Highlands

[logit]

Wow what a great thread this is! It's really helped in the planning for the trip to the Highlands we're doing next week, many thanks to all contributors. I can't wait to see all the sights and drive some of those great roads!

We're going to be covering most of the roads in this map:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?ll=56.739...

As well as going across to Harris, looping around Skye, and the A832 (Achnasheen-Kinlochewe).

I just had a quick question re: Vtechmatt's point about the faster driving roads being in the Cairngorms, borders area and not in the west so much. I'm going to be doing the trip in a C63 Amg so not the smallest of cars and it really does flow on the faster, smoother roads (though I'm happy to go slowly on the single track roads in the West to take in the scenery).

Question is really, what are the best faster driving roads that must be driven in the highlands? Love the look of the road with the red GT3 above. Anything better than the A93, A939 in the Cairngorms?

Thanks for any tips

[GetCarter]

logit said:

Wow what a great thread this is! It's really helped in the planning for the trip to the Highlands we're doing next week, many thanks to all contributors. I can't wait to see all the sights and drive some of those great roads!

We're going to be covering most of the roads in this map:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?ll=56.739...

As well as going across to Harris, looping around Skye, and the A832 (Achnasheen-Kinlochewe).

I just had a quick question re: Vtechmatt's point about the faster driving roads being in the Cairngorms, borders area and not in the west so much. I'm going to be doing the trip in a C63 Amg so not the smallest of cars and it really does flow on the faster, smoother roads (though I'm happy to go slowly on the single track roads in the West to take in the scenery).

Question is really, what are the best faster driving roads that must be driven in the highlands? Love the look of the road with the red GT3 above. Anything better than the A93, A939 in the Cairngorms?

Thanks for any tips

The first 12 miles between Achnasheen towards Lochcarron. No houses, no turns, no nothing. EU resurfaced road.

(Another thing we'll lose after brexit!)

[coppice]

Best tip ? Don't drive like a tt . Far too many people are now doing so and may ruin what some of us have been enjoying for decades. Plenty of places to make progress discreetly but plenty more where some discretion and consideration is needed...

And don't clog up roads with silly nose to tail convoys either .

[cat220]

coppice said:

Best tip ? Don't drive like a tt . Far too many people are now doing so and may ruin what some of us have been enjoying for decades. Plenty of places to make progress discreetly but plenty more where some discretion and consideration is needed...

And don't clog up roads with silly nose to tail convoys either .

This +1.

[logit]

coppice said:

Best tip ? Don't drive like a tt . Far too many people are now doing so and may ruin what some of us have been enjoying for decades. Plenty of places to make progress discreetly but plenty more where some discretion and consideration is needed...

And don't clog up roads with silly nose to tail convoys either .

Completely agree, my post wasn't meant to suggest any such intended behaviour. I just wanted to make sure I drove the smoother and wider sections of road where you can press on if conditions permit, rather than poorly surfaced narrow single track. We're just the one car and my wife is in the passenger seat and she's like a human accelerometer with a very loud warning alert

[logit]

GetCarter said:

The first 12 miles between Achnasheen towards Lochcarron. No houses, no turns, no nothing. EU resurfaced road.

(Another thing we'll lose after brexit!)

Thanks will definitely add that road to the route, looks epic!

[ReverendCounter]

Quick question for our Scottish residents - what are the general road conditions like in December, and does the 'infrastructure' still operate (ie, B&B's, petrol stations etc?).

As in, is a Christmas hoon a bad idea?

[GetCarter]

ReverendCounter said:

Quick question for our Scottish residents - what are the general road conditions like in December, and does the 'infrastructure' still operate (ie, B&B's, petrol stations etc?).

As in, is a Christmas hoon a bad idea?

You're in real problems for hotels and B&Bs etc. Most are closed (or full with revellers). Fuel stations stay open, but hours are different. You need to e mail or phone each and every one, as they all do different. Best to sort this before starting off.

ETA: Road conditions usually good in Dec, but again, you need to see... West usually okay, East often a problem. Can change day to day mind.

Edited by GetCarter on Saturday 15th September 17:12

[ReverendCounter]

OK thanks GC - will give careful consideration and plan accordingly if I go ahead.

[JM]

Several fuel stations are no 24 hr, pay at pump.

But, it depends where you are going.

Yes, most B&B's will be shut for the winter and some of the hotels, but I've never had a problem getting a room for a night anywhere in the Highlands in December or January. But most will be busy at Christmas & New Year.

But it shouldn't be too much trouble to get a room for a night or two Inverness or Fort William. Even at short or no notice.

[StanleyT]

Is there a load of NC500s tours going on the next few days?

Work can't get us all in the same hotel (eight of us) in a town on the route Mon / Tue / Weds. Never had a problem before. Thursday we can't even all get the flight back from Inverness, some of us are on the train. Every hotel we've tried says it is NC500s fully booked?

Re speeds

Try Garve to Ullapool. Around 2001 we were making progress when my wife said "Golden Eagle, on the telegraph pole, stop quick, go back", so I did. I think it must take nearly a mile for a Ford Cougar at full tt (2x 70???? speedo said so be I'd bet it wasn't much more than 115 - 120). Anyway, turned in a three pointed on this delightfully empty road, headed back to where wifey reckoned said bird was on to see blues and twos belting towards Ullapool. Went and hid in a car park back towards Inverness for a bit just in case the bird had staked us out and now we were bait!

[GetCarter]

StanleyT said:

Is there a load of NC500s tours going on the next few days?

Work can't get us all in the same hotel (eight of us) in a town on the route Mon / Tue / Weds. Never had a problem before. Thursday we can't even all get the flight back from Inverness, some of us are on the train. Every hotel we've tried says it is NC500s fully booked?

No... it's like that from start of April to mid October. Our local hotel could fill itself three times over. The way round it is to book into hotels off the NC500. People generally follow the route to the letter (and miss some of the best bits). Leaves a load of hotels half empty... but places like Kylesku and Applecross are pretty much full by the end of march for the rest of the year.

[StanleyT]

It is Thurso we're going to! Not exactly like there is just one hotel.

I do wonder if it is our "corporate booking partner" that only does certain deals with certain hotels or doesn't think to split a group of eight into two groups to fit available space, yet thee trips in previous weeks have been fine as it the one in a couple of weeks.

Expedia isn't showing much space either though, apart from the hotel when I last stayed in I got flea bitten and you couldn't get into the room, it was so small, without stepping into the bathroom door and then closing the main door then stepping into the room.

Looks like we might be getting the ferry from Aberdeen instead of Scrabster to sleep on the boat overnight for two of the nights! Joy of government funded quasi private race to the bottom contracting! Shame as we had some spare time on the return so rather than A9 is to Inverness hoped to do Altnahharra and Lairg on the A836 instead.

[GetCarter]

StanleyT said:

It is Thurso we're going to! Not exactly like there is just one hotel.

I do wonder if it is our "corporate booking partner"

It's in all the travel mags in the world. 90% of the folk passing by my house are on foreign plates (ETA or hire cars).

Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 16th September 18:01

[JM]

StanleyT said:

Looks like we might be getting the ferry from Aberdeen instead of Scrabster to sleep on the boat overnight for two of the nights! Joy of government funded quasi private race to the bottom contracting! Shame as we had some spare time on the return so rather than A9 is to Inverness hoped to do Altnahharra and Lairg on the A836 instead.

Sounds like you are going to Orkney.
What about staying in Wick and getting the ferry from Gills Bay.
Or try a hotel in Castletown, between Thurso and Wick, nearer Thruso.

Also if it is Orkney you are going, have they changed the ferry from Aberdeen times?

It get's in to Kirkwall about midnight.

[CABC]

in Kylesku now and driving in the (mild) storm tomorrow to Torridon.
it's wonderful up here but i'm surprised to see VERY few nice cars, it's mostly 'normal' tourists (though they've been very pleasant and civilised).
food, gin, whisky all good. walks too. traffic not too bad. Belgian riders a bit cocky.

[ReverendCounter]

JM said:

Several fuel stations are no 24 hr, pay at pump.

But, it depends where you are going.

Yes, most B&B's will be shut for the winter and some of the hotels, but I've never had a problem getting a room for a night anywhere in the Highlands in December or January. But most will be busy at Christmas & New Year.

But it shouldn't be too much trouble to get a room for a night or two Inverness or Fort William. Even at short or no notice.

I have no real itinerary, other than to enjoy some scenic, uncongested roads but it's up in the air and very dependent on the weather, so the exact route may be a last minute decision, and also dependent on the pay at the pumps you mention. Thanks for the info.

[CABC]

Driving Applecross in both directions yesterday I was mulling over the ideal car for a days driving in the highlands. The roads are far from the best driving roads but they sure are great road trip roads. A hot hatch or Lotus would be overkill and underused. It needs to be a convertible. The engine that immediately came to mind (and still the case a day later) is the lazy Rover V8, great for repeated pulls out of passing places and round low speed corners. The car could be a Morgan or TVR.

I know GC has a Caterham, and that’s great if you live there. But for one day I’d take a Griff.
Poor mans choice, MX5.

[GetCarter]

CABC said:

I know GC has a Caterham

Just for accuracy, I sold it (I have had three here mind).

The most fun I've had here has been in Sevens, but the *sensible* sports car of choice all year round (that I've owned) was a 911 turbo S. 4 wheel drive, loads of poke and solid as a rock. Sadly large dogs and 911s don't really work! Tiv is a good call, though the back end would be more than a handful in winter!

[giveitfish]

CABC said:

Driving Applecross in both directions yesterday I was mulling over the ideal car for a days driving in the highlands. The roads are far from the best driving roads but they sure are great road trip roads. A hot hatch or Lotus would be overkill and underused. It needs to be a convertible. The engine that immediately came to mind (and still the case a day later) is the lazy Rover V8, great for repeated pulls out of passing places and round low speed corners. The car could be a Morgan or TVR.

I know GC has a Caterham, and that’s great if you live there. But for one day I’d take a Griff.
Poor mans choice, MX5.

I can see exactly where you're coming from but will have to respectfully disagree I’d say some roads in the north west are among the best pure driving roads in the world.

It’s great touring country but I found lots of opportunities to fully exercise my Elise and without being antisocial either. Was fantastic. There are also plenty of places that give space to properly exercise cars much bigger and faster as long as some common sense is employed.