Critique / suggestions for a Scottish road trip

[Nigel_O]

After our very enjoyable run round most of the NC500 last September, my son and I are taking my V8 Vantage around Scotland again in early October. We were blessed with good weather for most of last year's trip, but we're under no illusions that going in early October could be somewhat less favourable.

Anyway - we're looking for suggestions on what to see / do, places to go, from people who've done it a lot, and of course any local PH'ers

Requirements:

• The trip is predominantly about driving - we're aiming for 1,500 miles in 6 days and we have some fairly hefty mileage targets for some days.
• We're looking for excellent driving roads and epic scenery
• We're both into photography, so we like a decent landscape, although we're not going to hike for hours to get a picture of a hill or a lake...
• We're thinking ahead about stopping points and decent places to stop for lunch (although we're not 'foodies', so we don't need Michelin-starred stuff)
• All the hotels are already booked, so the start/end points of the day are non-negotiable. All the bits in between are up for grabs and flexible.

Here's the draft itinerary:

Day 1 - Staffordshire to Dunoon, via the Hunter's Quay ferry - 300 miles / 6 hours

Day 2 - Dunoon to Tyndrum via Inveraray and Oban - 170 miles / 4.5 hours



Possible stops:

• Inveraray
• McCaig's Tower & Battery Hill
• Castle Stalker
• Cruachan Hydro Station (closed?)
• Loch Awe . Kilchurn Castle

Day 3, Part 1 - Tyndrum to Glenfinnan via the 'Scotburgring' - 88 Miles / 2.5 hours



Overnight in Tyndrum purely to have an early blat through Glencoe - one of the highlights of an earlier trip I did on my own

Stops:

• Corpach shipwreck
• Glenfinnan viaduct in time for the cheesy tourist shot of the Jacobite Express

Day 3, Part 2 - Glenfinnan to Balmacara, via the Mallaig ferry and a loop of Skye - 160 miles / 5 hours



This feels like a huge day's driving with little time for much else (not a problem) but I'd like to see:

• Old man of Storr (might have to send my drone up if hiking takes more than half an hour)
• Kilt Rock waterfall

Day 4 - Balmacara to Kylesku, via the Applecross Loop - 185 miles / 5.5 hours



We didn't do the Applecross Loop last year, so I'd like to do it this time, especially now it has been resurfaced.

Stops:

• Bealach na Ba
• Applecross
• Torridon / fly-past of Get Carter's house ;-)
• Possible dolphin-sighting boat trip from Ullapool?

Day 5 - Kylesku to Nethy Bridge, via Lairg & Tongue - 250 miles / 6.5 hours



Another big driving day, but we can always cut out the northern-most loop if required and go from Syre to Kinbrace on the B871

Stops:

• Not much really, other than the obligatory play on the Kylescu Bridge, which we did last year

Day 6 - Nethy Bridge to home, via the Old Military Road over the Cairngorms, with a possible stop at the Kelpies if we're not too jaded by then - 410 miles, 8 hours

All suggestions / amendments / warnings welcome

Edited by Nigel_O on Wednesday 17th September 18:47

[hidetheelephants]

Auchindrain township - as visited by Queen Victoria!
Kilmartin museum
Inveraray gaol

Edited by hidetheelephants on Wednesday 17th September 19:46

[Mr Tidy]

That looks like a wonderful trip.

I've only been home a fortnight after an 800+ mile trip around Argyll and the Highlands deliberately not using the NC500. It was my 6th Scottish trip and I'm already planning to return next year.

I did the NC500 in May 2023 including Applecross which is well worth doing for the spectacular scenery but progress can be very slow so you are right not to try to cover too many miles the day you do that.

I didn't do a boat trip but did spend a night in Ullapool with a stunning view from my room.



Have a great time!

[Leggerly]

I’m not sure why’d you want to go from Lairg to Bettyhill on day 5. It’s all single-track road and in places the surface is terrible. Especially at Naver Bridge which is in process of being replaced. Strath Halladale is another 40 miles of single-track and the added bonus of suicidal wind farm workers attempting to break the sound barrier in Jacks Rental vans.

[5 In a Row]

Glenfinnan will probably be heaving and parking - when we visited 3 or 4 years ago - very limited with a lot of vehicles just parked at the side of the road for about a mile each way.

The visitors shop was full of tourists and there were a lot of people milling about near the bridge waiting for their ideal photo.

It might've been upgraded a bit since then but not sure.

[Nigel_O]

Leggerly said:

I m not sure why d you want to go from Lairg to Bettyhill on day 5. It s all single-track road and in places the surface is terrible. Especially at Naver Bridge which is in process of being replaced. Strath Halladale is another 40 miles of single-track and the added bonus of suicidal wind farm workers attempting to break the sound barrier in Jacks Rental vans.

Thanks for the feedback - just the sort of info I’m looking for.

I don’t mind some single-track, especially if it’s not full of slow camper vans. I think I read on PH that this was a fairly good stretch of single-track - open and well-sighted.

Would I be better going straight up to Tongue on the A836, or should I just bale out at Syre at turn south on the B871?

[Nigel_O]

5 In a Row said:

Glenfinnan will probably be heaving and parking - when we visited 3 or 4 years ago - very limited with a lot of vehicles just parked at the side of the road for about a mile each way.

The visitors shop was full of tourists and there were a lot of people milling about near the bridge waiting for their ideal photo.

It might've been upgraded a bit since then but not sure.

I was there in May last year and there’s a big car park, well away from the road. We’ll still be arriving decently early though, as it’s a few minutes walk up the hill to the viewing spot

[giveitfish]

I'm very jealous! I did a similar but shorter trip in October 2023 in an Elise in biblical rain but still had a great time.

If it's a purely driving trip can I suggest some changes to Day 2 - Dunoon to Tyndrum via Inveraray and Oban?

- I would go direct from Dunoon to Strachur and skip the loop to Tighnabruaich as it's narrow and slow for the most part, especially the way back past Otter Ferry. From memory the A815 to Strachur would suit a Vantage very well.

However the Spa at Portavadie has a heated outdoor pool overlooking Loch Fyne and is an amazing place to watch the weather coming in (you can do this for £12 as a "Leisure" visitor, you don't need to book the fancy spa), and the Oystercatcher at Otter Ferry does good food. My wife and I will be doing that trip in my V8 Vantage on Sunday so I can report back!

It's a great area to visit but not outstanding for driving.

- The run along Loch Fyne past Inveraray is a great road spoiled by traffic

- A816 Lochgilphead to Oban is absolutely superb, really enjoyed this

An alternative route might be to head out to Portavadie, go for a swim and then take the little ferry across to Tarbert and head to Lochgilphead from there. You could even extend to a loop down to Campbeltown. Even if you just go from Tarbert to Ronachan and back the road is fast and worth a little detour.

The ferry is tiny though, to the point where you'll get splashed with seawater on the crossing lol.

Edited by giveitfish on Thursday 18th September 09:32

[giveitfish]

The spa:


The ferry to Tarbert:

[Ranger 6]

giveitfish said:

... I would go direct from Dunoon to Strachur and skip the loop to Tighnabruaich as it's narrow and slow for the most part, especially the way back past Otter Ferry. From memory the A815 to Strachur would suit a Vantage very well.

However the Spa at Portavadie has a heated outdoor pool overlooking Loch Fyne and is an amazing place to watch the weather coming in (you can do this for £12 as a "Leisure" visitor, you don't need to book the fancy spa), and the Oystercatcher at Otter Ferry does good food. My wife and I will be doing that trip in my V8 Vantage on Sunday so I can report back!

I was going to add a suggestion to call in at the Oyster Catcher - it changed hands earlier this year and the new folks are lovely. Their lemon drizzle cake is fabulous.

The suggestion about using the main road is good, but you'd miss the pub. Reasoning is that those some of the stages on the Argyll rally use those roads, they're not always the smoothest and while they are fun, it's difficult to push on, knowing there's potentially cars coming the other way.

[Leggerly]

Nigel_O said:

Leggerly said:

I m not sure why d you want to go from Lairg to Bettyhill on day 5. It s all single-track road and in places the surface is terrible. Especially at Naver Bridge which is in process of being replaced. Strath Halladale is another 40 miles of single-track and the added bonus of suicidal wind farm workers attempting to break the sound barrier in Jacks Rental vans.

Thanks for the feedback - just the sort of info I m looking for.

I don t mind some single-track, especially if it s not full of slow camper vans. I think I read on PH that this was a fairly good stretch of single-track - open and well-sighted.

Would I be better going straight up to Tongue on the A836, or should I just bale out at Syre at turn south on the B871?

If you’re in a low slung car whatever you do, don’t take the B871. You will bottom out in places due to the logging trucks running on a road that was built on peat bog. You would make it across but you’d be staring at the road surface after Palm Loch to the Garvult Hotel. The road to Tongue is in much better shape. Strathnaver itself is twisty and not a fast road at all.

[sjabrown]

Day 2 - I'd consider either a stop at Kilmartin museum or factor in time to visit a couple of the sites in Kilmartin glen just off the A815. A small diversion but if weather is nice is a trip over the bridge over the Atlantic onto Seil +/- the short crossing onto Easdale. Ps if you do do the single track B8000 from Otter Ferry NE towards Strachur imagine averaging 60-65mph along the first 8 miles of it. It's one of the stages of the Argyll rally.

Day 3 - looks like too much squeezed in. Especially the Skye loop. How about either/or only going as far as Sligachan or doing the Elgol road instead? Driving on Skye always seems to take longer than what the maps say.

[giveitfish]

Have been driving around Argyll today and can confirm:

1) Portavadie is still the best situated spa I’ve ever been in, but it’s due a refurb

2) the Oystercatcher is in a lovely spot and does great food

3) I would drive from Dunoon straight to Strachur on a driving holiday unless you really wanted to visit (1) and (2).

The single-track coast road to the Oystercatcher is 30mph at best and is getting rough in places. Nice sunset views from it though!

[Nigel_O]

Road trip completed - thanks for all the suggestions.

My youngest son (Matthew) and I shared the driving. I'd paid for four of the hotels up front, Matthew paid for the first hotel, plus all the fuel and meals. We ended up less than £10 apart after 1,750 miles and north of £2k spent.

A photo-heavy summary:

Day 1 - Staffordshire to Dunoon, via the Kelpies

350 miles / 7.5 hours driving. The weather started OK, but got very grey after Carlisle. We got a few photos at the Kelpies before the sideways rain started.





A horrible commute through Glasgow rush hour in the rain. First night stop at the Esplanade Hotel in Dunoon. Really cheap at £55 pp, per night. It was cheap for a reason....



Day 2 - Dunoon to Tyndrum (the long way round)

168 miles / 5 hours driving.



Some really nadgery single track stuff and some really miserable weather.

Car was still shiny at this point:



This was a local viewpoint, but without the view...



By Oban, the car was looking like this...



Cleaned the car at Tesco's jetwash in Oban (waste of time..), took a few photos of McCaig's Tower and then headed off for Loch Awe





Got to the Muthu Ben Doran hotel in Tyndrum. £89 pp per night and much better than the previous night's accommodation



There was a bit of a cock-up with the rooms, so Matthew got an upgrade...



Day 3.1 - Tyndrum to Glenfinnan

75 miles, 2 hours. Weather was wet and grey



I'd driven Glencoe on my own in 2024 and thought it was amazing, so I wanted Matthew to experience it. Sadly, it was wet again...



However, Matthew had really got the hang of the car by this point and made "excellent progress" across Rannoch Moor, through Glencoe and down to Fort William. PS4S really have no right to be that good in inclement weather



We stopped off at Caol for some photos of the shipwreck



and then headed to Glenfinnan for THAT photo of THAT train. It was rammed and I got a ticket for parking with two wheels on the footpath...





Day 3.2 - Glenfinnan to Kyle of Lochalsh, via a lap of Skye



It was supposed to be 160 miles and about 5 hours of driving, but soon after leaving Glenfinnan heading for Mallaig, we found that the ferry to Armadale had been cancelled. We did a U-turn and drove an extra 90 miles back to Fort William, up to Invergarry and across to Skye via the bridge. Total mileage was probably close to 250 and about 7 hours.

It was also at this point that the weather turned really nasty. All the way round Skye we didn't even get out of the car. We tried the Quiraing single track, but a helpful local coming the other way stopped us after about half a mile and told us we'd lose our front bumper and probably our tyres in the potholes. So we went the long way round Skye. I'd like to say it was picturesque, but we didn't really see any of it. The planned stop at Storr was abandoned as we couldn't see more than 200m and the rain was VERY sideways.

The only highlight of that day was the odo reaching 74,000



Evening stop at the Balmacara Hotel - £140 pp per night - very nice



Day 4 - Kyle of Lochalsh to Kylesku, via the Applecross loop



185 miles and about 5.5 hours of driving.

Woohoo! - the roads were dry, so we made VERY good progress along some utterly sublime roads. Fuel consumption wasn't very good on Day 4....

Bealach Na Ba





Applecross



Arrived at the Newton Lodge hotel, near Kylesku. £177 pp per night. Cosy and homely, but more like a posh B&B than a hotel. Evening meal at the Kylesku hotel.



Day 5 - Kylesku to Nethy Bridge, via Lairg, Tongue and John O'Groats



310 miles, 8 hours driving.

Overnight, the weather had been very poor. Driving rain and very strong winds. The whole hotel was creaking during the night, so we didn't get a lot of sleep. We were fearing the worst for the long day we had planned. We had our first smoked salmon breakfast of the trip, watching the horrible weather out of the panoramic windows of the hotels dining room.

Kylesku bridge - sideways rain again, so not much playing around...



However, as we turned east onto the single-track down to Lairg, the weather cleared and we were treated to our first proper sunshine of the trip. The single-track was open, mostly fast, empty and very picturesque.





We'd planned to pick up the A9 from Thurso down to Inverness and Nethy Bridge, but Matthew (being the soppy sort - only got married last month), decided he wanted to buy his wife something from the John O'Groats gift shop, so we did a lengthy detour, had lunch there and then set off for our last overnight at...

...the Nethy Bridge Hotel. £89 pp per night. The hotel is a bit 'tired', but quite homely AND we had the best evening meal of the trip - Haggis!



Day 6 - Nethy Bridge to Staffordshire, via the old Military Road across the Cairngorms

410 miles, 8 hours of driving

We did the Old Military Road in a northerly direction on the way to last year's NC500 trip. I drove most of the really interesting bit, so I let Matthew drive from Nethy Bridge to Stirling and I did the boring slog back to Staffordshire. Conditions were mixed over the Cairngorms, but Matthew had an excellent time, even when it was a bit wet.

Obligatory Old Military Road picture from the usual layby...



At some point that day, the odo passed 75,000 miles, but its a cropped photo for some reason... ;-)



The car was utterly filthy by the time we got back, so Matthew and I cleaned it the next day:





And that's it - 1,749 miles, 347 litres of fuel, three cans of octane booster when I couldn't find super-unleaded. £2,162 total spend

Clearly its an enjoyable trip in a special car, but anywhere in the Highlands, especially the west side would be great fun in almost any car. I'm seriously thinking of doing some of it again in winter in my Yeti 4x4. If you haven't done the Highlands, just do it, but maybe earlier in the year if you want some decent weather...

[a_dreamer]

I did the grand tour penis 287 route in January. Absolutely superb. Properly love Scotland.

[Leggerly]

Nigel_O said:

Road trip completed - thanks for all the suggestions.

My youngest son (Matthew) and I shared the driving. I'd paid for four of the hotels up front, Matthew paid for the first hotel, plus all the fuel and meals. We ended up less than £10 apart after 1,750 miles and north of £2k spent.

A photo-heavy summary:

Day 1 - Staffordshire to Dunoon, via the Kelpies

350 miles / 7.5 hours driving. The weather started OK, but got very grey after Carlisle. We got a few photos at the Kelpies before the sideways rain started.





A horrible commute through Glasgow rush hour in the rain. First night stop at the Esplanade Hotel in Dunoon. Really cheap at £55 pp, per night. It was cheap for a reason....



Day 2 - Dunoon to Tyndrum (the long way round)

168 miles / 5 hours driving.



Some really nadgery single track stuff and some really miserable weather.

Car was still shiny at this point:



This was a local viewpoint, but without the view...



By Oban, the car was looking like this...



Cleaned the car at Tesco's jetwash in Oban (waste of time..), took a few photos of McCaig's Tower and then headed off for Loch Awe





Got to the Muthu Ben Doran hotel in Tyndrum. £89 pp per night and much better than the previous night's accommodation



There was a bit of a cock-up with the rooms, so Matthew got an upgrade...



Day 3.1 - Tyndrum to Glenfinnan

75 miles, 2 hours. Weather was wet and grey



I'd driven Glencoe on my own in 2024 and thought it was amazing, so I wanted Matthew to experience it. Sadly, it was wet again...



However, Matthew had really got the hang of the car by this point and made "excellent progress" across Rannoch Moor, through Glencoe and down to Fort William. PS4S really have no right to be that good in inclement weather



We stopped off at Caol for some photos of the shipwreck



and then headed to Glenfinnan for THAT photo of THAT train. It was rammed and I got a ticket for parking with two wheels on the footpath...





Day 3.2 - Glenfinnan to Kyle of Lochalsh, via a lap of Skye



It was supposed to be 160 miles and about 5 hours of driving, but soon after leaving Glenfinnan heading for Mallaig, we found that the ferry to Armadale had been cancelled. We did a U-turn and drove an extra 90 miles back to Fort William, up to Invergarry and across to Skye via the bridge. Total mileage was probably close to 250 and about 7 hours.

It was also at this point that the weather turned really nasty. All the way round Skye we didn't even get out of the car. We tried the Quiraing single track, but a helpful local coming the other way stopped us after about half a mile and told us we'd lose our front bumper and probably our tyres in the potholes. So we went the long way round Skye. I'd like to say it was picturesque, but we didn't really see any of it. The planned stop at Storr was abandoned as we couldn't see more than 200m and the rain was VERY sideways.

The only highlight of that day was the odo reaching 74,000



Evening stop at the Balmacara Hotel - £140 pp per night - very nice



Day 4 - Kyle of Lochalsh to Kylesku, via the Applecross loop



185 miles and about 5.5 hours of driving.

Woohoo! - the roads were dry, so we made VERY good progress along some utterly sublime roads. Fuel consumption wasn't very good on Day 4....

Bealach Na Ba





Applecross



Arrived at the Newton Lodge hotel, near Kylesku. £177 pp per night. Cosy and homely, but more like a posh B&B than a hotel. Evening meal at the Kylesku hotel.



Day 5 - Kylesku to Nethy Bridge, via Lairg, Tongue and John O'Groats



310 miles, 8 hours driving.

Overnight, the weather had been very poor. Driving rain and very strong winds. The whole hotel was creaking during the night, so we didn't get a lot of sleep. We were fearing the worst for the long day we had planned. We had our first smoked salmon breakfast of the trip, watching the horrible weather out of the panoramic windows of the hotels dining room.

Kylesku bridge - sideways rain again, so not much playing around...



However, as we turned east onto the single-track down to Lairg, the weather cleared and we were treated to our first proper sunshine of the trip. The single-track was open, mostly fast, empty and very picturesque.





We'd planned to pick up the A9 from Thurso down to Inverness and Nethy Bridge, but Matthew (being the soppy sort - only got married last month), decided he wanted to buy his wife something from the John O'Groats gift shop, so we did a lengthy detour, had lunch there and then set off for our last overnight at...

...the Nethy Bridge Hotel. £89 pp per night. The hotel is a bit 'tired', but quite homely AND we had the best evening meal of the trip - Haggis!



Day 6 - Nethy Bridge to Staffordshire, via the old Military Road across the Cairngorms

410 miles, 8 hours of driving

We did the Old Military Road in a northerly direction on the way to last year's NC500 trip. I drove most of the really interesting bit, so I let Matthew drive from Nethy Bridge to Stirling and I did the boring slog back to Staffordshire. Conditions were mixed over the Cairngorms, but Matthew had an excellent time, even when it was a bit wet.

Obligatory Old Military Road picture from the usual layby...



At some point that day, the odo passed 75,000 miles, but its a cropped photo for some reason... ;-)



The car was utterly filthy by the time we got back, so Matthew and I cleaned it the next day:





And that's it - 1,749 miles, 347 litres of fuel, three cans of octane booster when I couldn't find super-unleaded. £2,162 total spend

Clearly its an enjoyable trip in a special car, but anywhere in the Highlands, especially the west side would be great fun in almost any car. I'm seriously thinking of doing some of it again in winter in my Yeti 4x4. If you haven't done the Highlands, just do it, but maybe earlier in the year if you want some decent weather...

I saw you somewhere between Tongue and Melvich, can’t remember where.

[Nigel_O]

Leggerly said:

I saw you somewhere between Tongue and Melvich, can t remember where.

What were you driving / riding? Despite the weather, we saw a few nice cars en-route. Couple of Lotii (Elise, Emira), various Porsches, another Aston, a lurid green Maclaren.

I seem to recall we were travelling at a fair pace eastbound after the intermediate singletrack stuff further west

[high side]

A few of us were in the same hotel

[Mr Tidy]

That sounds like a fantastic trip, despite the weather!

I did the NC500 in 2023 and have been back to Scotland twice a year since then because the roads are just fantastic, and scenery is pretty good too.

[Nigel_O]

high side said:

A few of us were in the same hotel

I was wondering if they were PH’ers cars. Love the wheels on your 911