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Highland fling


reddevil

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What do you do with a car you've owned 3 days? Go on a 1500 mile road trip to get to know it of course!

 

The route here and some pictures here

 

Car did great just a few niggles (mainly related to the stalks) and an inability to get any air out of the dash vents.

 

The Dynamat I fitted around the rear seats/gearbox area/floors/behind speakers did a lot to make the motorway sections a lot more comfortable. For the 6kgs it's added it's made the car a lot more usable on trips like this. And I could probably do with loosing 6kgs so net-net we'd be back to square one.

 

Chris

 

 

 

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Yup, the west coast in particular, the run down from Gairloch to the Isle of Skye was epic.

 

On the single tracks people pull over to let you past thanks to the police signs indicating to allow following drivers to overtake.

 

The locals don't hang around either.

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Good post! As I'm sure you know, a lot of your route is now included in what's being called 'The North West 500'.

 

Welcome to my backyard......... great driving roads :steering: especially out of the peak Summer season.

 

You would have driven past our driveway near Gairloch!

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Yup, found some awesome hotels so would be happy to share details.

 

We also need to include the Old Military Road through the Cairngorms to the east of the A9, I've been told off elsewhere for not including it and it cuts out a horrifically dull section with average speed cameras...

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Good man! That's a run I fancy - Lots of fantastic roads! Did you miss out Applecross?

 

applecross1_zpstoc88cjn.jpg

 

applecross2_zpsrkddcrci.jpg

applecross5_zpshmqpzmnj.jpg

 

I planned a route some time ago but haven't yet got the motivation for the long haul just to get to the start! Includes the Old Military Road to Balmoral but misses out JOG, which holds no appeal except that if I've gone up that far I might succumb.

 

ultimateScotland_via_Lairg_zpskmd6r5cm.j


What do you reckon, having driven some/much of it?

Edited by djf67
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ultimateScotland_via_Lairg_zpskmd6r5cm.j

What do you reckon, having driven some/much of it?

I've done all that more than once, clockwise - good route. Applecross is a box ticker, it's not fast! but you do it because if the weather is great, the views are fantastic. Some roads can be slow, others are magnificent.

Get a trip organised.... :smash:

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I've done all that more than once, clockwise - good route. Applecross is a box ticker, it's not fast! but you do it because if the weather is great, the views are fantastic. Some roads can be slow, others are magnificent.

Get a trip organised.... :smash:

My main concern with a properly long route is that 8hrs in the saddle gives me left hip pain :( so Wales/Peaks/Pennines about my limit in my SC. Hence happy to post 'my' route, where I usually keep all that hard work close to my chest.

Edited by djf67
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Yup that's a good route, we didn't do Applecross as the weather was very poor when we were over that side and we'd experienced one too many poor single track roads at that point. But if the weather had been better...

 

The bit down the side of Loch Maree is great. Absolutely great hotel in Gairloch near the start of that bit here it has a games room with pool table, open fires and a bar with 300 whiskeys and nearly 100 gins. Plus the view out the window is right onto the bay.

 

You also miss the North 500 bit around the coast near Lochinver which I think is a good shout as it was too bumpy, narrow with corners on blind crests - no fun at all.

 

Military Road through Cairngorms is a must too.

 

On the schlep to get to Stirling where your route starts, you're in Cheshire?? That should take less than 4 hours!!

 

So, when are we leaving?

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Don't know if anyone has read Evo CoTY this month but they are up in the Highlands.

 

This was the tipping point for me to decide I need to go back up and correct the two fundamental errors with my trip - number one not doing the Old Military Road through the Cairngorms, number two not doing the Applecross mountain road.

 

As it happens next year I'm off to Islay for a week with the family from 30th April, but have secured pre-flight clearance to meet the missus there so I can go back to the Highlands for a few days beforehand and correct these errors.

 

Is there any serious interest from anyone else to join in?

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Hence happy to post 'my' route, where I usually keep all that hard work close to my chest.

If you were happy to go a step further and PM me a screen shot of the waypoints I would appreciate it, the posted map isn't sharp enough for me to pick them up (your hip, my eyes). Myself and the beloved are looking into going across for a week in summer 2016 and your knowledge/route map would be a big help. Thanks.

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If you were happy to go a step further and PM me a screen shot of the waypoints I would appreciate it, the posted map isn't sharp enough for me to pick them up

You can't get lost - there's only 1 road... :D

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If you were happy to go a step further and PM me a screen shot of the waypoints I would appreciate it, the posted map isn't sharp enough for me to pick them up (your hip, my eyes). Myself and the beloved are looking into going across for a week in summer 2016 and your knowledge/route map would be a big help. Thanks.

I'll try PMing the original - MUCH bigger!

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