Road trip up north
Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2009 10:29 pm
Having never been north of Ullapool before, four of us went on a wee road trip at the weekend. We found some fantastic roads and the scenery is simply awesome. Here was our route if anyone is thinking of a long weekend trip. I can recommend this and it worked well leaving roughly at 9/10am each day and getting to accomodation around 5pm/6pm with plenty of stops for photos, coffees, lunch, fuel etc.
Fri: left Edinburgh, and along to Stirling to go up through Tyndrum, Glencoe, Fort William, then as a novelty took the road to Mallaig and got the ferry over to Skye at Armadale rather than travel up through Kintail past Eilean Donan Castle (although that's a great road too). Back over the Skye bridge to the mainland then via Plockton to Lochcarron, over the Bealach na Ba and an overnighter in Sheildaig (284 miles).
Sat: To Kinlochewe then up the side of Loch Maree (fantastic road) through Gairloch, Dundonnell and Ullapool. A wee detour around Stac Polly then up through Scourie to Durness. The beaches and sands up there are stunning. Along to Tongue (another fantastic road) then down to Altnaharra and to Lairg (246 miles). Roof off all day.
Sun: Down to Bonar Bridge and Evanton and unfortunately onto the A9 through Inverness only as far as Carrbridge. Then down the Tomintoul/Cockbridge road and over Glenshee. Managed to keep the roof off in the morning but by Braemar it was chucking it down and a lot of standing water on the roads so last part was aborted for a straight trip down the A93 to Perth then M90 home (250 miles).
My wee point 'n' shoot camera doesn't do the scenery any justice but hopefully you will get the idea. If you have never been up north in your Elise, make sure it is something you do before you even think about selling/trading/etc.
1. Typical Glencoe weather

2. Tight squeeze on the ferry

3. Plockton bay

4. Stac Polly in the distance

5. Sands at Tongue

6. and 7. Stunning beaches at Durness & at Bettyhill


Fri: left Edinburgh, and along to Stirling to go up through Tyndrum, Glencoe, Fort William, then as a novelty took the road to Mallaig and got the ferry over to Skye at Armadale rather than travel up through Kintail past Eilean Donan Castle (although that's a great road too). Back over the Skye bridge to the mainland then via Plockton to Lochcarron, over the Bealach na Ba and an overnighter in Sheildaig (284 miles).
Sat: To Kinlochewe then up the side of Loch Maree (fantastic road) through Gairloch, Dundonnell and Ullapool. A wee detour around Stac Polly then up through Scourie to Durness. The beaches and sands up there are stunning. Along to Tongue (another fantastic road) then down to Altnaharra and to Lairg (246 miles). Roof off all day.
Sun: Down to Bonar Bridge and Evanton and unfortunately onto the A9 through Inverness only as far as Carrbridge. Then down the Tomintoul/Cockbridge road and over Glenshee. Managed to keep the roof off in the morning but by Braemar it was chucking it down and a lot of standing water on the roads so last part was aborted for a straight trip down the A93 to Perth then M90 home (250 miles).
My wee point 'n' shoot camera doesn't do the scenery any justice but hopefully you will get the idea. If you have never been up north in your Elise, make sure it is something you do before you even think about selling/trading/etc.
1. Typical Glencoe weather

2. Tight squeeze on the ferry

3. Plockton bay

4. Stac Polly in the distance

5. Sands at Tongue

6. and 7. Stunning beaches at Durness & at Bettyhill

