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Road Trip Scotland - Part II (pic heavy)


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So, after some awesome route tips from the good people of the forum (big thanks to those who chipped in) I took my Zed for a final test drive before the warranty expires. 1,261 miles in 3 days, mainly on B & A roads, just me, the Zed and the Best of Girls Aloud ;-). 28 hours and 48 minutes of driving and a wad of petrol receipts I daren't add up. The good news is the Zed did not miss a beat and returned an astonishing 30mpg thanks to some careful motorway driving to and from Glasgow, with plenty spirited in between via John O Groats. I also learnt a lot about how it feels and prefers a good road surface, and feels slightly scary on a bend with an uneven surface!

 

Couple of shout outs: some girl, from some town I forget the name of, I got chatting to in Inverness (a good little city BTW); the nobhead in the Jaguar Mondeo who kept passing then slowing down on the way back from Glasgow, irritating my cruise control; also some rude boys in an Accord who thought I was a chicken slowing down in a rain storm, only to fly by and realise the Feds were two cars up from me.

 

This was my route, It was all great, but particularly Fort William up to Thurso via Applecross, John O Groats was a bit pony. Glencoe, Trossachs and Loch Ness were simply stunning. The weather up there changes every 20 minutes so it kept me on my toes all the way. Must get new rubber on.

 

There's some fairly gratuitous pic whoring coming up, sorry, I can't help myself....

 

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Loch Lomond, first proper stop for the scenery but I hid it with a dead tree.

 

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Up the road from Loch Long.

 

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I was worried about finding super, so I took a support vehicle.

 

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She doesn't much like wet land, she hates wet sea. Mallaig to Skye ferry.

 

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I made sure she had her own emergency raft though. Pretty sure that Z is for Zed...

 

 

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Massive air intake.

 

 

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Kyle of Lochalsh, Skye bridge in the background (I love bridges)

 

 

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THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!!

 

 

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Applecross peninsula, great drive over, reminds me of growing up in the Lake District.

 

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No Zed here, but I loved this shot.

 

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On the way to Gairloch in a glen.

 

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In the North, somewhere between Durness and Tongue, probably.

 

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A bit arty, but I'm no bufty by the way.

 

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Zed refused to park near the Porsche, outside Tongue.

 

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Glencoe, even with rubs weather this place is incredible.

 

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Loch Katrine, talk about hard to get to!

 

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Really pleased with this one.

 

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If you want beading, Scotland is the place to go.

 

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And some fuel for the driver. When in Rome and all that...

 

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Scotland was awesome, I knew that already, but, the bits north of Fort William were new to me and I loved it. Will have to go back with a proper camera next time and some sunshine. If you've never been up there, go, take more time than me, drive more routes and eat their steak.

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Very nice. We're off up that way in Sept to get some biking and sight seeing in, this makes me want to go now! :teeth:

 

You won't be disappointed, even when there's a bit of rain it just adds to the character. Bit warmer in the Zed than on a bike mind...

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Forgot to say. When planning a road trip, always check tyre pressures, fluid levels and weather forecast before departure. More importantly for more remote routes, always take emergency supplies, just in case.

 

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Great pics, bet you had a great time.

 

Those pics bring back lots of happy memories as we saw many of them on the hoon. Fantastic place, fell in love and will definitely go back, would jump in the car tomorrow if i could.

 

Thanks for sharing.

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great pics,

 

you smoke my old brand

 

i quit at the end of december, been 4 months since i last smoked

 

I keep meaning to quit, used to enjoy it, now it's habit. I always said I'd give up when it ceased to be a pleasure. Tried gum, minging. Tried e-cigs, not impressed. Cold turkey I think.

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i miss it kind of, i used to enjoy it, but decided to go cold turkey, first 2 weeks were hard, but once past that i don;t even really notice now. i got an app on my tablet that told me how much i've saved to date and how many i havent smoked, its a good reminder of why, and it told me how much extra i could now spend on the car :lol:

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great pics,

 

you smoke my old brand

 

i quit at the end of december, been 4 months since i last smoked

 

I keep meaning to quit, used to enjoy it, now it's habit. I always said I'd give up when it ceased to be a pleasure. Tried gum, minging. Tried e-cigs, not impressed. Cold turkey I think.

 

When in scotland you should have gone cold turkey trainspotting style.

 

Brlliant pics mate i need to visit these places!

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Great pics, bet you had a great time.

 

Those pics bring back lots of happy memories as we saw many of them on the hoon. Fantastic place, fell in love and will definitely go back, would jump in the car tomorrow if i could.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Couldn't agree more and glad you took in Applecross and the Trossachs, amongst many of the best driving roads that our island has to offer :thumbs:

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I drove up to Loch Lomond for the GF's birthday last year, just a few weeks before I got the Zed. Amazing place, and we've vowed to go back whenever we can. Will be nice to take the Zed up there.

 

Lovely pictures too, sounds like you had a good trip :)

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Nice photos mate. Brings back memories of my trip. Thought you said this was a pic heavy thread? That's a measly collection :lol:

 

Glad you agree that up to fort William it's great but north of there it just gets better and better. I tell everyone that but no one listens lol

 

The skye bridge is cool

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  • 3 months later...

The A832 you pick up from just south of Ullapool is an awesome road. Just returned from a four day trip visiting my sister who lives in Drumbeg. Don't do much more than pop in for a coffee once I'm there but it's the getting there - and back. I'm on a downer now though after all that exhilarating driving.

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