BXProject

[jayw]

Next sunday me and the missus are off for a nice winter break in deepest darkest (frozen) Scotland...

In the absence of AA cover (having just changed jobs i'm skint!) have we got any members in the far far north... (for emergencies).

Have to say i'm looking forward to the drive, I used to live in Fife and have some old roads i'm very close to for that "Driving Experience" factor.

Hopefully all should be well with the Dervmobile, it hasn't missed a beat since i fixed the fuelling issue!

Itenary for the 1600+ mile trip looks a little like this:

Early Sunday morn depart the wonderful land that is Amazingstoke, M3, M25, M1 A1(M) corridor exiting at Darlington onto the Ubercool A68 from Bishops Auckland all the way to the A720 (Edinburgh ring road) in time for a nice evening meal.

Incidently, if anyone hasn't driven it and has to go to eastern Scotland you HAVE to take the A68 through the hills, it didn't develop it's widowmaker reputation for nothing (though it's gone all soft in recent years with all the added armco and cats eyes and signs), sweeping bends, regular hairpins, hidden dips aplenty just waiting to slaughter you when impatience grows too strong...

An overnight stay in Edinburgh soaking up all the sights (both of them )...

Monday morning a short drive over the forth to Dunfermline to pay my respects to a friend that died last week, a quick mooch around our old haunts (for nostalgias sake) then onward and upward. Up the A9 taking in Perth (unfortunately not the one in Australia...), then a backroad detour to take us up the eastern side of Loch Ness on the "coast road" through the hills and some breathtaking scenery and on to Embo (about 20 miles north of Inverness) where we will be based for the week.

Then at some point during the week we'll venture the rest of the way up the A9 to John o' Groats to complete the journey (we've been to Lands End already this year so it would seem rude not to while we're there!)

http://www.multimap.com/s/lT9O6jES

TBH though, I'm pretty sure most of the week will be spent quietly "relaxing" in the caravan with the heating on full tilt...

And breath...

[Way2go]

Incidently, if anyone hasn't driven it and has to go to eastern Scotland you HAVE to take the A68 through the hills

I used to go north regularly and would take this route in preference to the A1. The main attraction though is the route over Carter Bar although I am given to understand that the hairpins have now been modified again to be much less severe.

The A1 route is good though if you want to cross the causeway to Lindisfarne as a side excursion (Tide Permitting ).

[docchevron132]

I think Phil's about as north as any of our regulars get, in Wigan..
Although there is Graeme McNulty dude somewhere in bonny scotland, although I forget where!

I'm sure it'll be fine, and have a good time!

[Father Ted]

I beg to differ, Preston is more North than Wigan. The Pie Eaters are positively Southern Nancys in comparison to Prestonians....

[docchevron132]

Really? I thought Preston was not all that far up the road from Derby! Blimey, my geography is shite!

[Way2go]

Although there is Graeme McNulty dude somewhere in bonny scotland, although I forget where!

He's Glasgow area (or S0uth Scotland) I believe.

[Philhod]

Yes he is as far as I can remember.

And you live in s***h Preston and I live in North Wiggin so be careful where you throw your aspertions FT

Sounds like nice trip Jay. Enjoy Man.

I usually come back from Edinburgh down either the A70 or the A702, both cracking drives.

Say hello to nessie for me.

[docchevron132]

Isn't Nessie dead now?

[Father Ted]

Y
And you live in s***h Preston and I live in North Wiggin so be careful where you throw your aspertions FT

True, I live in the posh bit where people get out of the bath to have a wee.

[Philhod]

where people get out of the bath to have a wee.

???What for

[docchevron132]

[Bx Bandit]

where people get out of the bath to have a wee.

???What for

Ah, so that's why old people smell of piss!

[Philhod]

No. That's because they piss their keks and don't have a bath

[jayw]

Well Shadies & Mentalmen, wish us luck, decided to leave tonight instead of tomorrow morning...

Onward & Upward!

[Philhod]

Well it's too late now but I was going to suggest M1, M6, M74, then A70 or 702
across to Edinburgh.
That way you get a great drive, but more importantly, you can avoid Y***shire

[docchevron132]

Good luck! and have a great time!
I went to Yorkshire today. It's grim oop narth, although had I realised in advance just how close Wigan and Preston are to 'uddersfield I'd have left earlier and visited!

[Philhod]

You are always welcome mate...even if you had contaminents from Uddersfielt on thee

Are you replete with new motor for Smiffy ?

I think you need to invest in a papery book thing called a map instead of relying on twatnav.

[docchevron132]

Yep, Smiffy and I parted company at the filling station up the road from me.
Nice car given a bit of tinkerage.
We had an atlas, SMiffy brought it, hence I figured how close you all were! But not until we were already a long way up north from here, and we didn't get away from Brizzle til, er, I think it was about 1300..

[Philhod]

Jesus, you are lucky to have got back by this time

[docchevron132]

pretty light traffic all the way up and back really. Didn't drive that hard eiher, averaged 58.6MPG over 430 miles.