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Re: [OM] Scotland question

Subject: Re: [OM] Scotland question
From: "Piers Hemy" <piers@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:51:32 +0100
Mike, as others have pointed out, Google suggests a driving time of ~2 hours
each way, using the main A9 road. I wouldn't argue with that (the main-road
network has been considerably improved in the past 20 years, with three
major bridges having cut some quite involved detours).

BUT

If you stick to the main road, it will be a tedious trip, with not a huge
amount of reward to show for it, as most of the journey is pretty flat, and
the views to be had are of the North Sea.

http://goo.gl/maps/9Cpjy  is a shortcut to a Google-based map which includes
some suggested detours. If you do them all, the estimated round-trip is just
over six  hours - but you can choose not to do some of the longer detours,
of course. Google and/or Wikipedia the names I mention to understand what is
there to see.

Don't miss the B9176 northbound, as it should offer great views of the Kyles
of Sutherland, and will not take much extra time.

Bonar Bridge itself is nothing special, but the road east from there towards
Dornoch is a very pleasant trip through wooded country, and glimpses of the
water too.

Dornoch is worth the short detour, a choice of places to get food (e.g.
Castle Hotel, with good whiskies too), and north of Dornoch a quiet road
leads around the shores of Loch Fleet nature reserve.

The detour avoiding Brora is simply to show an isolated but picturesque
highland glen, if you can afford the time - the same with the detour via
Kinbrace via Strath Halladale (Simon Worby can e in here, if he is reading)

West of Thurso I suggest a stop at Sandside Bay - a great view of the
Dounreay Nuclear Power Station (!) but usually some terrific rollers coming
into the bay (take your surfboard).

South of Thurso are the 5000 year old Camster Cairns*, and just east of
them, on the coast, you might like to see Whaligoe steps*.

Northeast of Golspie is Dunrobin Castle - but it deserves at least a
half-day to itself.

There are distilleries en route at Tain (Glenmorangie) and Brora
(Clynelish), as well as Edderton (Balblair) not far off the route west of
Tain.

A good place to eat well but cheaply is at Storehouse of Foulis, a
self-service café on the main road just before the detour onto B9176. Say
hello to the boss, Quentin, if he's in, you won't miss him, as he is about 6
feet 6 inches (2 meters) tall. He spent several weeks this time last year on
a motorbike expedition to Mongolia.

I suspect that is enough to get you thinking....

When do you plan to be visiting?

Piers

-----Original Message-----
From: piers@xxxxxxxx [mailto:piers.hemy@xxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: 22 April 2013 22:58
To: Olympus Camera Discussion
Subject: Re: [OM] Scotland question

I will reply, but at the end of the week as 1) I am rigt now on a train, and
will be travelling for a xouple of days and 2) my wife has to do the
Inverness-Wick-Inverness run on Thursday, so I will be able to advise. It's
a while since I have done it, but easily doable. And some fine sights if you
know where to leave the main road (or, depending on your map, where to leave
the road!)

Piers

On 22/04/2013, Chris Barker <ftog@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Mike
>
> It looks like a lovely drive, but it might take over 3 hours, as I 
> recall the roads from Inverness.  But Piers is the man to reply as he 
> has probably done the drive, or most of it, quite recently.
>
> On roundabouts give way to traffic coming from the right and turn 
> left.  You don't normally have to stop, as long as you look for 
> traffic as you approach the junction.
>
> Indicate left if you are taking the first exit (turning left), right 
> if you are taking the third exit; once on the roundabout indicate left 
> at the exit before the one you wish to take . . .
>
> . . . not that I'm obsessive about these things, but I cannot bear it 
> when people stop at roundabouts for no reason at all (not one!) :-)
>
> Chris
>
> On 22 Apr 2013, at 22:05, Mike Lazzari <watershed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> How long is the trip from Inverness to Thurso in hours?  Here it 
>> would be about 1:45-2:00. Easy day with photos stops and lunch.
>>
>> Any must see places along the way.
>>
>> Recommended alternate routes?
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Oh yeah, Which way around the roundabouts? This could be a problem 
>> for dyslexics ;)
>> --
>
> --
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