish Elises if you haven't already, I wouldn't be surprised if there was some sort of road run following the Knockhill session. There should be plenty of people on there who can help suggest some good routes too
Good reminder that I need to book up for the Croft/Knockhill double header!
Good reminder that I need to book up for the Croft/Knockhill double header!
whirligig said:
After Knockhill I would pootle up the A9 to Inverness (a rubbish road full of cameras so any detour you can do away from it might be an idea but just to get there)
Just a suggestion, but if you plan to do this I'd go as far as Perth on the A9 and turn off and go over Glenshee to get up to Breamar/Ballater, then continue north from there. The glen may be busy at that time of the year but it's a good road to drive with plenty of decent straights for passing, no speed camera's and I've never seen it patrolled with anything more than a mountain rescue landy... just watch out for the bikers taking racing lines around blind bends! 
Edited by mdotd on Sunday 18th January 06:19
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