Highlands

[5s Alive]

Big pockets? Or is there a secret weapon of choice.

[GetCarter]

5s Alive said:

Big pockets? Or is there a secret weapon of choice.

https://www.wexphotovideo.com/canon-powershot-g5-x-mark-ii-digital-camera-1708614/

:0)

[Ken Figenus]

GetCarter said:

https://www.wexphotovideo.com/canon-powershot-g5-x...

:0)

OK , pls link me ONE of those cracking pics taken by that little piddly wee Canon as I debate to buy a Xmas Sony G Master wide costing 3 times its value!

[5s Alive]

GetCarter said:

5s Alive said:

Big pockets? Or is there a secret weapon of choice.

https://www.wexphotovideo.com/canon-powershot-g5-x-mark-ii-digital-camera-1708614/

:0)

Now that you've jogged my memory I recall that you've answered this previously. Even when viewed on a tablet screen it shows impressive tonal and dynamic range and you get some great shots with it.

[GetCarter]

Ken Figenus said:

GetCarter said:

https://www.wexphotovideo.com/canon-powershot-g5-x...

:0)

OK , pls link me ONE of those cracking pics taken by that little piddly wee Canon as I debate to buy a Xmas Sony G Master wide costing 3 times its value!

Every one of those was taken with the tiny Canon, bar Nov 13th (iPhone) and *obviously* all the drone shots.

Oh...and 24th August was a GoPro.

[VTECMatt]

Spent fours days with some friends couple of weeks back, loved it as usual. I took the Tesla and had no issues charging.

[GetCarter]

Some 2022 photos from the NW Highlands.

Happy New Year folks.

>>>> http://www.stevecarter.com/latest/latesttorridon22... <<<<

[M11rph]

Beautiful, thanks for posting those.

Inspiring me to plan an early Spring Scottish roadtrip as a shakedown before heading to the "Continent".

[slopes]

Loving the pics of the Pine Marten but especially the one up close to the lens, how cool is that?

Cheers for posting those

[glenrobbo]

Absolutely stunning photos, Mr Carter!

I'm a sucker for the beautiful landscapes/seascapes and sunsets, but I am especially impressed by the rather abstract snowy April Fool's Day shot. The grainy pointillist effect and the tonal fading into the distance...
Superb!

It must be a lovely part of the world to live.
It's been a few years since I was last up there on a TVR S Club driving tour

Here's to a very Happy New Year/Hogmanay for one and all.

[gred]

Great set of photos Steve, thanks for reminding us of the beauty of Scotland. We’ll be back.

[Griffit]

Bit of advice for a tour this April if possible. I'm planning a selfish trip on my own to drive some great roads and see some great sights and scenery. Do plan on getting out of the car for a few minutes here and there but not planning on an ascent of Ben Nevis or similar!

Am planning on travelling from Blackburn after work on a Thursday evening to say Motherwell to kick off Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday back to somewhere circa 1.5-2 hours from Blackburn to return to work on Tuesday morning.

Wanted to take in some of the classics but the more pages I read the more there is to drive and as I'm being selfish I've no need to keep passengers or other cars happy. All the same I don't want to be driving for 6 hours straight every day. Initial thoughts were:

Friday: Motherwell - Fort William via A82 to Arroch, A83 to Inverary, A819 to Lochawe (Kilchurn Castle looks nice?(, A85 to Tyndum, over Rannoch Moor, Skyfall, Glencoe, B863 loop, Fort William. (Reckon say 170 miles, 4+ hours drive time?)

Saturday: Fort William - Grantown on Spey/Nairn via Glenfinnan Viaduct (for the train), Mallaig or thereabouts, return to Fort William, Spean Bridge, Grantown on Spey. (Reckon say 160 miles, 4 hours drive time). My concern is that this is potentially a boring "transit" day across to the Cairngorms and I'm wasting miles - should I aim for Nairn instead via a different route? Mallaig-Armadale ferry, Kyle of Lochalsh, A890/A832 to Dingwall/Inverness/Nairn? This runs close to Applecross of course and I wasn't going to...

Sunday: Grantown on Spey/Nairn to Crieff via A939 to Ballater, A93 past Balmoral to Bridge of Cally, A923 to Dunkeld, A822 to Crieff (Reckon say 150 miles, 4 hours drive time)

Monday: Crieff - ?? via A85 to Lochearnhead, A84 towards Callander, A821 to Aberfoyle then help me find some interesting route southwards....

Question is should I do an alternative over fewer longer days and save on hotels e.g.:

Friday go Inverary, Lochgilphead, Oban, Glencoe, Fort William instead?
Saturday go Fort William to Glenfinnan, Glencoe, Skyfall, A82 to Tyndrum then Crianlarich?
Avoid the Cairngorms leg all together and go somewhere west side and into the Borders on Sunday and return to work Monday?

Any assistance much appreciated, not having driven this part of the country before its all unknown to me.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[lizardbrain]

I vote for binning the cairngorm leg. There is enough interesting roads and scenery for 4 days on the west side, and transiting to east doesn't make sense unless it's part of a wider journey.

I do love the east and it's worth a dedicated visit, especially if you like forests and rivers.

[plenty]

The NW has the scenery but the Cairngorms section, specifically the A93/A939, is easily the best driving section in Scotland, ergo the UK, I never miss it on a trip north.

Everything south of Glencoe is more trafficked and less interesting than everything north (Borders not included), so I'd personally maximise my time further north. Callander, Aberfoyle etc. are good for a short excursion out of the central belt but really pale in comparison to everything further north and shouldn't be a priority on a four-day trip. It's only four hours from Perth to Blackburn so I'd look to finish in Perth Monday lunchtime before heading home.

That's unless you choose to include the Borders, but with only four days I'd not bother and save that for its own trip.

[coppice]

There are actually some fabulous driving roads, some of them a long way south of Glencoe . But I am saying nowt more , given the tragic effect of increased usage of a route which publicity brings . From people who were presumably unable to use a map or think for themselves before a route got the PR job.

[GetCarter]

For anyone coming up: The A896 down Glen Torridon will be closed to all traffic Monday 6th March until Saturday 11th March 20:00 to 06:00 every night.

[Tye Green]

lizardbrain said:

I vote for binning the cairngorm leg. There is enough interesting roads and scenery for 4 days on the west side, and transiting to east doesn't make sense unless it's part of a wider journey.

there's great roads in the west and in the east. whilst enjoying breakfast check the weather and go east or west accordingly as it's often very different.

[lizardbrain]

Tye Green said:

there's great roads in the west and in the east. whilst enjoying breakfast check the weather and go east or west accordingly as it's often very different.

Yeah this is good advice!

Also weather often changes within the day, so worth checking reports when choosing driving times

Personally I'm a big fan of sunrise and sunset

[Shaw Tarse]

GetCarter said:

For anyone coming up: The A896 down Glen Torridon will be closed to all traffic Monday 6th March until Saturday 11th March 20:00 to 06:00 every night.

Looking at pics from Skye the Northern Lights look amazing, have you sen them or trees getting in the way?

[GetCarter]

Shaw Tarse said:

GetCarter said:

For anyone coming up: The A896 down Glen Torridon will be closed to all traffic Monday 6th March until Saturday 11th March 20:00 to 06:00 every night.

Looking at pics from Skye the Northern Lights look amazing, have you sen them or trees getting in the way?

I had to go to the other side of the loch to see them. Got this one (which ended up on Sky News!) Lower atmosphere only so little red upper atmosphere.

http://www.stevecarter.com/latest/27-2-2023f.jpg

Rubbish quality version below: