Scottish sites

Paul & Linda Gosden
Paul & Linda Gosden Forum Participant Posts: 2
edited September 2019 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

Hi, new to this club discussion group and need some help.  Currently planning a trip to Scotland next year and at a loss as to where to stay (with toilets) enroute from Inverness towards Edinburgh.  How long is the journey on A9 and are there suitable sites half way. 

 

Paul @nd Linda Gosden

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,146 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #2

    That’s a very vague question because we don’t know if you’re towing or not, don’t know how far you like to travel in a day and so on.

    Check distances on a map or use the club’s (sometimes inaccurate) route planner. Work out if you need to stop overnight and, if so, do a site search in the appropriate area.

    Sorry if that sounds unhelpful but you really do need to do some research.

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited September 2019 #3

    VERY APPROXIMATELY  !!  No Warranties Given, no Tokens accepted  !!

    From Culloden Club Site   by Inverness :--

    B9006 / B9177                 5 miles to A9

    A9                                   80 miles to Pitlochry

    A837                               30 miles to Club site  at Killin

    Then  A837                      30 miles back to A9

    A9                                     22miles  to PERTH

    M90                                  30 Miles

    Queensferry  -->  EDINBURGH  CLUB SITE !

     

     

    { ??  But how the 'eck will you get up / down / across to  Inverness I ask myself  ??  wink }

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,866 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #4

    We are currently at Forfar Lochside which might figure in your plans. Lovely site with excellent toilet block. It depends on how quickly you want to get from Inverness to Edinburgh. Having driven today from Maragowen (Killen) I think I would give Killen a miss as the cross country roads are often narrow and slow, different story if you were going up the west coast.

    David

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #5

    There's a new CL at Dunning near Perth, Broadslap Farm, which could well have toilets by the time you do your trip. This would be about 2/3rds of the way from Inverness, and is only a couple of miles off the A9. There is the large commercial site at Blair Castle which would be about midway between Inverness and Edinburgh.

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited September 2019 #6

    DK, I had no knowledge of the vehicle P & L will be using. A  motorhome's ok but it could be a tad tight & nervous if its a caravan, so I only proposed short  runs -- 120 miles should not be a problem for anybody I think. And it's hardly a complicated route is it.

     

    P.S.  --  I trust you have, all of you, noted A B M only mentioned CLUB SITES  wink

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #7

    Other sites are available!!

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited September 2019 #8

    Name 26  !!  (cool GIGGLE sealed GIGGLE smile CHORTLE laughing )

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #9

    Try Milton of Fonab at Pitlochry or Blair Atholl for a half way stop, otherwise allow about four hours between Edinburgh and Inverness (depending on traffic and your outfit.) M of F has minimum bookings unless you just turn up at the last minute. However it's worth a couple of nights, we use it a lot. smile 

  • bamber685
    bamber685 Forum Participant Posts: 1
    edited September 2019 #10

    Something to be aware of when touring the A9 is that it is average speed camera monitored from Perth to Inverness. 

  • Paul & Linda Gosden
    Paul & Linda Gosden Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited September 2019 #11

    Sorry, forgot to mention that we are towing a caravan with a Volvo V70 Estate.   We are already booked onto sites, I.e. 

    River Beamish

    Edinburgh

    Maragowan

    Bunree

    Morvich

    Culloden Moor

    So help on the return from Culoden Moor is our concern. 

    we live in Lincolnshire and propose stopping in Durham on our return

     

    thanks for tips so far

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #12

    Unless you really want to stop, Inverness to Edinburgh is easily do-able in a day.

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited September 2019 #13

    Agreed KjellNN, They just have to delete my side trip to Killin, and they will have already been there any way,  and Bob's yer Auntie !!

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #14

    Seems odd to want to stay somewhere to break up a three hour trip.  Perhaps they were really asking about a "comfort stop", in which case I suggest the House of Bruar.

    [Usual caveat that applies everywhere about carrying supplies in case road is closed by police after an accident. This week's record isn't the M6 or the M1 but a two car non-fatal accident on Lewis (involving a campervan!) where the road was closed for 16 hours!]

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #15

    If you just want a rest break, the House of Bruar stop, as previously suggested,  is the best one. However if you are travelling at a busy time of the year etc you might find it difficult to park up with a caravan. Other than that the laybys are good along the A9 if you can use your own facilities and you could also look up services as you get on to the motorways approaching Edinburgh. As pointed out look out for the average speed camera checks and allow extra time.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #16

    The direct route Is just under 160 miles, so I would allow 4 hours of driving in case of slow lorries or heavy traffic..

    As brue said, there are plenty of lay-bys and a lunch stop before 12 will make it easier to find a space.

  • Navigateur
    Navigateur Club Member Posts: 3,880 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #17

    On A9 the HGV limit was raised to 50 mph a while ago so slow lorries are now just the same as slow caravans.  One can, however, make the journey at least an hour longer than it needs to be by trying to go past Perth at the wrong time of day !

  • Graymee
    Graymee Forum Participant Posts: 84
    edited September 2019 #18

    Culloden to Edinburgh is easily do able in 4 hours even with the roadworks between Dunkeld and Perth. If you want to stop there are non CAMC sites just of the A9 in Newtonmore, Blair Atholl (2) and Pitlochry (1 at either end) to name a few. There are probably a few CL's not far from the A9 too.

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,582 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #19

    The route finder says 153 miles from site to site although I would have said more, but I agree is easily done in a day. Do make sure you fill your fuel tank though before you set off as there is very little available at the road side on the way down. Personally I would allow five hours plus a stop as you are unlikely to average 50 mph.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #20

    Having lived in the Cairngorm area I can vouch for slower average  travel times unless travelling overnight in good weather! 

  • JohnM20
    JohnM20 Forum Participant Posts: 1,416
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    edited September 2019 #21

    We're just back from a trip with a caravan up to Inverness, (well actually Evanton 15 miles further north). From Derby our first stop was Durham. From there it was Balbirnie Park site at Glenrothes which was 157 miles taking 4 hours.  Glenrothes site to Inverness was 134 miles (+15 to Evanton) taking 3 hours 45 minutes. This was mainly along the A9 once we reached the outskirts of Perth. Although there is a long 50mph limit through the major roadworks the traffic flowed very freely. There are also lots of lay-bys along the A9 so stopping for a brew is not a problem.

    Coming back we went to the Maragowan site at Killin leaving the A9 near Pitlochry onto the A827. Not the best of roads as it is very twisty, bumpy and narrow in places. (The warden at Killin commented on the number of wing mirrors lost along that route).

    From Killin it was on to Powburn, Alnwick to a very nice new CL about half a mile from the club's River Breamish site. This was along the A85 / A84 to Callander rejoining the A9 at junction 10 south of  Dunblane and bypassing Edinburgh on the A720, onto the A68 and then A697. A distance of 144 miles taking 3 hours 50 minutes.

    All in all it was all an easy journey at moderate speed (notwithsatnding comments about the A827) all the way up to Inverness and back.

  • JohnM20
    JohnM20 Forum Participant Posts: 1,416
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    edited September 2019 #22

    I forgot to add in my post above that we called in to the very nice , spacious Knaresborough site for a couple of nights. Although full (apparently it always is) it didn't feel in any way crowded and Knaresborough town is a very interesting place to walk around albeit a bit hilly. The only downside was the on-site restaurant and bar, The Wanderer. Regretfully my wife's meal was not very good and talking to the couple on the next pitch to us, one of their meals the night before had not been good. Perhaps this was reflected in the fact that although we had been advised to book  there was never more that four couples in the restaurant whilst we were eating. Although the site is very nice I think we'll probably give the restaurant a miss if we ever go again.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2019 #23

    The A9 roadworks north of Perth now have a 40/30mph limit, slow but moving freely. Just to add that just off the A9/Perth roundabout (see map) there is shopping and car parks (M&S food hall, Aldi, Costa etc.) smile