BMW Car Club - Scotland
North and West Highlands Scottish Region Run June 2006
By Peter Skene
Day one
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By Loch Hope |
Following on from the success of the trip
last year I posted up details about another trip this year on the forum
and got no response. It was also in the events calendar with my contact
details and not one call. This was disappointing, but that did not make
me change my mind of doing the run.
I set off on Friday morning from Aberdeen and Headed to Ullapool what
was going to be the start of amazing 4 days of driving in the North and
North West Scottish Highlands. I had booked in advance a room at a B&B
in Ullapool called Dromnan Guest House. It seemed to look good on the
website and was cheap at only £39 for double room B&B.
I left Aberdeen and headed up the A9 to Inverness for my first pit stop.As
petrol is few and far between in the Highlands Ithought it best to keep
her topped up. Not only was this going to be a fantastic trip, but was
a great test for the 330 Vert as it’s the first run it had since
I bought it a few months back. Filled up and ready to go I headed A835
towards Ullapool. It was intended that I would stop off at Breamore and
visit the Corrieshalloch Gorge on my way. This breathtaking mile-long
gorge, is one of the finest examples in Britain of a box canyon, its 61
m (200 ft) deep. Corrieshalloch Gorge is on the A835 at Braemore, 12m
miles east of Ullapool, on the Ullapool to Inverness Road.
It was only 1300pm at this point, so I decided to continue along the A832 to Poolewe and back as I knew this road was fantastic. I must say the roads were very empty and I really enjoyed that (and no cops),the only thing that was around apart from myself were sheep. They just stroll along the roads around here so extra care must be taken as this is there home and you must respect that when driving in Scotland.
Once i got to Poollewe it was a quick U
turn and back the same way.
I arrived in Ullapool around 1600pm.The B&B was very easy to find
as it was just before the village. It had a nice big car park and look
pretty good on the outside. I was soon settled in what turned out to be
the best Guest house i have ever stayed in with a little path that led
down to the Shore where you could watch the fishing boats etc:
Day 2
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Loch-Loyal |
Smoo-Caves |
Up nice and early for a full Scottish Breakfast
and enjoyed the views of the loch from the dinning area
I soon set off to head up the West Coast towards Tongue where i would
be staying for the next 2 nights. It had been raining over night so the
roads were still wet, so caution was to be needed for the roads ahead
The west Coast of Scotland A838 offers the best roads, best views and the best beaches I have ever seen. My first stop was Durness where I planned to have lunch and visit the Smoo Caves. I arrived in time for lunch and stopped at the only bar I could find for some grub. Next up it was the Caves.
This easily accessible cave has the largest
entrance of any sea cave in the British Isles. Its vast interior is floodlit
and the innermost depths can be explored by boat. Long used by local inhabitants,
recent excavations show that the cave was in use 6000 years ago by the
earliest settlers in the north.
Unfortunately, due to sever winter the entrance to the caves was affected
by the missing bridge, so you have to walk round the other side (around
1 mile) to enter. I chose to ignore the signs and head down the easy track
anyway. Once there you had to cross the river via stepping stones and
guess who got wet. There are boat tours of the inner caves, but these
were canceled due to high water.
After i got my breath back after climbing up the hill from the caves it
was onwards to Tongue. I arrived at the hotel The Ben Loyal that I had
booked in advance around 1500pm and was soon checked in and enjoying the
views. This was to be my base camp for the next 2 days - I was pretty
cream crackered TBH, so after a lovely Dinner I went up to my room to
chill
Day Three
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Tongue to Ullapool |
Tongue to Ullapool |
After another fine Scottish Breakfast with
amazing views and listening to Scottish Music. It was planned I would
Travel to John O’Groats, so I headed up the coast and my first stop
- Dunnet Head. This is the most Northern point of GB. Along drive took
me to the end of the road where there was myself and a bird spotter, so
I never hung around to talk about feathered friends
Next up it was John O’Groats. I am sure you have all heard of this
place before and take it from me it’s not worth a visit, so i stopped
for some chips and a fridge magnet (well you have to) and back the way
I came.
I stopped this time at The Castle of Mey (Queen Mothers Scottish House)
but they wanted £7 or something, so i just took a fast photo and
left. I then stopped in Thurso for some fuel and as it had a jet wash,
I gave the car a hose down.
I was soon back on the A836 and at Bettyhill View Point what i can only
describe as something that looks like the moon. The surrounded area is
untouched land and looked a bit like moon craters. It had a picnic table
so I stopped here for a good hour. Again no one around, just me and the
sun was beating down (Really was like the moon)
It was then all down hill from here back to Tongue, but not before taking
in some fantastic beaches on the way. Before I went back to hotel Ihad
read that there was a circular route round Tongue, but the roads are not
suitable in winter (Well was I glad it was Summer) These roads were just
stones laid down over the grass I think, but the views of the mountains
and the Kyle of Tongue Loch was superb.
Day four
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Beach at Betty Hill |
Betty-Hill-View-Point.jpg |
Up at 8am for my last Scottish Breakfast before I Left Tongue and headed down the A836 towards Lairg. Not soon after you have left Tongue you come across Loch Loyal. I tell you I could of easily camped there for a whole week as it was like heaven. The only ripple on the Loch was the ones from the Trout.
On the way there you pass Ben Hope on the right. This is the Mountain Clarkson drove that Discovery up on top gear.
I was soon back to reality of the A9 and
heading back home to Aberdeen.
Of course I will be well up for this again next year and who knows maybe
longer this time, so if you are interested in booking please feel free
to contact me via the club website or forum I am also will to here any
suggestion on how to make it better.
Handy Info
www.dromnan.com
www.benloyal.co.uk
www.visitscotland.com
page created by NeRo 30/06/06
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