The road to Applecross and beyond...?
Discussion
Chaps...
After talking about this for months, finally booked a weekend and myself, the good lady and a couple of friends are heading up to Applecross at the end of the month. My plan is to leave home Saturday morning and head up towards Fort William then carry on north over the road to Applecross. We're 'glamping' on the Saturday night locally then headed for home on the Sunday - homeward route TBC!
I've done here to Fort William a few times... usually Crief, Lochearnhead, Crianlarich and in that way but beyond that, it's uncharted territory for me so any suggestions as to what to see and done beyond Fort William and also any suggestions for a good route south on the Sunday without going over the same roads. I was thinking from Applecross, A832 to east to Inverness then down the A9 even though it's crap road. Whilst I'm sadly not blessed with an Atom or a GT3 for the weekend, just a Volvo estate... 'interesting' roads are still high on the priority list!
Cheers
After talking about this for months, finally booked a weekend and myself, the good lady and a couple of friends are heading up to Applecross at the end of the month. My plan is to leave home Saturday morning and head up towards Fort William then carry on north over the road to Applecross. We're 'glamping' on the Saturday night locally then headed for home on the Sunday - homeward route TBC!
I've done here to Fort William a few times... usually Crief, Lochearnhead, Crianlarich and in that way but beyond that, it's uncharted territory for me so any suggestions as to what to see and done beyond Fort William and also any suggestions for a good route south on the Sunday without going over the same roads. I was thinking from Applecross, A832 to east to Inverness then down the A9 even though it's crap road. Whilst I'm sadly not blessed with an Atom or a GT3 for the weekend, just a Volvo estate... 'interesting' roads are still high on the priority list!
Cheers
Honda VFR1200, Ducati 996, and Honda CBR1000 Fireblade on tour by Brent Leport, on Flickr
This is the road between Kinlochewe and Achnasheen. You need to go there! It's a bigger loop to Inverness but it avoids the tourists and is a huge laugh.
It took about 5 mins for the giggling and shaking to subside before I could take the photo...
The A9 is properly dull. Avoid it if you can. Where are you heading back to?
Superb picture sir! And yes, the A9 is seriously terrible however if using it to get from Inverness to the central belt quickly means we can spend longer exploring the interesting bits further north then it's a necessary evil. Sadly I'm little restricted time wise, school/work etc so trying to fit in as much as I can over the two days I have available.
Cheers
Cheers
Speed addicted said:
Where are you heading back to?
Sorry, missed that bit. Starting and finishing point is as near as dammit, the Forth Bridges. I did ponder doing the A9 to Dalwhinnie then the A86 to Fort William on the road up, simply to get as far north in the shortest possible time but for the want of an small amount of extra time/distance, I'm favouring the road to Fort William through Tyndrum and Ballachulish. far nicer drive, more scenery and at early o'clock should be quite quiet so we should be able to make steady progress.
The route home from Applecross on Sunday, sadly we can't spend too much time up there as I do need to be back home by a sensible hour hence the A9 could provide a 'quick fix' as it were even though I hate that stretch of road with a passion.
Regards
Ok having actually looked at a map...
The 832 is one of the best roads in Scotland for the bike and should be a good laugh in the car (it's the one in the photo).
I wouldn't go all the way around Applecross. It takes forever and the roads are really narrow, the pass is the best bit by far.
Also the last three times I've been round there have been highland cows that wouldn't get out of the way, though this would be less of a problem in a car.
If you have time you could cut off the A9 and head down past Braemar. It's still a pretty fast road and it's a lot more intresting.
The 832 is one of the best roads in Scotland for the bike and should be a good laugh in the car (it's the one in the photo).
I wouldn't go all the way around Applecross. It takes forever and the roads are really narrow, the pass is the best bit by far.
Also the last three times I've been round there have been highland cows that wouldn't get out of the way, though this would be less of a problem in a car.
If you have time you could cut off the A9 and head down past Braemar. It's still a pretty fast road and it's a lot more intresting.
Davie said:
Sorry, missed that bit. Starting and finishing point is as near as dammit, the Forth Bridges.
I did ponder doing the A9 to Dalwhinnie then the A86 to Fort William on the road up, simply to get as far north in the shortest possible time but for the want of an small amount of extra time/distance, I'm favouring the road to Fort William through Tyndrum and Ballachulish. far nicer drive, more scenery and at early o'clock should be quite quiet so we should be able to make steady progress.
The route home from Applecross on Sunday, sadly we can't spend too much time up there as I do need to be back home by a sensible hour hence the A9 could provide a 'quick fix' as it were even though I hate that stretch of road with a passion.
Regards
when you get Glencoe village, take the B863 road going round Loch Leven to Kinlochleven. not much out of your way but an absolute hoot of a road to drive. if its open the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven (indoor climbing centre) used to do really nice breakfasts!I did ponder doing the A9 to Dalwhinnie then the A86 to Fort William on the road up, simply to get as far north in the shortest possible time but for the want of an small amount of extra time/distance, I'm favouring the road to Fort William through Tyndrum and Ballachulish. far nicer drive, more scenery and at early o'clock should be quite quiet so we should be able to make steady progress.
The route home from Applecross on Sunday, sadly we can't spend too much time up there as I do need to be back home by a sensible hour hence the A9 could provide a 'quick fix' as it were even though I hate that stretch of road with a passion.
Regards
the alternative to the A9, is to go to nairn, take the A939 Dava moor road to Grantown, then you can either head back on to the A9, or cut across via tomintoul and the lecht to the A93 Braemar road and go south on that..
chrisj_abz said:
when you get Glencoe village, take the B863 road going round Loch Leven to Kinlochleven. not much out of your way but an absolute hoot of a road to drive. if its open the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven (indoor climbing centre) used to do really nice breakfasts!
That's a very good shout and probably perfectly timed to stop for a bit of brunch before heading on to Applecross in the afternoon. It's that or a swift drive to Fort William and McDonalds for a synthetic McRubber roll and a cup of brown liquid that requires the use of asbestos gloves and lips! Speed addicted said:
Ok having actually looked at a map...
The 832 is one of the best roads in Scotland for the bike and should be a good laugh in the car (it's the one in the photo).
I wouldn't go all the way around Applecross. It takes forever and the roads are really narrow, the pass is the best bit by far.
Also the last three times I've been round there have been highland cows that wouldn't get out of the way, though this would be less of a problem in a car.
If you have time you could cut off the A9 and head down past Braemar. It's still a pretty fast road and it's a lot more intresting.
Ha ha, you did it on an VFR and I'm doing it in a diesel Volvo... what I lack in erm, driver involemnet, razor sharp handling and strong low down torque I shall make up with several cup holders, bravery and a bemused missus! The 832 is one of the best roads in Scotland for the bike and should be a good laugh in the car (it's the one in the photo).
I wouldn't go all the way around Applecross. It takes forever and the roads are really narrow, the pass is the best bit by far.
Also the last three times I've been round there have been highland cows that wouldn't get out of the way, though this would be less of a problem in a car.
If you have time you could cut off the A9 and head down past Braemar. It's still a pretty fast road and it's a lot more intresting.
We're headed to Applecross as a) I need to investigate what's so great about the road and b) we're booked in there for the Saturday night but yes, I think we'll pass at driving right round the peninsula as that could prove rather time consuming so I could perhaps back track to the A896, head north and pick up the A832 and do the loop back round to the A835 to Inverness.
Inverness to home is about 2.5hrs so assuming I'm there and headed for home by say 6ish on the Sunday night, that gives me all day Sunday to explore further north or indeed, could do Spean Bridge and over Glen Shee which is another cracking road... though by that stage I may have all but destroyed the sidewalls on the HMS Sweden.
Edited by Davie on Wednesday 5th September 13:14
Just bear in mind that the last time I took my wife in the car over the Lecht I had to stop so she could be sick. This really kills your average speed!
You could go to Ullapool then cut across to Tain before heading down the A9. The road up to Ullapool is pretty spectacular if the weather is ok.
When you're in Applecross have dinner in the pub (don't think there is anywhere else anyway) the food is amazing.
You could go to Ullapool then cut across to Tain before heading down the A9. The road up to Ullapool is pretty spectacular if the weather is ok.
When you're in Applecross have dinner in the pub (don't think there is anywhere else anyway) the food is amazing.
Thankfully mine isn't too bad, she generally sleeps and only gets annoyed when the roads become so bouncy that she a) needs a sports bra and b) can't focus on her bloody i.phone properly. On the average speed front, having never been north-west of Fort William... are the roads we're talking about prone to lots of tourist traffic at the weekends? I'd rather avoid 25mph convoys full of caravans and motorhomes if possible!
The Potting Shed at Applecross is every bit as good as the Inn (IMO). Also, I think to go to Applecross then not go round the peninsula to Shieldaig is a big mistake - the views over to Raasay and Skye then opening up and over to the Torridon hills are amazing and really shouldn't be missed.
6C4GTS said:
If you drop me an email I'll give you a full route for the trip up and down that we took last July.
Sent chap, regards. whirligig said:
Also, I think to go to Applecross then not go round the peninsula to Shieldaig is a big mistake - the views over to Raasay and Skye then opening up and over to the Torridon hills are amazing and really shouldn't be missed.
My only concern with that is how much time that route will take? Last run north I crossed over on the Corran Ferry and then ended up driving out to the lighthosue at Ardnamurchan Point which don't get me wrong, stunning views and great little road but also very narrow and tight and so we ended up taking a relatively long time. Though it could be argued that the coast road round from Applecross to Shieldaig does lead somewhere whereas the road to Ardnamurchan is a dead end. whirligig said:
From the Inn back round the Penisula to Tornapress (bottom of the Bealach) would take you just over an hour I would say (maybe a bit longer when you're not used to the road). It would take you the best part of half an hour over the Pass so not that much longer overall, and worth it.
Ahhh, that's doable and given the suggested route round the A832 earlier in the post, leaving Applecross and going round the point to Shieldaig then to Kinlochewe and picking up the A832 will probably be quicker/prettier then doubling back over the pass the taking a lft to Shieldaig and up or indeed going right and up the A890 and left at Achnasheen. I've just tried to plot Applecross > Shieldaig > Poolewe > round the A832 > Inverness but for some reason Google maps won't accept there's a road round the peninsula from Applecross and so instead plots a route back over the pass... however give or take it's about 150 miles so that plus the 150 down the A9 is about the limit of what I'd realistically like to drive in a day on those sort of roads.
Here's a link to some good roads that run alongside the A9
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=applecross&am...
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=applecross&am...
Dave,
I've sent you a route.
Here are some videos from the route:
Click to play - Strathcarron to Applecross
Click to play - Applecross to Torridon
I've sent you a route.
Here are some videos from the route:
Click to play - Strathcarron to Applecross
Click to play - Applecross to Torridon
6C4GTS said:
Dave,
I've sent you a route.
Here are some videos from the route:
Click to play - Strathcarron to Applecross
Click to play - Applecross to Torridon
Yep, that's me convinced! The times/distances are a great help too... granted I'm not too worried about keeping an eye on the clock as this is more a leisurely drive rather than a proper mission, but it's handy to know what sort of time is involved between point X and Y. Especially handy given most girls seem to plan their days around which toilet they'll be visiting and when! I've sent you a route.
Here are some videos from the route:
Click to play - Strathcarron to Applecross
Click to play - Applecross to Torridon
Hopefully come the new year I'll get involved in a couple of organised runs but armed with something that at least stands half a chance or keeping up and with the mate riding shotgun instead of her!
Much appreciated
Edited by Davie on Wednesday 5th September 19:04
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