United Kingdom Tour
April 13, 2122
Lake District – Scotland – Yorkshire
If you like me have spent a lifetime devouring car magazines, you will be aware that at one time or another any motoring journalist you care to mention has waxed lyrically about the roads and scenery of the northern reaches of the UK particularly northern Scotland. This tour has been designed to prove to you why. You will discover narrow lanes bordered by hedges or moss covered stone walls, there will be waterfalls dropping almost onto the roadway, there are the barren dales where you can see the road winding its way into the distance and the dark heavily forested glens where the light disappears on you and then there is the sheer size of the Scottish Landscape. I tried to photograph it, but you can only get a small portion of the majestic whole, you just have to experience this amazing landscape for yourself. OK there is no guarantee that the weather will be perfect but with twilights stretching out, you can fit a lot into a day. The best way to describe the driving? Well I’m not sure I have the words but I will tell you that I lost count of the times I came over a crest and broke into a broad grin when I saw the road ahead or the number of times I came through a bend and said “Oh Wow” out loud as you take in the new scene that has opened up for you.
The Tour Schedule
Day 1
Grange Over Sands
An easy day, arrive at your leisure, take in the sights of the Lake District before the tour meets for dinner at the Netherwood Hotel.
Day 2
Grange Over Sands
120.4 Miles
A nice cruise day to ease you into the tour. Today is all about Country Lanes, Stone Walls, Ancient Farmhouses and Country Pubs. We pass through Ambleside and Keswick both are full of quaint shops and cafes and are worth a walk. There are a couple of Mountain Passes unlike anything else you have tackled. Bumpy, narrow and very tight in places. Your average speeds will be low but these offer an amazing drive. Dinner tonight is at a small country pub not too far from our hotel.
Day 3
Port Appin
267.1 Miles
This is a pretty big day as I thought it best to head straight to the Highlands. The first 180 miles or so will see you transported up the M6 Motorway, into Scotland and through Glasgow to the shores of Loch Lomond. We then head into the heart of the Highlands as we turn west tracking along valleys beside Lochs and up over the ridges. There are some lovely little towns to explore, oysters to eat and great roads to enjoy. Our hotel is a small inn right on the water with an amazing restaurant.
Day 4
Isle of Skye
126.2 Miles
An easy run today as we head towards the Isle of Skye. Once onto the Isle we take a back road past the Tallisker distillery and onto the first of the unique Scottish B road that leads us into Portree. We then head to our home for the night overlooking a loch.
Day 5
Isle of Skye
Rest day
Have a sleep in, then a relaxing day exploring the mystical Isle of Skye, check out a distillery or just see the sights. This is YOUR day.
Day 6
Lochinver
155.3 Miles
The road off Skye is spectacular enough but once we turn off after 30 odd miles it becomes truly memorable. You will climb hills, dive down gorges, skirt lochs and lakes and drive through amazing scenery. Our hotel is in a tiny fishing village and has a world class restaurant.
Day 7
Wick
172.9 Miles
The North Coast of Scotland! This is why we came. Amazing scenery and unique roads. Lots of single lane bitumen with passing bays followed by glorious sweeping bends and always the scenery. There is time for plenty of stops and walks to discover more. We travel to Dunnett Head the most northerly point of Britain.
Day 8
Carrbridge
167 Miles
The run down the east coast is very different from the west and north, everything seems more orderly, lots of stone walls but always the amazing views of the coast. We turn inland to pick up a great driving road that delivers us to Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle. A whiskey for the first one to spot Nessie. We then pass through Inverness before hitting the main road to Carrbridge and a very Scottish Lodge. Try deep pile tartan carpets on the stairs.
Day 9
Edinburgh
166.8 Miles
Today has to rank as one of the best drives anywhere. Lots of corners but the ups and downs are amazing and there is very little traffic. We pass a string of distilleries, Balmoral and Braemar Castles, Gleneagles Golf Course, Knockhill Race Circuit and Murrayfield. Something for everyone. Our home for the next 2 nights is a boutique hotel on the edge of the city. Only a 10 minute walk in to the centre or a 2 minute bus ride from the front door.
Day 10
Edinburgh
A day to explore the amazing city of Edinburg or if you are keen it is about 90 minutes out to St Andrews. A day to do your own thing.
Day 11
Grange Over Sands
205 Miles
This is my favourite day of the tour. It is a fairly big drive but I will be surprised if you would want to shorten any of it. The first hour or so is along a major road to small towns that seem to be dormitories for Edinburgh but soon enough we are into the Yorkshire Moors, stark treeless hills populated by sheep and stone walls. We occasionally drop into the dales and the quaint stone villages straight from the TV show Heartbeat. We eventually wander back to the bottom of the Lake District and a favourite hotel of mine overlooking Morecambe Bay.
Day 12
Goodwood
A pretty easy run down the Motorway today as we head for Goodwood. I have not arranged any group accommodation for Goodwood as it is near impossible to secure a group booking. However, I am happy to arrange whatever accommodation you wish, from a very comfortable hotel 15 minutes from the circuit to a delightful B&B in the heart of old Portsmouth.
Organisation
Driving Adventures is David Thomas. David has been passionate about driving since he was old enough to hold a steering wheel. He has driven from London to Sydney, through the Andes and much of South and Central America, across deserts and deep into rainforests. He has won rally stages in the Himalayas. Raced successfully at Bathurst and taught thousands of people advanced driving skills through his own school and as head of the NSW Police Driver Training School. He has driven in movies and videos and has been organising and conducting tours since 1990. If anyone can show you how to have a good time in a car, it is David.
$15,000
Per Car – 2 People
The Cost
The cost of the tour is $15,000/car/2 people. This includes all accommodation and a cooked breakfast each morning. Your own pre-programmed Sat-Nav Unit, Comprehensive Roadbook and myself as the Tour Leader to smooth the way and ensure that everything happens as it should.
Booking
There are limited places available for this tour. Places on the tour will be allocated on a first in basis. To secure a place you will need to provide an initial non-refundable deposit of $5,000. Further non-refundable deposits will be required on the lead up to the tour. Usually 6 months and then 3 months prior to the tour.
