Scottish Forum Hoons -or lack thereof ! Summer 2014

Steph and I will come up - once there's a date we'll confirm

Craig - I know it's a cheek but any thoughts on that Isle of Sky trip?

:driving: :thumbsup:
 
I have already booked the 29th August and 1st September off as leave just in case Skye happens :D
 
Dunno - looked like that weekend from what people said, but was undecided. I just booked it off anyway whilst my boss was having a weak moment, just in case...
 
Thanks Bing, I just need to make sure I don't organise a meet for that weekend or it will be like the buses, you wait for ages for one to come and then two come along at the same time :lol:
 
Tbh honest I did it just in case as WB has been banging on about Skye for a couple of years - no expectation at all, but I'd hate to miss it because my boss figured out I'm only working 4 days in August anyway :lol:
 
paulgs1000 said:
Steph and I will come up - once there's a date we'll confirm

Craig - I know it's a cheek but any thoughts on that Isle of Sky trip?

:driving: :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Paul, I am still trying to get Raffle prizes in from companies that have so far let me down, for the National and will be on hols in a few days, until next Friday....I am hoping someone will help me/ or I will be helping someone else who has had a hand in Skye meet previously, lol :poke:

But, if the last weekend in August is looking like a goer then we can take it from there??

I have a very busy few months ahead, so will need help with this, as away working for 2weeks early August, so what are the thoughts on Skye??
 
In an idle moment, and worried we'll never get anywhere unless someone starts the ball rolling, I invented a route on Google Maps 8)

Some qualifying statements - I have never been to Skye, and have no idea where we would be staying ; related to this, I have no idea what the roads are like, especially in the half of the route that is after Skye which I guess would be day 2 ; the route is really fecking long, and does do some sections in both directions between Stirling and Fort William (unavoidable ?) ; just to be clear, this is intended for the last weekend in August, over two days.

Here's the link, which I can take down when we start discussing detail by PM... For that we need some names committed though :wink:

https://goo.gl/maps/elX2A

What do you reckon then ?
 
Cheers Bing, route looks a decent starting point - I'd be more inclined to do it over 3 days like Applecross a couple of years ago, drive up on the Friday, bit more relaxed on the Saturday (maybe a run round Skye?) then back south on the Sunday, or Sat/Sun/Mon instead. Otherwise it's back to back long driving days but means an extra day away, not sure if that's OK. I'd probably be heading for the Uig or Ullapool ferry on the final day to spend a few days at home anyway.

I think the road round by Gairloch is pretty good, and the Scottish schools will be back by then so they'll be a bit quieter too. There's the Mallaig - Armadale ferry as an option to avoid duplicating bits of the A82.
 
I had it going via the ferry originally, but you need to book that, right ? Which then adds some time pressure... Though I think it's been used in the past so could work. Gairloch road looks ace - on satellite there's what looks like a great pass road :thumbsup:

I didn't realise Applecross was three days. We'll be travelling up Friday, back south on Monday, with WB starting back at School on the Tuesday. Maybe needs tweaked to be shorter then.
 
Okay, tweaked slightly to avoid Glencoe on the way up, and added Sligachan in as a waypoint. Looks like 293 miles to there, new link below :

https://goo.gl/maps/ECLdp

Need some help from someone like Craig now though, because this is a LOT of driving...
 
The dates are a bit awkward for Steph - she is a teacher and will need to be back in school on the Monday :headbang: :headbang:

If it is possible we will be there for as much as possible, but as you say Bing, a lot of driving if we come back on one long day's driving Sunday. :(
 
Well done Bing - but hey that's a big un !

Happy to comment from 2 Skye forum trips - sadly I can't make your dates as mentioned earlier.

The road from Fort William to Mallaig (the road to the Isles) is wonderful as is the scenery and well worth it - booking the ferry is easy (I accept it does kinda commit people but for a route this long that's maybe a good thing).
I recall an excellent high speed section or two with Bradders for company.

The road is such that it can naturally break up the group into a few smaller groups - there's just one destination so it's not a problem and great fun.

It also means you drive a bit of Skye and some different bits heading back over the bridge. Of course it can be done but on neither of the previous Skye trips have we managed Applecross too - as Andrew says it might be better with another day - there's a great bit of driving to be done from Applecross in a loop with fantastic scenery - maybe check the earlier Skye trip photos.

Really by the time you reach Applecross you're probably knackered and maybe still have to pitch a tent( the singletrack Bealach Na Ba (Pass of the Cattle) is fun but NOT fast and can involve some holding time for oncoming traffic to pass - especially if there's a bunch of you together).

If camping on Skye - Sligachan was fine - just be realistic if you're hoping to BBQ - the midges that time of year will eat more than you will - they can be vicious and can make a dash from car park to pub a painful experience.

Hope this helps a little - I'll take a better look at your route - hope you get some numbers for this. I think we maybe had 10 or so cars for Applecross.

I know you stop short of Ullapool but there's an equally stunning route across country (technically a singletrack but really wide) to north of Inverness - but the route is probably long enough - for comparison our Euro jaunt will be circa 2200 miles in 10 days (from Newcatle) and that will take in at least 4/5 countries !
 
Cheers Jax, some good advice there - I have no problem taking the ferry at all. Tbh I hadn't even noticed we went past Applecross on the route planned. I'd love to do three days, but we're in Malaysia for 2 1/2 weeks, then 5 days at work and off on the Friday to travel up. Not sure I can take the Thursday off too - that probably qualifies as taking the piss. I guess the route needs to not go as far North as it does. Problem is lots of mountains and precious few roads :(

I might ask my boss about that extra day tomorrow... Anyways, you should come Jax - 2,200 miles is for pussies, make it a round 3k :D

Paul - you and Steph could come up to Skye, then head off home a scenic route the next day rather than going on a long drive first :wink:
 
I am going to get this right if it kills me... Still long, but the problem is it's a fecking long way round Skye :lol:

https://goo.gl/maps/l0Ev3

This route does about 250 miles on day 1 via the ferry from Mallaig, then about 210 miles on day 2 using the bridge and going nowhere near as north. Still a couple of loops to keep us on different roads 80% of the time - however it can be shortened by taking one or more of the loops out.
 
Bing, etc...I am more than happy to help someone else put together a meet, can look at routes after the National meet.
I am just back from hols in Crete in the early hours of Saturday morning, and been very busy working on my house since, but I was thinking of a 2-day overnighter taking in Skye and surrounding areas, but will need to look into it.

We will need to get more interest though in Scottish meets, as it appears very few of the Scottish forumites can make any meets in th next few months, so may be a lot of effort for just you, me and Paul n Steph, lol.

Will try and look at some routes as soon as, and good effort with looking into routes :thumbsup:
 
Sounds like a fantastic couple of days, but unfortunately I won't be able to make it either due to work commitments :(
 
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