OV9

Ascender wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:48 am Holy thread bump Batman...

Was thinking how to get some miles on the Touring as it's a 1500 mile run-in period, so I think we'll go north and do this route in March. Both sets of parents live on the route, so will have a look about how best to break it up and maybe get a hotel at the start and at halfway. Head up from Edinburgh on the Friday, back on the Monday night I think.

The best seafood platter I've had in my entire life (against stiff competition from Indonesia and El Salvador) was at the Kylesku hotel, in case that's useful info

duncs500 wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:41 am Surely you want to run it in before you go to the NC500?

This will be a leisurely pootle, honest...

Gavster wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:42 am

Ascender wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 9:48 am Holy thread bump Batman...

Was thinking how to get some miles on the Touring as it's a 1500 mile run-in period, so I think we'll go north and do this route in March. Both sets of parents live on the route, so will have a look about how best to break it up and maybe get a hotel at the start and at halfway. Head up from Edinburgh on the Friday, back on the Monday night I think.

The best seafood platter I've had in my entire life (against stiff competition from Indonesia and El Salvador) was at the Kylesku hotel, in case that's useful info

That's very useful info! Love a seafood platter....

Its all a bit surreal reading-up about the NC500 when I grew up there and it was the arse-end of nowhere, with nothing to do and I couldn't wait to escape.

Boutique hotels? Seafood platters? Does not compute...

duncs500 wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:41 am Surely you want to run it in before you go to the NC500?

With all of the single lane routes, passing places and bumps, I'd imagine it could be quite frustrating in a fast car anyway.

There was some parts I definitely didn't want to be going any faster on in a VW T6 LWB.

If you like pies - Lochinver Larder

https://maps.app.goo.gl/XaugVXticDV6HQ177

KevH18 wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:23 am

duncs500 wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:41 am Surely you want to run it in before you go to the NC500?

With all of the single lane routes, passing places and bumps, I'd imagine it could be quite frustrating in a fast car anyway.

There was some parts I definitely didn't want to be going any faster on in a VW T6 LWB.

My main memory of the NC500 was incredible scenery, stunning food and awful roads

KevH18 wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:25 am If you like pies - Lochinver Larder

https://maps.app.goo.gl/XaugVXticDV6HQ177

Who doesn't like pies!

Whereas I've been up a couple of times and I enjoyed the roads immensely.

Don't underestimate the amount of time it takes to get around. You might be aiming for somewhere that's 60 or 70 miles away, say for lunch but it can take 2 hours plus to make that distance

I do love the roads up that way, slow moving tourists, locals, tractors sheep and all of that. I learned to drive up there and even with all of that, even on a bad day there's so much enjoyment to be had on twisty stuff at sensible speeds.

Will do a bit of route planning at the weekend.

Gavster wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:41 am

KevH18 wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 11:23 am

duncs500 wrote: Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:41 am Surely you want to run it in before you go to the NC500?

With all of the single lane routes, passing places and bumps, I'd imagine it could be quite frustrating in a fast car anyway.

There was some parts I definitely didn't want to be going any faster on in a VW T6 LWB.

My main memory of the NC500 was incredible scenery, stunning food and awful roads

If you go the right time of the year (out of holiday season) the roads are fucking magic. I found the only place where the roads are really battered is Skye, everywhere else in Scotland actually has pretty decent tarmac IMO...much, much better than in England anyway.

The good thing is being in a pretty fast car in Scotland is you can make progress and have fun when the roads are clear, and other times you can just take in the wonderful scenery.

Marv wrote: Tue Jan 31, 2023 7:14 pm If you go the right time of the year (out of holiday season)

I was hoping to get there over winter but doubt it'll happen
Mind you, decent wintery weather might mean I couldn't get round it anyway

If I get back there, I’d like to take that road that Clarkson et al took - The A835 was it?

F*ck me the roads are busy.

All the time.

In every direction.

Which is great for local businesses etc, but I was genuinely surprised by the amount of traffic and particularly camper vans up that way now. I was mainly on the east coast and on some of the non-NC500 roads, but I can only imagine how bad some of the smaller, narrower roads are.

Road surfaces were ok, but once you're off the main ones, particularly in Caithness, there's some that looks like they've been subject to a sustained carpet bombing campaign. The one out to John O'Groats was in a right state.