Highlands

[mon the fish]

Quick update on the Highlands for our southern friends: according to an MSP, Skye is no longer an island.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-pol...

So it must therefore be all different and st.

[GetCarter]

mon the fish said:

Quick update on the Highlands for our southern friends: according to an MSP, Skye is no longer an island.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-pol...

So it must therefore be all different and st.

To be fair, he was recognised as a complete arse by almost everyone in Scotland.

[Red Devil]

Who me said:

RD- I'd hoped you might take up the flag. IMHO-most of the questions in this survey are leading questions, and as you have training, perhaps you MIGHT like to respond to get some arguments against this daft proposal by this lot .

The really sneaky one is #2. It makes a massive assumption.
Indeed it is nigh on impossible to answer if you are against the proposal.
Another one in a smilar vein is #5.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0ZZJXw4MTA

It is quite obvious from the image on the very first page of the consultation paper where this originated.
I'm not that au fait with Scottish politics but in Westminster very few Private Members Bills make it to the statute book.

I wish I had known about this sooner.
The deadline is today (15th) which doesn't give much time to assemble a cogent reasoned response.

GetCarter said:

mon the fish said:

Quick update on the Highlands for our southern friends: according to an MSP, Skye is no longer an island.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-pol...

So it must therefore be all different and st.

To be fair, he was recognised as a complete arse by almost everyone in Scotland.

It might be unwise to discount him just because he appears to be slightly batty.

[Boshly]

GetCarter said:

You wait for ages for a McLaren to turn up, then three turn up at the same time:



(actually there were 16)

thank you for taking the footage

[M838T]

Just got back from the Mc500 McLaren tour which was put together with lots of knowledge from these pages, thanks to all for the input. Amazing mix of roads and scenery, can only recommend it to anyone thinking of having a road trip.

Route for us was roughly, Hamilton to Ft William, Eileen Donan, Applecross, Torridon (Thanks for the video Steve), Gairloch, Unapool, Kylesku, Laxford, Lairg, Bonar Bridge, The Struie, Inverness, Cawdor, Grantown, Braemar, Blairgowrie and onwards towards Peebles. Roughly 780 miles in total without the drive there and back.

Spectacular, we even got a wave from the Queen as we moved over for her near Balmoral driving a LR (No joke!)

Here's a shot while the sun was out.



(The other three were still finishing their lunch at Applecross)

[JM]

I met three McLarens on the A83 south of Glenshee on Monday afternoon, I'm sure there was another one at the ski-slope cafe.

[M838T]

McLaren Press Team are operating In Scotland this week with several 570 Spiders plus a black P1 that's done the rounds.

[JM]

M838T said:

McLaren Press Team are operating In Scotland this week with several 570 Spiders plus a black P1 that's done the rounds.

P100 reg or similar on the P1?

[mikey k]

JM said:

M838T said:

McLaren Press Team are operating In Scotland this week with several 570 Spiders plus a black P1 that's done the rounds.

P100 reg or similar on the P1?

P1 OOV
One of the early prototypes also used as a press/demo car



Its up there "supporting" the 570 spider promo work

M838T - liking the name A McLaren fan I guess

[JM]

mikey k said:

P1 OOV
One of the early prototypes also used as a press/demo car



Its up there "supporting" the 570 spider promo work

That's the car, met it on Monday afternoon about here. https://goo.gl/maps/DhLvYeywhsj

He was behind a truck just coming round the bend, so I only caught a brief look.

[Boshly]

mikey k said:

M838T - liking the name A McLaren fan I guess

I had to google it

[tom54]

Drove from the Yorkshire Dales up to Kinlochewe. Filling up somewhere just off the M74 and headed for Glasgow and on towards Loch Lomond taking the A82 to Invergarry. Turning left onto the A87 and following that until after the Eilean Donan Castle looking for a right turn onto the A890 to Achnasheen. Left for a short stint to our hotel on the A832 in Kinlochewe. 10hrs and 45 mins of driving recorded by my phone for that day!

Quick snap on the A87 (I think) before the sun sets.


The second day saw us taking on the route to Applecross, Bealach na Ba, with awful visibility. Awesome road for a challenge, just a shame we didn't quite get to see what we came for.

Camper van


Visibility from inside.


Hairpin and the cloud obscuring the drop below!


Out the other end!


Epic roads and a shame I decided we go home via Inverness and the A9. It's pretty to look at but also pretty boring to drive too! So wish I had come back the way we came. The next day we did the Wynrose and Hardknott passes. Definitely going to come back for longer and with the aim to complete the NC500, might as well get the T-shirt too!

[Red Devil]

tom54 said:

Epic roads and a shame I decided we go home via Inverness and the A9. It's pretty to look at but also pretty boring to drive too!

You took the A9 from Inverness to Perth? Sacrilege!
Should have gone this way. - https://goo.gl/maps/7x5H9JXRq682 man!

tom54 said:

So wish I had come back the way we came. The next day we did the Wynrose and Hardknott passes.

In fact to reach Cumbria I would have avoided any part of the A9 and its poxy speed cameras - https://goo.gl/maps/NpPjLpfo9gC2
The A701 descends the Devil's Beef Tub. If you want a challenge, try it without touching the brake pedal.

[Pulse]

Red Devil said:

You took the A9 from Inverness to Perth? Sacrilege!
Should have gone this way. - https://goo.gl/maps/7x5H9JXRq682 man!

Pretty much the exact route I took. Fantastic roads!

[assadahmed]

Hi folks

So I am starting to plan another 3 day hoon for next June.

I have this route planned for the first two days .

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Glasgow/56.05347...

Just wanted some tips on a good places to stay on the route for the end of the first and second days? For the third day I want to include the Old Military Road through Cairngorms National Park (my favourite road) before ending in Edinburgh so any tips on a route from the end of day two will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

[Cpt Stirling]

If it were me, a stop just north of Fort William seems about right. I've stayed at the Glengarry Castle Hotel at Invergarry before and thought it pleasant and good value. End of day two I would be stopping somewhere in Wester Ross, the Torridon being the obvious choice. This will set you up nicely for some great roads back cross country to Inverness and then down through the Cairngorms along the Old Military Road. It all depends what you want out of your trip but give yourself plenty of time to take in the area, stop off here and there etc.

[jock mcsporran]

assadahmed said:

Just wanted some tips on a good places to stay on the route for the end of the first and second day

We normally use Clachaig Inn in Glencoe as a stop off point for the night.

[JM]

assadahmed said:

Just wanted some tips on a good places to stay on the route for the end of the first and second days?

The Balmacara Hotel a few miles towards Kyle from Dornie was decent when I last stayed there a couple of years ago, so could be an option for night 2. Other recommendations would be Plockton Inn, or there's an okay hotel in Kyle. Also have had a very good night out in Strahcarron, but was just in the bar, no idea what rooms or food are like.

First night, options would be anywhere between possibly Kinlochleven and Mallaig. I've stayed in Kinlochleven once, which has several B&B's and the hotel does decent food and its rooms are ok, but it's a busy place with walkers on the West Highland Way. So I'm sure it will be busy in June.
Lot's of B&B's in Fort William and several hotels to choose from. Further towards Mallaig I've stayed at the Inn at Lochailort which was good, but at the time there was no TV reception in the bedrooms, so had to spend the evening in the bar. (won the pub quiz though! )

Again several B&B's in Mallaig and a couple of hotels. A couple of good places to eat good, fresh seafood as well.

[Red Devil]

assadahmed said:

For the third day I want to include the Old Military Road through Cairngorms National Park (my favourite road) before ending in Edinburgh so any tips on a route from the end of day two will be appreciated.

It would be a pity to go all that way and miss out Applecross and/or the A832.

1. Dornie -> Edinburgh including the Bealach na Bà - https://goo.gl/maps/oJJuFh5kKw42
2. Dornie -> Edinburgh excluding the Bealach na Bà - https://goo.gl/maps/RBEPJ7xxN6K2
3. Dornie -> Edinburgh 'direct' - https://goo.gl/maps/UAb3NDANKm52

However that means options 1 & 2 are a very long day's drive which would be neither practical nor wise imo.
For that reason I would aim to finish day two further north than Dornie.

Start day 3 from Lochcarron or Torridon.
4. Lochcarron -> Edinburgh including the Bealach na Bà - https://goo.gl/maps/nGTmpfJqyw82
5. Lochcarron -> Edinburgh excluding the Bealach - https://goo.gl/maps/HZGPp2A8VP72
6. Torridon -> Edinburgh (having done the Bealach the day before) - https://goo.gl/maps/LRKvQewZs412

Even then, option 4 is still a marathon.
Bear in mind that stops for pics/refreshments/fuel also have to be factored in.
So doing the Bealach and the A832 are still a bridge too far imo.
On balance I would pick the latter. Especially during the tourist season.
A surfeit of opposing traffic can make the Bealach a tad tedious.
My pick would be option 5. YMMV.

I have included the short detour to the Glen Docherty* viewpoint.

 * pic c/o GC.

Btw, there appears to be an error with your route map.
You've managed to omit half of the B863 'Scotsburgring'...

[assadahmed]

Red Devil said:

It would be a pity to go all that way and miss out Applecross and/or the A832.

Btw, there appears to be an error with your route map.
You've managed to omit half of the B863 'Scotsburgring'...

Hey thanks for the info. Yes, leaving out the other half of the A832 was my mistake.

Applecross was left out on purpose as I drove the N500 last year so thought a new route would be better. I can still part of the route for the 3rd day though.

I think we might have met by the way? Did you attend any Essex Hoons in the past, around 2 or 3 years back I think.