Over the Sea to Skye Having recently returned from a much anticipated trip to Skye from the Ribble Valley and through Scotland, I thought I’d share. This was intended to be the first proper run out for the Trophy for myself and the wife. To summarise the following – it was epic. It was something approaching 1200 miles at slightly over 30 mpg all told. I’d like to post the proper figures but the trip computer had a recalcitrant moment from the beginning, not recording any information at all. I didn’t notice this till well north of Glasgow. After some cajoling, it sprang into life but by then the stats were lost. [/URL][/IMG] I have to say that that was the only minor issue the car had though throughout, other than the brakes being sub-par, in my opinion. On a couple of occasions I did think the car wasn’t slowing enough, almost missing a junction or two and nearly running into the back of a XK8. My R26 was the same; I much prefer Clio brakes. Anyway, first stop was the pretty village of Luss, on the shore of Loch Lomond. Picnic had, it was time to move on. [/URL][/IMG] The last few northern miles of Loch Lomond, along the A82 provided some ‘racing’ entertainment in trying to keep up with a speedboat around the twists and turns of the road. At the end of Britain’s largest area of fresh water, a cheery wave saw us head off towards Glencoe. [/URL][/IMG] Before getting there we passed through Tyndrum, and at the Inn & Green Welly stop, there must have been a thousand bikers partaking of refreshments. We had barely left the village when what seemed like every one of said bikers decided to roar past the Megane. I don’t know why, maybe it’s the decals, but a few fearless chaps pulled alongside for a brief moment before wheeling off down the road, as if to say “not fast enough mate”. This continued all the way through Glencoe, making my own progress a little slow as every time I glanced in the mirrors in preparation for an overtake, a dozen or so two-wheeled maniacs whizzed by. [/URL][/IMG] The road through Glencoe itself is truly stunning. We originally had planned to stay a night in the village but the prices were rather high. I can now understand why. [/URL][/IMG] [/URL][/IMG] We rolled on through towards Fort William and our overnight stop. A few folks had told me not to bother visiting this place, but I went in with an open mind, and the admittedly very little I saw of the place was perfectly respectable. [/URL][/IMG] The B&B had a great view of Ben Nevis. [/URL][/IMG] The next day dawned, well, miserably. We had wanted to tour around Loch Ness, and having read that the eastern shore was much less visited, we turned off the A82 at Fort Augustus. The B862, or General Wade’s Military Road, was quite interesting. Once again, and for the second day in a row we found ourselves in the middle of a two-wheeled jam, albeit at a much slower pace. In my defence, the marshal that was supposed to stop us driving into the heart of a closed road bicycle race told us that we were okay to proceed. [/URL][/IMG] After passing a few hundred puffing, wheezing cyclists – some riding, most pushing – we were told to stop and informed that for safety reasons we must not go any further, and cannot return the way we came. An hour passed before they tentatively let us continue towards the first stop of the day at Foyers. [/URL][/IMG] The falls feed the river Ness, flowing into the famous Loch. [/URL][/IMG] The short walk down to the Loch shore is well worth it. Red squirrels too, if you’re lucky. The walk back up was a particular highlight for the wife. [/URL][/IMG] From the Falls of Foyer we pressed on along the eastern shore of Loch Ness to the Dores Inn for lunch – highly recommended. On leaving (and to be honest, on arriving) the weather wasn’t looking great. This is Scotland of course, so never mind, to be expected. The next stop was the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre. This meant continuing the Ness loop which is 70 miles all told, through Inverness and back down the other side. Then the snow started. We made it to the car park of the Exhibition Centre, but decided that the thought of 150 miles and three hours to our bed wasn’t looking great, with a couple of inches of the white stuff covering the car, and getting worse. Disappointed as we were, the thought of having come this far and it being one of the things we wanted to visit (along with Urquhart Castle), but unable to, the thought of a beer, haggis and a bed had a greater pull. Of note on the roads here has to be the supercar convoys that we encountered; several. Porsche Ferrari Ferrari TVR Lamborghini GTR Porsche Lamborghini Ferrari – I couldn’t call them fast enough – not that the wife cared. Within an hour of leaving the monster, the snow had gone. This was a pattern that would be repeated throughout our trip. I think they call it Atlantic Climate – different every hour. Never mind, no turning back, Skye beckoned. [/URL][/IMG] [/URL][/IMG] The Cullen Mountain Range is truly majestic - the best in Britain it’s said. I have no reason to doubt that claim and would go further and say it’s the best I’ve seen anywhere. [/URL][/IMG] Portree harbour, the main village on Skye. These next few pictures are from the A855 from Uig back to Portree, skirting the coast of the Trotternish peninsula. Hard to believe this is classed as an ‘A’ road – some of it is single track with passing places every 100 yards. [/URL][/IMG] [/URL][/IMG] [/URL][/IMG] This road passes Kilt Rock, Mealt Waterfall, The Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr – a must see all for any visitor. [/URL][/IMG] [/URL][/IMG]
The following day has us drive out across Skye to the southerly peninsula of Sleat and the Clan Donald museum. This took us along the A851 which was a much better road, fast and flowing. The Megane was in its element here, tremendous fun. The views from here were fantastic too. [/URL][/IMG] This is the view over to Morar on the mainland and is the point at which the old ferry takes travellers that’d rather not use the bridge. Next up was Elgol, where you can take a boat trip on the Misty Isle to the unspoilt Loch Coruisk. This was the plan, but again, the inclement weather put paid to the idea. The road to Elgol is worth mentioning – turning off the main road at Broadford, the brilliant sat nav proclaimed it was 14 miles to go. Fourteen miles on the most tortuous, winding and twisting road surely in the British Isles. Again, single track with passing places, barely five foot wide, up, down, round and round – it really feels like you are driving to the end of the world. Too dangerous to push on at any reasonable speed, this took quite a while to navigate. The fact that the road (or my driving?) made the wife feel particularly sick didn’t help the pace. The last few hundred yards is hairpin after hairpin, down a 1 in 4 hill with oncoming cars and walkers, all vying for a precious piece of tarmac. [/URL][/IMG] Another reason for visiting Elgol was that it provides some of the best views of the Cullins. Bloody weather! [/URL][/IMG] The Talisker distillery was to be the next stop but I really didn’t fancy the interior of the Trophy surviving a vomit outbreak along another nine miles of Skye’s finest. Next time maybe. The return trip home was done in one stint, with just one stop for fuel, seven hours and 415 miles. The Renault was more than up to the task, comfy, spacious, fun, fast, returning 30+ mpg. It was immense getting past well, everything, on the way to the motorway and saw off a DB9 and a XK8 combo with ease. The 17 miles of the A87 from the Bun Loyne junction to the A82 at Invergarry was a highlight that I won’t forget in a long time.
great write up mate, i've been up and around the A82 and through Glen Coe, some of the best road and scenery you could imagine.
I was over the weekend before as I live reasonably close.....shorts and t-shirt all weekend mate! Some fantastic roads for sure and they were filled with supercars that weekend too.
Yeah that's what the locals told me, not to worry. We still had a fantastic time and no doubt will be back.
Excellent, Glad you enjoyed the roads The road from Tyndrum to Inverness is my current commute to work, Cant complain really
just got back from Edinburgh but in the wifes Qashqai didnt see any snow though. Were those pics in May? Great pics as well I enjoyed the read
Those are stunning picture sand the car looks on point Glad I'm not the only one with the brakes. I've said a few times the ones on my 197 were much better, but I just assumed that was because I spent money upgrading all the components. Obviously that's not the case completely.
Cheers guys. Yeah the brakes as standard really don't seem to be up to the same standard as the rest of the car and it was the same with the R26. I know it would be easy to improve them no end with a better set of front pads, but that not the point. My Clio had Brembo max discs, Mintex M1144 pads and braided lines - hardly exotic and yet it would stop easily twice as quickly as either Megane. Inspired so much more confidence.
