Scottish Help Please....

[Snapper]

Thinking of spending a weekend doing the Scottish Lakes & Highlands with the the other half (otherwise known as rev limiter) in the Exige this coming August Bank Holiday.

 

The Plan so far is to head up the M6 and spend the Friday Night in Fort William as a Start Point? and then go on from there.

 

Can anyone recommend the following:

 

Places to Stay: where the car should be safe and won’t cost the earth, but has some character?

 

Places to Visit, See or View as we pass by? (We are very much into scenic views and castles).

 

Any advice on decent routes would be helpful?

 

Are these roads heavily policed ? (not that we would be going mad on the roads, but don’t want to get target by over enthusiastic traffic cops).

 

All advice is very welcome and much needed....

 

Thanks....

[Gareth]

Here is the Tut Towers run which was awesome!

From KH to Tuts house but you could alter the route.

 

[Fiona]

Hi Jamie,

 

We did it a year or so ago. First night stop just south of Oban and travelled up the west coast, across the top and down the east.

 

You should be able to do (the best bit) Gairloch and Loch Torridon, etc in much less than a week. We took nearly two as we were staying at my Mum and Dads and Uncles as well as B & Bs.

 

I've got a route and names of B & Bs on my other PC so when I start it up I'll post them here for you. All were good and Elise friendly.

[Snapper]

Cheers Fiona

 

Anything you can remember seeing or passing or the best bits of road that you think might be helpful would be much appreciated.

 

Regards

 

Jamie

 

PS: Your car looks great with the sun on it against that background.

[dobbo]

I'd make an effort to go right up to the north coast as well - some great roads up there. Heading down from Thurso back to the A9 is great around the coast. Watch the A9 for Scameras though....

[Steve J]

Try this

Holiday_essentials.doc

[ba si 1 11s]

Snapper

I'm doing a similar thing myself in Sep inspired by http://www.stevecarter.com/bestuk1

 

I asked the same stuff on the Lotus BBS - the responses are here.

 

http://www.british-cars.co.uk/cgi-bin/gen5...080121255212383

 

Steve

You got that file in pdf - tetchy things these Macs. Cheers

Basil

[ba si 1 11s]

Try again.

http://www.stevecarter.com/bestuk1.htm

[Steve J]

A82

Tarbet A83

Lochgilphead A816

 

Stop Cnoc Na Ceardaich in Kilmelford (16 miles south of Oban on the A816) 01852 200348 This was one lovely old manse house. Nice guy who owns it and good breakfast

 

A85

A828

A82 via Fort William

A87

Stop Conchra House nr Ardelve about a mile west of Dornie

01599 555233 Nice large guest house overlooking a loch

 

Bealach Na Ba

6 m w of Loch Carron

signed to Applecross off

A896

A890

A896

A832 via Poolewe

A835 Ullapool

A837 Lochinver

Stop Tigh Guithais in Lochinver

01571 844343 Basic room in a small house. Good breakfast, nice local kippers

 

B869 Unapool

A894 Laxford Bridge

A838 Durness

Stop Strathtongue Old Manse 3 miles east of Tongue village (A836 near Coldbackie) 01847 611252 Excellent house, nice hosts and a pet owl in the barn

 

B871 via Kinbrace

A897

A9 via Brora

 

Stop Rockpool Guest House, Rosslyn Street, Brora, KW9 6NY

01408 621505

 

 

A9

A82

A82 to Lewiston

[Fiona]

We did stay somewhere in Lewiston as well but I can't remember the name.

 

All in all, the B & Bs were very good. If you are going for a limited time you must do up to Ullapool - this is the best bit with the best roads and scenery. Once you get round the north east it's quite different - sparse land with little to look at - not as breathtaking as the West.

[Fiona]

BTW, this is a great site:

 

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/

[Steve J]

Glen Rowan Guest House

 

Lewiston, Drumnadroicht

01456 450235

[Snapper]

Thanks for all your help & advice so far. If there is anything else you can think of I would love to here it..

 

Route So Far:

 

Day 1

====

 

 

From Fort william area I will be heading to:

 

A82 to Spean Bridge / Loch Lochy / Invergarry.

 

A87 east to Loch Cluanie / Five Sisters / Loch Duich & Eilean Doran Castle ( Plan to stop for an hour to look around it).

 

A87 to Auchtertyre.

 

A890 to Strathcarron Station and the A896.

 

A896 to Kishorn, Swing a left and head over Bealoch Na-Ba to Applecross.

 

Poss Lunchstop in Apple Cross (Any recommendations????)

 

Around the coast road and back to the A896 at Shielddaig / Past Torridon / Kinlockewe.

 

OPTIONS: (Advice Welcome as to the best route)

 

A) (Most Likely option) A832 Clockwise around Loch Maree to the A835

 

or

 

West to the A832 through Glen Cocharty & Strath Bran to Gorstan, the north on the A835 to where option A would meet the A832.

 

A832 to Ullapool Possible Over night stop? (Advice Welcome as to the best place to stay from those in the know)

 

 

Day 2

====

 

(Any Advice on any sights worth stopping at for a quick look around and a Lunch Stop would be welcome).

 

A835 to Ledmore Junction.

 

A837 south east to A836 at Inveran

 

A836 Bonar Bridge / Around the South sideDonoche Firth to B9176

 

B9176 south Alness

 

A9 towards Inverness

 

A862 to Dingwall / Muir of Ord / Beauly to inverness

 

Then down the side if Loch Ness (Not sure which side of Loch Ness to take yet, Advice Welcome as to the best route)

 

Past Loch Oich & Lochy toward Fort William on the A82.

 

A82 Back Over the Black Mountains towards Lock Lomond area

 

Lock Lomond area.. Possible Over night stop? (Advice Welcome as to the best place to stay from those in the know)

 

Day Three Head Home

==============

[Fiona]

Poss Lunchstop in Apple Cross (Any recommendations????)

 

Around the coast road and back to the A896 at Shielddaig / Past Torridon / Kinlockewe.

 

A832 to Ullapool Possible Over night stop?  (Advice Welcome as to the best place to stay from those in the know)

 

Lock Lomond area.. Possible Over night stop?  (Advice Welcome as to the best place to stay from those in the know)

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Applecross Inn (look in the Good Pub Guide). You won't miss it - there's only about 20 houses in Applecross.

 

Your first day looks about 300 miles with all those detours! Have you calculated it? The majority of the A roads above Fort William are single track. FW to Gairloch is 140 miles (http://www.aboutscotland.com/tour/tourmap.html)

 

You must do the Applecross to Sheildaig coast road. This is where the best scenery is. It will take about 2-3 hours as it is single track and you'll always want to stop to take photos.

 

Ullapool - my Mum and Dad stayed at the Caledonian Hotel a few weeks ago. Said it was good. BTW, Ullapool has limited parking.

 

Loch Lomond is only 30 minutes out of Glasgow so you may want to finish it off with a stay in one of the business hotels. Marriott and Hilton do good rates and I've parked at both without a problem. Alternatively, http://www.visit-lochlomond.com/

[Disco]

I was in Scotland last week with the wife

The roads around Buckie and port Gordan, by the coast just north of Gareths

run, they are so empty you would think you were back in time or some thing , I live in Bristol and to find roads like that here, I would have to drive on the A roads at 2am

Your going to love the Scottish roads “I DID”

 

Disco