I have to drive from Basingstoke to the Isle of Skye at the end of April. I plan on taking two days, as have to be there at 4pm on the Saturday, so will take Friday off and spend it in the car.
Any advice on:
a) best route - traditionally I\'ve go M40, M42, M6 then not sure once I get into Scotland.
b) How long to allow - ie when to start on the Friday morning.
c) where to break overnight. I\'d though of somewhere in the vicinity of Glasgow. Any recommendations?
Regards
Sparrow
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M40, M42, M6, A74, A74(M), M74, M8, A82, A87
596 miles door to door.
Rather you than me.
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We went from Brum to the Isle of Skye last year for our hollies.
Left at 6.00 am and got there at 7.00 pm. Two drivers in a 1.6 Astra. The most difficult bits of the journey were the winding country roads.
Where are you staying?
Be careful. We came back with more than we bargained for. My wife is 38 weeks pregnant!
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Three possible routes.
At Gretna on the M74 - take A76 to Kilmarnock. Stay Kilmarnock / Ayr area. Up A77 towards Glasgow, skirt round city and take the M8 down the coast. Cross Erskine bridge and then the A82, A87.
OR:
M74 to Glasgow. Stay in Glasgow. Then A82, A87 direct or M8 down the coast to Erskine bridge and across.
OR:
M74 to Glasgow, up the A9, over the A86 towards Fort William and then the A87.
Given that the A77 and A9 aren't the nicest roads in the UK, I'd probably do the M74 to Glasgow and then the M8 to Erskine bridge. This avoids the long crawl along the A82 out of Glasgow. Places to stay: City Inn near the SECC in Glasgow. Easy access to M8.
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>>I have to drive from Basingstoke to the Isle of Skye at the end of April.
Have done the trip afew times over the years on company bussines
from surrey is agood 12 hours drive time, ok till you get past Glassgow then everything slows down.Good scenery so just take it easy with plenty of stops.Just returned from Edinburgh M6 has the normal road works, and being a Friday traffic is always heavy.Good luck
chris
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Forgot to add:
Avoid the M8 and Glasgow at rush hour - choc-a-bloc for a good two hours. The Kingston Bridge and the Clyde Tunnel are both bottlenecks and queues rapidly build. Use the Erskine Bridge as it's usually dead quiet.
Avoid Glasgow city centre - confusing one-way system.
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Agree about M8 thro' Glasgow at rush hour, but at other times it's a good way to the Erskine Bridge.
We travel most years form the S. Midlands (Evesham)to NW Scotland and usually stay overnight in the Loch Lomond area (30-40 mins from Erskine Bridge)because:
1. You are entering the Highlands - start of the fantastic scenery
2. You've boken the back of the journey
3. You will be well rested (depending on how much 'Scottish Water' you imbibe!)and enjoy the incredible driving experience further north the next day
I know you'll be travelling further, but I still think it's worthwhile getting the other side of Glasgow.
For details of B&B try a search, but let me know off site if you want me to tell you where we've stayed in the past.
Enjoy the trip, but (another warning!)you could well become hooked on NW Scotland if you're not already.
Cheers
Pat
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Another option avoiding the urban M8 is M74 M73 A80/M80 then via Doune and Callender A84 A85 to regain the A82 at Crianlarich. More picturesque real Scotland and avoids the A82 from Tarbet to Crianlarich which is narrow twisty and hard work.
Killin youth hostel is excellent but not everybody's bag!!
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Sorry, meant that you should avoid the section of the M8 in Glasgow during rush hour, not the entire road!!
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We went to Applecross in Wester Ross twice last year, not quite Skye but close!
The first time we left London at 7am, M1, M6, M74, thru Glasgow, sorry I can\'t give road nos., I was born there, and onto the A82 to stop at Crainlarich when it was dark around 4pm.
Next day we had a beautiful run through Glencoe, still on the A82 till reaching Invergarry and then onto the A87 towards the Kyle.
The next time we went up to Inverness on the A9, not so pretty but a whole lot faster. This time we left at 2pm and stopped for the night at Gretna services, its not great but its convenient for the M-way! We went up and over W. Ross but I would think that if you took the A889 at Dalwhinnie then A86 past the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge, worth a stop for a few minutes contemplation and then A82 and A87 it might be quicker albeit further.
On the way back the second time we left Applecross at 10am and were back in south London by 8pm, God knows what happened there,we stopped for an hour for lunch and numerous \'relief\' stops.
Whatever way you go, once you get past Glasgow its fantastic country so keep your eyes on the road!!
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Whatever you do, do not take the A76 to Kilmarnock. It is the worst road in the world! You would then have to take the A77 towards Glasgow and it is the second worst road in the world!
I would aim for Fort William via Glen Coe. When you get there you have a choice. Either aim for Kyle of Lochalsh (The Road to the Isles) - an absolutely stunning road winding down through Glen Sheil OR head directly west to Malaig and take the ferry from there. This road is slow, but equally stunning and you can always say afterwards that you went "Over the sea to Skye".
If it was me, I'd go one way and return the other.
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