Scotlands Best Drive

[TheRamJam]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/tr...hes-ruins.html

Has anyone seen this article. Whats you're thoughts.

[carelesschucca]

I haven't done anything above Ullapool, but I know the roads are great Lance and Ron are always telling me how good they are. I'd say the 500 loop itself is maybe a two day ride unless you're stopping lots of times for photos...

That looks fun.

[SIII]

Did most of this route in summer 2013.


Great roads, Ullapool up to Kylesku and across the top are the real highlights.


Wick to Inverness was not very good, but suppose you need it for the loop.

[carelesschucca]

looking at the route again I'd run it in an anticlockwise direction but if I had to go back to Inverness I'd go south from Lochcarron and come back along the A87 to Invergarry then up the A82 and A833.

Not that the A890 is crap but I just love the Kyle of Lochalsh road it fast flowing open roads with huge views. Its Epic!

[SIII]

A832 is a cracking road! Had a blast down there last Easter !!! Fun and very empty. Not as good as A87 but has zero traffic to contend with.


Thing is - they're all brilliant roads up there, so empty and surface is generally really good.

[Bibio]

you need your head examined SIII. the A832 from Gorstan to Kinlochewe has to be the most mind numbing road up there apart from the A9 just after Inverness to up past the Black Isle until you get over the Tain Bridge.

i also avoid Inverness like the plague and instead turn off at Drunmadrochit then take the road over to Dingwall then the back road to Evanton and then up over to Bonar Bridge then if i'm going up the A9 i turn right and switch back. ok so it might take an extra 1/2-3/4hr but who cares.

[TheRamJam]

A plan is in motion....

Am thinking a wee nights stay in Inverness the night before. Head off early morning the next day. Plan to do the route anti clockwise so head up the A9/A99 towards Wick and JoG. Their will be plenty of stops on the way for pictures, lunges, lunch, dinner etc so the pace isn't going to be light speed. Maybe pitch up for the night at Thurso or thereabouts.

Day 2 would be to continue along A836/A838 towards Durness before heading South down to Ullapool. Am in two minds to maybe add Applecross on or just head back towards Inverness.

So far that's as far as the planning has got.

Seems fairly simple but for my first big ride out that involves staying over then I think simple is better. Need to get a date locked down, which means speaking with the boss. Once I have that then I'll fire it up here and see if anyone's game!

[Bibio]

Inverness to Thurso via JOG is going to take about 3-3,3/4hrs including pics as there is fek all to see up the east coast. my advice is turn left at Helmsdale and head for Durness and stay the night. if you really want to go to JOG then keep going to Durness for the night.

i go from Kirkcaldy to Durness in a day at a leisurely pace stopping every 50-60miles and i arrive at around 8pm. get up the next day then the fun begins going down the west coast is spectacular if you take in all the little back roads. if you have never done the back roads on the west coast then you will need your chin strap done up tight to stop your mouth being constantly open.

[SIII]

[QUOTE=Bibio;3001759]you need your head examined SIII. the A832 from Gorstan to Kinlochewe has to be the most mind numbing road up there apart from the A9 just after Inverness to up past the Black Isle until you get over the Tain Bridge.
[QUOTE]


Have to differ with you on this one, had a blast flying over there to catch a ferry off Skye to Mallaig. Maybe to do with a rapid rate of knots at which we were travelling but was a good run.


If you turn left at Helmsdale - you don't get to run the top road - and that has to be done, at least once ?