Road trip on cheap Scotland with Camera

Leslie said:
I've skimmed the thread so apologise if I've missed this but not seen anyone recommending a visit to The Kelpies yet. You could come from Edinburgh along the M9 to Falkirk, visit the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel if you fancy, and then carry on to Stirling to join the A9?
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Some nice canals around Falkirk too, the wheel is definitely worth seeing. I'd love to do that on a boat. Wallace monument worth a visit too if going that way
 
Sounds like you need a few more days kipax :D
 
Im spending a week in the area around Inverness at the end of May, hopefully seeing plenty of wildlife
 
mrgubby said:
Speaking as someone born in Dunfermline, I'd always thought the best bit of Edinburgh was the ring road ;)
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Speaking as someone who was born in Dunfermline (christened in the Abbey :) lived in the Dumps for 5 years ) and lived in Edinburgh for over 50 years...
I'd rather live in Edinburgh :D
 
As mentioned head up to Ullapool rather than John O groats. Much nicer roads and scenery on the west coast.

Also don't waste your time with creams for midges, spend a couple of quid and buy some midge nets.
 
Read the OP's posts! J'oG is a tick in the box destination so not really negotiable. Personally, I'd prefer to give it a miss and spend more time in Edinburgh but he has different priorities.
 
kendo1 said:
John O'Groats is a bit of a dump :) and it's a heck of a drive from Inverness to sample the delights of tacky souvenir shops and dubious cafés.

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2012/aug/31/john-o-groats-scotland-makeover
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Totally agree, I've ridden there on a motorcycle too many times with biker mates, boring as........I call it "bland land". Keep tight to the West coast and you'll not go far wrong, places like;

Durness - Ullapool - Kyle Of Lochalise - Ballahullish - Isle Of Sky - Glencoe - Rannoch Moor - Oban - Aberfoyle - The Trossachs, so much choice.

Go West my man......!!!!
 
Inverness to JOG adds an extra 3 hrs if I go west...5.35 hr drive as apposed to 2.40 hrs Going to take the good advice but decide on the day which route.. Dont know how I will feel after the drive to inverness :)

As theres not much to do in JOG and am going mainly to tick the box.......Has anyone done the ferry to orkney island from JOG .. thats a 40 min sail.. worth doing or?
 
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I ahve to say the information so far is invaluable.. you can't beat getting real live advice from real people who have been there.. Thanks :)
 
KIPAX said:
......Has anyone done the ferry to orkney island from JOG .. thats a 40 min sail.. worth doing or?
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If that's the passenger-only ferry then you'll be landing at the most boring part of Orkney with a bus trip of half an hour or so into Kirkwall, which is historical and fairly quaint. Not sure that sounds like the sort of thing you're really after, so definitely spend that time heading along the north coast and down the west for the driving experience on single track roads for quite a bit of the way.
 
Peter B said:
If that's the passenger-only ferry then you'll be landing at the most boring part of Orkney with a bus trip of half an hour or so into Kirkwall, which is historical and fairly quaint. Not sure that sounds like the sort of thing you're really after, so definitely spend that time heading along the north coast and down the west for the driving experience on single track roads for quite a bit of the way.
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No then to orkney... haha thanks...

So the west route to JOG has a lot of single track rds? the 5 and a half hrs google says would be nowhere near then :(
 
KIPAX said:
No then to orkney... haha thanks...

So the west route to JOG has a lot of single track rds? the 5 and a half hrs google says would be nowhere near then :(
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If you're set on JOG head up the East, along the top towards Cape Wrath and down the west.

I think we all meant head West from Inverness and miss out JOG altogether but if you're set on it that's the way to go.
 
KIPAX said:
Inverness to JOG adds an extra 3 hrs if I go west...5.35 hr drive as apposed to 2.40 hrs Going to take the good advice but decide on the day which route.. Dont know how I will feel after the drive to inverness :)

As theres not much to do in JOG and am going mainly to tick the box.......Has anyone done the ferry to orkney island from JOG .. thats a 40 min sail.. worth doing or?
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I've done Gills Bay to St Margarets Hope a few times, trip takes an hour and costs £50 each way but you'll be stuck on the island for a few hours waiting for the next ferry unless you go straight back which would be pointless. Best leave Orkney for another trip when you have time.
 
As Peter has said, look into the North Coast 500. That's what I'm doing this summer. As for midges, Glen Coe at that time, they're the worst midges you'll experience in your life. Lets hope for a bit of breeze to keep them away, but you'll be best off with a midge net rather than any jungle formula or skin so soft.

The A82 through Glen Coe is the most amazing place, maybe I'm biased, as I could spend forever and a day in and around the Glen, but you could spend days upon days there and never get tired of exploring. It's also one of the most scenic routes. I'm like you, I love the drive as much as I do photographing the locations, so I know where you're coming from. I think I little detour towards Kilchurn Castle on Loch Awe is worth it too, only about 10-15 miles from Tyndrum on the way down the A82 after Glen Coe and Rannoch Moor.
 
Steelo said:
As for midges, Glen Coe at that time, they're the worst midges you'll experience in your life
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Unless you visit the Isle of Skye.:) Though I have to admit Glencoe runs pretty close.

Some great suggestions but the guy only has four days for the whole trip.

I'd also suggest a trip to the west. The route I'm thinking of is

Inverness - Achnasheen - Kinlochewe - Torridon - Shieldaig - Applecross(via the road which initially runs north west just past Shieldaig and follows the coast) - Pass of the Cattle - Loch Carron - Achnasheen - Inverness.

The total distance is about 170 miles and 60 plus is on single track roads with passing places, but the views are great and its about 70 miles shorter than a there and back trip to JoG.

However, if you are set on JoG then have a great time.

Dave
 
Tringa said:
Unless you visit the Isle of Skye.:) Though I have to admit Glencoe runs pretty close.
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In all the visits I've had to Skye, and it's a lot, I've never been bothered by midges besides one sunrise on the Quiraing, yet it was nothing as bad as Glen Coe. Either way, eaten alive or not, you won't be disappointed :)
 
As long as you stay at close to the speed limit the midges won't catch you :)
 
KIPAX said:
No then to orkney... haha thanks...

So the west route to JOG has a lot of single track rds? the 5 and a half hrs google says would be nowhere near then :(
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There's a program on BBC 2 tonight about the very far north of Scotland, should be available on iplayer - Grand tours of Scotland Season 2 program 2
 
He should be fine up till August.
They get a bit nasty after that.
 
The midges or the haggises?
 
Am 100% set on JOG purely because its a landmark.. I will probably be as close as I will ever get in my life being in inverness...so I am not going to miss it and then wish i had gone.... I am aware theres not much there but we both want to tick it off...might get some puffin pics :) From inverness to JOG I am going a9 then decide if coming back the long way.. its the single track rds plus over 5 hrs drivign them thats a bit off putting.. i do love driving as said but might be too much aftre 3 hrs going up and the visit.. so will decide that on day ... would never have even considered it without this thread so all good thank you


Have decided edinburgh is a day out in itself for another time (plus my wifes been) and am taking advice from here and others to take in Falkirk area instead as neither of us have been and just about everyone says its the place to see... ... sticking to speed limits plenty of places to view up to inverness via a9 including my second faveroute ..waterfalls.


The highlight is going to be the a82 inverness to glasgow.. google says 4 hrs.. i am thinking 10hr or more with stops... thats what a road trip is.. the travel not the destination :)


Going to find midge nets.. any reccomendations or all same?




.
 
If your going to JoG's I would drive out to Duncansby Head which is nearby, you get good views of JoG's looking west from there as well as good views out over the islands, it can get a bit breezy on the Head at times.
 
Unless you are going to be sitting still in one place for a while I wouldn't bother with a midge net.

The repellents work well. The ones containing DEET are very good but DEET melts plastics, stings the eyes and numb the lips.

The original Avon Skin So Soft is worth a try. It does not last anywhere near as long as the DEET based products but is a lot nicer to use. Last year I started using Smidge that Midge which is good and doesn't have the drawbacks of DEET.

However, with just about any product there are folks who say it wonderful and others that reckon it doesn't work at all, but be prepared to embrace the midges because they are going to embrace you.:)

Dave
 
kendo1 said:
There's a program on BBC 2 tonight about the very far north of Scotland, should be available on iplayer - Grand tours of Scotland Season 2 program 2
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Juts had a search but not available.. ..maybe best to leave it all as a suprise anyways :) ta :)
 
KIPAX said:
Going to find midge nets.. any reccomendations or all same?


.
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They are much the same from my experience, I've just bought this one for three quid, and seems alright. Typical prices are about 5-8quid.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/...ue&ref_=ox_sc_sfl_title_2&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

I come across midgies everywhere, not just near water and not just low down; walking, mountain biking, camping, fishing and photography.

A decent breeze is your best hope, otherwise I'd go with DEET - Jungle Formula Pump Spray, regardless of the bad press (but keep away from eyes, lips, plastics, camera gear, waterproof jackets etc) and a headnet. If you are a fast walker and don't plan standing still to long you could probably go without nets and repellent. If you get caught out they will p*** you off big time.

To be fair about repellents, everyone has their own idea and experiences but insects will still swarm and land on you but they shouldn't bite.

Check this out nearer the time.......
http://midgeforecast.co.uk/
 
If you must go to John O'Groats you could try Dunnet Head you might even see some puffins there's also the Castle of Mey and on the way up if your feeling energetic there's Whaligoe Steps.

If you go to Chanonry Point try out Fairy Glen just outside Rosemarkie and you could try the south road along Loch Ness as you head to the A82 a little less travelled and you could take in the Falls of Foyers on the way.
 
The caveat for the following is everyone is different and reactions to midges, both physical and psycological, vary a lot.

I'm lucky enough to spend a lot of time in Scotland and have needed a midge net twice in about the last ten years. Once I was using a strimmer on a very still, very cloudy but warm day in June. I was sweating a lot(so the repellent was wearing off quickly), there were loads of midges about anyway and the strimming disturbed even more. The other time was not relevant to midges as it was to camourflage my face while taking photos of pine martens and badgers on an evening in November.

Covering up is a probably the best way of avoiding them, I doubt if they can bite through anything other than the very thinnest of materials and most of the time the repellents work well, but there is a good chance the blighters will get at some time.

Dave
 
The other thing about midges is whether you can stand them crawling all over you, even when the repellent stops them biting. I have great difficulty letting them crawl over me and as soon as you try to wipe them you'll disturb the repellent and they'll be right in there, fangs in action. As Dave says, covering up is best and means you'll avoid crawling as well as biting.
 
The trip is last week in June, you should be fine.
 
kendo1 said:
The trip is last week in June, you should be fine.
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Spot on, Kendo. By then they will have had time to get really limbered up and be thinking, "Now where's that guy from Accrington?":)

Dave
 
Well.. its a week on sat..... :)

Added an extra day.. going after work sat instead of sunday.. Not to edinburgh as the wifes been there before and save that for another day......got a travelodge in sterling so we can go to falkirk (as suggested here and other) when we get there just after tea time...then in the evening.. got to see the Kelpies lit up late evening and as i had a boat on the lancaster canal for many years i will be interested to see the wheel.... so falkirk saturday

then all day sunday to go to inverness... no rush can take all day...taking a9. with a few planned stops then whatever takes our fancy.....staying in inverness for a couple of days ... with a trip to JoG purely to tick it off... dolphins at chanonry point .. boat trip on loch ness.. then on wed trip down the A82 which in driving terms should be the highlight of the trip...

overnight in glasgow then trip home but as it only adds an extra hr then going to the coast for the electric brae :)
 
KIPAX said:
Looked into midges.. said dusk and near water main problems... so will take ppropriate creams ect thanks :)
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as a flyfisher - mostly on small streams - i can say the ONLY repellent i have found to be effective is ''AVON Skin so Soft''

if you canna find any, PM your address and I'll mail you a bottle - i have a couple spare....:)

if you use any DEET based stuff DO NOT touch plastic - it melts
 
I grew up in Stirling, and the castle is worth visiting, although it's quite expensive. Historic Scotland have done a lot of work to restore the Great Hall and many of the interiors to what they would have looked like in the late Middle Ages. Doubt if you'll have time for this, going by your itinerary, which is a pity but others might be interested.

Can't really offer any advice about midges. They don't bother me at all for some reason, and I've never had a problem with them, but some people do suffer!

Have a great trip.
 
Yardbent said:
as a flyfisher - mostly on small streams - i can say the ONLY repellent i have found to be effective is ''AVON Skin so Soft''
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Good call.. not heard of it but did a quick search.. rave about it on trip advisor... the wifes in charge of that side so passed the info on thanks :)
 
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