Touring Scotland and Kinlochewe to Altnaharra
We are going in about three weeks time, and wondered if anyone had any recommendations as to the best route between Kinlochewe site and Altnaharra and then Altnaharra to Brora please any suggestions welcome
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No probs.
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Been that route a few times. No problems towing. Wee tip when travelling to Altnaharra stock up on foodstuffs as the nearest shops are a long way away. Also it is interesting to read up on the dark deeds done during the notorious Highland Clearances in Strathnaver. Some of the ruined settlements are less than hours walk from the site. Great site.
Kinlochewe is also a great site next to loch maree. With interesting day drives from the site. Too many to mention on this post.
Brora is a normal CC site next to a golf course. Beach the other side of the golf course Supermarket in the village. recommend a visit to Helmsdale just up the road. Good time to tour that area. Not many of the wee beasties around
Have a good holiday.
K
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I think the easiest route would be A832 to Garve, A835 to Maryburgh, A862 through Dingwall, where you can fill up with food & petrol at Tesco, onto the A9 and then the A836 from north of Tain as on the website & in the Site Directory to Altnaharra. Return to Lairg and use the A839 to cross to to the A9 and then north to Brora. Hope this helps.
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Been that route a few times. No problems towing. Wee tip when travelling to Altnaharra stock up on foodstuffs as the nearest shops are a long way away. Also it is interesting to read up on the dark deeds done during the notorious Highland Clearances in
Strathnaver. Some of the ruined settlements are less than hours walk from the site. Great site.Kinlochewe is also a great site next to loch maree. With interesting day drives from the site. Too many to mention on this post.
Brora is a normal CC site next to a golf course. Beach the other side of the golf course Supermarket in the village. recommend a visit to Helmsdale just up the road. Good time to tour that area. Not many of the wee beasties around
Have a good holiday.
K
Kennine, it's no good saying the route is easy for towing if you dont help by saying which one to use, as was the request in the OP.
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There is a ruined Broch on Altnahara ( pse don't climb on it !! ) And since there are no lights there except possibly on E H Us ( cannot remember despite being there many times
) if you have a clear night you will see more stars than you can shake a stick at !! utterly Gorgeous, peaceful & 20 - odd miles from civilisation ( Insert Biggest, largest, smiliest icon thingy !! }0 -
The route I would recommend would be from Kinlochewe eastwards to the Tore roundabout, Join the A9 then take the second slip road into Tain where there is a supermarket about 100 yds from the junction. Stock up with whatever you might need. Back on to the A 9 again travel through Bonar Bridge to Lairg where there is a huge layby next to the river, ideal for a break and a cuppa. Leave Lairg travel to Altnaharra at the junction turn right and follow the road to Loch Naver The site is on the right on the waterside.( that part of the route is well documented in the handbook.
You have the choice of two routes when you leave Loch Naver. -- retrace your route to the a9 and head north rpto Brora. Or the much more interesting and scenic route although a bit longer via Bettyhill then eastwards following the coast to Thurso ( there you could, if you wanted and had the time spend a bit of time at the Dunnet Bay site a bit further along the coast) ( Imo a more interesting site offering great opportunities to see wildlife and great seascapes ) than Brora. if not turn right at Thurso and follow the road to Helmsdale and on to Brora . Nice interesting heart stopping moments on the Braes of Berridale but the sea views are outstanding.
k
Apologies to the OP for not including this in my original post but the system timed out before I could complete the post.
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We have done Altnahara to Brora a few times, no problem. Down to Lairg, then A839 to the A9. We are starting out Scotland tour on 11/5 and are booked on Brora leaving on 30/5 then may go to Altnahara afterwards - see you on the road !!!
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Dont believe the rumours It's a ploy by we Scots to keep the good campsites to ourselves. The worst time for the midge in the highlands are August and September and only.if there is a flat calm. The warden at Altnaharra sells great midge repellant, cant
remember its name but it certainly worked for us. As a matter of interest the worst midge problem we ever came across was at the Castleton site in England so you will find midges outwith Scotland.k
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Kennine, you are being naughty - they are evil little b******** ! I have to smother myself in everything repelant going as we cross the border cos they make a beeline ( or should that be midge line?) for me ( don't touch the wife, I must just taste good)
Having said that, we have returned to Scotland every year for 40 + years cos the scenery etc make up the the wee beasties.0 -
Kennine, I think the repellant at Altnahara is Smidge That Midge or something very very similar !!
The others available are "Jungle Formula" -- { DEET based and been around a long time} and Avon's "Skin So Soft" == verified as efficacious by those thin skinned, tender souls in the Armed Forces serving in Afghanistan &
such places ! sadly it don't repel the Taliban !!0 -
Thank you to everyone for your input, it sounds as though we will have little problem whichever way we go from Kinlochewe to Altrnaharra - will probably take the longer but more scenic route ! As for the wee beasties we are armed with Smidge as I was told
this was better than Avon. ArthurandJean, they also make a wee beastie line for me, but only since I stopped smoking, so there must have been something in the nicotine in my blood which they didn't like. We will miss you on the road as we only start out
on the 13th May and are going to take until 8th June to arrive at Kinlochewe and will not arrive back home until mid July - so a nice long trip !!0 -
While at Kinlochewe make sure to have a drive out to Red Point. My wife leapt from the car to look at a whale which turned out to be a RN Submarine passing by.
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With the aid of a decent map showing gradients and single track roads, Kay, you can navigate successfully around the roads of Scotland.
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