Europe by car

Category: Scotland

  • UK 2026 – Day 9 (Isle of Mull and Iona)

    UK 2026 – Day 9 (Isle of Mull and Iona)

    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 ferry
    Our hotel seen from the boat
    Isle 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 gorse
    Fishing 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 Iona
    Baile Mòr
    Iona nunnery
    Iona abbey
    View from Iona
    Sheeps
    View 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&chips
    Seafood 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.

    15 year old Oban whiskey
    Sunset
  • UK 2026 – Day 8 (Lake District to Oban)

    UK 2026 – Day 8 (Lake District to Oban)

    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 District
    Light 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 cars
    Loch 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 road
    Waiting 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 hotel
    View from our room
    Low tide when we arrived
    Tempting!

    In the evening, we ended up eating some nice langusters at EE-USK in the harbour.

    A beer at the hotel
    Langusters
    Evening in the harbour
    Today’s driving

    393 km and 4 hours 50 minutes driving.

  • UK 2026 – Day 7 (Lake District)

    UK 2026 – Day 7 (Lake District)

    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 Dion
    MGA as police car
    Old signs
    Pedal cars
    1924 Ner-a-car
    Smurf collection
    Water scooter

    In a separate building was the Malcolm and Donald Campbell exhibition.

    Replica of the 1935 Bluebird car
    Cockpit
    Wheels
    One more car and two boats
    The 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 views
    Narrow road
    View in the mirror
    A glimpse of the sea in the distance

  • UK 2026 – Day 6 (Arundel to Lake District)

    UK 2026 – Day 6 (Arundel to Lake District)

    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 Willow
    We found Hawkstone lager as well. One box goes back to Sweden with us
    Traffic 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

    5 hours 54 minutes driving and 561 km today.

  • UK 2026 – Day 5 (Portsmouth Historic Dockyard)

    UK 2026 – Day 5 (Portsmouth Historic Dockyard)

    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
    Figurehead
    Gun deck
    Galley
    Dress code
    A room with a gun!
    The boiler room
    Kit 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 Alliance
    Food and torpedoes
    Control room
    The galley for two chefs
    Engine 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 quarter
    A plaque onboard HMS Victory
    Canon balls
    Lots of ropes
    The sick bay
    Carpenter 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.

  • UK 2026 – Day 4 (Goodwood Members Meeting)

    UK 2026 – Day 4 (Goodwood Members Meeting)

    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 area
    A lovely Aston Martin
    Nicely restored VW bus
    Watching the pre-war class
    Ben 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 Mans
    A110

    There were also some more exotic cars, Dalara and Lanzante. The later was also driven on the track by Kenny Bräck.

    Dalara
    Lanzante

    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 3500
    There 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.

    Path trough the forest
    Night sky
  • UK 2026 – Day 3 (Greenwich and B-roads)

    UK 2026 – Day 3 (Greenwich and B-roads)

    We started off by having breakfast at Costa in Harwich. Then headed south to Greenwich via the Dartford Crossing.

    Lots of space on the ferry
    Breakfast at Costa in Harwich
    Parking in Greenwich
    View 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 it
    Globe and model of the planetary system
    Time to set the watch
    One 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 Moth
    The Thames foot tunnel
    The 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 route
    Country lane
    B-road driving experience
    This 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 Swan
    Large and tidy room

    Tomorrow we will spend the day at Members Meeting. Expect a lot of photos and film clips.

  • UK 2026 – Day 2 (Kiel to Hoek van Holland)

    UK 2026 – Day 2 (Kiel to Hoek van Holland)

    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 Kiel
    The usual chaos in Kiel
    The 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 ferry
    The Elbe ferry
    Lots 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 wurst
    Parking at the golf club
    German 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 Holland
    Night 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

  • UK 2026 – Day 1 (Åkersberga to Gothenburg)

    UK 2026 – Day 1 (Åkersberga to Gothenburg)

    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.

    Tartar
    A nice non-alcoholic IPA

    After the lunch, we went for a walk to the old ”Haga” area.

    The moat
    Some 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 view
    Dark 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

  • Plans for 2026

    It’s that time of the year once again. Time to plan next Grand Tour. This time we’ll go back to England and Scotland again.

    AI interpretation of Scotland

    We’ll start with Members Meeting at Goodwood. After that we’ll drive to Scotland via Lake District. We were in Scotland back in 2023. This time we’ll stay on the westcoast. Planning to drive parts of the NC500. Hopefully not so crowded in April.

    Overview map

    Stay tuned, we’ll set off mid-April.