The updated County Information

[trainman]

Also took some shots on Loch Ness and there this big dragony type thing in the background.

How annoying! There's always summat getting in the way of a good view...

[gillhalfpint]

Was he smoking as well?

There is always one......

[gillhalfpint]

I've done the big loop twice for work (tough job ) and once for pleasure, we went from Aberdeen across to Inverness up the coast to Wick, along the top then down the west coast ending back at Glasgow. Highlights were driving over Applecross, my wife's first sight of Glencoe, "that" cafe in Helmsdale and practically anything in Wester Ross. From experience the best time is late April-early June, you should normally avoid July and August at all costs. The "pubs" are not that special but there are a few gems. I find a suitable dose of alcohol in the blood will discourage midgies.

We did the loop the other way round from Glasgow to Oban and up the west side, across the top, stayed at Bettyhill and John o Groats ( went to Orkneys) then down east side..

Loved Applecross. Loos by car park had sheep using them as a barn! Had to stop on a hairpin bend for deer to cross. Loved it. Highland Games at Durness.

Have to "do" Scotland at least bi-annually or suffer withdrawal symptoms. One place where beer is a bonus not a necessity.

[Andy Ven]

Are pub reviews and photos on your itinerary next time?

Did you do it by car or camper van (and, depending on your answer, what accommodatioon did you stay in or where did you hire the van from - or do you own your own?)

Apologies for so many questions but I'm interested in the logistics

[trainman]

Did you do it by car or camper van ?

Gill is our famous caravanning beer tourist and I, for one, both admire & envy the freedom & the mission!

[gillhalfpint]

Gill did that Scottish tour with a 5 man bungalow tent being towed in a trailer, but there was only 2 of us in it. Lovely and roomy. Stayed at Oban, Gairloch, Scourie on the way up, and realised why it was a 5 man tent when we were at Scourie and it was blowing from the frame like a blanket on a washing line and we needed extra men to hold it down while we got it pegged. Persevered the rest of the holiday without mishap though. Wonderful places up north that looked like moonscape. Rocky and wild.

Enjoying the luxury of pulling a touring caravan round now though. Cornwall for 3 weeks in May, Belgium for 3 weeks in June and so it goes on. The hardest part is the planning. So many places....

[Andy Ven]

I have another question. How long would you allow to travel the loop and see the sights?

[gillhalfpint]

We did it in 2 weeks. Most of it was spent going up the west side and across the top as they are the areas we love the most. It doesn't allow much time in each place though.

[Andy Ven]

Still sounds fun.

Would a camper van manage to negotiate the roads OK or would some sections be tricky in a large vehicle?

[gillhalfpint]

Camper van should be OK. When we did it we were in a Skoda pulling a trailer loaded with tent etc, and managed a few single tracks with passing places on our way round. It is a fun thing to do. We often found more foreigners than English on the campsites, especially Dutch, and I would love to do it again. Not sure about towing the caravan round though.