Just got back from a week long, 1600 mile trip round the Scottish Highlands. Loved every minute of it and I'll be going back ASAP. The roads are amazing, everything from long fast sweeping bends through open valleys, to tight technical mountain passes and best of all - virtually empty. 
Day 1: Doncaster to Dumbarton
Plan was to break the journey up by stopping at Dumbarton. Ideal base to get to the Highlands as it cuts out any morning traffic you'd end up in if you'd have stopped in Glasgow.
Tried to avoid long stints of motorway driving so I went for the A168 that runs north pretty much parallel to the A1 for a few junctions. Nice and empty and a good stretch of road imo. It was then on to Ripon to join the A6108 followed by the A684, two nice roads through the Dales. From Hawes I went on to Kirkby Stephen and eventually the M6 to Gretna. By the time we'd got to Gretna, the rain was coming down heavy and I was hoping it wasn't a sign of what we'd end up all week! This continued as we drove on, following the A75 to Dumfries.
At Dumfries we turned on to the A76 following this to Thornhill where we then did the combination of the A702 and B7078. A lot of the route was based on the Highlands thread over on Pistonheads and someone recommended them as a break from the M74. Superb suggestion!
Z4 playing hide and seek:
Followed the B7078 all the way to J8 of the M74 then stuck the sat-nav on for the last 30 odd miles. Glasgow was a bit manic especially considering the roads we'd just been driving on!
Final resting place for the night:
Day 1 total: 290 miles
Tomorrow, Dumbarton to Fort William…
Day 1: Doncaster to Dumbarton
Plan was to break the journey up by stopping at Dumbarton. Ideal base to get to the Highlands as it cuts out any morning traffic you'd end up in if you'd have stopped in Glasgow.
Tried to avoid long stints of motorway driving so I went for the A168 that runs north pretty much parallel to the A1 for a few junctions. Nice and empty and a good stretch of road imo. It was then on to Ripon to join the A6108 followed by the A684, two nice roads through the Dales. From Hawes I went on to Kirkby Stephen and eventually the M6 to Gretna. By the time we'd got to Gretna, the rain was coming down heavy and I was hoping it wasn't a sign of what we'd end up all week! This continued as we drove on, following the A75 to Dumfries.
At Dumfries we turned on to the A76 following this to Thornhill where we then did the combination of the A702 and B7078. A lot of the route was based on the Highlands thread over on Pistonheads and someone recommended them as a break from the M74. Superb suggestion!
Z4 playing hide and seek:
Followed the B7078 all the way to J8 of the M74 then stuck the sat-nav on for the last 30 odd miles. Glasgow was a bit manic especially considering the roads we'd just been driving on!
Final resting place for the night:
Day 1 total: 290 miles
Tomorrow, Dumbarton to Fort William…
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