|
Driving bliss Best roads? Best music? Whatever makes your 8 the best place to be, share it with us |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Scotland Tour
Probably one for our Scottish contingent to help me out with please
SWMBO has never been to Scotland, so we are planning a 1-week trip mid-March to the West Coast/Highlands, probably taking in Fort William, Skye, Loch Ness, etc, and I'd like to get up as far as the beaches around Ullapool. So, anyone have any route and/or accommodation suggestions for us please? Also, obviously not going to be warm in March, but what are the chances of snow at that time of year? |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
If you are feeling flush aim to stay at the Summer Isles hotel Achiltibuie (north of Ullapool). http://www.summerisleshotel.com/
Near Skye we've had a good stay at the Tingle Creek hotel - 5 minutes from the bridge. http://www.tinglecreek-hotel.co.uk/ Don't miss Bealach na Ba if it's open http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bealach_na_B%C3%A0 And if you're feeling brave and get to Achiltibuie, take the "wee mad road" to Lochinver. Some info: http://lifeontheweemadroad.blogspot....-mad-road.html That'll do for now. Stayed somewhere in that area every year for the last few decades so just say where you're aiming for and I can probably suggest somewhere. By the way, if you're planning to follow the West Coast and include Skye you'll need a week on the road just to get to places.
__________________
2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions and extended leather. Ski hatch retrofit. Aftermarket reversing camera. DVB-T and XCarlink now removed as redundant. 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (Even rarer than a D2 S8!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. Agate Grey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, Tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon. Added Auto-dim mirror, Leather seats, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! Last edited by HPsauce; 10th February 2013 at 11:53 AM. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
We did a similar trip from Manchester at the end of April 2011, and had unbroken sunshine for the whole week, and temperatures in the low 70's - but we were very lucky. I doubt you'll get snow, but you'll almost certainly get rain...
We went up the west coast, and took the ferry over to Skye - that route gives you a great drive up, and the roads on Skye are quite good too. It does take a while to get there from down south tho' I can look out the route we took, and forward it too you if that helps, but it's a pretty well documented one - let me know if you want details. We stayed at great self catering cottage in Portree, but rented that for 5 days, I think, as we were using Portree as a base - again, happy to forward the details if relevant. I'm sure you'll have a great trip, whatever the weather - the roads, scenery, food and drink all make for great experience. Which reminds me, I must go back again soon... |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
There's a little video with a drive along the "wee mad road" here: http://www.theweemadroad.com/home.html
And yes, I have done it SEVERAL times in an S8!
__________________
2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions and extended leather. Ski hatch retrofit. Aftermarket reversing camera. DVB-T and XCarlink now removed as redundant. 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (Even rarer than a D2 S8!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. Agate Grey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, Tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon. Added Auto-dim mirror, Leather seats, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! |
#5
|
||||
|
||||
Given that you only have a week, I would suggest you go via Glasgow, A82 to Loch Lomond (mini meet at the Duck Bay hotel!), then follow A82 up by Loch Lomond, thru' Crianlarich, Glen Coe, to FtWilliam. (Its a good drive and spectacular views.) Then to Mallaig for the ferry across to Skye. Return to mainland via bridge. Then, depending on time, take the coast road A896 /A832 to Ullapool. Return via Inverness, A9 then south.
Even that will be tight in one week!!
__________________
2002 D2 S8 – Ming Blue, Valcona leather, Vavona wood insert, solar sunroof (to be fitted), Heated rear seats, extended leather pack, 18” Avus, ski hatch, Bose, auto dim rear view mirror, rear blind. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
thanks for the replies chaps, really helpful, might be slightly longer, i.e. 8-9 days as will leave Midlands either Friday evening or early Sat morning, then return home for following Sunday evening
|
#7
|
|||
|
|||
It's a long way if you haven't driven it before, especially the A9! Getting to Glasgow is just the start.
We often fly to Inverness and hire a car for a week, getting to Ullapool for lunch is quite easy with an early flight that way. Last year we drove from home, so 2 days each way (to past Ullapool), stopping over in Perth (Travelodge) on the way up and York (family) on the way back. Though you're a little way north of us, so might get a bit further. Fort William in 1 day would be very hard work for 1 driver.
__________________
2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions and extended leather. Ski hatch retrofit. Aftermarket reversing camera. DVB-T and XCarlink now removed as redundant. 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (Even rarer than a D2 S8!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. Agate Grey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, Tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon. Added Auto-dim mirror, Leather seats, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! Last edited by HPsauce; 10th February 2013 at 02:58 PM. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
If you stay at Achiltibuie/Ullapool (did a wee there a few years back with the 8), you can do the loop round the north coast in a day. Smoo cave is a nice stop off too right on the north coast.
Weather will be a mixed bag... Rain, Hail, Sleet, Snow, Sun, million mile an hour winds are all possible, but it's still gorgeous up there.
__________________
2010 Jag XF 3.0D Portfolio S I know.. I know.. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Never achieved all of that, but we do tend to stop and look at things. Up to Durness and across to Tongue then "flying" back for dinner is the best we've managed.
__________________
2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions and extended leather. Ski hatch retrofit. Aftermarket reversing camera. DVB-T and XCarlink now removed as redundant. 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (Even rarer than a D2 S8!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. Agate Grey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, Tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon. Added Auto-dim mirror, Leather seats, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Not too agressive, you'll have a decent amount of daylight in March, we've done it before a couple of times, though it does depend how long you stop. There's a couple of 'nice' roads (single track) that cut diagonally across if you want to cut the loop.
__________________
2010 Jag XF 3.0D Portfolio S I know.. I know.. |
|
|