A bit off topic guys, after my shower I'm off out for some food for tonight (I like cooking) Going to head to Dingwall & taking a scenic route round Loch Ness, in the Coop of course, & the sun is shining for a change..

Guys, you may have seen that the club is planning a world tour around mainland UK next year; no details yet but probably summer or early autumn. Please scout any good locations and roads for us! June may be a good time, in which case we might mix and merge with this run.

If you post stuff here or send it to Simon, Barmybob, or me, it'll end up in the proper secret laboratory!

Thanks!

Bealach na Ba is the name of the single pass road on the Applecross peninsula. Look it up, winding its' way through the mountains just like roads in the Alps. Truly stunning, this is one road everyone "SHOULD" put on their bucket list.

Wester Ross has other gems as well. There is one view looking down on Loch Maree a few miles after the Garve turn off, you just have to stop & take it all in. You'll know when you get there.

I could go on but I'll not bore you all.

Jim.

Do I detect enthusiam for this idea Jim

It'd be good to put a passport to a name finally

(old Rab C Nesbitt line adaptation for the uninitiated )

Do I detect enthusiam for this idea Jim

It'd be good to put a passport to a name finally

(old Rab C Nesbitt line adaptation for the uninitiated ) [/quote]

Aye Simon you might just set eyes on the elusive Highlander..
Trust me the pass will be worth seeing...

Balach na Ba is on the list; as is General Wade's road south of Loch Ness and the A82 from Kyle and across GlenGarry. Perhaps a side trip to Glen Elg, if we're that way inclined.

I seem to recall that Applecross is either the steepest or the highest road in Scotland.

Glenelg Inn is a well stocked refreshment stop over..

^^ well it was.......

You know something that the rest of us don't ??!!

Ok team...

Having done the 'finger in the wind' test for an event and time of year...- let's attempt to round down a little bit to a possible itinerary...

A lot of this depends on who has what time available... So, if you are fancying this and think there is the possibility you could attend, can I ask you to state how long such an adventure would last in your mind.
/how long do you want to be away for..?

Revolving around, but not necessarily starting or finishing on, the weekend of the 11th/12th June 2016


1 Dante Giacosa 3/4/5/6 nights? (I could be away for 'as long as it takes')

1 Dante Giacosa 3/4/5/6 nights? (I could be away for 'as long as it takes')
2. Edinburgh 3 nights

1 Dante Giacosa 3/4/5/6 nights? (I could be away for 'as long as it takes')
2. Edinburgh 3 nights
3. Barney 3 nights

Unlikely I'll get away with a longer outing without risking divorce.

I can do up to 5 nights. As for the trip itself..... I would generally prefer to not drive the roads in convoy all the time. I would rather we stagger our start times when we set off and arrange meeting points along the way for lunch and dinner etc. Only because we all drive differently and it's safer if we are not having to either drive faster than we would like to keep up with others, or looking in our mirrors constantly and slowing down to make sure we haven't left somebody behind. And the main reason is the colours of all of your coops are not as nice as mine and you will spoil my view of the scenery.

These pro independence types eh...
Why not let Simon lead. Speed problem solved!
Joking aside, anyone flying down those roads is missing the point aren't they?

I expect at least one of you to have the in car camera set up at one frame a minute for the whole trip...

I'm going for the driving as much if not more than anything else. Bernard
These are some of the best traffic free and exciting driving roads in the world and I will definitely be flying down some of them as they are an absolute joy to drive in any car, but will be fantastic in the coupe.
We'll not be in the car all day and we will stopping regularly, so there will be plenty time to take in the magnificent surroundings. I don't really want to do more than 3 to 4 hours driving in any one day and at least a couple of hours on foot getting some exercise and exploring.

Look after your LE, you're one of only 31 left

For myself I am only too happy to lead from the front, but you'd better all take a full week off work

I'm easy, a whole week might be pushing the envelope though.

Just a thought. Since I'm furthest North, perhaps I could meet Coopsters who are South of me, who may need a day or two to get to my neck of the woods.

Come south a bit and be a pilot Jim

Formation flying is one of the greater pleasures of coupé ownership for me so I'd like to stick with a crowd. Happy to explore by road or on foot. Not concerned about distances or hours behind the wheel, I'll just go with the flow.
If as Neil suggests the numbers increase with owners from the South then I expect accommodation will need to be agreed and booked soonest possible.
Not preferable but I'd even tolerate camping for one night.

all sounds good-

can I ask for an update on the list...?

1 Dante Giacosa 3/4/5/6 nights?
2. Edinburgh 3 nights
3. Barney 3 nights

3 for me please and camping great for us

I could cope with one nights camping and a barbecue at Sheigra beach. I also want to go to the remote Sandwood Bay weather permitting. It's a 1 hour walk there and 1 hour back. Google them!

Don't get me wrong Bernard, I'm not totally against travelling in a coop convoy! The beauty and attraction of these roads for me personally though - is that they are empty and you can often be the only car on them. Travelling in a set convoy( effectively traffic) for several days would defeat the the purpose.
If you simply have a definite meeting point in the evening(as well as breakfast) where we all meet to tell our travelling tales of the day, and optional points on the route during the day, then there are far less delays to the overall schedule. Drivers and their passengers are then free to choose to stop at particular points that are of interest to them, which may not be of interest to others and vice versa. You can also make impromptu stops without every one else having to do likewise. A lot of the time we will naturally end up traveling together on the same piece of road and i have no problem with that.

1 Dante Giacosa 3/4/5/6 nights?
2. Edinburgh 3 nights
3. Barney 3 nights
4. Rosso 3 nights (1 night camping possibly)

I'd be up for Sandwood Marko

Having not managed getting there yet despite saying i would many times. Always seem to find we end up and camusdarach beach but it is beautiful so no hardship there.

Just googled Camusdarach. Yeh! no hardship there Brian. That is one that is now on the radar , maybe on the way up to or back from the meet

1 Dante Giacosa 3/4/5/6 nights?
2. Lego 5 nights
3 Edinburgh 3 nights
4. Barney 3 nights
5.Rosso 3 nights (1 night camping possibly)

Maybe we should just go ahead with planning a definite 3 night trip.
Those of us who wish to do more nights can organise our additional nights separately?

Not a bad idea

Need to go back through the thread and shortlist destinations

Due to the distances involved (for most of us) we should try I think for a good stretch in the 1st half of the 1st day to get up there

Say, lunch in Inverness? Can you recommend somewhere, Jimboy?

So much to choose from, what kind of place/food. Parking in Inverness is a problem. Several Coops would be tricky believe it or not, far from impossible but getting them all together. I would like to make this a good dinning experience for you all. Dores Inn is just a few miles outside Inverness & is one of those places you have to visit & a view that's breath taking on the shores of Loch Ness.

I could recommend going to the village of Beauly just outside of Inverness en route to where we are all going. Village square & all that, good eateries. My local even, not the best Hotel but big car park good grub & a lovely situated. On the way to where we are all headed as well.

Just some ideas, as I've said I'd like to make it a good start for you all.

Beauly sounds better than Inverness I think...

and just beyond the last glut of 'traffic' I would think...