Travel Scotland

Sep 29, 2016
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If you want the easiest and quickest route then go via the A9.

For wonderful scenery take the A82.

The A82 will take longer than any route planner will suggest, there is no doubt that the A82 would be my first choice unless time was a critical factor.

Lots of superb choices for a stop over on A82 route, Glencoe and Bunree areas amongst others.

If you wish to compromise then take one route going and the other for the return journey.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Agree above post, but some do not like the A82 on the west side of Loch Lomond as it can be narrow with overhangs in parts and coaches trucks (caravans!!) etc. I do the compromise by going via Crinlairach A85 then join A82 just north of loch Lomond. After that it is easy peasy and you can take in the wonderful scenery.
 
May 7, 2012
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I would avoid the A82 up the side of Loch Lomond as Clive says. It is narrow very twisty often with stone cliffs at the side. It is also used by timber lorries whose drivers assume you can get out of the way, they can be very intimidating if you meet them at the wrong spot.
The A82 is a bit more scenic, but very slow and you have something like 250 miles to travel. If you have all day then you can use the A82, but take the motorway to Stirling and reach the A82 via Callander to get to it. It should not take any longer and is far safer.
The A9 is quite scenic itself and the Drumochter Pass as you near Inverness is worth the trip to me.
Also be aware that once you clear Glasgow fuel becomes far more rare so do fill up when you can. I can give you some details of this if you need.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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I would avoid the A82 up the side of Loch Lomond as Clive says. It is narrow very twisty often with stone cliffs at the side. It is also used by timber lorries whose drivers assume you can get out of the way, they can be very intimidating if you meet them at the wrong spot.
The A82 is a bit more scenic, but very slow and you have something like 250 miles to travel. If you have all day then you can use the A82, but take the motorway to Stirling and reach the A82 via Callander to get to it. It should not take any longer and is far safer.
The A9 is quite scenic itself and the Drumochter Pass as you near Inverness is worth the trip to me.
Also be aware that once you clear Glasgow fuel becomes far more rare so do fill up when you can. I can give you some details of this if you need.
Cheap (ish) fuel at Morrisons in Dumbarton and Fort William if going the whole way on A82 - or Tesco Perth and all the supermarkets in Inverness if using the A9 -
 
Nov 11, 2009
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whilst the A9 is faster and does have very nice scenery I would try and do both routes on the journey. Going east of Glasgow and via Crinlairch then onto the A 82 misses out the dodgy bit on the west of Loch Lomond but then going north on the A82 does have some spectacular scenery. Or using that route going south too.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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Over my nearly 40 years caravanning, I've always used the A82 along Loch Lomond when going up to Oban or Fort William - whilst I see the issue, I think there's an over-reaction to the problem particularly since the work at Pulpit Rock erecting a viaduct out over the Loch itself and the M74 extension through Glasgow have been completed.

In my experience, the LHD foreign coaches were the worst, swinging out over the centre line more than necessary on bends - but because of Covid there are few, if any, this year.
 
May 7, 2012
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If using the A9 and you are running short on fuel at Perth do be aware that there are no further filling stations until near Inverness without leaving the main road.
On the A9 Perth by pass there is a Tesco at the junction with the A85, follow the signs for the football ground and you will see it. If you prefer BP turn towards Perth at the roundabout at A912 to access this. Possibly for large outfits it is the better bet.
 

DRB

May 6, 2019
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Access and SatNav Advice - Don’t use a satnav to access this site.
Approaching on the A9, turn off at Raigmore Hospital and follow the south ring road (B8082 Sir Walter Scott Drive) until you see a roundabout with a green Loch Ness Monster on it. Turn left on to the B862 to Dores, and join the B852 to Foyers along Loch Ness. As you approach Foyers, you will see on the right hand side what was the old hotel (now called Foyers Lodge). Turn right 100m further on behind the No Entry sign, which is signposted for Lower Foyers and follow the signs to the campsite. Approaching from the South, leave the A82 at Fort Augustus and follow the B862 to Whitebridge. Approximately 1 mile after the Whitebridge Hotel, turn left on B852 to Foyers. Approximately 1 mile after Foyers Stores turn sharp left to Lower Foyers and follow signs to site.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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That's a very time-consuming junction to get off and then back on again - and expensive fuel.
In the overall scheme of things the time is minuscule. We’ve used it several times and I would say it’s far less time than the two fuel stops in Perth or even Cumbernauld.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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In the overall scheme of things the time is minuscule. We’ve used it several times and I would say it’s far less time than the two fuel stops in Perth or even Cumbernauld.

I don't see how it's less time than Tesco Perth, let alone "far less time" - but since the OP is travelling from Hoddom Castle, near Ecclefechan, they may not need to refuel at all or can wait until Inverness.
 
Oct 3, 2013
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Access and SatNav Advice - Don’t use a satnav to access this site.
Approaching on the A9, turn off at Raigmore Hospital and follow the south ring road (B8082 Sir Walter Scott Drive) until you see a roundabout with a green Loch Ness Monster on it. Turn left on to the B862 to Dores, and join the B852 to Foyers along Loch Ness. As you approach Foyers, you will see on the right hand side what was the old hotel (now called Foyers Lodge). Turn right 100m further on behind the No Entry sign, which is signposted for Lower Foyers and follow the signs to the campsite. Approaching from the South, leave the A82 at Fort Augustus and follow the B862 to Whitebridge. Approximately 1 mile after the Whitebridge Hotel, turn left on B852 to Foyers. Approximately 1 mile after Foyers Stores turn sharp left to Lower Foyers and follow signs to site.
Some satnavs use latitude and longitude co-ordinates for destinations.You can get the co-ordinates for the site entrance and that will get you right there.I usually employ" find latitude and longitude" to get me where I want to go - it hasn't let me down - so far !
Of course I take a map as well.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Yes but using latitude and longitude doesn’t stop the satnav from routing you down an unsatisfactory route that could be a narrow lane unrestricted road that the satnav calculates will be a faster route.
 
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Sep 16, 2018
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...or bring you the wrong way to an angled site entrance which can only be entered from one direction, as we found lat year in the Peak District.
 
May 7, 2012
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If a site gives instructions for a route then that is the route to take. Sat navs are mostly going to route you down the shortest route but it may not be suitable so they are best avoided if the site instructions suggest an alternative route. If there is a warning about a route being unsuitable, only idiots ignore it.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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If a site gives instructions for a route then that is the route to take. Sat navs are mostly going to route you down the shortest route but it may not be suitable so they are best avoided if the site instructions suggest an alternative route. If there is a warning about a route being unsuitable, only idiots ignore it.
Most satnav settings will give options for fastest route or shortest route. When I first had ine I set it to shortest route to south Leicester. It ignored village by passes and I saw the back lanes of Burford as it even ignored the Main Street; the back lanes being shorter. Although since the whole town was a 30 mph area it may still have directed me down the back lanes even when set at Fastest Route settings. Hence why I check very carefully when I’ve got the alloy box behind.
 
May 7, 2012
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I accept that you can get options with most sat navs but unless it allows you to specify routes suitable for the size of your outfit it can lead you astray. That trip down the back streets of Burford might have worked that day, but somewhere else it might have been a disaster.
 

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