Post by alan duncan on May 26, 2012 21:23:16 GMT
I asked what your 3 best driving roads in scotland were, and this is what you sent me back.
Alan
No doubt you have many different roads nominated, most away up in the Highlands, where I have driven a bit myself. Here is one I bet no one has mentioned. I drove it "Drive it Day" 2008 before I met you all in Portpatrick.
The A716 from Stranraer down to Drummore on the East side of the Mull of Galloway. A lovely quiet road, where you might as well be in Co. Down, just across the North Channel. The little rolling hills just the same. Stop as I did, for a coffee in the little fishing village of Dummore and then on down the narrowing B7041 to the most Southerly point in Scotland, the Lighthouse at the Mull itself, with its wonderful views, through almost 180 degrees, behind you to Scotland, left to England and right to Ireland.
Regards
Denis. Belfast
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Hi Alan
The Dukes Pass for me J
Regards
Bill Telford
Tour Director
Classic Car Tours
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Hi Al
Great idea …
3 from me, in no particular order …
1/ closest to home, 14.4km from end to end, best in early evening, or even night time…
The A817 from just south of Luss village, from A82… to the A814 Garelochhead
by-pass, above Faslane base.
Originally built as a ‘construction traffic only’ supply road for the Trident Project
expansion during the mid-80s, designed to handle extremely heavy construction
traffic and opened as a ‘gravel and whin-dust track’, it was eventually adopted, closed
and converted to a standard public road…
A road section with tight bends, wide open straights and blind brows, no road junctions,
but occasional access roads to agricultural land.
Not heavily used outside peak work hours, driven with ‘gusto’ it can be the most
exhilarating and thrilling roads for a good V8… good in both directions, probably
better when travelling from West to East, with the final drop down to Loch Lomond
revealing a great view of the Loch and island chain across it.
2/ the A702 thru the ‘Leadhills’ … From its junction at the A76 near Thornhill, to the
roundabout beside the M74, approx 25 miles thru a cut in the hills…
Again an exhilarating road with drops on one side and steep hills on the other,
specifically the section north of Durisdeer, it’s like the ‘Rest & Be Thankful’, only
3 or 4 times longer.
Again with light traffic, good sight lines, and a rolling landscape that begs you to
open up the throttles and enjoy… …
3/ A832 … bit long winded this one! You have to start at Dingwall, say an overnight
stop after the long trek North… Starting out on the road to Ullapool (A835), nice
enough… Good open road, but then you get to the road junction at Gorstan. Turn left,
signposted for Achnasheen and Kinlochewe, the road starts to open up, its smooth
gently winding, speed goes up, any slow traffic is easily passed. You pass the A890
road end, and travel along the side of Loch a’Chroisgh and into the cut then up into
a ‘col’, gaining the top the views down to Kinlochewe and Loch Maree are stunning…
Downhill run, gentle bends and exhilarating run down to the Glen Torridon road end.
Stop here at the Kinlochewe hotel, excellent coffee and ‘Polish Granny’s’ Cheesecake…
The road continues past Loch Maree to Poolewe ad just keeps going… to Gairloch
And round to Aultbea, Gruinard Bay, back to Loch Broom, before getting to
Corrieshalloch Gorge and rejoins the A835.
Decision time, turn left for Ullapool, or turn right to head back towards Dingwall.
You can just get lost in the thrill of this road … Stunning…
Will that do?
regards
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A D B
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Hi Alan, I know these are all local to me but you have to go a long way to beat:
A85 Tyndrum to Oban
A816 Oban to Lochgilphead (very challenging)
A82 Tyndrum to Ballachulish (via Bridge of Orchy, Rannoch Moor and Glen Coe)
All the best,
Andy.
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Alan,Dalveen Pass,Elvanfoot to Thornhill-----Great!!! Cheers,Bill.
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3) A702 Abington - Edinburgh
2) A712 New Galloway - Newton Stewart
1) Absolutely no question B6357 Canonbie - Jedburgh
Peter Martin
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Alan
No doubt you have many different roads nominated, most away up in the Highlands, where I have driven a bit myself. Here is one I bet no one has mentioned. I drove it "Drive it Day" 2008 before I met you all in Portpatrick.
The A716 from Stranraer down to Drummore on the East side of the Mull of Galloway. A lovely quiet road, where you might as well be in Co. Down, just across the North Channel. The little rolling hills just the same. Stop as I did, for a coffee in the little fishing village of Dummore and then on down the narrowing B7041 to the most Southerly point in Scotland, the Lighthouse at the Mull itself, with its wonderful views, through almost 180 degrees, behind you to Scotland, left to England and right to Ireland.
Regards
Denis. Belfast
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hi Alan
The Dukes Pass for me J
Regards
Bill Telford
Tour Director
Classic Car Tours
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hi Al
Great idea …
3 from me, in no particular order …
1/ closest to home, 14.4km from end to end, best in early evening, or even night time…
The A817 from just south of Luss village, from A82… to the A814 Garelochhead
by-pass, above Faslane base.
Originally built as a ‘construction traffic only’ supply road for the Trident Project
expansion during the mid-80s, designed to handle extremely heavy construction
traffic and opened as a ‘gravel and whin-dust track’, it was eventually adopted, closed
and converted to a standard public road…
A road section with tight bends, wide open straights and blind brows, no road junctions,
but occasional access roads to agricultural land.
Not heavily used outside peak work hours, driven with ‘gusto’ it can be the most
exhilarating and thrilling roads for a good V8… good in both directions, probably
better when travelling from West to East, with the final drop down to Loch Lomond
revealing a great view of the Loch and island chain across it.
2/ the A702 thru the ‘Leadhills’ … From its junction at the A76 near Thornhill, to the
roundabout beside the M74, approx 25 miles thru a cut in the hills…
Again an exhilarating road with drops on one side and steep hills on the other,
specifically the section north of Durisdeer, it’s like the ‘Rest & Be Thankful’, only
3 or 4 times longer.
Again with light traffic, good sight lines, and a rolling landscape that begs you to
open up the throttles and enjoy… …
3/ A832 … bit long winded this one! You have to start at Dingwall, say an overnight
stop after the long trek North… Starting out on the road to Ullapool (A835), nice
enough… Good open road, but then you get to the road junction at Gorstan. Turn left,
signposted for Achnasheen and Kinlochewe, the road starts to open up, its smooth
gently winding, speed goes up, any slow traffic is easily passed. You pass the A890
road end, and travel along the side of Loch a’Chroisgh and into the cut then up into
a ‘col’, gaining the top the views down to Kinlochewe and Loch Maree are stunning…
Downhill run, gentle bends and exhilarating run down to the Glen Torridon road end.
Stop here at the Kinlochewe hotel, excellent coffee and ‘Polish Granny’s’ Cheesecake…
The road continues past Loch Maree to Poolewe ad just keeps going… to Gairloch
And round to Aultbea, Gruinard Bay, back to Loch Broom, before getting to
Corrieshalloch Gorge and rejoins the A835.
Decision time, turn left for Ullapool, or turn right to head back towards Dingwall.
You can just get lost in the thrill of this road … Stunning…
Will that do?
regards
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A D B
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hi Alan, I know these are all local to me but you have to go a long way to beat:
A85 Tyndrum to Oban
A816 Oban to Lochgilphead (very challenging)
A82 Tyndrum to Ballachulish (via Bridge of Orchy, Rannoch Moor and Glen Coe)
All the best,
Andy.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Alan,Dalveen Pass,Elvanfoot to Thornhill-----Great!!! Cheers,Bill.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
3) A702 Abington - Edinburgh
2) A712 New Galloway - Newton Stewart
1) Absolutely no question B6357 Canonbie - Jedburgh
Peter Martin
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX