London to Loch Lomond

London to Loch Lomond

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N5GT3

Original Poster:

449 posts

261 months

Thursday 26th April 2007
quotequote all
I'm driving to Loch Lomond in May to play golf from London, any particular roads in the area that are worth taking in while I'm up that way?

Bit clueless about Scotland so any ideas appreciated

rsv gone!

11,288 posts

256 months

Thursday 26th April 2007
quotequote all
A82 up to Fort William is pretty spectacular. The lakes on top of the mountains are the most beautiful glassy blue you'll ever see.

dazren

22,612 posts

276 months

Thursday 26th April 2007
quotequote all
How much time have you got to spend playing in your car?

N5GT3

Original Poster:

449 posts

261 months

Thursday 26th April 2007
quotequote all
Well suppossed to be playing golf on a work do, but I'm pretty cr*p. Up there for three days and certainly have a couple of afternoons to drive around.

dazren

22,612 posts

276 months

Thursday 26th April 2007
quotequote all
If you've only got the odd afternoon to drive, then as mentioned the A82 to Fort William as a great road, especially the scenery after the lakes as you drive down through Glencoe. Also doing that route just before you reach Fort William, turn off the A82 onto the B863 and drive upto upto Kinlochleven, through Kinlochleven and back down the other side of the loch still on the B863 (all the while keeping the Loch on your left). At the end turn right and continue into Fort William.

BTW there is a great Sea Food restaurant on a Pier a few hundred yards past the big car park as you enter Fort William.


Another decent blatt (a lot shorter), is from Loch Lomond, go north on the A82, then just past Tyndrum turn left onto the A85, then left onto the A819 into Inverarry, then the A83 back towards Loch Lomond.


Although these are some great roads for the really good stuff you want to head to the far north west (not doable in an afternoon).


Note the further north you go on the west coast, the more difficult it is to get super unleaded. If you car really needs the good stuff, take a few bottles of Octane Booster with you.

Edited by dazren on Thursday 26th April 16:27

ATG

22,097 posts

287 months

Thursday 26th April 2007
quotequote all
Very slight amendment to that route ... If you keep going another few miles past Tyndrum towards Bridge of Orchy, you can turn left onto the B8074 and drive down Glen Orchy. This will take you back to the A85 after about 10km. The B8074 isn't the world's greatest driving roads, but it is a great place to get out and stretch the legs for a few minutes. The road runs alongside the River Orchy and I guess about midway along it flows across pavements of stone and a whole series of short waterfalls. There are cascades, boiling pots and some whirl pools. It's a great place to have a quick wander.

N5GT3

Original Poster:

449 posts

261 months

Thursday 26th April 2007
quotequote all
Great, thanks a lot guys. Hopefully post some photos (if I work out how to do it) of the trip when I get back (there'll be no golf pictures!)

who me ?

7,455 posts

227 months

Thursday 10th May 2007
quotequote all
dazren said:



Note the further north you go on the west coast, the more difficult it is to get super unleaded. If you car really needs the good stuff, take a few bottles of Octane Booster with you.

Edited by dazren on Thursday 26th April 16:27


www.bp.com/iframe.do?categoryId=4503052&contentId=59129

Gives location of BP sites ---there is one just north of Fort William - gives the phone no if you need ultimate .

petermansell

868 posts

221 months

Friday 11th May 2007
quotequote all
I was in the area a couple of weeks ago for the first time and all that has been said is true - fantastic driving scenery and roads.


Who me ?

7,455 posts

227 months

Monday 28th May 2007
quotequote all
dazren said:
If you've only got the odd afternoon to drive, then as mentioned the A82 to Fort William as a great road, especially the scenery after the lakes as you drive down through Glencoe. Also doing that route just before you reach Fort William, turn off the A82 onto the B863 and drive upto upto Kinlochleven, through Kinlochleven and back down the other side of the loch still on the B863 (all the while keeping the Loch on your left). At the end turn right and continue into Fort William.

BTW there is a great Sea Food restaurant on a Pier a few hundred yards past the big car park as you enter Fort William.


Another decent blatt (a lot shorter), is from Loch Lomond, go north on the A82, then just past Tyndrum turn left onto the A85, then left onto the A819 into Inverarry, then the A83 back towards Loch Lomond.


Although these are some great roads for the really good stuff you want to head to the far north west (not doable in an afternoon).


Note the further north you go on the west coast, the more difficult it is to get super unleaded. If you car really needs the good stuff, take a few bottles of Octane Booster with you.

Edited by dazren on Thursday 26th April 16:27
TBH -I haven't driven that road since the Bridge was built, but if it's like it was , better off driving over bridge to Fort William , then on way south, just past Onich take left turn to Kinlochleven. That way you have width of road between you and some nasty drops.

Spokey

2,246 posts

224 months

Tuesday 29th May 2007
quotequote all
OK, here are a couple of diversions:

http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=121... (Second best road I've driven ev4r!)

http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=131... (you have to take the ferry for this, but it's worth it!)

Another great stretch is the A686 from Penrith to Alston. wink