Scotland trip

[Matay20]

Just booked a week’s worth of hotels in Scotland for a road trip in September.

I have got the basic idea for stays and just need to finalise the routes for stop offs etc.

One thing I’ve seen on here is people advising to take petrol additives for when only E5 is available, can someone advise what that is please and how much I should take? I assume I should also have a couple of full petrol canisters in the boot for emergencies but if anyone could shed some light on petrol station availability in the highlands or any advise I would appreciate it as it’s our first time taking the car on a trip as well as the first time to Scotland.

Basic route will be- 

Edinburgh - Inverness - Ullapool - Strathcarron - Loch Lomond - Edinburgh 

[ZMANALEX]

If Ullapool is the furthest North that you are going then you will have no issues with fuel supplies.

[GranTurismoEra]

From what ive heard the route caters to travellers and petrol stations are in the towns. It is possible youd be driving 150 miles with no petrol station. Extra cannisters for emergencies makes sense. I never trusted these petrol additives but i heard they're good for raising the Octane level when only basic E10 is available

 

petrol stations nc500 - Google Maps

[Matay20]

Thanks, will be a bit more relaxed about the quiet parts knowing there is fuel available at the next town.

Wont be racing around so standard petrol should be ok in between topping up with premium when I can.

[George1966]

I have travelled to Scotland in my 350z  numerous times as my daughter lives in Aberdeenshire and whilst up there travelled about up to places like Banff and Elgin and never had a problem and I have only ever used BP Premium since I bought it over 7 years ago, using the motorways I can get from Northamptonshire to Aberdeen on a full tank so if you filled it up whilst up there you should be absolutely fine.

[Matay20]

👍🏼

[GranTurismoEra]

How was it? When did you go? Im thinking to change dates from End of April to June after kids have gone back to school for final half of third term. So less traffic and better weather?! Also Beginning June is good as you avoid foreign tourists (North American) with kids. Actually June is already summer holidays for some overseas tourists. 

Edited December 14, 2024 by GranTurismoEra

[Matay20]

Great, hotels were hit and miss as out route meant we were in the middle of nowhere most evenings.

 

holiday inn express leith - stop off after 5 hours from Nottingham 

foyers house Loch Ness - waterfall across the road

Caledonian hotel Ullapool- nothing here except a port

rockvilla guest house lochcarron - same here nowhere for evening meals

tullie inn balloch - a bit more here but nothing to shout about.

Holiday inn leith - tram outside the hotel into Edinburgh for £5  and £10 parking. Leith distillery 200m away with a great bar and the owners work.

 

if I go again I will plan day visits and eat where I can as most places are limited so it’s better to eat on the road and just get a b and b for a bed.

 

google routes from Edinburgh to Inverness and pick some places you fancy. Pitlochry was worth a visit, fort William is not as big as I thought. Skye was a good day out as well.

 

I can send the full route if you want and give you a run down on the towns and villages we went though to stop at for coffee etc.

[Andy_Muxlow]

We're going up at the end of may. My wife has sorted the route out with hotels and fuel stops. We're looking forward to this, should be a great road trip.

[Matay20]

Enjoy, fuel was more available than I expected but I did fill up whenever I saw one at 1/2 tank?

 

hopefully the weather will be better for you, worst September I can recall, roof never came down 😩

[GranTurismoEra]

Yeah im doing it clockwise. Its a bucketlist thing. Put it off since before COVID. 

 

London - Edinburgh - Inverness - Applecross (Considered isle of raysaay distillery) - Ullapool - Thurso - Glasgow. John O groats can visit in the late evening or early morning before heading out. The last part is 5 hours to Glasgow but can stop in Inverness for lunch. After overnight in Glasgow i got Lake District (Windermere and the lakes) as a stop point before Manchester for a final rest stop. Then back to London 3.5,hours.... A lot of driving explains why so many said no to doing it lol...

 

Ill take jumper cables, rope, gerican, lots of food and snacks, toiletries...maybe a camping tent as you never know lol. 

 

You can send your route if i have time ill check out Skye and Eilean castle on the way to Ullapool. The following day is a lot of driving to the north east highlands. Will stop off at Durness, Tongue and some beaches along the way if weathers not crap. 

 

 

Edited December 25, 2024 by GranTurismoEra

[Matay20]

Scotland sight seeing tour.pdf

 

The times are expected driving to each place, we found they were accurate as the roads were quiet with very few lorries.

Hagrid's house is a hill where they filmed, there is nothing left there now, not even a sign...

We went to Skye on the Wednesday, well worth a visit. 

There are no signs for the Lochan, you won't be finding any old swords...

You wont need all those supplies, we took snacks and drinks and never touched them

If you see a sign for Waterfalls/Gorge, stop. They are well worth it, we even saw leaping Salmon in the middle of some falls that we couldn't comprehend how they had got that high up!