A short road trip to Scotland - advice needed!

The A83 is one of my favourite roads up to Lochgilphead. After that it is easier to get stuck behind lorries, caravans etc on the way down the Kintyre peninsula. The road isn't too narrow, it is normal two way and reasonably wide at parts. However I don't think I have driven that road once in the last 20 years and not seen a Police car tucked behind a hedge or a scamera van located at the end of some of the most inviting straight bits of road. The 5 miles after Rest and Be Thankful is probably the worst part - and they can be anywhere - they have carved out nice parking spots behind huge rocks etc so you never know. However there are always opportunities.

The A82 is no longer what it was about 30/35 years ago. Back then the road up the side of Loch Lomond was a really testing twisty and it is now largely a straight road with lots of traffic and tucked away in hiding spots you will find the motorcycle cops on the sunny days. One past Tarbet at the top of Loch Lomond it gets back to its old self and is a decent road as long as it isn't too busy. It then opens up a bit up to Crainlarich. Between Crainlarich and Tyndrum is fast and sweeping with a regular Police attendance as a result. However the drive up through Glencoe is spectacular. We used to go skiing at Glencoe every weekend we could in winter so I know the road well. My best time from Fort William to Helensburgh, when Loch Lomond side used to be twisty was exactly 90 minutes in my Karmann Ghia. I'll let you do the maths!! From Tyndrum to Ballachulish the road is pretty wide and straight and huge speeds are possible but so are the possibilities of getting caught. I have a client in Fort William I go up to see at least once a year and there is some Police presence somewhere every time. However if you want to enjoy the scenery it is a wonderful place. Fort William up to Inverness is also a good road but caravans can be an issue as can the inability to overtake syndrome which means if you are at the back of a 10 car train it is better to relax, sit back and enjoy the ride.

Another option to consider is to turn right at Crainlarich and to take the A85 to Killin. You can then take the A827 up the side of Loch Tay, through Kenmore and Aberfeldy and then on to the A9 for the average speed camera restricted trip up to Inverness. The A827 is narrowish but good fun and being a bit more out of the way it is "normally" a bit quieter for Police action.

I have never done anything other than stick to the M74 between Carlisle and Glasgow. The alternatives are all miles slower although I have driven a lot of the A76 between Dumfries and Kilmarnock and it is a decent road but will add well over an hour to your journey and even more if the M77 in to Glasgow is busy (which it is between 7am and 10am and again between 4pm and 7pm)

I have a meeting to go to so have to cut this short but would be happy to meet up if possible. Make sure you get some Avon Skin So Soft to keep the midges away.

I haven't much to add to John's comments, other than to say I live just outside Cumbernauld!! 

We're just back from the far North, and some of the roads up there are lovely drives; sadly, all too many are (narrow) single trackers, with increasing numbers of badly-driven motorhomes on the NC500 stretches and surrounding roads. In fact, a friend of mine did the route last week on his Honda Blackbird, and although he puled in well to the side of a passing place, the Belgian driver of one of these rented behemoths knocked him and his Mrs off when he clipped a pannier! Luckily they were both OK, and no major damage to the bike. 

All I'll add really is to try and stay well away from Callander, and probably Aberfoyle as well. Both of them have very narrow "main" roads, and will be totally rammed with visitors this time of year. A bit like Cornwall with midgies! The upside to Aberfoyle is the trails round Loch Ard, or Braeval just before Aberfoyle if you're feeling particularly fit! 

It'd be great to meet up and finally put a face to the name so to speak, though I'm in Glasgow til 5pm at work .. .. and I don't have the same potential flexibility as John! 

I must admit, I haven't been up the A83 for a few years now, but form memory it always was a pretty decent and enjoyable (spirited!) drive - in the right car! In terms of speed moderation, by the sound of it the Boxster would be best for that - and keeping your licence! Although, I must add that on my own recent travels (much further North, granted) I saw a total of 3 police cars, and no scamera vans! 

I forgot about your hotel question. We cut our (pre-booked) hotel stay short by a night, and found it very difficult to source a single nights stay at a sensible price (<£200) for two plus dog anywhere near Inverness. I have no doubt it was the dog that caused most of the issue, which I'm aware isn't an issue for you. However, it does seem that hotel beds are few and far between at this time of year for ad hoc bookings.

If you're passing Montrose.... I'd say make sure you call in and visit the town, ideally via the Montrose Basin. I can recommend a good Chinese restaurant there (if it's still open) and I believe that Montrose has the widest High Street in the UK.  There is also the Air Station musem and the town museum.

The worst bit may be the drive to Scotland; I'm just back from a 3-day work trip to the Halifax area and the motorway network is plagues by extensive 50mph zones as more emergency lay-bys are built on the "smart" sections..... many tens of miles of cones and no sign of any actual work taking place.

The touring Scotland part sounds good it's the driving there from Southern England that's the utter ball ache in this plan of yours. Last time I drove all the way there from Sussex was during that weird covid period when they allowed us back to travelling outside the local area for work but still advised against public transport so my company wouldn't fly me there.

Last year I was working for NATS down in Prestwick and the surrounding area for a few days so had a hire car. The Ayrshire coast was extremely scenic as were the roads through the mountains between the coast and the M74. I was doing some work in the radar stations up there so got some great views. It's probably a lot less busy than the Highlands at this time of year too. I was there in July last year and it was mostly deserted (and I never saw any cops either!)

Right. As someone who is subject to mosquito onslaughts I use a bio product used by my late FiL for hunting in the forest. I shall try this Avon SsS and report back in September after a summer away.

Nothing’s been as good since they took DDT out!😀😀

Those are my old stomping grounds. If you intend to cycle from Arrochar down to Kilcreggan and back again, the hill at Whistlefield is pretty steep on both sides and the road from Arrochar to Finnart (the old oil terminal) is full of corners and humps. It isn't the widest of roads but it's 2 way. When you get to the top of the hill at Whistlefield you have a couple of choices at the first roundabout you come to. You can go straight on and down to Garelochhead where you then turn right and cycle along the Gareloch shore road to Kilcreggan or you can turn right and take the road built to take the nuclear warheads down to the base at Coulport: you would then turn left at the bottom of the hill and head along the shore road on the Loch Long side to Kilcreggan. You can either come back the way you went or just go right round the peninsula and back the other way.

For inspiration you might like to watch a few YouTube videos from these channels, they have a fair bit of content from travelling around Scotland:

youtube.com/@steve-marsh?si=EaH6mC7gQWic2XQq


youtube.com/@ruthaisling?si=5ixmLMhHE7l-szDL

You could, alternatively, fly to Glasgow and rent a car but it's probably cheaper nad more convenient to drive from home. Lovely scenery but not easy to get to

My route is finalised now, and the bike in a bag in the back of the car (always a handy thing with 4 doors). As per the pic, I'm at the Hilton in Cumbernauld tomorrow night with work, then weds after the (decarbonising transport) event we're holding with a local dealer, I head to Arrochar. Then to Maillaig, initially via Lochgilphead so I can take the A816 up the west coast, supposed to be twisty and quiet. Maillaig seems to be near beautiful sandy beaches so will try to get some photos and cycling in there, before cross country to Inverness and dinner with our sales director there. Hopefully Park Run there Saturday morning, before driving back via the Cairngorms Sunday (I may get a cheeky hike in if I can find something easy and scenic) to a hotel near Penrith, for the final drive back home Sunday. 

Its a lot of miles, but that's kind of the point. I'll stop reglarly and check what the satnav is up to (TomTom seems to have issues with the initial west coast part, suggesting ferries when in fact it all seems to be bridges), and hopefully have some decent scenery for photos. It's also not cheap booking hotels for single occupancy, but I could always put off things like this forever so just booked it! I'm taking the second DSLR as well, the one I use for video, and the in-car mounts but I'm not sure I can be bothered to record any video, compared to stills its a load of hassle and no-one will watch it anyway. 

Single-occupancy hotel room rates are really annoying ! For the very few places that now include breakfast, you rarely get a reduction on the price if there's only 1 of you and hence only consume one breakfast, not the two that are priced into the rate. I'm hopefully off to Berlin again in October and I've managed to book an aparthotel so I can save on breakfast costs; it's a long time since I've been to Inverness

Have fun! It's a lovely part of the world