West of Scotland Trip

[Explosive Newt]

The rental fell through so I did the journey in the Tesla - which actually given the single track roads, dubious overtaking opportunities and occasional mild off roading was not a bad situation to be in. The charging actually worked and I never found myself short of juice with 50kW stations dotted around all sorts of unlikely places.

I started from Wigtown in Galloway, running up the A712 to Clatteringshaws. A fun, windy road with near zero traffic which lets your hair down, but North of Clatteringshaws and becomming the A702 it becomes too narrow, too poorly surfaced and too busy for any entertainment. This is however worth it when you hit Thornhill and the run over to Elvanfoot (also known as the Dalveen pass) is one of my favourite roads of the trip. Fast, open, sweeping and with near zero traffic to trouble you, as well as spectacular views around the Lavern Burn waterfall.

Next stop was Aberfeldy, and a push West from there to Skye. The A827 along Loch Tay wasn’t much fun but West of Loch Leven, things opened up and the scenery became more dramatic, the roads broader and the corners more freely flowing, at least excepting hiker based congestion around Glencoe.




After a jaunt around Skye, the A890 was a revelation. Perhaps not a great driving road, but the scenery was spectacular. Frequently single track with passing places, it winds around hills and cliffs, often just alongside railway line, dips up and down then snicks inland after Strathcarron to follow valley and stream up to Achnasheen. You can easily picture this being the site for a thrilling car chase and drop yourself into it.




The final stretch of note was the Old Military Road down past Lecht Ski Centre. This flew left and right, crested a hill then opened into a proper pass snaking down the mountainside. Thrilling although busy.




Bonus content: ranking of distilleries:
6. MacAllan: weird place that looks like a Bond villain’s lair. Cold and corporate and very expensive.
5. Talisker: lukewarm in levels of friendliness.
4. Annandale: great whisky and friendly people let down by a slightly one note visitor centre
3. Dewars Aberfeldy: friendly place although a bit corporate
2. Blair Atholl: really fun and knowledgeable tour and a magnificent tasting at low cost
1. Glenallachie: great value tour and tasting and brilliant whisky. The only tour I have ever been on where they cracked open empty casks and invited you to smell the contents. Billy Walker himself greeted us.

[Jobbo]

Fabulous. I’ve been meaning to explore Dumfries and Galloway so I’ll find that road whenever I get up there.

My distillery visits were entirely different to yours, but in order (best to worst):
1. Laphroaig: both the most unspoilt feeling yet capable of coping with a couple of coachloads at once, very welcoming, best value merchandise and just generally lovely.

2. Ardbeg: while I’m not a fan of the whisky they’ve done a great job in turning the old buildings and courtyard into a visitor attraction. A bit theme-parkish but well organised and done.

3. Lagavulin: a disappointment when it’s my favourite whisky. The shop/visitor centre was cramped and full of tossers, which led to the staff’s attitudes being less friendly. Pricey tote bag and nosing glass. The whisky is clearly too trendy.

[speedingfine]

Enjoyed this, distillery tours clearly the best way to take in Scotland

[Explosive Newt]

Fabulous. I’ve been meaning to explore Dumfries and Galloway so I’ll find that road whenever I get up there.

My distillery visits were entirely different to yours, but in order (best to worst):
1. Laphroaig: both the most unspoilt feeling yet capable of coping with a couple of coachloads at once, very welcoming, best value merchandise and just generally lovely.

2. Ardbeg: while I’m not a fan of the whisky they’ve done a great job in turning the old buildings and courtyard into a visitor attraction. A bit theme-parkish but well organised and done.

3. Lagavulin: a disappointment when it’s my favourite whisky. The shop/visitor centre was cramped and full of tossers, which led to the staff’s attitudes being less friendly. Pricey tote bag and nosing glass. The whisky is clearly too trendy.

I think my advice would be to loop round some of the Galloway forest park then explore the coast.

If you do find yourself in that region then Bladnoch is a terrific distillery.

[duncs500]

Sounds like a great trip!

[Marv]

Lovely, how many days was your trip in the end?

The gravely lay-by with the quad looks familiar.

I'm gutted that a work project had essentially fucked me over this year, with regards to a trip to Wales or Scotland

[Explosive Newt]

Lovely, how many days was your trip in the end?

The gravely lay-by with the quad looks familiar.

I'm gutted that a work project had essentially fucked me over this year, with regards to a trip to Wales or Scotland

Loch Sgamhain on the A890 near Strathcarron.

The trip started as a carefully planned loop Aberfeldy > Skye > Ullapool > Pitlochry. But when the car rental fell through I added Wigtown, Speyside and a night in Edinburgh (a friend was there for work and I wound up at the Edinburgh Book Festival launch party). I had 2 weeks off work (leave to use up) so I figured there was no harm in spending more time.

Adding in the Cairngorms loop was fun but ultimately a bit of an over reach, and ideally I would have spent more time on the West. I think it’s made the prospect of a 4 day jaunt up there seem more accessible.