We visited Isle of Mull back in 2023 (see the blog entries for that trip). At that time we skipped Iona. But now we added that to our plans. The ferry left Oban early. So we had to skip the hotel breakfast. Once we arrived at Craignure we had breakfast at Arlene’s Coffee Shop. This was really good and it is always nice to support local businesses. There is a free car park nearby.
Waiting to drive onboard the ferryOur hotel seen from the boatIsle of Mull in the distance A light house Craignure harbour
The road on Isle of Mull is mostly in a very good condition. Very few potholes. Most of it is single track but there are a lot of meeting points and usually good visibility. So, you can spot oncoming traffic well in advance. A bonus is that most of the traffic consists of locals (as opposed to Isle of Skye). They know the drill and traffic flows once you get the hold of it.
Driving on Isle of Mull
Once on the center of the island it’s hard to imagine that you are on an island. It feels more like the Highlands. But on the west coast you get the the island feeling again. Chrystal clear water and beaches. But the water is very cold.
Once in Fionnphort there is a free parking as well. The one in the harbour costs money but the other one is just 50 meters away.
The beach in Fionnphort Common gorseFishing gear
We took the ferry to Iona this time. After walking through the village we went on a walk to the northern point.
The ferry to IonaBaile MòrIona nunneryIona abbeyView from IonaSheepsView towards Isle of Skye in the north
Once back in Fionnphort we visited a pub that we visited back in 2023 once more. We even got the same table this time! The Keel Row has the best fish&chips we’ve ever eaten. It was true in 2023 and it is still true 2026.
Fish&chipsSeafood plate
We made a dash back to Craignure to catch the ferry back to Oban. But the traffic was light and we made it in time.
Craignure harbour
In the evening, we were still not hungry after the lunch. So, we went to a whiskey bar instead. Two in the group were there yesterday evening and recommended it. They had a huge selection of whiskey but also some interesting local beer.
Transfer from Lake District (we’d love to come back) to Oban. Light traffic all the way including Glasgow. The route looked a bit confusing on Apple Maps. But it turned out to be straight forward.
Leaving Lake DistrictLight traffic most of the time
We stopped for lunch in Luss by Loch Lomond. After walking around we settled for Loch Lomond Arms Hotel. Four of us had haggis and one had a hamburger.
Two dirty carsLoch Lomond Haggis
We decided to take the alternative route via Inverary instead of A85. It looked more interesting on the map. But we ended up being stuck at a roadwork for quite a while. Plus there was a lot of gravel on the road. So we got some more stone chips.
Fence to stop stones from falling on the roadWaiting at the roadwork (photo by Per Mohlin)
Driving on A83
The hotel in Oban sits next to the sea. Since we arrived quite early, we took the opportunity to wash the car. Plus walking around town.
The hotelView from our roomLow tide when we arrivedTempting!
In the evening, we ended up eating some nice langusters at EE-USK in the harbour.
A beer at the hotelLangusters Evening in the harbour Today’s driving
After a long drive yesterday, we took it a bit easier today. We started by driving to the Lakeland Motor Museum. It exceeded our expectations. A large collection of cars, motorcycles, bikes and toys. Plus a separate exhibition about Malcolm and Donald Campbell.
1907 De DionMGA as police carOld signsPedal cars1924 Ner-a-carSmurf collection Water scooter
In a separate building was the Malcolm and Donald Campbell exhibition.
Replica of the 1935 Bluebird carCockpitWheelsOne more car and two boatsThe jet motor used in Bluebird K7
Two cars then drove on to Windemere to have lunch. The third strayed off to another museum. We found a restaurant in the harbour which was ok.
Quayside bar
After lunch we drove back to Coniston. We went to the Ruskin Museum. The Bluebird K7 wasn’t there since it is due to return to the water in May. But they had other interesting objects related to Campbells as well as Coniston.
Mrs A had an interview to attend to in the afternoon. So, I decided to drive over the Hardknott Pass. It’s supposedly the steepest road in England with a gradient of 33%. Of course it’s a single track road as well.
Stunning viewsNarrow roadView in the mirrorA glimpse of the sea in the distance
Today was another transit day where we drove up to Lake District. We will spend tomorrow exploring a little bit of Lake District before we head off to Scotland on Wednesday.
Apart from two areas with congestion due to broken down vehicles, the traffic was moving along
We stopped for lunch at Trentham Garden Centre near Stoke-on-Trent.
A really good Caesar sallad at WillowWe found Hawkstone lager as well. One box goes back to Sweden with usTraffic jam on the M6
We are staying two nights in Coniston. The last 10 km to the hotel was a bit narrow from time to time. In particular when we met a couple of busses.
A bit tight when you meet another vehicle
A593 to Coniston
The hotel dates back to 1849 but has been refurbished.
A large room with a view over the nearby mountains Todays drive
Today we drove to Portsmouth for a visit at the Historic Dockyard. We wanted to do this last year but didn’t have enough time. So, this year we decided to only go to Goodwood on Saturday and then to Portsmouth on Sunday.
Breakfast
We didn’t really know what to expect more than HMS Warrior and HMS Victory. Last year we could see HMS Warrior from the hotel room. But it turned out that Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is a huge museum that would take several days to go through.
Repurposed anchor chain
The tickets were quite expensive, £108.50 for two adults. They are valid for one year. But that is kind of useless for us, traveling from Sweden. We decided to look at a couple of the exhibitions this time. So, we started with a visit onboard HMS Warrior. This was by far the best part of today’s visit. It’s a very well presented exhibition. It took us an hour to go through the whole ship including listening to some of the guides.
HMS Warrior FigureheadGun deckGalleyDress code A room with a gun!The boiler roomKit bags
Next was a boat trip to the submarine exhibition on the other side of the harbour. The tour inside HMS Alliance was interesting with a very good guide.
HMS AllianceFood and torpedoes Control roomThe galley for two chefsEngine room
The last part we managed today was a visit onboard HMS Victory. The ship is currently undergoing an extensive overhaul and is covered in plastic. Plus a lot of the ship is blocked off. But it was still interesting to visit. Hopefully it will be brought up to a similar level as HMS Warrior once finished.
Gun deck onboard HMS Victory Lord Nelsons quarterA plaque onboard HMS Victory Canon ballsLots of ropesThe sick bayCarpenter workshop
Last November we visited the Maritime Museum in Greenwich and the exhibition about Lord Nelson. So, it was interesting to visit the ship that is so closely connected with him.
Portsmouth harbour
After four hours we went for lunch in the harbour and then drove back to the hotel. In the evening we all met up at an Italian restaurant in Arundel. Two of our little group had spent the day at Goodwood and three of us went to Portsmouth. It’s always nice to meet up in the evening and share impressions plus plan the next day.
Tomorrow we head north to Lake District. The weather forecast looks promising for the next few days.
After breakfast we drove to Goodwood via a nearby jet wash. Our car was in a desperate need of getting cleaned. The track is just 20 minutes drive from Arundel.
Breakfast at the White Swan
This was the eighth time we visited the Goodwood Road and Racing Club’s Members Meeting. It’s a smaller version of Goodwood Revival. But still gives you two days of historic racing with cars and motorcycles. Even the parking area is worth spending some time exploring.
Saturday timetable Parking areaA lovely Aston MartinNicely restored VW busWatching the pre-war classBen Colins (yes, ”The Stig”)Jaguar E-type
This year the weather was great with some 14 degrees and partly cloudy. After watching some qualifying we walked to the pit to watch the cars up close.
Every year there are several car manufacturers present as well who show of their cars. Alpine was back this year again.
A110 R Le MansA110
There were also some more exotic cars, Dalara and Lanzante. The later was also driven on the track by Kenny Bräck.
DalaraLanzante
The main theme for this year was 1990’s Touring Cars. So they had gathered a selection of cars from that era.
A Vauxhall and a Volvo
But of course the focus is on older cars. Ranging from the early 1900 up until late 1980.
Ford Capri and Rover 3500There are several large screens that let you follow all the action
There was a demonstration of F1 cars from the mid-70’s. Unfortunately I didn’t manage to get at photos of them driving.
F1 cars getting ready to drive
Apart from the action on track, there is more to look at. Bonhams have an auction during the weekend. There are also several companies selling classic cars, automobilia and clothing.
Cars for sale at Bonhams
In the evening we walked into the village of Arundel to have dinner. The walk from our hotel went over some fields and through a forest. It was very dark on the way back.
We started off by having breakfast at Costa in Harwich. Then headed south to Greenwich via the Dartford Crossing.
Lots of space on the ferryBreakfast at Costa in Harwich Parking in GreenwichView from the observatory
Although the main objective was to get to Arundel. We decided to take a break halfway for lunch and a bit of leg stretching. We’ve never visited the observatory in Greenwich. Despite having been outside in the park several times.
The observatory Telescope from 1789, or what is left of itGlobe and model of the planetary systemTime to set the watchOne of several vintage Navy clocks
We had lunch at the Gypsy Moth which is a pub next to Cutty Sark in Greenwich. The pub is named after a well known sailing boat that used to be on display nearby.
The pub Gipsy MothThe Thames foot tunnelThe stairs down to the tunnel
The traffic around London was as expected.
Dartford crossing
Since we had no rush, we deviated from the original plan. We used the app Calimoto to pick the route from Greenwich to Arundel. So, 2:19 instead of 1:36. With a lot of B-roads which suits the MX-5 perfectly.
Alternative routeCountry lane
B-road driving experienceThis is actually a 60 mph road!
This year we are staying at the White Swan near Arundel. It’s a 12 minutes drive to Goodwood Motor Circuit.
The White SwanLarge and tidy room
Tomorrow we will spend the day at Members Meeting. Expect a lot of photos and film clips.
2nd day that took us from Kiel to Hoek van Holland and the ferry to Harwich.
We arrived in Kiel around 9 AM. Before that, we had breakfast on the ferry. Not the best but it saved us some time given that we arrived quite late.
Approaching KielThe usual chaos in KielThe route from Kiel to the Elbe ferry
In order to avoid Hamburg traffic, we tried out the ferry across Elbe river. Not sure if we saved some time, but it was a nice change from the traffic in Hamburg.
Waiting to get onboard the Elbe ferryThe Elbe ferryLots of sand banks
We settled for lunch in Bremerhaven where we found a golf club. While in Germany you have to have a curry wurst. A bonus of eating at a golf club is that they usually have good parking areas.
Curry wurstParking at the golf clubGerman country road
We got tricked by the GPS when driving through Amsterdam and got a little de-tour. A1 become A10 in the real world but not on the GPS. So we selected the wrong direction, 50% chance.
Green houses near Hoek van HollandNight sky over the harbour
Tomorrow we’ll arrive in England.
Transit from Kiel to Hoek van Holland
Today’s stats: 6 hours and 57 minutes driving, 593 km
First day of this years Grand Tour. Day 1 and 2 will be pure transits. Day 3, when we arrive in England, we’ll start doing some more interesting stuff.
Preparing the car during the weekend included swapping our Michelin Cup 2 for something with a bit more threads. In case it happens to rain in Scotland…
Changing to a set of wheels better suited for rain
We have since before both a set of tailored bags as well as a Mazda aluminium suitcase for the luggage rack.
Set of three tailored bags
I had to attend a customer meeting in Gothenburg. So, we had a very early start. Leaving Åkersberga at 5:00 was a bit harsh. Mrs A wasn’t amused to say the least.
Ready to go in the early morning Breakfast at a petrol station
We had lunch at the ”Saluhall” in the city center. A very nice tartar and some local beer.
TartarA nice non-alcoholic IPA
After the lunch, we went for a walk to the old ”Haga” area.
The moatSome of the old buildings in Haga
The ferry departs one hour earlier than previously scheduled. According to an e-mail from Stena Line, this is in order to save fuel amid rising oil prices. Check-in was smooth and we met up with one of our fellow travellers in the bar.
Waiting to board the ferry A cabin with a viewDark skies over Gothenburg harbour It’s becoming a tradition to start our Grand Tours with an Aperol Spritz
Today’s stats: 5 hours and 13 minutes driving, 508 km
There have been some questions lately on Facebook about how to plan a trip. There are of course multiple ways to go about this. Ranging from joining one of the commercial operators that organize tours. Or, just drive around and find hotels/B&B where you can. Our approach is based on some 10+ years of traveling in Europe by car. Sometime by ourselves, sometimes with a group of friends.
Dolomites 2022
Inspiration or theme
Through the years, we’ve had different sorts of inspiration for the trips. Sometimes there has been a certain event has formed the basis. Sometimes we’ve got inspiration from other car enthusiasts. And on other occasions we’ve picked a theme. In 2025, we went by the “Mille Miglia” theme. Following a roadblock from 2019 edition of the historic rally.
Mille Miglia museum
This took us to some places in Italy that we most likely wouldn’t have found otherwise. In 2024 we drove to Ireland, based on a chat with a dutch couple in Harwich the year before. They had been to Ireland on an organized trip with their MGB GT.
While researching the Mille Miglia tour. We found out about another historic rally, Coupe des Alpes. At the time, we couldn’t find enough details about the route. But now we’ve got a book about this. So, maybe in 2027 we’ll have a go at that one.
Maybe 2027?
Planning
We typically start by adding points-of-interest to a Google Maps map that we share with our travel companions. Places to visit, hotels, ports etc gets added. A top tip is to use different icons (and colors) when adding these. Like green beds for hotels, blue cameras for viewpoints, orange museum icons etc. This makes them easier to distinguish when looking at the map.
Italy 2025
Searching the web for things to do, places to visit etc is useful. As is watching videos on YouTube to get more ideas. Once all these are added, it’s time to start looking at the driving routes. More often than not, the roads are a key part of the whole experience. There are limitations in Google Maps on how many layers you can add. As well as how many points of interest you can add per layer. Another annoying limitations is that if you do the planning during Winter. Google Maps will block you from planning to drive on roads in the Alps if they are closed. Regardless if you plan to drive in the Summer. Paper maps are useful to get an overview. Plus as a backup if the phone or navigator acts up.
Paper map
You can create routes with start and end points. Plus adding stops in between along the route you want to drive. You will get an indication about the distance as well as driving time, the later subject to traffic. So, treat it as an indication and not a absolute truth.
Section of Mille Miglia
We add an overview to a shared spreadsheet. Including dates, start and stop, distance and estimated driving time. This will typically be iterated several times during the planning process.
Overview
While doing transit along highways, you can make quite a lot of progress. But once on the nicer roads, you won’t make that much progress. in particular if you plan to stop and visit various places.
Hotel and ferry bookings
We prefer to pre-book hotels and ferries. In particular if we a traveling with a group of friends. We then add the details of the accommodations including addresses, phone number and websites to another spreadsheet. We also add the cost and booking reference there. The same goes for any ferries.
Bookings
When it comes to hotels, we try to find hotels outside the cities with good parking facilities. It can be hard to judge from booking sites what the parking looks like. But using the satellite view in Google Maps (or Apple Maps) is useful to get a view on the facilities.
Great parking space
Regulations
It might seem obvious, but do remember to keep up to date with the latest updates to road regulations along the route. Being environmental zones in the cities, road taxes etc. Some countries have specific rules about having hiviz wests inside the car, second pair of glasses etc. Also, make sure to bring the essential paperwork for your car, including insurance documents as well as ownership documents.
Europe by car 