Highland Caterham Hire

[Fletch79]

Back in Feb SWMBO got me a decent birthday, a voucher for a day in a Caterham!
When i saw it my initial response was GREAT wheres the BUT ... is it a tour with a few other cars?? is it an accompanied drive??

Then after a little look at there website it turns out it was full self drive and i was getting the car to myself for the day ....

A couple of emails and a phone call to the company and got very pleasant and detailed replies from the owner Boyd.
I booked it for Tuesday just passed ....

On Tuesday, i turned up on the bike (late as usual) and was met at the gate by Boyd, he got my bike put safely out the way.
I was given a place to change and offered a cuppa

So over the brew we ended up talking everything from work to cars/bikes. I was subtly given the do's and don'ts of the car, it wasn't rammed home!!
i signed a fairly typical agreement and was taken round to the car.

i was shown the hoods and covers for the car and how to put them on of and store them, i was helped into the car (i'm nae wee loon) and shown the (few) controls

Then i was off

So a nice gentle run up the A96 to Inverness then out the A862/A833/A831 to Drumnadrochet, where i stopped for lunch
Then onto Fort Agusustus before turning back towards Inverness down the far side of Loch Ness (B862)
this was a great road, real narrow and windy but no real traffic at all, only coming across a local bus, a postie and a couple of tourists!
I eventually arrived back some 6ish hours later ...
(rough route http://goo.gl/maps/Hm0Qp )

First words when i got back around 5pm were ... i expected you to be much later than this

I was on my own that day but it didn't matter
Great roads ... great car .. and no worries about it!
it also meant i could drive when and where and how i wanted!
i didn't take many photos as i was barley out the car!!



http://www.highlandcaterhamhire.co.uk/

Would i buy one .... No, i can't justify it!
Would i buy one if i won the lottery ... of course!
Would i hire again ... Yes but probably only the SV not the CSR
would i hire from these guys again ... God Yes!

I've got a gopro video ... if i EVER get round to editing it i'll stick link here to!

[mak2503]

I have thought about giving this a go a few times. I have never driven a Caterham but it is one car I would love to have a shot of and to choose the direction you want to travel in just adds to the experience.

[Newro]

Oh, this is very tempting!

Looks like you had a fantastic time, and thanks for sharing.

[young_bairn]

I am considering dipping my toe into the caterham world and thought about hiring from these guys as an extended test drive. Good to know it was a good experience. Thanks.

[e21jason]

I had a ago a couple of years ago and really liked so much I now have a caterham as daily (winter) hack in dubai.

[ian2144]

I did the hire thing back in 09 when Openroad hire was based in Perth. Once you have driven a Caterham nothing else gets close as far as the driving experience is concerned.

You will end up buying one, as I did

[samvia]

Drove the B862 in the opposite direction last weekend, didn't have high hopes for it after realising its mostly singletrack but at 8pm on a sunny Saturday evening with literally 1 other car on the entire length of the road.... Amazing!

The Caterham must have sounded awesome along there, having a rock face to one side always helps add to the volume

[Fletch79]

I'm not sure i will buy one .... but i will hire them again!!

It would end up (at the moment) in the garage next to the blade! hardly used ....

I didn't go nuts in the car but i did have the odd wee blast .. on the narrow roads!

the car did sound great!!

[craig2003]

I had the CSR out too about a month ago and did the same road as you but the opposite way round the Loch, in fact I covered almost 300 miles in it. What a great guy to deal with and I couldn't recommend the experience highly enough to anyone planning it.
Next time home hopefully it will be on the cards to do so again. Until there is one sitting in the garage at home I feel as if something is missing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU4W6uzwMQY