Scotch Bonnet 500 Tour

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,952
Nice description here:


Map here:

View attachment 90484

Yep that is a great route but it accounted for one of my lower mesh grills on the Granturismo with a pheasant strike. More worrying was coming round a corner and finding a red deer stag stood in the middle of the road - Land Rovers have good brakes. It is generally a well sighted road but you have to be careful.

The main things to watch out for are camper vans and bikers in season and the nemesis of the petrolhead, the Honda Jazz doing 38 everywhere.
 

Gazcw

Member
Messages
7,696
Yep that is a great route but it accounted for one of my lower mesh grills on the Granturismo with a pheasant strike. More worrying was coming round a corner and finding a red deer stag stood in the middle of the road - Land Rovers have good brakes. It is generally a well sighted road but you have to be careful.

The main things to watch out for are camper vans and bikers in season and the nemesis of the petrolhead, the Honda Jazz doing 38 everywhere.
Mine was a Skoda Fabia who could not make 45. He pulled over a 5 cars got increasingly closer and closer.
 

IanU

Member
Messages
336
Hi all,
Sorry for the radio silence, but I'll do a full update once we'e back - too many photos to try and post on the hoof, but a quick summary so far:
So starting at Fort William, thoroughly recommend the Crannog Fish Restaurant (thanks for the recommendation) - but before that, the A82 from Dumbarton to Fort William via Glencoe is a stunning piece of road, and at this time of year not that much traffic tbh (camper vans can be dispatched pretty quickly).
We are doing the NC 500 route anti clockwise so from FW to Inverness via Rogie Falls - again a great piece of road (mostly) then on to Invergordon. Up the coast to John O Groats on the A9 (hug the coast out of Invergordon first and pick up the A9 further up). We stayed at Wick for one night and then JOG staying at Thurso.
Recommended along the way - Dunrobin Castle if the weather is good, a random deserted beach at Freswick Bay. Obligatory stop at JOG and Dunnet Head, but don't forget Dunnet Bay beach...... just nothing but a massive sandy beach for miles.
If you like photography this trip is a treasure trove of opportunities.
I've put my winter tyres on specifically for the trip which I'm glad of, and the car is showing signs of ~24mpg.... I'm obviously not trying hard enough as I was expecting sub 19 - but we have the west coast to do yet.
I'll post photos on a separate thread when we're back.
Cheers
Ian.
 

outrun

Member
Messages
5,017
Hi all,
Sorry for the radio silence, but I'll do a full update once we'e back - too many photos to try and post on the hoof, but a quick summary so far:
So starting at Fort William, thoroughly recommend the Crannog Fish Restaurant (thanks for the recommendation) - but before that, the A82 from Dumbarton to Fort William via Glencoe is a stunning piece of road, and at this time of year not that much traffic tbh (camper vans can be dispatched pretty quickly).
We are doing the NC 500 route anti clockwise so from FW to Inverness via Rogie Falls - again a great piece of road (mostly) then on to Invergordon. Up the coast to John O Groats on the A9 (hug the coast out of Invergordon first and pick up the A9 further up). We stayed at Wick for one night and then JOG staying at Thurso.
Recommended along the way - Dunrobin Castle if the weather is good, a random deserted beach at Freswick Bay. Obligatory stop at JOG and Dunnet Head, but don't forget Dunnet Bay beach...... just nothing but a massive sandy beach for miles.
If you like photography this trip is a treasure trove of opportunities.
I've put my winter tyres on specifically for the trip which I'm glad of, and the car is showing signs of ~24mpg.... I'm obviously not trying hard enough as I was expecting sub 19 - but we have the west coast to do yet.
I'll post photos on a separate thread when we're back.
Cheers
Ian.

Make sure you pencil in stops at the Kylesku Inn and the Kylesku Bridge on the way back round, and The Torridon Hotel, which was featured on the World's Best Hotels recently. If you want somewhere else to try, head to the Cluanie Inn which sits between the Five Sisters which are 5 munroes which are so beautiful. At Kylesku, you can watch the boats pop by and drop off the catch. It's that fresh.

As you come back down to Fort William, take the detour through the Kinlochleven Loop and stop at the Kinlochleven Seafood Cafe for lunch/dinner. It is on all the supercar driving routes, only a half hour detour and spectalular. Don't miss it.

One you head back south of Fort William, take the road through Callander, not the normal route. It's just about the same distance but far better roads. This will take you past the Green Welly which is the most famous services in Scotland. Stop there and see what metal is in the car park. If you like bikes, it's bike heaven.

Finally, set the nav to the Dukes Pass which is the coolest piece of road and very close to Glasgow. You'll be amazed.

The West Coast has the better roads to don't be ashamed of deliberately trying to load the time that way.

I mentioned the Applecross Road. If you are doing that, and you must, call the Applecroos Hotel ahead and book a table. Otherwise it will be full.

If you are planning to stop in Glasgow, or nearby, let me know and I'll catch you for a coffee.

Watch for drivers giving you a "thumbs down" which tells you there are police nearby.

I hope you are loving it, it really is very special.
 

Oneball

Member
Messages
11,071
If you can’t get a table with Judy at the Applecross Inn, The Walled Garden by Applecross House is good too, food is probably better if your not after ‘pub grub’
 

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,952
If you can’t get a table with Judy at the Applecross Inn, The Walled Garden by Applecross House is good too, food is probably better if your not after ‘pub grub’
Half the fun of the Applecross Inn is the Yorkshire sisters who run it, both have quite a turn of phrase.