Daz Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 In 2 weeks time I'm driving up to Orkney for a mates wedding. Now currently the plan is: Wednesday - drive to Glasgow Thursday - drive to Thurso Friday - arrive on Orkney until Sunday Sunday - drive to Inverness Monday - drive to Leeds / Manchester area Tuesday - back to London As there is a large Scottish contingent on this site I was wondering what the best drives are going to be en-route. I was thinking for the Glasgow - Thurso leg of going up to Fort William and then across to Inverness and then up the A836 and then across to Thurso. The return leg would be A9 all the way. Any other opinions / options? Anything to look out for / do en route? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncr666 Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Why put all those miles on your car. Fly up and hire a car locally. We got a flight from Birmingham to Edinburgh with BA for £59 each return. ncr666 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted August 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Partly because flights will cost about the same as the amount of petrol used (approx £350). And I've always wanted to have a bit of a drive through Scotland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallachie Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Drive it mate, some beautiful scenery on the way, especially when you get North of Inverness. The A9 can be a very irritating road to be on though, only certain sections are dual carriageway and the single carriageway can get very congested with lorries etc, but in an RS4 you'll have no trouble overtaking!! Watch out for unmarked Police cars on the A9, there have been so many serious/fatal accidents on it the Police are usually keeping an eye for speeders. If I were you, I would drive it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TP27 Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Daz. Hoping to meet you at last with Ross in Glasgow !! The route to Fort William (A82) is brilliant (if it's quiet) especially through Glencoe and the A9 to Thurso road from Inverness is a blast. A9 south of Inverness is one to be careful with, loads of caravans with a mix of A road and dual carriageway and as a result, jam-sandwiches to avoid. PLan a stop at House of Bruar, with the credit card !! In the RS4 you'll get plenty of opportunities to open her up AND enjoy the landscape with the top down. Have a great time !! TP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjfr Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Enjoy, driving through Scotland really is special - it's so beautiful. ps. Say hi to Glasgow for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 Jesus Daz, that is indeed a mammoth drive. You can increase the fuel costs too, because the roads from Fort William - Inverness will consume a lot more than you might imagine, particularly if it's stop-start traffic as usual. As for TP27 saying you'll have plenty of chance to enjoy the landscape with the hood down...well I'm not so sure. Glasgow to the West Coast and up to Inverness isn't reknown for it's sunshine in September!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 [ QUOTE ] driving through Scotland really is special [/ QUOTE ] I agree. Just don't fecking stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted August 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Well I've just put the preferred route through Autoroute and it's come back as a total round trip distance of 1425 miles with 22 hours of driving time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Why put all those miles on your car. [/ QUOTE ] have you seen daz's RS4 Cab? I drive that distance in that car for fun, even if there wasn't a mates wedding at the end of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossG Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Glasgow to the West Coast and up to Inverness isn't reknown for it's sunshine in September!!! [/ QUOTE ] I hear what MrMe is saying - but equally, Scotland often gets beautiful Indian Summers at that time of year Given your timescales etc - that route is a fairly good 'taster' of everything. The only thing perhaps worth considering if you have time on the way down is to avoid the A9 (although it is a beautiful road despite the speeding issues) and go east at Inverness - then head to the Lecht ski centre before going over the spectacular Cockbridge to Tomintoul road - then truning right onto the A93 towards Perth and also getting to head over the Devil's Elbow at Glenshee ski centre. Oh and the end of that road between Blairgowrie and Perth is wicked fun too This would add an extra couple of hours and an extra 150 miles or so - but they are spectacular roads In fact - there's a rumour that another contributor to this thread V-maxed his R32 on the Devil's Elbow - and it's an A road that even my Mum tackles at 3 figure speed Unfortunately there's no way that you could fit in some of the awesome roads on Skye, and up the North West - but there's always other visits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Well if you go ahead and pass Newcastle Upon Tyne per that map, give me a shout if you want a 30 minute coffee break/mini-meet. Alternatively, if it's a day that I'm in Edinburgh, then the same applies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Oh, and ignore what Autoroute is saying by taking you on the A68 between Newcastle and Edinburgh - do NOT do it! It can be a nightmare run if you get stuck behind a HGV and your car will look like it's been dragged through a hedge backwards. It's a route I'd only use in an emergency and the A1 North will give you plenty of scenery and a 2 hour section between Newcastle and Edinburgh - which is a lot quicker than the alternative on an average day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted August 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Cheers Ross, I'll take a look at that route too. Is it this one? Chris, I'll be doing that stretch of the trip on Monday 4th Sept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RossG Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Yup, that looks pretty much like it to me - I was wrong about the east from Inverness bit - but it's not the way I used to drive to the Lecht. That covers off all the good bits that I'm talking about I'm off out now - will check in later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted August 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Chris, So you reckon that this is the best route? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 Daz, yes, that's the route I do every week. From the point at which you hit Newcastle (well you don't, you'll fly right past it on the A1) you should continue straight up the A1 to Edinburgh and you'll cover that section in almost bang on 2 hours. I have done the run for the past 6 months and the quickest I've ever managed is 1:59, with an average run being 2.08 - but thats door to door so you can take a good 10-15 minutes off that, if not more. 1.45 should be possible between Newcastle and Edinburgh. Its a much better option than the route it gave you initially. Monday 4th September is good for me - because it's my last day off work after a week and a day of holidays, so I'll be at home. Washington A1 Northbound Services is a good rendezvous point because it's a large service station. Let know if you fancy a coffee break closer to the date anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I hear what MrMe is saying - but equally, Scotland often gets beautiful Indian Summers at that time of year [/ QUOTE ] I agree, but I'd also wish him the best of luck up there if the weather turns bad - he's heading a long way up remember! (However, also do yourself a favour and check out the number of peaks on that route...because it's a high route and if the mist and fog comes in you'll be going much slower and need your wits about you). The key is to check the weather forecast on the morning before you're going to do that section. It might sound extreme, but it's the safest option. The route Ross has given you is stunning, and if the weather is reasonable you'll probably want to stop every 10 minutes to take photo's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 19, 2006 Report Share Posted August 19, 2006 If you do take the route Ross recommends, here are a few teasers for you....these are all places you'll pass.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TP27 Posted August 20, 2006 Report Share Posted August 20, 2006 [ QUOTE ] ...then truning right onto the A93 towards Perth and also getting to head over the Devil's Elbow at Glenshee ski centre. In fact - there's a rumour that another contributor to this thread V-maxed his R32 on the Devil's Elbow - and it's an A road that even my Mum tackles at 3 figure speed [/ QUOTE ] Possibly one of the best roads en Ecosse !!! It has been used by many, in an attempt to satisfy "well, how fast can this car really go" !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 22, 2006 Report Share Posted August 22, 2006 You'll pass the Northeast/Scotland Mega-Meet rendezvouz point too. Much care required after this location... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calm Chris Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Daz, get to Scotland as quickly as possible then you get to meander around the scenic areas when there and on the way back. M11,M1,M6, M6 Toll, M6, etc up can be very quick (mine to Edinburgh in 4 hrs 15 mins) leaving at 05:00 and Manchester at 07:15- That was on a Monday morning. The A1 route might be prettier, so why not come back that way? Be careful on some of the mountain routes in Scotland, it's easy to get carried away with pace and line, the danger is the amount of gravel and hence peppering the front paint work will take. The R32 needed a face repaint due to 1400 miles (600 in Scotland)of adventure. Scotland speed camera signs exist everywhere, but they lie alot- take a RA or something similar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz Posted August 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Yeah, that's the plan. Day 1 is getting up to Glasgow on the route you mention, then day 2 is from Glasgow up to Thurso. I've got a Origin B2 for the cameras, just got to watch out for the mobiles. Here's the present route plan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewNiceMrMe Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Daz, if mobiles are a concern then there is one notorious route on that map to watch for - the A74(M). It's absolutely awful for them. The vans park on the bridges and clock you from a good mile away on the straights. As soon as you hit that stretch (and it's a very fast stretch) just be very eagle eyed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallachie Posted August 24, 2006 Report Share Posted August 24, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Daz, if mobiles are a concern then there is one notorious route on that map to watch for - the A74(M). It's absolutely awful for them. The vans park on the bridges and clock you from a good mile away on the straights. As soon as you hit that stretch (and it's a very fast stretch) just be very eagle eyed. [/ QUOTE ] I've been done twice on the A74/M74, fookers. Managed to get a photo of me speeding out of them though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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