The PistonHeads Highland Tour 2012
It's not too late to join us in Scotland for this fantastic tour taking place on 13-18 May 2012
PistonHeads tours aren’t just about far-reaching destinations; with a bit of local knowledge you really don't have to travel far to find spectacular scenery and stunning driving roads. And our Scottish tour (13-18 May) proves that.
As you’d expect, we've got some great hotels and you'll have the benefit of a tour manager, walkie talkies and detailed route notes contained in our info packs. For all 2012 tours, we’re also including the loan of one of our Tom Toms with all the routes pre-loaded to make driving more enjoyable. To make the driving and accommodation as comfortable as possible, we have to limit the numbers on this trip to just 20 cars.
Day 1 - Sunday - 190 Miles
The tour begins with lunch on the edge of the Lake District - with an optional drive up from London for those coming from that way. After lunch, we head on through the Lake District and over the Kirkstone Pass before heading north past Glasgow airport and up to Loch Lomond, where we’ll spend our first night in Scotland on the shores of Gare Loch, just a few miles from the Faslane naval base.
Day 2 - Monday - 165 Miles
Leaving Loch Lomond, we continue north past Loch Leven and Fort William to Eilean Donan Castle, and on to the Isle of Skye before our next hotel, near Torridon.
After breakfast, we carry on up the western coast to enjoy the amazing scenery, mountains and twisting Tarmac of the Highlands, including the beautiful Kylesku Bridge, stopping off at Smoo Caves in Durness before arriving at our hotel for the night in Tongue, one of the most northerly towns on the UK mainland.
Day 4 - Wednesday - 215 Miles
We leave the northern coast of Scotland in the morning and head past the famous Crask Inn. We’ll call in at the Glenmorangie distillery before heading into the Cairngorms, stopping off at Balmoral Castle on our way to a sumptuous Scottish dinner for our last night in the Highlands.
Day 5 - Thursday - 280 Miles
Onwards and downwards, a dash past Glenshee ski area and a visit to the Falkirk Wheel before heading across the border to the Yorkshire Dales, where we will be spending the night at a true petrolheads' hotel.
It's a morning jaunt across the Yorkshire Dales, taking in the Buttertubs Pass and Derwent Reservoir, then heading into Northumberland, County Durham and Cumbria before returning to our hotel for lunch, after which we turn south and head for home.
What is included?
- Five nights accommodation with breakfast included
- Loan of a Tom Tom with all routes pre-loaded
- Loan of our powerful licensed walkie talkies
- Drivers pack with maps, route notes and general info
- Services of a tour manager in a lead car
What isn't included?
- Lunch, dinner, fuel, tolls, personal expenses.
- Breakdown cover (this is a requirement on all our tours).
How much?
The price is £599 per person (based on two people sharing a twin or double room).
The booking deposit is £250 per person.
If you would like to book, please call the guys at Petrolhead Nirvana on 0845 838 7363 or look at the website
For those of you who haven't driven up in Scotland before, here are some pics that my wife and I took when we were driving up on a 4 day road trip of our own in May/June 2011 in the Merc SLK. The roof was down and only went back up at night!
We both hope you all like the pics and maybe this will inspire a few to take the trip to Scotland because believe me, ITS WORTH THE TRIP!
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/NpCJMdTg.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/vHFwQfwH" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/vHFwQfwH.jpg)
Cheers Scotty
However, this trip does tend to sell out, so once we have all 20 places filled we would then be happy to work something out for those wanting to join us for a part of the trip.
Our main caveat though is that those paying to come on tour are paying for a certain level of tour support which is why we have a 20 car limit - to make sure everyone is looked after. we don't want to increase numbers in any significant way as although it would add more money to the bottom line it would do so at the detriment of those who are expecting a standard of service.
If we know everyone who books then a couple extra will be easy to arrange as veterans tend to look after those who haven't been before, but if the bulk of those booking are first timers we'd keep the numbers low.
No objection subject to the same caveat above. lunch is fine but we'd only be focused on those booked on the trip. (not in an unfriendly way at all of course)
Loan of a Tom Tom with all routes pre-loaded
Loan of our powerful licensed walkie talkies
Drivers pack with maps, route notes and general info
Services of a tour manager in a lead car
the last bit is still open
Loan of a Tom Tom with all routes pre-loaded
Loan of our powerful licensed walkie talkies
Drivers pack with maps, route notes and general info
Services of a tour manager in a lead car
the last bit is still open
1: to somebody relatively local the above is of little (no?) use anyway, and
2: Other driver(s) in the convoy would not compromise those that have got walkie-talkies and tom-toms etc.
There was a car at the front setting a reasonable (fast) pace, the lead car would be on the radio pointing out useful observations that made my time (as a driver) more relaxed. The distance the radios work over is impressive, so the lead car would give info along the lines of:
Oncoming cars do not overtake, once the XXX has passed it is clear
Watch out for the horse rider as you approach the next right hander
Standing water under trees in the S bends
Pedestrians about to leave field on the right
At the roundabout it's first left
Slow ahead for cattle grid
Etc....all very useful.
In addition there is a following car that picks up the stragglers, or those that have been stuck at red lights/ junctions. It means you are never lost and in addition the following car can tell the lead car to pull in for a period should the gap become too great between the two groups.
Also, they looked after breakdowns (a car that didn't start in the hotel was stayed with until started) and when a chap became ill the chase car made sure he was OK and looked after him.
All in all it was a good experience, and they knew all the best places to stop for photos, tea, food, toilets and fuel too. It means you worry less and enjoy more.
1: to somebody relatively local the above is of little (no?) use anyway, and
2: Other driver(s) in the convoy would not compromise those that have got walkie-talkies and tom-toms etc.
I have been on a few tours over the years organised by a couple of different organisations and have organised small days runs myself so I can say that a tour like this takes a lot of organising, checking, rechecking, amending and that eventually time runs out and further amendments eat into the margins of a very pleasing and successful event for all
factors to take into consideration that might be effected by additions are timetable, liaisons, group balance and dynamics, covering breakdowns of vehicles and people
(I’m assuming you expect to make a monetary contribution here - ) these people are paying to be part of this tour as a group - imagine going as a group to a restaurant for a meal and someone asks if a mate could turn up for a short while just on one of the courses this might be ok or it might spoil the event somewhat
now I’m not saying you but imagine someone else, Harsh will be too diplomatic and might not even consider it but I would - I wouldn’t want an unknown element to enter the group and not fully be able to police (small p) their actions and interactions
er, I was hoping Harsh would be here by now he a much nicer and eloquent bloke than me – he’ll put it better and explain more
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