Discussion
GetCarter said:
BTW you are absolutely right to do Applecross at dawn - just be aware that's about 4:00 a.m. in May.
The trades get out between 7 and 8 so that's the 'busy' time. Gets quiet from 9 to 10 (then the motorhomes wake up).
"Dawn" was intended as a loose definition. 6am will be plenty, I'm sure.The trades get out between 7 and 8 so that's the 'busy' time. Gets quiet from 9 to 10 (then the motorhomes wake up).
C70R said:
We're in the Highlands. It would be rude not to sample a little of Scotland's greatest export.
Early nights will be a non-negotiable, but a 4am start is just the wrong side of 'keen'.
Then you should def stay at The Torridon (Inn or Hotel). Best selection of single malts in the Highlands.Early nights will be a non-negotiable, but a 4am start is just the wrong side of 'keen'.
RE Kinloch Hourn- it is an utterly extraordinary place , and the road there from the A87 may only be 15miles-ish but it is so narrow that you need a lot more time than you'd need on a quiet English country road. Wonderful , desolate scenery by Lochs Garry and Quoich and you also pass the long closed Tomdoun Hotel, which became a favourite stop . Just after Tomdoun is a tiny chapel - always open and the simplest , quietest church I have ever been in. Not a road for high speed -or any speed at all really - but like many diversions it shows that there's so much more to Scotland than getting an NC 500 sticker .
Edited by coppice on Friday 13th December 07:18
C70R said:
If you've done the Kinloch Hourn road before (which I was aware was a dead end), then I'll have to accept your opinion as having more weight than my cursory Streetview scan (which made it look very doable and interesting). My only question is why others in this thread have recommended it?
If it helps, we're all driving hot hatches - so no issues with things like ground clearance etc.
Having only two days in the Highlands (it's a hard limit, sadly), I'm trying my hardest to spread out the fun roads across both of them. Driving 7+hrs each way from London-Glasgow might feel a bit disappointing if we spend one of our Highland days just trying to get to Inverness as quickly as possible, leaving only one day of actual 'fun' driving.
Maybe I missed it, but is there a reason for using Glasgow as your start point? If it helps, we're all driving hot hatches - so no issues with things like ground clearance etc.
Having only two days in the Highlands (it's a hard limit, sadly), I'm trying my hardest to spread out the fun roads across both of them. Driving 7+hrs each way from London-Glasgow might feel a bit disappointing if we spend one of our Highland days just trying to get to Inverness as quickly as possible, leaving only one day of actual 'fun' driving.
The reason for saying head north on the A9 is to get to the good roads you've not driven before.
If you use Stirling or Perth as a start for your day one, then in less than three hours you are out onto the quieter better roads. Plenty of time then to head up Loch Shin-Scourie-Lochinver-Ullapool-Gairloch or similar. Then have your overnight in Torridon and early start to Applecross and as I said you can decide at the road end for Kinloch Hourn whether you have the time or inclination for the 1.5+ hour diversion.
coppice said:
RE Kinloch Hourn- it is an utterly extraordinary place , and the road there from the A87 may only be 15miles-ish but it is so narrow that you need a lot more time than you'd need on a quiet English country road. Wonderful , desolate scenery by Lochs Garry and Quoich and you also pass the long closed Tomdoun Hotel, which became a favourite stop . Just after Tomdoun is a tiny chapel - always open and the simplest , quietest church I have ever been in. Not a road for high speed -or any speed at all really - but like many diversions NC 500 it shows that there's so much more to Scotland than getting an NC 500 sticker .
Nice call! Looks amazing on googlemaps.coppice said:
RE Kinloch Hourn- it is an utterly extraordinary place , and the road there from the A87 may only be 15miles-ish but it is so narrow that you need a lot more time than you'd need on a quiet English country road. Wonderful , desolate scenery by Lochs Garry and Quoich and you also pass the long closed Tomdoun Hotel, which became a favourite stop . Just after Tomdoun is a tiny chapel - always open and the simplest , quietest church I have ever been in. Not a road for high speed -or any speed at all really - but like many diversions it shows that there's so much more to Scotland than getting an NC 500 sticker .
Thanks very much for confirming what Streetview suggested.Edited by coppice on Friday 13th December 07:18
On the last trip we had an excellent time on the Kinlochewe-Torridon road, without needing to do silly speeds.
JM said:
C70R said:
If you've done the Kinloch Hourn road before (which I was aware was a dead end), then I'll have to accept your opinion as having more weight than my cursory Streetview scan (which made it look very doable and interesting). My only question is why others in this thread have recommended it?
If it helps, we're all driving hot hatches - so no issues with things like ground clearance etc.
Having only two days in the Highlands (it's a hard limit, sadly), I'm trying my hardest to spread out the fun roads across both of them. Driving 7+hrs each way from London-Glasgow might feel a bit disappointing if we spend one of our Highland days just trying to get to Inverness as quickly as possible, leaving only one day of actual 'fun' driving.
Maybe I missed it, but is there a reason for using Glasgow as your start point? If it helps, we're all driving hot hatches - so no issues with things like ground clearance etc.
Having only two days in the Highlands (it's a hard limit, sadly), I'm trying my hardest to spread out the fun roads across both of them. Driving 7+hrs each way from London-Glasgow might feel a bit disappointing if we spend one of our Highland days just trying to get to Inverness as quickly as possible, leaving only one day of actual 'fun' driving.
The reason for saying head north on the A9 is to get to the good roads you've not driven before.
If you use Stirling or Perth as a start for your day one, then in less than three hours you are out onto the quieter better roads. Plenty of time then to head up Loch Shin-Scourie-Lochinver-Ullapool-Gairloch or similar. Then have your overnight in Torridon and early start to Applecross and as I said you can decide at the road end for Kinloch Hourn whether you have the time or inclination for the 1.5+ hour diversion.
The reason for picking Glasgow is that the only slot that works for the whole group is 4 days. Thus, two of those days are going to be spent driving 7+hrs to/from Scotland.
Adding 3-4 hours onto both of those drives to get to Inverness is out of the question. Adding an extra 30min to get to Stirling doesn't really seem to buy us much in the grand scheme of things. Perth is the wrong side of the country for the roads we want to see, so that a no-go too.
If I was doing this on my own, I'm sure I'd do it much differently and spend longer. But I also know that I'd have much less fun than doing it with a group of my best mates.
Edited by C70R on Friday 13th December 10:54
In September I did...
1. Leeds to Stirling
2. Stirling to Ullapool via Loch Maree/Gairloch
3. Ullapool over the top to JoG (only because I've never been there, it's a s
thole) and Inverness
4. Inverness to Leeds
Didn't help that at the beginning of day to, 6am, I got half way to Calendar and the car does in me, requiring recovery back to Stirling a s car fixing. Eventually set off at about 2pm and landed in Ullapool about 8pm.
1. Leeds to Stirling
2. Stirling to Ullapool via Loch Maree/Gairloch
3. Ullapool over the top to JoG (only because I've never been there, it's a s
thole) and Inverness4. Inverness to Leeds
Didn't help that at the beginning of day to, 6am, I got half way to Calendar and the car does in me, requiring recovery back to Stirling a s car fixing. Eventually set off at about 2pm and landed in Ullapool about 8pm.
Just found this thread. I'm picking up an E39 530i Manual from Nairn on the weekend - only issue is I live in SW London and have never been to Scotland. I was originally looking to go up with one or two pals and make a few days out of it but timing and cost of flights put a stop to that, so I'll be on my own. Can anyone recommend a good route to take south from Nairn? I'm planning on stopping off at a friend's place in Leeds on Saturday night, so Saturday afternoon will be spent whizzing down from Nairn to Leeds.
Current route planned is Nairn - Grantown on Spey - Cock Bridge - Braemer - Blairgowrie - Perth. Not really sure if I should bother taking a scenic route from there onwards or just blast down the motorway to Leeds. Does anyone have any tips on routes, stops, etc? I won't be able to indulge too much but I want to be able to sample at least a few scottish roads before I consign the E39 to being stuck in 20mph traffic for the rest of its life.
Current route planned is Nairn - Grantown on Spey - Cock Bridge - Braemer - Blairgowrie - Perth. Not really sure if I should bother taking a scenic route from there onwards or just blast down the motorway to Leeds. Does anyone have any tips on routes, stops, etc? I won't be able to indulge too much but I want to be able to sample at least a few scottish roads before I consign the E39 to being stuck in 20mph traffic for the rest of its life.
The route you have described sounds brilliant, just to add though there is a lot of ice about here now, and the route takes you past two ski centers, so is designed to get snowy.
That said the gritters are out, and depending on the time the roads could have had a fair bit of traffic to clear them, so you should be fine, but it will be a long drive.
No doubt you have seen, avoid the A9, keep to the A93. Also with regards to the weather, after the gairnsheil humpback bridge keep to the left, the road to the right does not get treated.
That said the gritters are out, and depending on the time the roads could have had a fair bit of traffic to clear them, so you should be fine, but it will be a long drive.
No doubt you have seen, avoid the A9, keep to the A93. Also with regards to the weather, after the gairnsheil humpback bridge keep to the left, the road to the right does not get treated.
Gooly said:
Just found this thread. I'm picking up an E39 530i Manual from Nairn on the weekend - only issue is I live in SW London and have never been to Scotland. I was originally looking to go up with one or two pals and make a few days out of it but timing and cost of flights put a stop to that, so I'll be on my own. Can anyone recommend a good route to take south from Nairn? I'm planning on stopping off at a friend's place in Leeds on Saturday night, so Saturday afternoon will be spent whizzing down from Nairn to Leeds.
Current route planned is Nairn - Grantown on Spey - Cock Bridge - Braemer - Blairgowrie - Perth. Not really sure if I should bother taking a scenic route from there onwards or just blast down the motorway to Leeds. Does anyone have any tips on routes, stops, etc? I won't be able to indulge too much but I want to be able to sample at least a few scottish roads before I consign the E39 to being stuck in 20mph traffic for the rest of its life.
If the weather is properly dodgy then take the A9. You don't want to get caught on the A93 in heavy snow with an e39 on non-winter tyres.Current route planned is Nairn - Grantown on Spey - Cock Bridge - Braemer - Blairgowrie - Perth. Not really sure if I should bother taking a scenic route from there onwards or just blast down the motorway to Leeds. Does anyone have any tips on routes, stops, etc? I won't be able to indulge too much but I want to be able to sample at least a few scottish roads before I consign the E39 to being stuck in 20mph traffic for the rest of its life.
GetCarter said:
I'd just like to point out (for future ref)... that the good driving roads generally start about 30 miles north of Fort William, and continue for about 200 miles - north and west.
There's still some good stuff just north of the border, though - might not be single-track with vistas across valleys, but some good fun when I did it last 
C70R said:
Glasgow isn't the start point. For me, SW London is the start point.
The reason for picking Glasgow is that the only slot that works for the whole group is 4 days. Thus, two of those days are going to be spent driving 7+hrs to/from Scotland.
Adding 3-4 hours onto both of those drives to get to Inverness is out of the question. Adding an extra 30min to get to Stirling doesn't really seem to buy us much in the grand scheme of things. Perth is the wrong side of the country for the roads we want to see, so that a no-go too.
If I was doing this on my own, I'm sure I'd do it much differently and spend longer. But I also know that I'd have much less fun than doing it with a group of my best mates.
I would recommend getting well past Glasgow for the first night's stay.The reason for picking Glasgow is that the only slot that works for the whole group is 4 days. Thus, two of those days are going to be spent driving 7+hrs to/from Scotland.
Adding 3-4 hours onto both of those drives to get to Inverness is out of the question. Adding an extra 30min to get to Stirling doesn't really seem to buy us much in the grand scheme of things. Perth is the wrong side of the country for the roads we want to see, so that a no-go too.
If I was doing this on my own, I'm sure I'd do it much differently and spend longer. But I also know that I'd have much less fun than doing it with a group of my best mates.
By doing that you're not getting mixed up with city traffic when starting out on day 2.
On my most recent trip we stayed at the Travelodge in Helensburgh.
I would sacrifice Kinloch Hourn as well.
Check room availability at Tigh An Eilean in Shieldaig.
https://goo.gl/maps/RDN9dokPF6nMC8W29
What's wrong with Perth for the following night?
Going this way from Inverness you won't be duplicating much of your previous route.
Plus you'll minimise the amount of time spent on the A9.
Part 1 - https://goo.gl/maps/iE8o6YagSy46ypKv7
Part 2 - https://goo.gl/maps/PKx14KmWpyFYmWaBA
I've done Perth back to Kent in one day many times.
And that includes some great roads each side of the border.
Does anyone know where this is?
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6LpttDK4zT/?utm_sourc...
Looks spectacular
Edit: nevermind, it's the A82 on the top of Loch Ness Near Dochgarroch
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6LpttDK4zT/?utm_sourc...
Looks spectacular
Edit: nevermind, it's the A82 on the top of Loch Ness
Near DochgarrochEdited by openroads.be on Wednesday 18th December 07:03
Peanut Gallery said:
The route you have described sounds brilliant, just to add though there is a lot of ice about here now, and the route takes you past two ski centers, so is designed to get snowy.
That said the gritters are out, and depending on the time the roads could have had a fair bit of traffic to clear them, so you should be fine, but it will be a long drive.
No doubt you have seen, avoid the A9, keep to the A93. Also with regards to the weather, after the gairnsheil humpback bridge keep to the left, the road to the right does not get treated.
That said the gritters are out, and depending on the time the roads could have had a fair bit of traffic to clear them, so you should be fine, but it will be a long drive.
No doubt you have seen, avoid the A9, keep to the A93. Also with regards to the weather, after the gairnsheil humpback bridge keep to the left, the road to the right does not get treated.
Patrick Bateman said:
If the weather is properly dodgy then take the A9. You don't want to get caught on the A93 in heavy snow with an e39 on non-winter tyres.
Thanks both, appreciate the advice. Both of you plus the seller have warned about weather / ice so I will keep it in mind and take no chances. I'll be flying up on Friday, staying the night in Ardersier and then starting the drive at the crack of dawn hopefully catching sunrise.janesmith1950 said:
Once the fun stuff is out of the way, I'd go from Perth to Leeds via Glasgow/M74/M6/A66/A1 rather than Edinburgh/A1, unless you really want to see the Forth Bridge. After 3 hours of A roads it's an easier route on the mind than the East Coast Route.
This was what I was planning, seems like a much easier route!Gassing Station | Roads | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff