Scotland 2018 Planning

[Denali]

Thanks and good to know. They bring a plate of raw cuts to your table?

Ive been eyeing off the mini beef wellington on the menu.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Thanks and good to know. They bring a plate of raw cuts to your table?

Ive been eyeing off the mini beef wellington on the menu.

Yes they bring the meat styles for you to choose if you ask. (Different cuts to Oz beef)

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Well the Scottish portions of our 10 week trip is now all sorted in terms of route, transport and accommodation. Just minor details like which distillery etc to visit, and which of the many, many castles which one do we actually visit!

Fly into Inverness on 25th April and then car

1 Kishorn (Begin North Coast 500 Route)
2 Poolewe
3 Ullapool
4 Clashnessie
5 Scourie
6 Rhiconich - (Visit the Isle of Handa for some hiking via the Handa Ferry <which is a very grandiose name for what is actually a zodiac! )
7 Tongue
8 Wick
9 Tomintoul (Complete North Coast 500 Route in the morning, visit Glenlivet Distillery in late afternoon, before more whisky tasting at our well stocked Pub that night)
10 Dalmunzie Castle Hotel ( Drive through the Cairngorms National Park on the Old Military Road < reputed to be the most scenic drive in the UK>, Balmoral Castle )
11 Arrive in Edinburgh and drop of car - Fraser Suites Edinburgh Hotel
12 Edinburgh
13 Edinburgh
Fly to Shannon Ireland

With the above we have mainly tried to at stay places that are walking distance to a pub/restaurant or where the accommodation has good food in itself. We have mixed it around a lot with two pubs and mainly B&Bs. some are in rural settings and most in smaller villages. Dalmuzie Castle is a bit of a treat and we will be dining and dining in-house

By ship, depart from Isle of Man (originate from Dublin) and then daytime loactions are:

1 On 21st May arrive at Iona and Lunga
2 Oban and Mallaig (Fort William Train)
3 Portree , Isle of Skye
4 Isle of St Kilda
5 Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
6 Lerwick, Shetland Islands
7 Noss and Fair Isle
8 Aberdeen
9 Eyemouth
and then continue on for 2 more nights off the English Coast before mooring just near the London Tower Bridge, Thames River, for the last 2 nights.


One slightly amusing part in researching accommodation for the Old Military Road segment was that I looked at the small village of Ballater, which for Scotland was pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and was surprised at the relatively high expense of most of the accommodation options there. Then on looking at Google Maps I discovered why, Balmoral Castle was just down the road!

 

[TheRealTMA]

Well the Scottish portions of our 10 week trip is now all sorted in terms of route, transport and accommodation. Just minor details like which distillery etc to visit, and which of the many, many castles which one do we actually visit!

Fly into Inverness on 25th April and then car

1 Kishorn (Begin North Coast 500 Route)
2 Poolewe
3 Ullapool
4 Clashnessie
5 Scourie
6 Rhiconich - (Visit the Isle of Handa for some hiking via the Handa Ferry <which is a very grandiose name for what is actually a zodiac! )
7 Tongue
8 Wick
9 Tomintoul (Complete North Coast 500 Route, visit Glenlivet Distillery)
10 Dalmunzie Castle Hotel ( Drive through the Cairngorms National Park on the Old Military Road < reputed to be the most scenic drive in the UK>, Balmoral Castle )
11 Arrive in Edinburgh and drop of car - Fraser Suites Edinburgh Hotel
12 Edinburgh
13 Edinburgh
Fly to Shannon Ireland

With the above we have mainly tried to at stay places that are walking distance to a pub/restaurant or where the accommodation has good food in itself. We have mixed it around a lot with two pubs and mainly B&Bs. some are in rural settings and most in smaller villages. Dalmuzie Castle is a bit of a treat and we will be dining and dining in-house

By ship, depart from Isle of Man (originate from Dublin) and then daytime loactions are:

1 On 21st May arrive at Iona and Lunga
2 Oban and Mallaig (Fort William Train)
3 Portree , Isle of Skye
4 Isle of St Kilda
5 Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
6 Lerwick, Shetland Islands
7 Noss and Fair Isle
8 Aberdeen
9 Eyemouth
and then continue on for 2 more nights off the English Coast before mooring just near the London Tower Bridge, Thames River, for the last 2 nights.


One slightly amusing part in researching accommodation for the Old Military Road segment was that I looked at the small village of Ballater, which for Scotland was pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and was surprised at the relatively high expense of most of the accommodation options there. Then on looking at Google Maps I discovered why, Balmoral Castle was just down the road!

You’ve missed out The Torridon Resort : Luxury Hotel and Inn Scotland

Really enjoyed this place and the drive over Bealach na Bà!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

You’ve missed out The Torridon Resort : Luxury Hotel and Inn Scotland

Yes there are many great places to stay. We are happy with our choices though and have deliberately chosen a range of different types of places, and different budgets from the ultra -expensive Silver Cloud Expedition on down to homely B&Bs and pubs.

We are also hikers and so where we are staying takes also into account not just the NC500 driving, but also various walks that we may do subject to the weather playing nice on the day that we are there. Hence for example the Zodiac trip out to Isle of Handa and as that will take most of that day our accommodations for the nights prior and after had to be near by. Though having said that we have often hiked in below zero conditions and so it would mainly take a very heavy rain day to prevent that.

At that stage of our trip we would only be crashing the The Torridon as our days either side will be quite full, and given the nightly tariff that would be a bit extravagant for such a use for us.

Whereas when we will be at Dalmunzie Castle Hotel we will have the late afternoon, and next morning there for walks etc and so will be able to enjoy the accommodation more.

Really enjoyed this place and the drive over Bealach na Bà!

Yes the Bealach na Bà! is on our route.

We stay at the Old School House in Kishorn and then will drive the Bealach na Bà after breakfast.

The Old School House on Lock Kishorn

 

[jase05]

I’m very interested to hear how your travels pan out as we will be in Scotland in August. The military tattoo is on my wife’s bucket list and I’ve never been further North than Inverness but my wife’s grandmother was from John O’Groats so we are keen to drive up there and look around for a few days so keen to hear what accomodation and scenery you encounter up there

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I but my wife’s grandmother was from John O’Groats so we are keen to drive up there and look around for a few days so keen to hear what accomodation and scenery you encounter up there

This is my first trip up that way. We were originally planning to stay in the vicinity of John O’Groats, but after assessing options near there which were mainly disappointing, we decided to stay in Wick instead.

Wick as we have a dockside setting will contrast with our other NC500 stays which are mainly more rural or small village in settings and with a population of 7000 will also be the largest place we stay for the NC500, So after a days driving and walking, for an old yachtie like myself it will be interest to amble about the area.

We found a surprisingly cheap, but quite nice, 200m2 one bedroom house via Booking.com right on the docks (6 Harbour Quay, Wick, KW1 5EN) and with several restaurants and pubs just a short walk away and so it for me ticks a lot of location, location, location boxes.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Yes the Bealach na Bà! is on our route.

We stay at the Old School House in Kishorn and then will drive the Bealach na Bà after breakfast.

May the Scottish rain, fog and cloud Gods treat you kindly.

Btw: The Torridon Hotel has one of the biggest (some 350 plus) single malt collections in Scotland available in the bar.

 

[Denali]

Well the Scottish portions of our 10 week trip is now all sorted in terms of route, transport and accommodation. Just minor details like which distillery etc to visit, and which of the many, many castles which one do we actually visit!

Fly into Inverness on 25th April and then car

1 Kishorn (Begin North Coast 500 Route)
2 Poolewe
3 Ullapool
4 Clashnessie
5 Scourie
6 Rhiconich - (Visit the Isle of Handa for some hiking via the Handa Ferry <which is a very grandiose name for what is actually a zodiac! )
7 Tongue
8 Wick
9 Tomintoul (Complete North Coast 500 Route, visit Glenlivet Distillery)
10 Dalmunzie Castle Hotel ( Drive through the Cairngorms National Park on the Old Military Road < reputed to be the most scenic drive in the UK>, Balmoral Castle )
11 Arrive in Edinburgh and drop of car - Fraser Suites Edinburgh Hotel
12 Edinburgh
13 Edinburgh
Fly to Shannon Ireland

With the above we have mainly tried to at stay places that are walking distance to a pub/restaurant or where the accommodation has good food in itself. We have mixed it around a lot with two pubs and mainly B&Bs. some are in rural settings and most in smaller villages. Dalmuzie Castle is a bit of a treat and we will be dining and dining in-house

By ship, depart from Isle of Man (originate from Dublin) and then daytime loactions are:

1 On 21st May arrive at Iona and Lunga
2 Oban and Mallaig (Fort William Train)
3 Portree , Isle of Skye
4 Isle of St Kilda
5 Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
6 Lerwick, Shetland Islands
7 Noss and Fair Isle
8 Aberdeen
9 Eyemouth
and then continue on for 2 more nights off the English Coast before mooring just near the London Tower Bridge, Thames River, for the last 2 nights.


One slightly amusing part in researching accommodation for the Old Military Road segment was that I looked at the small village of Ballater, which for Scotland was pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and was surprised at the relatively high expense of most of the accommodation options there. Then on looking at Google Maps I discovered why, Balmoral Castle was just down the road!

Nice, lots of ideas for me to google as I have the route/general vicinity decided but youve given me places to google.

One of our problems is, as I discovered over Christmas, is we're not "wanderers" on a road trip. We generally have point A to B and no spur of the moment changes in between so as Ive said to hubby, we have to learn to say lets go down there and have a look, lets see where that way takes us.

 

[Pushka]

You started this thread 1 year and 1 week ago Denali. Now it’s almost time.

 

[Denali]

And it all started with a, "I'll like to see castles" and a map.

Only thing to book now is the car hire but patiently waiting for the price to drop.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

May the Scottish rain, fog and cloud Gods treat you kindly.

Btw: The Torridon Hotel has one of the biggest (some 350 plus) single malt collections in Scotland available in the bar.

I am not normally a big whisky drinker, but When in Scotland, so yes we are building in some tasting. After stopping at the Glenlivet Distillery for a tour, we are staying at the Richmond Arms in part as they have a good Whisky Menu: Tel : 01807 580388 - Whisky Menu and LOL we can sleep in the next morning if we wish

Plus of course on the Silver Cloud it is 24/7 free alcohol including a Butler who will bring us anything the ship stocks There are also some distilleries to visit, such as the Highland Park Distillery, in the Orkneys, where it is a tasting of whiskys 12, 15, 18 and 25 years of age I will toss up on the day whether to do them, or one of the other options to go hiking etc (all scheduled activities are also free).

 

[VPS]

I loved my time in Scotland and already planning a return visit to finish the bits of the NC500 I didn't get to.

Also planning to stay here Auld Post Office B&B with Gin Tasting next time.

One day I drove from Strathcarron to Applecross and then up the coast to Fearnmore then to Shieldag. The coast road was one of the most beautiful bits of scenery I've ever seen.

If you stop in Applecross there's an icecream van on the foreshore - says they are the best in the world and they were superb.

Have a wonderful time and enjoy. I might even finish my TR once I've finished this contract.

 

[VPS]

I’m very interested to hear how your travels pan out as we will be in Scotland in August. The military tattoo is on my wife’s bucket list and I’ve never been further North than Inverness but my wife’s grandmother was from John O’Groats so we are keen to drive up there and look around for a few days so keen to hear what accomodation and scenery you encounter up there

Can recommends Stacks coffee house/bistro at John o Groats and enjoyed a visit to the Castle of Mey. I did a day trip to the Orkneys which I really enjoyed

 

[Denali]

Signed up for Kyloe Steakhouse emails and got 20% discount voucher a few hours later, must be used within 8 weeks. Will unsubscribe after the trip but worth signing up for if steak is your thing, which it is for hubby. especially as its across the road from the Waldorf.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

If you stop in Applecross there's an icecream van on the foreshore - says they are the best in the world and they were superb.

.

That would be this one I presume...
Ice cream to die for - Applecross Inn-Side-Out, Applecross Traveller Reviews - TripAdvisor

 

[VPS]

That would be this one I presume...
Ice cream to die for - Applecross Inn-Side-Out, Applecross Traveller Reviews - TripAdvisor

It is indeed - apricot and almond went down a treat

 

[jase05]

Can recommends Stacks coffee house/bistro at John o Groats and enjoyed a visit to the Castle of Mey. I did a day trip to the Orkneys which I really enjoyed

Any recommendations for accommodation up the top?

 

[VPS]

Any recommendations for accommodation up the top?

Will go through my diary and let you know - Won't be for a week or two - are you in a rush? I can give you lots of places not to stay!!

 

[jase05]

Will go through my diary and let you know - Won't be for a week or two - are you in a rush? I can give you lots of places not to stay!!

Not in a rush as not heading over until mid August. That would be awesome to know where to avoid