Tag: Scotland

When we started planning this tour last Autumn, we considered taking a train ride. With the Jacobite Steam Train. But after looking at the fairs, we skipped this. Instead we decided that there must be something else to do in this region. Then we sort of forgot about the day we had available in Fort William. Last night we spent some time in the bar trying to make ourself heard while there was some local singer performing in the background. Based on the weather forecast, we concluded that Ben Nevis out of the question. Also, the whiskey distillery in Oban was fully booked. So, we opted to do some more driving. This time out on one of the nearby islands.

We settled for Isle of Mull and specifically Fionnphort. Which is as far you can get on that island. It was good that we practiced on driving at single track roads yesterday. Because today we drove approx 321 km of which 280 km where single track. So, we are getting the hang of it. A884 was nice to drive through the mountains before reaching Lochaline and the second ferry.

Once on Mull, the landscape started to shift. There are still forrests as well as open fields on higher ground. But also more villages along the shoreline. And you start to get the feeling that you are actually on an island near the Atlantic ocean. Today it was rainy but almost no wind. But we could only assume that this can be a very harsh place during Winter months.

Eventually we reached Fionnphort. We decided to have lunch there. There is a small shed by the ferry terminal that sells seafood. But we opted for the pub instead, the Keel Row. Good food and friendly staff. Three of us had fish’n’chips and one went for a burger. Across the straight lies another island, Iona. But beyond that you’ll find the Atlantic ocean.

On the way back, we decided to take another route once we were back on A861. We drove westward until we reached A830. Both the A861 (partly single track) and A830 offer some really fun driving. Once we got back to Fort William, we had dinner at a pub in the city. Tomorrow we’ll drive to Isle of Skye.

Today we woke up on the ferry when it was approaching Newcastle. We decided not to eat breakfast onboard. Instead we just grabbed a cappuchino and a croissant to get us going. After refilling the tank and buying some sandwiches plus orange juice, we drove north.

First stop was Warkworth castle. It sits quite spectacular on a hill top. Most of it is in a derelict state. But parts of the Great tower is preserved. It’s worth a visit if you happen to pass by. A189 and A1068 are nicer to drive than A1.

We then drove on to Lindisfarne and Holy island. It’s a well known destination for us vikings! Our ancestors raided the monastry in the ninth century… The road to the island is only accessable at low tide. It makes for a remarkable drive close to the sea level.

Despite some rain showers, we went for a walk to Lindisfarne castle as well as to the later church ruins and still standing church of St Mary. Nice views but somewhat of a tourist trap. Also, a lot of tourists at a small area. So, now we can tick that off the list.

We then drove on to Duns and Jim Clark Motorsport Museum. As you can see, it’s a very small museum. Only two cars on display unfortunately. It’s nice to have been there, but we can’t really recommend it unless you really are into F1.

The last part of today’s journey gave us some glimps of Scotland. Unfortunately there were no way that we could park and take some photos. But nevertheless some lovely scenery while getting closer to Edinburgh. Our hotel is located in nearby Musselburgh. The hotel room is ok, albeit a bit worn. Since there was some sort of celebration going on in the hotel bar. We decided to go somewhere else to have dinner. After some 20 minutes walk, we found a seafood restaurant that was good.

Tomorrow we’ll be exploring Edinburgh. So, no driving tomorrow. Today we drove 303 km.

The second day has been all about transit. From Lund via Copenhagen and Rødby to Rotenburg. Normally when we go to UK, we go via Hoek van Holland and Harwich. That ferry departs late in the evening. So, it’s not a problem to drive directly to the harbour ftom the south of Sweden during one day. But this time we will take the ferry from Amsterdam to Newcastle. This one departs much earlier and we don’t want to risk missing it. Soft top down all day long and 35 degrees Celsius in Germany. Took some water to stay hydrated.

Some stau at the Autobahn around Hamburg (as usual). But otherwise an uneventful day. Breakfast at a service station in Denmark and lunch at another one in Germany. During the crossing between Rødby and Puttgarden, we saw some of the barges used to build the new tunnel. It’s planned to be ready in 2029. This time however we got a sports car friendly parking among the lorries on the lower deck. Wide lanes and no steep ramp to worry about.

The hotel is near A1 and the room looks good. A lot bigger than last night. Check-in was a bit messy when they couldn’t find our reservation. Lots of space on the parking area. We’ve driven 459 km today.

Tomorrow we will be driving to Amsterdam to catch the overnight ferry to Newcastle. That’s when the real adventure begins.