Glasgow to Inverness

[gcpa968]

I make this journey quite a lot as my folks stay very close to Inverness but am getting very bored with the A9 which is a bit of a slog and has its fair share of traffic police interest. Are their any alternatives to this route which would not involve adding on a huge amount of time to the journey? Suspect the answer is no but thought I would check. Have thought about glencoe, fort william, inverness or perth, braemar road and then cutting over at some point but both options I reckon would be quite a bit slower.

G

[who me ?]

Question of how you get to A9 ---M8 /M80/A80 - ??? - sort of a dog leg compared to straight up A82 to Fort william via Glencoe - and Glencoe can be a fast run (not sure of SCP though) ---only slow bit is Tarbet to Cranlarach - then Fort William -Inverness also a decent bit of road --problem comes in winter ( usually around February ) when you could get to Tyndrum to find snow gates closed and only alternative is via Oban to Fort William.

[Catz]

As above I'd take the A82 from Crianlarich. Some great roads from there to Glen Coe although they can get a bit busy in the Summer months. I use this road regularly when I head to Skye and there's no static speed cameras as far as Invergarry. Not so familiar with the A82 from Invergarry to Inverness though.

It will probably add 45 mins to your journey though, beats the humdrum A9 though!

[naetype]

Head for Arrochar, don't go via Crianlarich and through Glencoe - as contrary to popular conception it's actually pretty boring (long, long straights punctuated by the odd easy corner)and is now attracting lots of scamera vans - go to Inverary, across to Loch Awe, over to Connel Bridge/Benderloch and up to Port Appin, this way will take you to the far end of Glencoe. Now head for Fort Bill and if it's in the summer you'll crawl along at 40mph all the way (worse than it sounds as it's not too far). Go through Fort Bill and eventually turn right at Spean Bridge heading towards Laggan, Newtonmore and Kingussie on the A86. Eventually you will pop out on the A9 but don't worry it's not for long. Once you get to Aviemore turn off and head for Grantown-On-Spey. Go through the town and head for Nairn on the A939. Get to Nairn and turn right for Inverness about 10 miles(ish) down the road.

Once there pop into the local tyre emporium as your tyres will probably be shagged then along to the garage to get your pads replaced

Yes, I HATE the A9 as well even though I got my record overtake on it (no I'm not gonna say what it is 'cause everyone thinks I'm fibbing).

[gcpa968]

Thanks for the info, the route I eventually ended up taking was to head to Fort William via Glencoe (naetype - great idea re inveraray- will try that next time on return) then to Spean Bridge, Newtonmore and then the carrbridge and over "the dava" road into Nairn. It was, at least from Fort William onwards, a great drive.

[Hemibum]

My Favourite, but it does take a bit of time although I reckon the mix of scenery and roads always justifies it to me:

From Glasgow A81 to Aberfoyle. A821 to Callander (almost), hang a left on the A84 all the way to Killin. A827 all the waypast Loch Tay, Aberfeldy to Ballinluig.

Wee bit of A9 to Pitlochry turn off for A924 to Kikmichael. L. to B950 to Glenshee A93 to Braemar (total magic)

Braemar to Crathie to the B 976. to Tomintoul - Grantown -Nairn. At Nairn do not turn Right a la Naetype. Nae wonder he needs tyres, all these U turns Do a left A96 and Bob's yer Uncle. Enjoy

[naetype]

Hemibum said:

.....do not turn Right a la Naetype. Nae wonder he needs tyres, all these U turns ....

I was going to change that but then thought, no, if he goes right he might find that garage in the industrial estate that, the last time I was there, had a Lambo' Urraco and a Lotus Carlton

Other things to bear in mind if you go my route:

I rarely see trafpol along the lochside any more but they often sit, and justifiably so, in Arrochar/Tarbet either in the bus stop on the straight near the old Scottish Hydro houses/Black Bull restaurant or before the primary school if you turn right past the hotel.

Once over the Rest' they often sit in the car park at the bottom just after the sharp(ish) left hander. Once past that and you go over the rise and start heading downhill to the Dunoon turn off* I saw them the other day, for the first time ever, in the layby on the r/h side but you'll more often than not you'll find them sitting in the FC land just at the Dunoon turn off itself. It's VERY easy to do over a ton (so I've heard ) going along there so try some self restraint until you can see it's all clear.

The road from Inveraray across to Loch Awe is simply stunning but watch once you start heading downhill as it's very easy to get sucked into some bends too fast and the ditches either side are VERY deep in places.

The road from Loch Awe up to Connel Bridge is, again, fantastic. If you're in touristy mode stopping off at the Cruachan dam itself is well worth a visit. From Connel up to Ballachulish (sp?) the locals are scarily fast! Don't be surprised if you end up with a train of 740 estates on your back bumper

After that I'm not familiar enough with to offer any meaningfull advice so I'll just leave it there.....



* Edited to add: this really is a true accident blackspot; there are often some serious accidents here. So, even if there are no trafpol there, be very carefull of traffic pulling out into your path from the Dunoon direction.

Edited by naetype on Sunday 6th May 20:07

[KB_S1]

naetype said:

Hemibum said:

.....do not turn Right a la Naetype. Nae wonder he needs tyres, all these U turns ....

I was going to change that but then thought, no, if he goes right he might find that garage in the industrial estate that, the last time I was there, had a Lambo' Urraco and a Lotus Carlton

Other things to bear in mind if you go my route:

I rarely see trafpol along the lochside any more but they often sit, and justifiably so, in Arrochar/Tarbet either in the bus stop on the straight near the old Scottish Hydro houses/Black Bull restaurant or before the primary school if you turn right past the hotel.

Once over the Rest' they often sit in the car park at the bottom just after the sharp(ish) left hander. Once past that and you go over the rise and start heading downhill to the Dunoon turn off* I saw them the other day, for the first time ever, in the layby on the r/h side but you'll more often than not you'll find them sitting in the FC land just at the Dunoon turn off itself. It's VERY easy to do over a ton (so I've heard ) going along there so try some self restraint until you can see it's all clear.

The road from Inveraray across to Loch Awe is simply stunning but watch once you start heading downhill as it's very easy to get sucked into some bends too fast and the ditches either side are VERY deep in places.

The road from Loch Awe up to Connel Bridge is, again, fantastic. If you're in touristy mode stopping off at the Cruachan dam itself is well worth a visit. From Connel up to Ballachulish (sp?) the locals are scarily fast! Don't be surprised if you end up with a train of 740 estates on your back bumper

After that I'm not familiar enough with to offer any meaningfull advice so I'll just leave it there.....



* Edited to add: this really is a true accident blackspot; there are often some serious accidents here. So, even if there are no trafpol there, be very carefull of traffic pulling out into your path from the Dunoon direction.

Edited by naetype on Sunday 6th May 20:07

I just did a fair bit of that route today, good fun apart from very ignorant coach drivers from Northumberland.

As for the Dunoon junction,as naetype states there is regularly trafpol there hidden behind the trees (tis where I gained 3 points) and it pays to keep a close eye on the turn off for Dunoon as drivers often pull out and it is easy to build up more speed than you think on the long long long downhill straight.

[Al Up North]

naetype said:

Get to Nairn and turn right for Inverness about 10 miles(ish) down the road.

Erm,... (no offence) shouldn't that be turn left off the Grantown road when you hit Nairn, and, it's nearer 15 miles to Inverness.

Anyway - Aviemore (or Carrbridge) to Nairn is a great road right enough. Have to keep yer wits about you though!!

Two words: - F*****g tourists!!! They do tend to forget to drive on the left.

Proceed with caution!

Al

[Hemibum]

Right enuff!

[naetype]

Al Up North said:

naetype said:

Get to Nairn and turn right for Inverness about 10 miles(ish) down the road.

Erm,... (no offence) shouldn't that be turn left off the Grantown road when you hit Nairn, and, it's nearer 15 miles to Inverness.

naetype said:

Hemibum said:

.....do not turn Right a la Naetype. Nae wonder he needs tyres, all these U turns ....

I was going to change that but then thought, no, if he goes right he might find that garage in the industrial estate that, the last time I was there, had a Lambo' Urraco and a Lotus Carlton

Anyone else?

My way's much more fun anyway

[craig2003]

That garage has a bonny ferrari sitting in their midst just now.

The Lotus Carlton was way overpriced for a repaired car IMO £25k