Planned your 2017 road trip(s)yet?

[MercedesDriver]

After many hours spent on obsessive research of available accommodations along the NC500 we have decided to make it a Destilleries(For Me)/White Sand Beaches(For Her) /Dolphins/Seals/Maybe a Whale (For wee ones) trip to West Highlands. Our base will be Ballachulish, near Fort William and it will be highly appreciated if you guys and gals can share some knowledge of that area.
My research on the trip subjects:
Distilleries:
Ben Nevis
Oban
Caol Ila
Please add to the list...
White sand Beaches:
Isle of Islay Please add...
Now, with Dolphins/Seals/Maybe a Whale I’m struggling to find where to go so the kids (and us) can see it. Seals should be possible to see on Islay but if I don’t find dolphins and whales I’ll be in a trouble. Any pointers with this one please.

 

[del320]

After many hours spent on obsessive research of available accommodations along the NC500 we have decided to make it a Destilleries(For Me)/White Sand Beaches(For Her) /Dolphins/Seals/Maybe a Whale (For wee ones) trip to West Highlands. Our base will be Ballachulish, near Fort William and it will be highly appreciated if you guys and gals can share some knowledge of that area.
My research on the trip subjects:
Distilleries:
Ben Nevis
Oban
Caol Ila
Please add to the list...
White sand Beaches:
Isle of Islay Please add...
Now, with Dolphins/Seals/Maybe a Whale I’m struggling to find where to go so the kids (and us) can see it. Seals should be possible to see on Islay but if I don’t find dolphins and whales I’ll be in a trouble. Any pointers with this one please.

You are falling into the trap of trying to fit in too much without regard as to the logistics of covering so much ground.

You mention Ballachulish as a "base": Just to get to Islay and Caol Ila - without considering ferry timetables - will take over 5 hours, so a day trip there is a non-starter. Visiting the white sands of Morar is at least an hour and a quarter (and you may see sea-life) but two hours via the better scenic route. You will see dolphins at Chanonry Point on the Moray Firth. That's two and a half hours away on the east coast.

Ben Nevis? What do you want to see? A big round hill often obscured by cloud? Or do you propose climbing it? Nearby Fort William is a bit of a dump. It's over two hours just to reach a west coast section of NC500, never mind considering the best 300 miles or so northwards. In my opinion it is better done anti-clockwise.

Oban and surroundings is possibly a better bet and convenient for Mull.

You probably need to look at three different accomodation locations. You can do some, but not it all!

 

[Neiltodd]

After many hours spent on obsessive research of available accommodations along the NC500 we have decided to make it a Destilleries(For Me)/White Sand Beaches(For Her) /Dolphins/Seals/Maybe a Whale (For wee ones) trip to West Highlands. Our base will be Ballachulish, near Fort William and it will be highly appreciated if you guys and gals can share some knowledge of that area.
My research on the trip subjects:
Distilleries:
Ben Nevis
Oban
Caol Ila
Please add to the list...
White sand Beaches:
Isle of Islay Please add...
Now, with Dolphins/Seals/Maybe a Whale I’m struggling to find where to go so the kids (and us) can see it. Seals should be possible to see on Islay but if I don’t find dolphins and whales I’ll be in a trouble. Any pointers with this one please.

Approx 1 hour drive to Oban from Ballahulish so gives you access to sea trips from there for wildlife or a ferry to mull to craignure (takes 1 hour ) or in summer could take the Corran ferry to the other side of Loch linhe and drive to the ferry to Tobermory on Mull (v nice drive a good bit of single track but worth it). Or back to fort William for the Jacobite steam Train to mallaig (Harry Potter train) need to book wellington advance for the steam train.

 

[MercedesDriver]

You are falling into the trap of trying to fit in too much without regard as to the logistics of covering so much ground.

You mention Ballachulish as a "base": Just to get to Islay and Caol Ila - without considering ferry timetables - will take over 5 hours, so a day trip there is a non-starter. Visiting the white sands of Morar is at least an hour and a quarter (and you may see sea-life) but two hours via the better scenic route. You will see dolphins at Chanonry Point on the Moray Firth. That's two and a half hours away on the east coast.

Ben Nevis? What do you want to see? A big round hill often obscured by cloud? Or do you propose climbing it? Nearby Fort William is a bit of a dump. It's over two hours just to reach a west coast section of NC500, never mind considering the best 300 miles or so northwards. In my opinion it is better done anti-clockwise.

Oban and surroundings is possibly a better bet and convenient for Mull.

You probably need to look at three different accomodation locations. You can do some, but not it all!

Thanks. I get it it’s not feasible doing NC500 hence making only a trip to the West Highlands. Two hours drive to Morar is not a problem so it will probably have to suffice the desire for white sands and if get a chance of seeing a sea life that better.
Ben Nevis destillery I wan’t to visit. Don’t care much about rocks.
Oban is on the list so will deffo go there. Thanks for the Mull. It looks much more convenient than Isla.

 

[MercedesDriver]

Approx 1 hour drive to Oban from Ballahulish so gives you access to sea trips from there for wildlife or a ferry to mull to craignure (takes 1 hour ) or in summer could take the Corran ferry to the other side of Loch linhe and drive to the ferry to Tobermory on Mull (v nice drive a good bit of single track but worth it). Or back to fort William for the Jacobite steam Train to mallaig (Harry Potter train) need to book wellington advance for the steam train.

Thanks. Oban->Mull is added to the list.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Thanks. Oban->Mull is added to the list.

Mull is running. Do go to the opposite side of the island, it’s breathtaking.

We spent the whole day on a beach at the south of the island - we watched the postman’s van go one way in the morning, and the opposite way in the afternoon, and not another soul all day. Stunning.

 

[RWD again]

When are you planning to make this trip? I’m about to cancel my north of Scotland holiday, as Scottish government rules at present do not permit travel more than local and no overnight stops.

 

[Neiltodd]

When are you planning to make this trip? I’m about to cancel my north of Scotland holiday, as Scottish government rules at present do not permit travel more than local and no overnight stops.

At the moment Calmac who run the ferries in most of Scotland are being v restrictive on who they will let on a ferry. My father lives on one of the v small Inner Hebrides and is asked why he is leaving the Island before they will let him on every time.

 

[MercedesDriver]

After many hours spent on obsessive research of available accommodations along the NC500 we have decided to make it a Destilleries(For Me)/White Sand Beaches(For Her) /Dolphins/Seals/Maybe a Whale (For wee ones) trip to West Highlands. Our base will be Ballachulish, near Fort William and it will be highly appreciated if you guys and gals can share some knowledge of that area.
My research on the trip subjects:
Distilleries:
Ben Nevis
Oban
Caol Ila
Please add to the list...
White sand Beaches:
Isle of Islay Please add...
Now, with Dolphins/Seals/Maybe a Whale I’m struggling to find where to go so the kids (and us) can see it. Seals should be possible to see on Islay but if I don’t find dolphins and whales I’ll be in a trouble. Any pointers with this one please.

Finally, after 8h drive we came to Scotland and we are in love with it. The landscape is just stunning.

 

[MercedesDriver]

A few more photos from amazing Highlands. I have managed to fulfil 80% of “I want to see...” trip plan list:
1. Visit Ben Nevis distillery. Treated myself with their single malt.
2. See the Whales/Dolphins failed but on a list for a next trip.
3. Visit white sand beach and swim in North Atlantic.
Decided that traveling 6+ hours to the Isle of Mull is a bit of a stretch so went to Camusdarach beach near Morar and boy we didn’t regret it. Absolutely stunning white sand beaches with crystal clear “jewels” crashing water. Definitely the coldest water I went in. Ice cold.
4. Had a lot of walks through amazing forests and valleys.





We are looking forward to seeing more of Scotland in future.

 

[del320]

Lovely photos which show just how variable the weather can be. The 9th and 12th looking over the sands with Eigg and Rhum in the distance show the West coast at its best.

Haste ye back!

 

[MissyD]

Amazing pictures, thanks for sharing

 

[KennyN]

Just back from doing the NC500 , what a week - great weather , great roads , outstanding scenery.

20200814_135150 by Kenny Niven, on Flickr

20200813_173130 by Kenny Niven, on Flickr

20200811_144850 by Kenny Niven, on Flickr

20200810_144143 by Kenny Niven, on Flickr

beach by Kenny Niven, on Flickr

K

 

[AMV]

Stunning photos wow! May make a spur trip as soon as schools go back

 

[KennyN]

Stunning photos wow! May make a spur trip as soon as schools go back

Dont think for one minute it is a "proper" driving holiday it is far from it with only around 30% of the roads that you could let the car stretch its legs due to single track roads , traffic and speed cameras.

Inverness -> Wick - fairly boring due to flat open scenery but still worth seeing due to its ruggedness.

Wick -> Durness - Starting to get interesting with some lovely roads and deserted beaches to stop at , weather permitting.

Durness -> Ullapool - just keeps getting better but some of the single track roads are a bit awkward due to having to use the passing places which could easily damage wheels / tyres as you venture off road.

Ullapool -> Applecross -> stunning - not much more to say.

Applecross -> Inverness -> using the Bealach na Ba was squeaky bum time especially when you can see just 10 feet infront due to low clouds. We did a bit of a diversion through Plockton and to see Eileen Donan Castle which took our weekly mileage to around 1k.


Ideal car for the trip would be something the size of a Fieata with Range Rover offroad capabilities and torque of a tuned OM642 for the hills fitted with 17" wheels wearing 80 profile tyres for the poor quality of some of the roads.

K