Roads in the Highlands and beyond

[AJI]

From the looks of google street view the roads up in that part of the UK seem to be wide and smooth enough for sports cars.
Anybody driven up and along the top coast of Britain that can vouch for the quality of road?

(Just trying to get ideas for an early summer driving mini-break and thinking of taking my pride an joy).


Link:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...

[Luke.]

I was driving round that way over Christmas as my wife's family live in Invershin not far from there.

Great roads, but they were icy and covered with snow, so couldn't get a spirited drive in. Well worth the effort though and the views are amazing.

Edited by Luke. on Friday 7th January 16:13

[dazren]

Most pleasant. Been going up there every year for the last 6 years on the TartanHoon trip.

Timing is critical. You're trying to avoid snow in the winter and Midges in the summer. Similarly avoiding the caravan season is a must on some of the twistier parts.

[AJI]

ah...so its gets a lot of caravans?
But it does look like plenty of overtaking spots.

I am thinking late spring/early summer.....is that when those yellow 'Gorse' bushes are out?

My girlfriend is in to photography and it would add a lot of colour to the pics.

Edited by AJI on Friday 7th January 16:19

[Luke.]

AJI said:

ah...so its gets a lot of caravans?
But it does look like plenty of overtaking spots.

I am thinking late spring/early summer.....is that when those yellow 'Gorse' bushes are out?

My girlfriend is in to photography and it would add a lot of colour to the pics.

Edited by AJI on Friday 7th January 16:19

There are designated 'passing' spots all over the place.

[doc3]

The road along the top is great. Tongue to Ullapool is spectacular! Not much traffic, not sure I've ever seen a speed trap on any of my many trips. The NW highlands are the last little bit of petrolhead heaven in the UK IMO. I find May and October to be good months, not too wet, and no midges.

[dazren]

If you are into driving you'll have a great time whenever you go. Just avoid the snow/ice of mid winter. In either of your two cars, numpty civilian mobile chicanes shouldn't be an issue!

[OlberJ]

Loving how it's portrayed as one big road.

You'll love it up here, no matter when you come but as said avoid really snowy days as the roads end up shut.

You could spend weeks driving up here and still not see it all.

[motco]

Two things: Firstly and possibly most importantly, sheep! They are stupid and wayward creatures but mainly they are heavy! Secondly, if your car is a bit low-slung, there are undulations that if taken 'briskly' can cause bottoming out. Look for the dark patches on the surface where hanging oil droplet are shaken off by the G force of the descent into the dip. My MG Midget, some years ago admittedly, earned itself a 'D' section exhaust front pipe on these roads.

[dazren]

Note: Last super unleaded when going up the west coast is the Shell garage at Ullapool. If you are doing a coastal run all the way over to Thurso and have a short range fuel tank, there is a 24 hour automated credit card petrol station in "Scourie" that it may be worth filling up at (No super unleaded sadly).

[AJI]

This seems to be the point where is ceases to be two lane road:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...

Some areas look quite narrow:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&a...


In summer time is it a case of 'slow going', having to stop and give way every few hundred metres?
Or is it generally quiet enough to make good progress?

Thanks for the replies so far btw.

[dazren]

Riconnich to Durness and on to Tongue has a lot of single track, but with lots of passing spots and good visibility you can still make reasonable progress (being mindful of sheep). You have nothing to worry about. The locals make progress and are not averse to visitors doing likewise. I've had many instances of people indicating/moving over to allow me past when driving progressively.

[OlberJ]

AJI said:

In summer time is it a case of 'slow going', having to stop and give way every few hundred metres?
Or is it generally quiet enough to make good progress?

Thanks for the replies so far btw.

On our runs we tend to stick to the speed limit but amazingly are able to make very good progress.

Weird that

[dazren]

Most strange. Must be something in the water up there but people do like to move over and allow others to travel faster at the speed limit.

[NLB]

A couple of friends got married in Inchnadamph, a few years ago (it's up past Ullapool). We got the sleeper to Inverness, and rented a car (Mondeo Si, I recall...), and drove up from there. Lots of people needed lifts to and from Inverness, so, I ended up doing the round trip a number of times - autumn, sunny (luckily), not much traffic... wonderful! Some of the best driving roads I have been on - clear views most of the time so one can take a nice line, great scenery, etc. Been meaning to go back in my own car ever since. Somehow, when there is time and money to go away, "south" tends to beat "north", but would still love to go back.

[richieblacks]

A838 from Durness down to Dingwall must be one of the best roads in Europe, fast, twisty but well sighted with amazing scenery. I was up north on a Sunday in mid November and didn't see another car for 30-40 miles.

Cold though!

[GuinnessMK]

doc3 said:

The road along the top is great. Tongue to Ullapool is spectacular! Not much traffic, not sure I've ever seen a speed trap on any of my many trips. The NW highlands are the last little bit of petrolhead heaven in the UK IMO. I find May and October to be good months, not too wet, and no midges.

This.

Bear in mind there aren't a series of 24/7 petrol stations up there. Get fuel when you can, not when you need it. There is a Spar which sells fuel just outside of Tongue.

I did the last 5 miles into Ullapool mostly in neutral, running on vapours, luckily it was down hill and we were staying in the hotel next to the petrol station!

[motco]

GuinnessMK said:

doc3 said:

The road along the top is great. Tongue to Ullapool is spectacular! Not much traffic, not sure I've ever seen a speed trap on any of my many trips. The NW highlands are the last little bit of petrolhead heaven in the UK IMO. I find May and October to be good months, not too wet, and no midges.

This.

Bear in mind there aren't a series of 24/7 petrol stations up there. Get fuel when you can, not when you need it. There is a Spar which sells fuel just outside of Tongue.

I did the last 5 miles into Ullapool mostly in neutral, running on vapours, luckily it was down hill and we were staying in the hotel next to the petrol station!

Sundays are especially challenging on the petrol front - the whole place simply closes! Don't know about currently, but not long ago you had to go to an hotel for an alcoholic drink on a Sunday as pubs were shut all day.

I gather that Ullapool is a very popular gay touring centre, so expect a 'different' clientele around there!

[OlberJ]

motco said:

I gather that Ullapool is a very popular gay touring centre, so expect a 'different' clientele around there!

Absolute lies!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8E06oxDAB8

[plenty]

Here's my writeup from a trip during April 2009 that included this stretch going anti-clockwise.

I actually found the single-lane sections along the north coast to be some of the most enjoyable sections of the entire trip. The roads are narrow but with ample passing places, and excellent sightlines mean you can carry speed without problem.