Heading to Oban soon then to ayre!!

[MrBell]

Hi everyone, me and my fiance will be heading to oban in august and would like to know the best route, we are coming from Newcastle Upon Tyne so will take a while to get there!!
Then we have decided to head down to ayre after a long stint in oban so would like to know the best route for getting there. Thanks
ps we arent towing a massive caravan! im using a Citreon C3 picasso deisel and the caravan is a 460/2 bailey ranger 2000.

cant wait for our holidays, any suggestions on places to go once there??

 

[Robtel]

Hi everyone, me and my fiance will be heading to oban in august and would like to know the best route, we are coming from Newcastle Upon Tyne so will take a while to get there!!

From Newcastle I would suggest heading up the A1, onto the A720 Edinburgh city bypass, pick up the M9 towards Stirling, then the A84 towards Lochearnhead and onto the A84 towards Crianlarich and then Oban. Google maps gives a mileage of 242 miles for that route. Anytime I've went I've used that route from the M9 onwards and found it easy driving. A few bends at times but nothing to worry about. Reckon you would do it inside 6 hours allowing for a couple of breaks.
The quickest route from Oban to Ayr is down Loch Lomondside and bypassing Glasgow. Not a route I've ever travelled so will leave that for others to comment on.
Re places to visit. Depends on what you are interested in. You can go on a variety of cruises from Oban to some of the outlying islands, some allow time ashore, some include meals on board. Lovely scenery all around in every direction. A drive north to Fort William is a good day out. I can't remember it's name but we went for a cruise on one of the sea lochs near Oban. Any of the tourist information places will have a variety of leaflets telling you what is on offer. There is (was?) a Sea Life Centre near Oban but , in my opinion, if you've seen one of them you have seen them all.
What site are you going to? I like the one at North Connel affiliated to the Caravan Club. Right on the shore, lovely.

Robert

 

[MrBell]

Thanks for all the info! We are going to the caravan club site. I cant wait!!

 

[JohnandNic]

Hi

To go from Oban to Ayr, as earlier the Loch lomond sideroad is shorter, but narrow and bendy in bits, nice scenery tho'. The easiest way might be back on M90 then across to M / A 77. Not sure the best way as the roads seem to have changed a fair bit since I regularly used them

 

[MrBell]

Thanks for all the advice on roads to take, we are really looking forward to going, lets hope the weather will be nice.

 

[HerinDoors]

Hi Im not the driver in our outfit, but we went the Loch Lomand route the other year. The weather was bad, and I would not recoment it if you have a large outfit like ours. The road was very bendy in parts, and at one point I think both my husband (the driver) and myself both closed our eyes and hoped for the best, as there was a large lory coming around a sharp corner .

If you do decide to take this way, try to pick a quieter time of the day. Good luck xx

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

After having a very close shave with a coach on the narrow bendy part of the Loch Lomond route (the rubber from the coach wing mirrors scuffed the awning rail on our 'van whilst negotiating a bend) with a twin axle, there is no way we would ever use that route again!

 

[MrBell]

i have been told the bendy route is bad, ill be going up to sterling then along, the only problem i have is im heading to ayre and the best way to get there is going down the bendy route! We dont have a Big out fit really, a 460/2 bailey and a C3 Picasso, ill just have to be careful and hope the road isnt going to be too busy. I am really looking foward to going to Oban as its been a very long time and i am also hoping the weather isnt going to be too bad.
Did you all enjoy the campsite? what are the wardens like?

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

We generally use the C&CC site at Barcaldine - just outside Oban, the midges are horrendous, so you have to pick your times when you would go!

 

[MrBell]

ill be expecting the midges to be bad when i get there, ill be getting some smelly candles to use and use the midge repelant stuff, hopefully it wont be too bad. I cant wait to go!!

 

[gm4pgv]

Empty post (likely not intentional - probably an Internet Explorer issue!)

 

[gm4pgv]

Empty post (likely not intentional - probably an Internet Explorer issue!)

 

[gm4pgv]

Hi gm4pgv
Please update your compaitibility settings to allow your text to appear on the forum.
Click Here for instructions on how to do this

 

[MrBell]

not long untill o go to oban, really looking foward to going!! what is the best midge repelant?

 

[Dustydog]

not long untill o go to oban, really looking foward to going!! what is the best midge repelant?

Hi Mr Bell
I assume you will be staying at the CC affiliated site at North Ledaig? An excellent choice and an especially good dog walk for miles.
The onsite shop sell one of the best after bite soothers I have ever used. Not cheap but effective. I bought five because I was scared we might run out

They're roll ons. Very soothing.
Get hold of some Avon Skin So Soft spray or lotion cream.Put it on at the critical times. You can buy it direct from Avon on the Web. It helps well but I still have the scars to prove some of those Midgeeze were Kamakazies!

Now it's not all bad I assure you. Just keep an eye on http://blog.midgeforecast.co.uk/

Look , we've been to Scotland numerous times and only a few times have we suffered , mostly through poor preparation on our part. Keep an eye on the forecast I mention. Protect yourselves and even burn joss sticks. Nothing like rekindling a hippy youth!!
If you smoke , you'll be ok. I never got bitten when I smoked years ago.
If you get the chance have a trip to the Isle of Arran.
Good luck and best wishes.

 

[MrBell]

not long untill o go to oban, really looking foward to going!! what is the best midge repelant?

Hi Mr Bell
I assume you will be staying at the CC affiliated site at North Ledaig? An excellent choice and an especially good dog walk for miles.
The onsite shop sell one of the best after bite soothers I have ever used. Not cheap but effective. I bought five because I was scared we might run out

They're roll ons. Very soothing.
Get hold of some Avon Skin So Soft spray or lotion cream.Put it on at the critical times. You can buy it direct from Avon on the Web. It helps well but I still have the scars to prove some of those Midgeeze were Kamakazies!

Now it's not all bad I assure you. Just keep an eye on http://blog.midgeforecast.co.uk/

Look , we've been to Scotland numerous times and only a few times have we suffered , mostly through poor preparation on our part. Keep an eye on the forecast I mention. Protect yourselves and even burn joss sticks. Nothing like rekindling a hippy youth!!
If you smoke , you'll be ok. I never got bitten when I smoked years ago.
If you get the chance have a trip to the Isle of Arran.
Good luck and best wishes.

Hi dustydog, yeah im heading to the CC cite, i really cant wait to go, just over a week to go!
I have heard people say that the Avon cream seems to work, we have bought some of the smelly candles which will help. I have an I phone and found the midge forcast app, which states today is a high level so ill keep an eye on what is happening. Even if its really bad, it wont put me off.
Me and my fiance will be taken our pedal bikes and investagating the surrounding area and see what there is, i think we may go on the ferries and go on some of the small islands as well.

 

[Beachball]

Hi Mr Bell Have a great holiday in scotland and this might be suitable it called Ultrathon Insect Repellent Lotion and it last up to 12 hours but the choice is yours........

 

[MrBell]

Thank you and will have look at the lotion, we will need something

 

[Dustydog]

I thought you'd be having an early night ready for tomorrow's trip!

 

[gm4pgv]

Hello Mr Bell, Hope you managed to get to oban and ayre! while you are up here you might also like to visit Oban and Ayr!
I notice that you hail from Newcastle Upon Tyne is that anywhere near newcastle upon tyne?

 

[kennygee]

You don't have to come down the twisted narrow road down Loch Lomond. The best way is via Inverary A819 then A83 to Tarbet going down The Rest and be Thankful. It is a beautiful road with great scenery. I always travel this way to Oban.

 

[MrBell]

Hi everyone im back from Oban and also ayre and it was fantastic, Obans caravan site was just stunning, really want to go back, Ayre was ok but not fantastic. Thanks for all the responces, i didnt need any repelant as there wasnt any midgies around, it was really windy and rainy up there but still had a great time, if anyone hasnt been i would highly recomend going!

 

[Robtel]

Glad you enjoyed the break. Take it you got all your problems with gas bottle and noseweight sorted out?
By coincidence I was just wondering this morning before I logged on how things had worked out for you. Was it Craigie Gardens in Ayr (no "e" please note

) you visited? it's been a few years since I was last there, I'd heard there had been a lot of building work going on in the nearby area which some reckoned was going to have a detrimental effect on the site's location and surroundings. Haven't been back myself since that happened. To me personnally, Ayr would be o.k for a short break, we only ever went there for long weekends. Oban is a diiferent matter though, the C.C. site at North Ledaig is in an excellent location and plenty of places around to visit.

 

[MrBell]

hi yeah we finished our holiday at cragie gardens, i have to admit there was lots of noise around as the builders where doing their part. There has been some big changes around there and to be truthful i doubt ill go back. We spent two nights there and for me that was enough as there wasnt much to see or do. It is a shame that there has been buildng work around there as the campsite is kept well but you feel like your in a middle of an industrial estate now with the new buildings close by.
Yeah i got my nose weight to the limit which took some doing, i also got the calor light bottle as well. I can only have one gas bottle in my caravan with the low nose weight i have to play with.
Oban was amazing and i really want to go back, its beautiful and i couldnt get enough of the scenary. Oban the town was also very nice. Took us just over six and half hours to get there and it was worth the wait!

 

[kennygee]

Just as a matter of interest, which route did you take to Oban