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Highland Road Trip

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  • Highland Road Trip

    Not being an ardent royalist I opted to take a few days leave to maximise my use of the extra bank holidays.

    I've never been on a big driving trip and recognising that the car at 26000 miles on the clock might appreciate a longer run I figured now was the time, especially as fuel won't be getting any cheaper.

    Question as to where was answered by deciding to drive to friends near Inverness from my home in Hampshire.

    Now, whether the roads are always this quiet or I got lucky I don't know but I had days of driving seeing next to no traffic once I was in the Highlands and even at legal driving speeds it felt like Gran Turismo tracks coming to life.

    Granted some of the surfaces were a bit patchy at times and, being scared of heights, the clockwise run of the Applecross loop was a bit frightening when the Winnebago came the other way.

    However the car has never sounded better (regardless of the RON value of the unleaded fuel I gave it) and once the Michelins had proper heat in them for a change even the oem configuration of my coupe made the twisty bits an absolute hoot.

    Where there were other drivers they're amongst the most courteous I've ever encountered.

    Best part of £400 in fuel at a guess (not bothered to check) and a properly cracked windscreen courtest of lorry+ stone on M6 (to be fixed on Friday)

    A bad start to the trip was finding that my neighbours guest the night before I set off has taken off paint from the rear left bumper but other than the white paint I can't prove it. Respray to be arranged once I find a local place to quote.....

    I more or less used the routes suggested by 'getcarter' on Pistonheads.

    Day 1 got me to Scotch Corner A1 for an early start.
    Day 2 Up to Edinburgh, over the Forth bridge , West to Gleneagles and through Crieff, through the Cairngorms via Tomintoul and heading back down through ski areas to Nairn.

    (Few days around Inverness)

    Return trip was a lot longer and should have been split up really.

    Day 1 Up toward Ullapool, round the coast to do the Applecross loop (I can see why others have suggested clockwise) and then back down to Ft Augustus.

    I would stay near here next time as it's a long drive. As it was I actually stayed in Carlisle that night so also had the amazing scenic drive down from Glencoe to Glasgow on the A82 alongside Loch Lomond. I didn't take any pics on way out or beyond Loch Lochy on way back so I'll just have to go back againand do that bit properly.



    More Pics here - I'm no David Bailey and they're from the iPhone.
    www.photobucket.com/yadihighland
    ex- 2000 Titanium Silver S50 with AC Schnitzer road suspension, exhaust, rear wing and gear knob
    now 2002 Sapphire Black S54 with black/red interior, S54 Bearing Shell upgrade with ARP Con Rod bolts, Cam shaft bolt upgrade

  • #2
    Sounds like you had a belter of a time! Well worth missing the 'the wedding' for (although 'missing' implies you would have watched it had you been at home!!).

    I've done almost all of your trip over the years as I do a lot of hill walking up there, but never as a single trip. I bet it was a fantastic experience

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    • #3
      Sounds great. I've done plenty of trips away on bikes but never in a car... one of the reasons I bought the MC was to enjoy a trip or two like this one
      Not actually in the least bit fat

      2000 S50 Titanium Silver / Black
      ACS Suspension, Exhaust & Type III Wheels
      Simota carbon air intake | Strong Strut Front Brace

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      • #4
        Scotland has some of the nicest roads in the world.
        Keep on exploring!
        My touring bible is "Scotland The Best" by Peter Irvine. For any area it tells you the best views, the best walks, the best hotels and B&B's and so forth.
        It has very useful sections on the major cities too.
        Ross

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        • #5
          Glad you enjoyed the roads up here, as mentioned they are some of the best around.
          You looked to have got lucky with the weather too, which is always a bonus.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Gav Z3 M Coupe View Post
            You looked to have got lucky with the weather
            And more importantly not too many midgies this time of year! Were they just selectively bred to keep the English away?!

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Dr. N View Post
              And more importantly not too many midgies this time of year! Were they just selectively bred to keep the English away?!
              They are only dispatched during peak holiday periods to ensure there isn't a mass influx. They serve a valuble measurse as to how good the run you have just been on has been
              Last edited by Gav Z3 M Coupe; 02-05-2011, 09:34 AM.

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              • #8
                Lol. I may have inherited immunity from the midges. The bodycount on the car suggests there are a few about My dad and paternal family are from Edinburgh and I still have extended family living there and in the Borders near Minto.

                Definitely going to drive next time and not fly up :-)
                ex- 2000 Titanium Silver S50 with AC Schnitzer road suspension, exhaust, rear wing and gear knob
                now 2002 Sapphire Black S54 with black/red interior, S54 Bearing Shell upgrade with ARP Con Rod bolts, Cam shaft bolt upgrade

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                • #9
                  2012--THE Highland Paradise?

                  Does THIS sound like the 2012 Highland Gathering of THE MCoupes?.
                  safetyfast

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by ZZZEMMCO View Post
                    Does THIS sound like the 2012 Highland Gathering of THE MCoupes?.
                    half scottish so no problems at the border for me

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