UKC

Driving up tomorrow with a car full of kids, but which way's quickest?

If I was going to Torridon I'd go Inverness; Glen Shiel and it'd be via Spean Bridge etc. But I don't often visit the bit in between in a one-er from home, it's more often been tagged onto a longer west coast trip.

AA route planner has it about 30mins faster doing Spean Bridge, which I am a little surprised at.

Any thoughts from Applecross regulars?

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

I'd do the Inverness option. First time I went to Applecross from Edinburgh I did the Glen Shiel route and it seemed to take forever. Next time I went via Inverness and it was much less stressful (although to be honest, the first time was a March evening in the fog, so the whole thing was a bit of an event).
And, I have friends in Edinburgh with a cottage in Applecross who always go via Inverness.
Whichever way you go, it's further than you think.

Langoustines and scallops in the Applecross Inn ...

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

We got married in Torridon village and had our reception at the Applecross Inn. We were staying in Torridon so went up the Inverness way; family who were staying at the Inn went up the Spean Bridge way as they reckoned it was a bit quicker. It seemed to be a bit six-and-two-threes, depending on what you get stuck behind... and coming from Spean Bridge means you have the haul over the Bealach at the end.

In reply to Tall Clare:

Hmm... we're going to bealach it whichever way we get there. But six and two threes is probably about right

In reply to tony:

Scallops, now there's a plan

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Inverness for speed, mostly as the roads are pretty good from all the way to Achnashellach at least.

A9/Laggan/Spean Bridge/Shiel Bridge/Strathcarron for better scenery!

For what its worth, I did Shieldaig to Fife via Glen Shiel/Fort Bill/Glencoe/Crianlarich/Stirling last Friday, just for the hell of it. Took approx 5 hours, and obviously not the quickest route. Actually as a detour from Ullapool! Silly thing to do, but enjoyed it all the way, what a drive that is!

The A87 Dornie-Glen Moriston is in a shocking state, by the way, even with some temporary patches added since I did it a month back when it was like rallying, dodging potholes and stones.

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

We are going to Torridon tomorrow but from Angus. Going the Inverness route but have done both in the past and would say the Spean Bridge is marginally faster.

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

You can drive at nearly 140mph between Achnasheen and Garve so it's definitely faster that way.

In reply to Cuthbert:

thanks, but I go slow at the best of times and doubly so with kids in the car!

In reply to Mal Grey:

Now I really don't know. think we'll just head off and see which way the car wants to turn at Dalwhinnie

In reply to Cuthbert:

Kishorn Commandos tried that 30 years ago before the road was improved so much. And doing the ton South from Shieldaig to the watershed before Kishorn.