Scottish Help Please.... Planing a weekend in the Highlands.

[Snapper]

Thinking of heading up from the Midlands and spending a weekend doing the Scottish Lakes & Highlands with 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 just because we are in a sports car).

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

Thanks....

[tenkfeet]

I know its not a Lotus Forum but the guys here http://www.type-r-scotland.co.uk/ have just been on a trip , they may give you some info.

[Skyenet]

spending a weekend doing the Scottish Lakes....

No lakes up here, just lochs

I am sure somebody will suggest some good routes but in the meantime I'll suggest a castle worth dropping in at. I have visited Urquart Castle, which is on Loch Ness about twenty miles South of Inverness, a few times. Very good audio/visual presentation which has an excellent ending. Interesting enough castle to wander around, though nowhere near the amount of exhibits as Edinburgh or Stirling Castle.

Fort George in Inverness has more exhibits and the chance of spotting some Dolphins, but not as scenic. Only a couple of miles from Urquart Castle is the Loch Ness Monster Museaum at Drumnadrochit which is quite interesting.

Fort Agustus at the South end of Loch Ness is a nice place to stop and watch the world go by. Often plenty boats going through the staircase lochs.

Bear in mind that Bank Holiday weekend mean heavier traffic and caravans. Travelling up to Fort William on Friday night is probably a good idea as there shouldn't be as many caravans on the roads as it gets later. Get insect repellent as Scottish Midgies are a pain in the but, or anywhere else they bite. Avon "skin so soft" is well recommended, honest.

I have rarely satyed in hotels and usually would eaither camp or go the B&B route. Never been dissapointed with any B&B I have stayed at. Likely to be busy and booked up soon. I once found a very nice B&B on the Banavie (Neptune's Staircase) to Gairlochy road which is only a few miles the North of Fort William. I am afraid I no longer have the contact details though but maybe an internet search might come up with something suitable.

There are certainly traffic Police and unmarked cars/bikes in the area. Plenty bikers use the roads at weekends and they often keep the Police occupied.

I am sure you will get more info on routes. How long are you up for?

Iain

[Rag_It]

Yeah as before - I have attatched a good link on TRS that will aid you on your trip - if you need any help contact Kenny on TRS who organised the whole route.


http://type-r-scotland.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5045

Dave

[simon]

You definitely want to head right up the west coast if you can, take in the Applecross road and some of the others around there.

[kenny]

Yeah as before - I have attatched a good link on TRS that will aid you on your trip - if you need any help contact Kenny on TRS who organised the whole route.


http://type-r-scotland.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5045

Dave

Meet sections are now set to registered users only to prevent any unwanted attention

Fort William to Altnaharra



step distance total time direction
1 0.05 M 0.05 M 0m 7s Depart Start on Parade Road (East)
2 0.09 M 0.14 M 0m 42s Keep STRAIGHT onto Fassifern Road
3 0.01 M 0.15 M 0m 31s Turn RIGHT (East) onto Local road(s)
4 0.01 M 0.16 M 0m 1s Turn LEFT (North) onto Local road(s)
5 0.7 M 0.86 M 2m 9s Turn LEFT (West) onto A82 [Belford Road]
6 23.77 M 24.63 M 25m 32s At roundabout, take the FIRST exit onto A82
7 13.22 M 37.85 M 13m 46s Turn LEFT (West) onto A87
8 30.69 M 68.54 M 31m 43s Turn LEFT to stay on A87
9 20.41 M 88.95 M 20m 39s Bear RIGHT (North-West) onto A890
10 8.26 M 97.21 M 13m 41s Turn LEFT (West) onto Local road(s)
11 3.03 M 100.24 M 3m 34s Bear RIGHT (North-East) onto A896
12 19.59 M 119.83 M 21m 15s Turn LEFT (West) onto A832
13 0.14 M 119.97 M 0m 39s Turn LEFT (West) onto B8021
14 0.14 M 120.11 M 0m 9s At Stop 1, return East on B8021
15 43.18 M 163.29 M 45m 8s Turn LEFT (North) onto A832
16 12.02 M 175.31 M 12m 48s Turn LEFT (West) onto A835
17 17.29 M 192.6 M 18m 16s Turn RIGHT (North) onto A835 [Mill Street]
18 8.14 M 200.74 M 8m 43s Turn LEFT (North-West) onto A837
19 23.26 M 224 M 24m 0s Turn RIGHT (North) onto A894
20 18.6 M 242.6 M 19m 17s Keep STRAIGHT onto A838
21 30.36 M 272.96 M 30m 37s At Stop 2, stay on A838 (North-East)
22 0.84 M 273.8 M 1m 34s Turn RIGHT (South-East) onto Local road(s)
23 15.37 M 289.17 M 15m 59s Bear RIGHT (South) onto A836
24 0 M 289.17 M 0m 0s Arrive End

Thats the route we took recently. From there you can head south to Inverness, recommend taking the b-roads to the east of Loch Ness rather than the A82.
Do not take the A9 or I'll hunt you down and kill you!

Advise taking a map, planning ahead and not overdoing each days driving.

Best to book ahead for accommodation as its pretty busy just about everwhere right now.

Have a look at Undiscovered Scotland

and

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

[kenny]

Some nice pics of our latest trip Here-clicky

I would say stick to B&B's as hotels are pretty pricey (unless you have wads of cash of course) and nothing beats the fry up you get in the morning at a Scottish B&B.

Make sure you have enough petrol for each trip.
Petrol stations in
Fort William (has super unleaded in the BP) also has Esso and Shell (unleaded only)
Eillean Donan Esso unleaded only
Kyle of Lochalsh Shell unleaded only
Ullapool Shell Super? not Optimax
Inverness (various)

There are other local petrol stations but expect £1+ a litre for petrol that might have been sitting there for months and opening times are limited.

Worth bearing in mind that absolutely nothing is open on Sundays in the North West.

Other stuff just ask

[Snapper]

Thanks for the info so far.

Sorry for calling your Lochs, lakes

A couple of more questions:

1) What is the name of the Castle on the side of a lock/coast that is always used on TV? The BBC had it in one of their own BBC promotional adverts with the red & orange hot air balloon .....

2) For the Loch Ness on a bank holiday weekend would you use the north side (A82) or the south side (B862) ?

3) How good is the road from Kishorn to Applecross and around the Coast to Shieldaig? I will be in an Exige which is a bit lower than and Elise and stiffer?

4)Instead of using Fort William as a get to Scotland, overnight & starting point. is there some where close to that area that would make a good overnight spot where the car might be safer?

5) Am I correct in thinking there is an impressive circle of standing stones on the Isle Of Skye
or am I thinking of somewhere else?

6) What is the A838 & the A386 like around the Top North & North East Coast? or am I better off heading back down the A838 at Laxford Bridge to Lairg?

Cheers

[kenny]

Thanks for the info so far.

Sorry for calling your Lochs, lakes

A couple of more questions:

Cheers

1) What is the name of the Castle on the side of a lock/coast that is always used on TV? The BBC had it in one of their own BBC promotional adverts with the red & orange hot air balloon .....

Eilean Donan Castle Its in my pics, you will pass it on the route I suggested

2) For the Loch Ness on a bank holiday weekend would you use the north side (A82) or the south side (B862) ?

South! or East as we call it

3) How good is the road from Kishorn to Applecross and around the Coast to Shieldaig? I will be in an Exige which is a bit lower than and Elise and stiffer?

Pretty good, not worse for an Exige than the usual single tracks you will experience but with hairpins


4)Instead of using Fort William as a get to Scotland, overnight & starting point. is there some where close to that area that would make a good overnight spot where the car might be safer?

Fort William is a good start but Kyle of Lochalsh might suit you better, I can also recommend a fantastic B&B at Ceannacroc on the A887 a mile from the A87 junction (Its my aunties)

5) Am I correct in thinking there is an impressive circle of standing stones on the Isle Of Skye
or am I thinking of somewhere else?

Think you might be thinking of Callanish on the Isle of Lewis

6) What is the A838 & the A386 like around the Top North & North East Coast? or am I better off heading back down the A838 at Laxford Bridge to Lairg

Yes! A838 & the A836 are Fantastic roads

[simon]

I hope you'll post some pics as, IIRC, you've posted some excellent pics on seloc.

[Snapper]

Thanks Kenny.

Eilean Donan Castle It is then. Will make it a mus for the route.

So I take it from what you say about the Applecross route, it should not be a problems and worth the drive?

Currently working on a route and will post it to see what you think?

Re: your aunties B&B... Do you know if it has on sweet? It's the sort of thing 'she of the near side' insists upon.. Depending on what we have as a setting off time from Birmingham as to what time we shall get to the area..

I think I will give the Isle of Lewis a miss then.

[kenny]

Re: your aunties B&B... Do you know if it has on sweet? It's the sort of thing 'she of the near side' insists upon.. Depending on what we have as a setting off time from Birmingham as to what time we shall get to the area.

It does. I havent been there for years, tis a long and bit sad story so I wont go into it, but its a beautiful place. It was already a B&B before she converted the barn and hay loft into rooms.

Give me a day or two to get the details off of my folks, the B&B isnt listed as it relies on passing trade and word of mouth. You wont get a bigger breakfast anywhere else, me aunt Gwen knows how to feed

The B&B is here Ceannacroc Scroll to the bottom right where it says Ceannacroc Lodge, the last house on the point where the Doe and Moriston Rivers meets is the place.

[cnbp173]

If you can, stay in Plockton at the Plockton hotel

http://www.plocktonhotel.co.uk/

Fantastic place and the food is awesome. You HAVE to do applecross road, it's great and not a problem for the Exige

[simon]

Applecross:

[Snapper]

Thanks for all your help & advice so far. If there is anything else you can think of I would love to here it.. (especially on day 2).

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

B) 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
==============