waltzinblack Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 Basically looking for help with a few major questions I have for a trip around the pretty parts of scotland this weekend. We will be leaving from my good friend's house in Sheffield (I'm travelling up there on from Hertford the friday night and home on the monday), very early on Saturday and hope to be able to do this route over the weekend: View Larger Map I know it's VERY ambitious, but I am prepared for early starts and late ends and lots of driving in between. We will hardly be stopping except for food and pictures, the drive through the scenery is the main goal. Do those of you who have done the routes there before think this is doable over Saturday and Sunday? Are there any bits that aren't actually that scenic and are worth cutting off the detours to shorten the time? (I'm really keen to do the prettiest bits of the west coast and also go along to John O Groats!) Where are the best recommended places to stay for the Saturday night, and where would they fall on the route? Whats the availability of Shell VPower up there? Or in emergencies some other sort of super (but I intend to involve a bit of spirited driving and mine is mapped for Vpower, so really want to know how available it is. I plan to ring Shell too) Thank you very much for any advice, help and criticism. It is VERY much appreciated. I've just done a fantastic Hertford-Wales and back again road trip in one day, so I have a big appetite for this sort of thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 1,310 miles in two days?!?!?!? |Thats 655 miles a day... so averaging 65.5mph thats 10 hours driving a day... except on scottish roads round the coast you'll be lucky to average 50mph, in which case its 13 hrs a day, and even averaging that will be a tall order. My advice is book an extra two days off work, or turn round at fort william! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The G Man Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 I agree, it's over ambitious You'll be lucky to average 30 mph from Fort William!! Take a few more days and really take it all in, Scotland is a BIG country on rural roads. Think of it this way, it's up and down from London to Glasgow, TWICE, on a motorway that's a tall order, good luck though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R35LEE Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 Sounds like hard work and you won't have the time to enjoy it. I'm in agreement that you should take an extra 2 days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waltzinblack Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 I was thinking as much, and the plan was really always to cut it down by a couple of hundred miles, unless someone said 'yes it's doable'. So I suppose the most important question to reiterate is, what parts are REALLY worth keeping on that list and what detours can I lop off to gain a couple of hours. The road that runs alongside Loch Awe looked very interesting, but it's a bit of a double back after going north through the national park, so unless that's a particularly stand out bit of scenery then I might get rid of that section and join up with the west side north of Oban... Cheers guys! Any more thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Certainly agree with comments above - you won't have a chance to enjoy the scenery or indeed some really good driving roads and fabulous eateries. On my trips I was advised that unless you really had to visit J of G its not worth it and found the roads that cut down from the NW corner towards Inverness a much better experience an that would cut out a fair chunk of mileage around the NE corner. But you really should add in the Applecross Pass and Inn, the Lochinver Pie shop and Cocoa Mountain at Durness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 good luck mate. at the face of it looks ambitious.. IMO either you have to cut down your miles or increase your days to fully appreciate the beauty of Scotland.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmck13 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Hi I'm a Scot and well use to driving conditions up there, you haven't got a cat in hells chance, when your on the west coast look at the distance then double the time to do it in. So in this case double the days as a minimum and you'll still be rushing around to do it. Stick just to the west coast for the scenery then do the east later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Certainly agree with comments above - you won't have a chance to enjoy the scenery or indeed some really good driving roads and fabulous eateries. On my trips I was advised that unless you really had to visit J of G its not worth it and found the roads that cut down from the NW corner towards Inverness a much better experience an that would cut out a fair chunk of mileage around the NE corner. But you really should add in the Applecross Pass and Inn, the Lochinver Pie shop and Cocoa Mountain at Durness I concur. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMANALEX Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 As all the above: Take a week of work and enjoy. You are passing my door on the A9 just North of Perth, be sure to drop in Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clown Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 If this forum arranged some sort of Scotland thing, like the Wales thing, maybe 5 days or something, I would be proper interested in that tour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 If this forum arranged some sort of Scotland thing, like the Wales thing, maybe 5 days or something, I would be proper interested in that tour! Maybe something like everyone gets together for a long weekend and drives some great roads, eats some good food and partakes in some alcoholic beverages? If only this club did that...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vik54 Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 If you've only got two days - miss out top end of A9 - don't bother gong all the way up past Inverness turn off at Dalwhinnie - go accross to Speanbridge - is excellent road and straight onto west coast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glrnet Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Do you think it's a possibility Stew? I'd be really interested as I've never done anything like that before........................................................ If this forum arranged some sort of Scotland thing, like the Wales thing, maybe 5 days or something, I would be proper interested in that tour! Maybe something like everyone gets together for a long weekend and drives some great roads, eats some good food and partakes in some alcoholic beverages? If only this club did that...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gudzy Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 If this forum arranged some sort of Scotland thing, like the Wales thing, maybe 5 days or something, I would be proper interested in that tour! http://www.350z-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=51157 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 If this forum arranged some sort of Scotland thing, like the Wales thing, maybe 5 days or something, I would be proper interested in that tour! http://www.350z-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=51157 and the pics viewtopic.php?f=34&t=53597&hilit=2011+hoon+pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bounty Bar Kid Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 If this forum arranged some sort of Scotland thing, like the Wales thing, maybe 5 days or something, I would be proper interested in that tour! http://www.350z-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=51157 and the pics viewtopic.php?f=34&t=53597&hilit=2011+hoon+pictures If that happened again this year, I'd be up for it too! Really wish I could have made Wales. Ah well next year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will370z Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Do you think it's a possibility Stew? I'd be really interested as I've never done anything like that before........................................................ If this forum arranged some sort of Scotland thing, like the Wales thing, maybe 5 days or something, I would be proper interested in that tour! Maybe something like everyone gets together for a long weekend and drives some great roads, eats some good food and partakes in some alcoholic beverages? If only this club did that...... lol not sure i'd fancy that, sounds rubbish, i prefer the roads around guildford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clown Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 How long was the Scottish one? Is it too late to plan one while the sun is out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will370z Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 How long was the Scottish one? Is it too late to plan one while the sun is out we took a week out and covered 2500miles, it was awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waltzinblack Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 Thanks for the comments, especially Vik and Ebized giving me big chunks to leave out! Revised route is below, dropped about 300miles and journey time down to 22 hours, which is much better. (We dont plan to stop THAT much for food and stuff, its definitely a driving weekend). View Larger Map Can't extend the weekend as we definitely have to be in Sheffield for Monday, but can afford to get back into Sheffield at 2am ish if that means we can stop and enjoy the place a bit more on Sunday (Loch Ness maybe?) Any more suggestions of boring/not so pretty bits that can be excluded? Is it worth going further than Ullapool? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Second map looks the same as the first to me at a quick glance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waltzinblack Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 Second map looks the same as the first to me at a quick glance Fixed. Google maps was being an arse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Looks more doable, if you are on a diet The route from the Ullapool area to Edinburgh is almost the same as we usd in 2011 - but which took in a visit to Knockhill. Nice drive through the Cairngorms http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v ... &encType=1 But I think you are missing out by not going up and over Applecross and you really to use the A832 between Kinlochewe and Achnasheen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 If this forum arranged some sort of Scotland thing, like the Wales thing, maybe 5 days or something, I would be proper interested in that tour! http://www.350z-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=51157 and the pics viewtopic.php?f=34&t=53597&hilit=2011+hoon+pictures Funniest thing I've read all week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.