Discussion
chalda said:
Could you recommend a B&B or boutique hotel in central Inverness in the range of 80-120 GBP per night? Thanks for your help!
Glemoriston Town House, right beside the river, car park and a short walk into town centre.https://www.glenmoristontownhouse.com/
GetCarter said:
...okay - here's the road down Glen Shieldaig
Loch Dughail - https://goo.gl/maps/J3zjqdtm93uThat first one though...
Only one word: stunning.
chalda said:
In 2016, I've been to the Highlands and this year I will return! In October. Cannot wait. Two years ago, I built heavily on the instructions regarding roads to drive from this threat, and I was not disappointed. Moreover, the roads and scenery were breathtaking. So, again.
This year, after staying near Shieldaig, I intend to at least drive once into the NE of Scotland towards John o' Groats. Haven't been there since driving the 2009 LE JOG. So I need a base in Inverness. Could you recommend a B&B or boutique hotel in central Inverness in the range of 80-120 GBP per night? Thanks for your help!
I've stayed here on a number of occasions... https://www.kingsmillshotel.com Decent location, nice rooms and good parking. This year, after staying near Shieldaig, I intend to at least drive once into the NE of Scotland towards John o' Groats. Haven't been there since driving the 2009 LE JOG. So I need a base in Inverness. Could you recommend a B&B or boutique hotel in central Inverness in the range of 80-120 GBP per night? Thanks for your help!
Edited by chalda on Wednesday 25th July 20:36
Unless you have a real burning desire to go to John o' Groats then I'd advise giving it a miss. I've mentioned a few times on this thread now the west coast route is far better, Tongue down to Lairg for me is a far better drive than continuing east.
Edited by cat220 on Wednesday 25th July 23:40
cat220 said:
Unless you have a real burning desire to go to John o' Groats then I'd advise giving it a miss.
This: in spades. It's just a reception area for endless coach parties of OAPs.All queuing up to by an ice cream and some over priced knitwear.
The only thing worth bothering with in the immediate vicinity imo are the lighthouse at, and the views from, Duncansby Head.
If it's a bucket list tick box you're after, then Dunnet Head which is the most northerly point in Britain.
cat220 said:
I've mentioned a few times on this thread now the west coast route is far better,
So have I. 
cat220 said:
Tongue down to Lairg for me is a far better drive than continuing east
Hi,
I've had quite enough of being stuck in central London this summer and am escaping to the Outer Hebrides (together with Wester Ross) for some peace and quiet the week after next. My wife suspects she'd be bored senseless so I'm doing the trip solo and taking the tent (or sleeping in the Volvo - surprisingly comfortable - when winds/rain rule the tent out). Was hoping to canvass the PH Highlander posse for some suggestions/comments on my proposed itinerary.
I'm driving up from London on Friday 7th, staying overnight with friends in the Borders and then I'm booked on the Uig (Skye) to Tarbert (Harris) ferry on Saturday evening. I'm minded more towards exploring/pottering through the wilderness than anything - I haven't booked anything beyond the outbound ferry. My current plan is:
Saturday daytime - M74, M80, A9 - then either A86 to Spean Bridge, A82 to Invergarry then A87 to Kyle and Uig, with a detour on Skye to take in the Old Man of Storr and the Quirang before I board the ferry. Alternatively, A9 to Inverness (average speed cameras all the way - I have no desire to bomb it anyway), followed by A835, A832 and A890 via Achnaseen and Strathcarron. The latter route may take longer, but could well be more scenic?
Saturday night - either Horgabost campsite or (late arrival/little desire to put the tent up with an Atlantic gale blowing in pitch darkness) sleep in the Volvo 'motorhome' at the car park at the top of Luskentyre beach.
Sunday - assuming that all shops/restaurants are closed so general tour of South Harris - Leverburgh, the Golden Road.
Monday - potter around North Harris - B887 to Hushinish via Abhainnsuidhe (there's a castle en route - seemingly not open to the public?) and the Golden Eagle Observatory. Maybe a bumble around the east coast of Harris/Lewis as well - Rheinigidale, B8060 to Leumrabhagh?
Tuesday - Callanish stones, then B8011 through Uig all the way to Timsgarry and Mealasta. I've heard the beaches around Valtos and Reef are quite something too?
Wednesday - tour of the northern part of Lewis - A858 and A857 up to the Butt of Lewis, followed by the heady delights of Stornoway?
Thursday - morning ferry from Stornoway to Ullapool (need to book - I assume it doesn't fill up). A835 then minor road to Lochinver via Inverkirkaig. B887 round the coastline of Assynt to Kylesku. I'll have a look at the ruins of Ardvreck Castle as well. Is there much to see up towards Scourie/Laxford Bridge?
Friday - meeting friends at Inverewe Gardens, so head there via A835/A832.
Saturday - back to the Borders via the most scenic route possible (A832 past Loch Maree to Kinlochewe, A896 via Shieldaig, Applecross via coast road, Bealach na Ba, Lochcarron, A87 to Spean Bridge, A82 via Fort William, Crianlarich and Loch Lomond?)
Sunday - back to Dodge. Gah.
Anything I am forgetting or missing?
I've had quite enough of being stuck in central London this summer and am escaping to the Outer Hebrides (together with Wester Ross) for some peace and quiet the week after next. My wife suspects she'd be bored senseless so I'm doing the trip solo and taking the tent (or sleeping in the Volvo - surprisingly comfortable - when winds/rain rule the tent out). Was hoping to canvass the PH Highlander posse for some suggestions/comments on my proposed itinerary.
I'm driving up from London on Friday 7th, staying overnight with friends in the Borders and then I'm booked on the Uig (Skye) to Tarbert (Harris) ferry on Saturday evening. I'm minded more towards exploring/pottering through the wilderness than anything - I haven't booked anything beyond the outbound ferry. My current plan is:
Saturday daytime - M74, M80, A9 - then either A86 to Spean Bridge, A82 to Invergarry then A87 to Kyle and Uig, with a detour on Skye to take in the Old Man of Storr and the Quirang before I board the ferry. Alternatively, A9 to Inverness (average speed cameras all the way - I have no desire to bomb it anyway), followed by A835, A832 and A890 via Achnaseen and Strathcarron. The latter route may take longer, but could well be more scenic?
Saturday night - either Horgabost campsite or (late arrival/little desire to put the tent up with an Atlantic gale blowing in pitch darkness) sleep in the Volvo 'motorhome' at the car park at the top of Luskentyre beach.
Sunday - assuming that all shops/restaurants are closed so general tour of South Harris - Leverburgh, the Golden Road.
Monday - potter around North Harris - B887 to Hushinish via Abhainnsuidhe (there's a castle en route - seemingly not open to the public?) and the Golden Eagle Observatory. Maybe a bumble around the east coast of Harris/Lewis as well - Rheinigidale, B8060 to Leumrabhagh?
Tuesday - Callanish stones, then B8011 through Uig all the way to Timsgarry and Mealasta. I've heard the beaches around Valtos and Reef are quite something too?
Wednesday - tour of the northern part of Lewis - A858 and A857 up to the Butt of Lewis, followed by the heady delights of Stornoway?
Thursday - morning ferry from Stornoway to Ullapool (need to book - I assume it doesn't fill up). A835 then minor road to Lochinver via Inverkirkaig. B887 round the coastline of Assynt to Kylesku. I'll have a look at the ruins of Ardvreck Castle as well. Is there much to see up towards Scourie/Laxford Bridge?
Friday - meeting friends at Inverewe Gardens, so head there via A835/A832.
Saturday - back to the Borders via the most scenic route possible (A832 past Loch Maree to Kinlochewe, A896 via Shieldaig, Applecross via coast road, Bealach na Ba, Lochcarron, A87 to Spean Bridge, A82 via Fort William, Crianlarich and Loch Lomond?)
Sunday - back to Dodge. Gah.
Anything I am forgetting or missing?
Mr Dripping said:
Hi,
Saturday daytime - M74, M80, A9 - then either A86 to Spean Bridge, A82 to Invergarry then A87 to Kyle and Uig, with a detour on Skye to take in the Old Man of Storr and the Quirang before I board the ferry. Alternatively, A9 to Inverness (average speed cameras all the way - I have no desire to bomb it anyway), followed by A835, A832 and A890 via Achnaseen and Strathcarron. The latter route may take longer, but could well be more scenic?
If you want scenic then M8 to the Eirskine Bridge, then: Loch Lomond, Tarbet, Crianlarich, Tyndrum, Rannoch Moor, Glen Coe, Fort William, Spean Bridge etc.. That will take longer but is well worth it. Avoid the A9 if you possibly can!Saturday daytime - M74, M80, A9 - then either A86 to Spean Bridge, A82 to Invergarry then A87 to Kyle and Uig, with a detour on Skye to take in the Old Man of Storr and the Quirang before I board the ferry. Alternatively, A9 to Inverness (average speed cameras all the way - I have no desire to bomb it anyway), followed by A835, A832 and A890 via Achnaseen and Strathcarron. The latter route may take longer, but could well be more scenic?
GetCarter said:
If you want scenic then M8 to the Eirskine Bridge, then: Loch Lomond, Tarbet, Crianlarich, Tyndrum, Rannoch Moor, Glen Coe, Fort William, Spean Bridge etc.. That will take longer but is well worth it. Avoid the A9 if you possibly can!
Excellent - thanks. That was my planned return journey, but I could well entertain it for the outbound as well. A82 and A85 via Crianlarich and Tyndrum to Dalmally, or A83 and A819 via Invararay?
leggly said:
Where abouts is that?Google maps has a 360 photo thing from inside - https://goo.gl/maps/nHRa6qSvXUQ2
Is there anything particularly worth a visit on the A894/A838 between the Kylesku Bridge and Durness (I won't have time to go to Cape Wrath, or to take the A838 leg past Loch Shin to Lairg)? I need to return to Gairloch so I'm slightly averse to heading all the way to Durness, just finding a small community with little to do then needing to turn round and retrace my steps. Is that stretch of road particularly stunning in its own right?
Mr Dripping said:
Is there anything particularly worth a visit on the A894/A838 between the Kylesku Bridge and Durness (I won't have time to go to Cape Wrath, or to take the A838 leg past Loch Shin to Lairg)? I need to return to Gairloch so I'm slightly averse to heading all the way to Durness, just finding a small community with little to do then needing to turn round and retrace my steps. Is that stretch of road particularly stunning in its own right?
Not a lot tbh.Once you reach Durness, there is the craft village and Cocoa Mountain (chocaholic heaven) at Balnakiel a short distance to the west and Smoo Cave a bit further to the east.
https://goo.gl/maps/WqNrjfKaUpD2
As for the road, it depends on your defintion of stunning. You won't find great mountain ranges in the north of Sutherland. It's wide open spaces interspersed with individual peaks.
That said it's nice drive.* Bear in mind that two thirds of it (from just after Riconich) is single track which will reduce progress if you encounter traffic.
* To give you a taster, Reg Local's latest video was filmed between Riconich and Laxford Bridge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xs04E3MabNU&fe...
Mr Dripping said:
Is there anything particularly worth a visit on the A894/A838 between the Kylesku Bridge and Durness
Well, at Durness you run out of country, so it might be interesting to drive to the almost northmost point. It is as pretty as it is at the north and west coast, which - to me - is a lot. Proceeding further east and then going south again along the Naver is really amazing.What you could realise on the roads you mentioned, as nobody will be around, is some serious progress.
chalda said:
Well, at Durness you run out of country, so it might be interesting to drive to the almost northmost point. It is as pretty as it is at the north and west coast, which - to me - is a lot.
For that carry on past the craft village to Balnakeil Bay - https://goo.gl/maps/a5GQMUhNVp72chalda said:
Proceeding further east and then going south again along the Naver is really amazing.
It's also rather slow if you have time constraints. It's single track throughout.Plus the section along Loch Naver is very sinuous with many poor sightlines - https://goo.gl/maps/wQbJWXNxR432
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