Seven Sensational Scottish Road Trips
Photo Shutterstock
It may have been centuries since Scotland had its own king or queen, but the majesty of the place is undiminished. Jaw-droppingly beautiful and, for the most part, sparsely populated, road tripping north of the border is an utter joy. Even if the weather occasionally gets in the way.
Here are seven of our favourite Scottish Detours:
Dumfries to Edinburgh
Photo Shutterstock
Le Mans winner Allan McNish knows a thing or two about driving. So when he says that the road from Dumfries to Edinburgh is one of the best drives in Scotland who are we to argue? “The road from Dumfries, where I was born, to Edinburgh, the A701 is my Favourite Detour. That road is stunning. You drive to Moffat, and there are some beautiful corners just before St Ann's bridge over the Kinnel Water – it's a bit like going through Hawthorn Bend at Brands Hatch. It really is stunning.” Discover more.
Glasgow to Inverness
Photo Malcolm Lightbody / Unsplash
Not to do the borders a disservice but generally speaking the further north you go the more spectacular Scotland gets. Winding along the banks of Loch Lomond, passing the Bridge of Orchy and beyond into the Highlands, taking in the mountains of Glencoe, Fort William and Ben Nevis on the way to Inverness. Discover more.
The road to Skyfall
Photo Nik Berg
Just south of Glencoe is the road that took Daniel Craig and Judie Dench to Skyfall. It’s little more than a narrow track down to Loch Etive - and you’ll want to take it is on the gravel sections to avoid damaging the paint on your Aston Martin, but it’s still a drive for any Bond bucket list. Discover more.
Isle of Skye
Skye requires some recalibration. It’s not particularly large, but the scale of its spectacle is immense. What’s more the landscape is ever-changing, from the still beauty of its lochs to the alien-planet-like Old Man of Storr. The roads are tight, twisty and terrific. Discover more.
Scotland’s Most Treacherous Road
Photo Shutterstock
The A83 Rest and be Thankful road between Inverary and Crianlarich isn’t especially tortuous or difficult to drive. When it’s open, that is. For this route is frequently close due to landslides that cascade down the hillside with “the road of a mountain in torment.” Discover more.
Bealach na ba
Photo Nik Berg
Jeremy Clarkson recently called Bealach na Ba, or the Applecross Pass, “Britain’s Stelvio Pass”. So that means even more people than ever are set to discover its tight hairpins and paint-scrapingly narrow path. Once you’ve made the climb out of Applecross the view is well worth all the effort. Get up early to enjoy this one. Discover more.
The North Coast 500
Photo Shutterstock
The daddy of Scottish drives is the circular North Coast 500 which starts and ends in Inverness. At it’s most mesmerising as you track the west coast, there’s much to see and do along the way to make it a week-long adventure. Try to avoid the peak summer season or you’ll be following in train of motorhomes and caravans. Discover more.