Requesting advice from our Scottish members :-

[Rayny]

This is the year that I intend to do my Scottish tour but I have two options.

Option 1) I have always wanted to visit Islay (Think Laphroaig), the choice is flying up from Southampton to Islay for 2 days. or driving up from Hastings and travelling over from Kennacraig on Calmac Ferries for a day on the island.

Option 2) Driving up from Hastings to Speyside and touring some of local distilleries, for this I would allow a 5/6 day holiday sometime during late June or early July.

Any advice (other than buy a V8 AMG) would be appreciated.

My favourite malts are Laphroaig and Aberlour. if this helps.

For what it is worth I did get up to Scotland about 20 yrs ago in an old Ford Escort but was stuck in Stirling for 3 days whilst it was being repaired. I did enjoy my time in Stirling but am looking to get further north this time.

 

[moonloops]

Just drive, oh and try to visit the Talisker Distillery on Skye for a good malt also

Stirling and the surrounding area is nice but nothing beats the highlands and islands.

 

[LTD]

I would look at option 2.

Islay is beautiful and has a few fantastic distilleries but it's a one shot trip. Blink and it's a memory.

Drive up and visit a few distilleries on your trip through the glens.

West of Glasgow you have Glengoyne
Pitlochry offers Blair Atholl, Aberfeldy and Edradour
Crieff has Glenturret
The Spey Valley gives you good tours at Glen Grant, Glenfiddich, Aberlour, Macallan

Can you tell I am a bit of a whisky nut ?????

 

[Druk]

The Spey Valley gives you good tours at Glen Grant, Glenfiddich, Aberlour, Macallan

Can you tell I am a bit of a whisky nut ?????

But that stuff is all DxAGxO or Dxstxllers mouthwash. Stop off at GlenFarclas, also on Speyside and you'll never look anywhere else. Ever.

 

[del320]

I have always wanted to visit Islay (Think Laphroaig), the choice is flying up from Southampton to Islay for 2 days. or driving up from Hastings and travelling over from Kennacraig on Calmac Ferries for a day on the island.

Non-starter:- ferries presently run between Kennacraig and Port Askaig only. It's a two hour crossing and if you caught the first ferry at 9am you'd have little more than six hours until the last return ferry.

However Islay is certainly worth 3-4 days particularly if you take in Jura as well. (ten minute ferry crossing from Port Askaig). Most distilleries are open to the public and there is much else to see and do. Some great B&Bs but midges can be hellish May to September!

 

[Ted]

What Moonloops says.

Talisker runs Laphroaig a very close second imho.

A visit to Skye and the distillery is well recommended.

 

[Londonscottish]

+ 1. Go Skye. Breathtaking scenery and roads all the way up the west coast and back.

And no you don't need a V8. Last time I did these roads I was in an Astra hire car and still loved the drive.

 

[Rayny]

Thanks folks,

Many thanks for reminding me of Talisker -

The plan is now taking shape -
Day One - drive up to the borders or a little bit further up.
Arrive sometime during day two at Talisker - Presumably the drive along the A87 would be more interesting than taking a ferry from Mallag ?

From there would it be more interesting/easier to find accommodation/petrol going on the north side of Loch Ness to Aberdeen - A87 and A887 and A82.
Or drive back down to pick up the A96/A9/A95 to Grantown on Spey?

Please note that I do not walk too well, so will not be stopping for too long to enjoy any long walks.

 

[Chrishazle]

Give Aberdeen a miss - they call it the granite city 'cos it's grey - and on an overcast or wet day it's even more depressing! Also be careful on the main road south from Aberdeen - reknowned for traffic cops and nasty accidents.

 

[del320]

^+1 - Aberdeen's a dump.

 

[st4]

Agreed, speyside is about as far east as you want to head. Braemar and the drive down the devils elbow is fun...

Did that 2 weeks back...

 

[Druk]

Presumably the drive along the A87 would be more interesting than taking a ferry from Mallag ?

From there would it be more interesting/easier to find accommodation/petrol going on the north side of Loch Ness to Aberdeen - A87 and A887 and A82.
Or drive back down to pick up the A96/A9/A95 to Grantown on Spey?

Please note that I do not walk too well, so will not be stopping for too long to enjoy any long walks.

Definately go the A87. Much better than retracing your steps via the Mallaig ferry. GlenShiel and the Five Sisters is hard to beat on a good day. Dont plan on spending any time in Inverness. Bit of a dump imho. What's your accomodation budget like? Divert via A831 at Urquhart and stop at the Bunchrew Hotel for a treat.

Bunchrew House Hotel, Inverness

From there it's a short hop to the A938 at Carrbridge and thence to Speyside. Please dont miss the GlenFarclas distillery, one of the last private owned and worth a visit.

http://www.glenfarclas.co.uk/en/ http://www.scotchwhisky.net/distilleries/glenfarclas.htm

Also Dufftown has a cooperage with an excellent visitor center where you watch the casks being re-cond from a gallery above the action. Fascinating.

Speyside Cooperage

To do the full gamut you should endeavour to stop at GlenKinchie just south of Edinburgh on your way back home. (Although owned by Diageo) it's a nice soft lowland malt and has a good visitor tour.

http://www.scotchwhisky.net/distilleries/glenkinchie.htm



.

 

[del320]

And if you are thinking of staying around Dufftown, this B&B is superb. Ian cooks a delicious dinner.

 

[Dryce]

Or drive back down to pick up the A96/A9/A95 to Grantown on Spey?

Dufftown and surrounding area full of these Speyside factories that make the water of life.

The cooperage already mentioned (at Craigellachie).

And you can pick up some Cardhu (difficult to get in the UK) direct from the distillery shop. Cardhu distillery is not far from Macallan.

From Dufftown you can head towards Tomintoul and then turn off down and pass over the Lecht towards Braemar and down the A93 to Perth.

Be careful on the A93 - there's a section which has a lot of humps, kinks and dips that can catch you out if you push it so keep an eye on the warning signs.

 

[Rayny]

Steve (***), Thanks, you are in part to blame for this trip - seeing some of your pictures on this forum have made me decide to get off my rear-eand and actually go for a holiday this year.

Druk - Bunchrew Hotel will be a little above my needs and price range - but thanks for the post, the GlenKinchie distillery could well be a stop on the way home.

Dryce - Many thanks for mentioning Cardhu - That looks like the area to stop for lunch on day 3. Also thanks for the warning about the A93.

Del320 - Thanks for the link to Castleview - It looks like the right area (close to Aberlour) to stop for nights 3 and 4 before driving back down through Braemar on the way home.

Time to sit down and calculate petrol costs and how many pennies I will be able to spend on liquid souvenirs.

Are petrol stations readily available, or should I always ensure that I have at least a hundred miles worth in the tank ?

 

[A140driver]

Generally petrol is easy enough to find, though it's better to fill up on the mainland if you can in some cases, as fuel prices are extortionate on many of the Western Isles. I can highly recommend Skye as an Island. I've been there several times, and the scenery is wonderful.
If you're interested in distilleries, you can also visit the most Southerly one in the UK, which is called Bladnoch, near the book town of Wigtown, in Dumfries and Galloway. With a bit of a detour, you'd be able to pop in on your way home.

 

[del320]

Druk - Bunchrew Hotel will be a little above my needs and price range - (Typical Druk - he's a plutocrat) but thanks for the post, the GlenKinchie distillery could well be a stop on the way home.

Dryce - Many thanks for mentioning Cardhu - That looks like the area to stop for lunch on day 3. Also thanks for the warning about the A93.

Del320 - Thanks for the link to Castleview - It looks like the right area (close to Aberlour) to stop for nights 3 and 4 before driving back down through Braemar on the way home. (Check Tripadvisor link - 7th review p1)

Time to sit down and calculate petrol costs and how many pennies I will be able to spend on liquid souvenirs.

Are petrol stations readily available, or should I always ensure that I have at least a hundred miles worth in the tank ? (In essence, YES. You can easily be more than 50 miles from a pump and west of the Great Glen, many can be closed on a Sunday)

We're here to help!

 

[Ted]

If you can, don't miss out on the 'Road to the Isles' - the road to Mallaig.
Although it is now well travelled, and there are a lot of tourists, It boasts (imho) some of the finest views in Scotland, particularly through Glenfinnan. The sands at Morar are also well worth a stop on a fine day.
On the other hand the five sisters of Kintail are such whores, beckoning me every time I visit that area. Best seen on the road to/from Glenelg - dont forget to visit the brochs (sp?)

And while tou're up that way, a jaunt over the Bealach na Ba is always well worth the drive. Much safer these days since the armco was put up, but a breathtaking drive nonetheless.

 

[Dryce]

If you can, don't miss out on the 'Road to the Isles' - the road to Mallaig.

Time it right during the Summer and you can catch the Jacobite going over the swing bridge at Neptune's Staircase/Banavie about 1030 the Glenfinnan viaduct (around 1100) - or further up the line at one of the other scenic points. Week days from mid May to late October and weekends as well July and August.

 

[Ted]

Time it right during the Summer and you can catch the Jacobite going over the swing bridge at Neptune's Staircase/Banavie about 1030 the Glenfinnan viaduct (around 1100) - or further up the line at one of the other scenic points. Week days from mid May to late October and weekends as well July and August.

Does the steam train still take that route?
I remember seeing it many years ago puffing over the viaduct - a magnificent sight!

Edit: A quick google search confirms it still does!!