Touring: Mull of Kintyre, Appin coast and Glen Coe

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st4

Banned
Joined
Mar 1, 2008
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14,373
Location
In the driving seat
Car
C220cdi tourer
Well, its good to be back on familiar turf and still off work for another week I decided a good old grand tour was needed to commemorate the sunshine...or so I thought.

I aimed the shed up Loch Lomond, and wafted up on the NSL and stopped at Arrochar. I got up at 7am so was touring nice and early....

Here is the shed

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The A83 winds its way long here, and then up the rest and bethankful pass which to me is one of the all time great drives.

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The view at the top never sees to amaze me

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From here I gunned it along the A83, past Inverrary to Lochgilphead. This is a great drive, and the run between Inverarray and Lochgilphead is awesome. There is a nice high section which sweeps and turns and you can flick through these swifty hitting your apex's. Care though, there are subtle compressions and chinning your car is possible, well if its lowered and awesome like my car....

From the A83 I took the Carradale turn and headed along the coast, you can see Arran here

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Be careful if you do go down here, whilst the hairpin bends are great, and I think I want an LSD now, as my inside wheel lets go too easily and it would aid a subtle oversteering line through the bends which I like you do need to observe for these fellows

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Fetch the mint sauce. Back to driving, the Carradale road is great for hairpins and an LSD equipped car would be great. Potential C63 owners, don't be cheap, get one fitted, it will aid the fun and enjoyment of your car more than mine, and its something I really want....

This part of the coast must see more wind and rain that most, as the rocks etc are fantastically eroded....

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However, the weather was not what I obtained on the BBC the day before and it was getting a bit gash.

I decided to aim the shed for Mackrahanish. (Spelling is dud but Ciaran can fix that)

Nice beach, but one for a sunny day

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Afterwards, I wished to visit the Mull of Kintyre lighthouse. This involves driving down a pretty rough road, ok for my car, but just. Still the views are ok

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You cannot drive ALL the way to the lighthouse, so you have to park up and walk the rest....

In a way I was glad, as it was like this

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Still, front and rear fog lights are standard on the W211. Remember what I said about all the niceties being standard on these cars, well it holds true then, and it holds true now....anyway, I am a fat oaf and need a walk.

Was the lighthouse worth it

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The bay was

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Cracking stuff and it does pay to get out of your car, and explore. Steep walk, about 1mile there and back, and about 500ft plus of elevation change....

I got back to the car, shoved on some CD's and drove down the side of the coast in which you can see Jura. It was overcast and I don't have a great photo. Still, I can't do all the hard work, some of you need to come and see here for yourselves...

I lunched at Tarbet

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Fish and chips, what else

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Crinan Canal

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Absolutely fantastic...

I drove back to Lochgiphead and headed up to Oban via Loch Melford. What a road. Uphill and downhill hairpins, tight sweepers. For those of you who like Evo Magazine, this is a road for you, for those of you who don't you'll see it as dangerous and under spec'd. But I am an evo sort of person. Because of its tightness and narrowness, it comes alive at legal speeds. My new suspension made it come alive in a way its never come alive to me before, and I hooned along it many times. This is a good road.

Nice little lake here

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I then drove up the Appin coast, dull road, great views, but there is a great loop when you get to the big bridge with a roundabout before and after it....its a real handling circuit and it comes alive at legal speeds. The shed demiloshed it with 368ft/lb torque giving great drive out of bends, the suspension eliminating dive under hard braking, and body roll with a stiffening spring rate as you transfer more weight onto the outside side of the car....

The view speaks for itself...

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From here it was to Castle Stalker, I applogise for the poor images here, I arrived late in the evening and the light was too strong to find a good angle....

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I wondered down to the Pierhouse, thought about a late dinner, and discovered cash wise I had a fiver on me, and I didn't want to spend any more money....

Anyway, right here, right now, can you think of a nice place to be...

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I am struggling....

How about a drive up to the Pap of Glen Coe, how does that sound...

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Looks ace. Thats because it is, this part of Scotland possesses an enchantment and natural beauty that few places in the world can dream of matching....its just a joy to have the honour of getting to see it.

And for the Star of the day

Well....

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And

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Half a tank of fuel for one belting day out....the cars superb comfort meant this was easy, the driving manners meant it was fun, and the engine meant it was cheap

Haste ye back

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Great stuff Steve, but now I'm really worried.

There's a sheep - tell me you didn't take your wellies :eek:.
 
Steve I know that area well there used to be a coal mine at Macrihanish, the mines rescue team used to fly in from Glasgow, tarbet and port appin are spectacular and the roads around there are true driving roads i love the one from the green welly stop to Oban its great fun playing dodge the sheep and deer at speed. Thanks for sharing mate great photo's
 
Great stuff Steve, but now I'm really worried.

There's a sheep - tell me you didn't take your wellies :eek:.

No, the BBQ:thumb:

As an aside, this place needs cheered up with this thread, if I am indeed to be told I am no longer welcome here, well, this is my parting gift to you all.

Remember, driving up here is great, its better than Wales, its better than the Lake district, its better than Yorkshire, heck, its probably better than the Alps and its all right here, only 6 hours up the motorway for you.

So whats stopping all of you, come here, come drive....
 
Steve I know that area well there used to be a coal mine at Macrihanish, the mines rescue team used to fly in from Glasgow, tarbet and port appin are spectacular and the roads around there are true driving roads i love the one from the green welly stop to Oban its great fun playing dodge the sheep and deer at speed. Thanks for sharing mate great photo's

Good man, there are a little like the roads in Fife. It must be said the Mull of Kintyre isn't the most scenic part of the the UK, but all the little roads near Macrihanish, South end, Carradale are great fun roads that you can really drive a car, and immerse yourself in the thrill, magic and joy of driving....

It's days like yesterday that make me justify the abhorrent costs of running the shed, but she really did good yesterday.:thumb:
 
one of my favourite parts of the world. Did you happen to pass through the A82? I love the long straight that you can see miles in front of you. I drove there last year in an E39 523 and it was a great drive, you have to stop every few miles though or you'd crash just taking in the scenery.
 
one of my favourite parts of the world. Did you happen to pass through the A82? I love the long straight that you can see miles in front of you. I drove there last year in an E39 523 and it was a great drive, you have to stop every few miles though or you'd crash just taking in the scenery.

See the last pic Dave.

Sorry, my directions and writing is not the best but at Ballachulish its a straight run down the A82 to Crianlarch, and down Loch Lomond etc. Great drive.

I sometimes think about joining the upgrade the A82 lobby as the stretch between Ardlui and Tarbert is not trunk road material, but its a bit of a scream in a fast capable car.
 
My spelling is properly rubbish, but you get the idea. If you don't take the A82 all is not lost as from Crianlarach, you can drive down the A84 to Kilmahog, take the Dukes pass to Aberfoyle and wind back to Glasgow that way.

I have my own evo triangle, it goes Helensburgh to Inverarry, Inverarry to Dalmally and back to Tyndrum, Tyndrum to Kilmahog, Kilhmahog to Aberfoyle, Aberfoyle to Helensburgh.

Plot these on a map, its a proper drive.
 
Well done another load of great pics, a few weeks ago i was driving up to scotland and was heading off the a74 towards Leadhills Wanlockhead and Sanquhar whilst on this road i did take some pics but looking at them i know they are not as good as yours but then again mine are taken on my phone.
 

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I just love Scotland - pics of my recent rail and boat trip to North South Uist will be uploaded over the weekend.
 
Great report on great roads. I have some fantastic memories of doing a road trip around Scotland following those same roads for the start....I was "exercising" my newly acquired Fiesta XR2!!!

Returned again a few years later to holiday in Oban area, and proposed to my wife overlooking the beach at Port Appin - 21 years ago now!!!
 
Drove over some of those roads in the late eighties (was at the helm of a Saab 900 Turbo at the time).
Nice pictures, even where weather wasn't favourable.
 
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Mercedesmanleeeds nice pics and I know that road it's great fun. The borders gave some great driving routes.

I'd recommend the run down the Mull of Galloway and to see Scotland's mist southerly point at the mull of galloway lighthouse.

The chippy was amazing.
 
Thanks Steve, inspirational as ever.

You're making me (a) hungry with the pic of the fish and chips and (b) planning to get a traditionally-sprung 211 next time so I can do the Bilstein thing.
 
Oh I love that part of the world, nice pics. Hopefully I'll be up that way later this summer, but since my camper isn't designed for going round corners(!), I won't be clipping apexes etc like you were. :D

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I never been to Scotland, but I have always wanted to, now even more so. Great pics makes a bit jealous.
 

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