[Rupert]

As I am sure you are all already aware, many other boards like this one organise certain long weekends away to visit a number of Britain’s best driving roads. There are a number of well-published routes that take in some of the best UK driving from the hills of north Wales to the Glens of Scotland.

What I am proposing is that we, here on the Skyline board, do just that. The trip would only be the cost of the fuel and a couple of overnights in cheap hotels. My question is that if such a trip was planned, lets say, initially through the highlands of Scotland, who would be interested?

Another option would be to do a tour of Southern Ireland?

With each of these proposals, we would need to sort something out in the near future, as you really need the summer weather (and daylight) to make the thing practical.

I would be happy to take on the task of organising the trip, but I really need to gauge the interest of such a venture before I even think of starting any investigations.

Rupert

 

[Guy]

Trip

Rupert,

I'd be up for it, the Germany trip was amazing.

To be honest the roads in Europe are better suited, although Scotland is quiet in the right places. Roads in Ireland are rubbish and are bad enough in a hire car, they would knock your teeth out in a GTR....!

Guy

 

[Philip]

The Highlands have some of the best roads in the UK, and there are a lot of newly-surfaced roads in Eire, courtesy of the EU. I think it's a great idea.

Phil

 

[Simon]

Sounds good.

I'd probably be up for some of that.

 

[Rupert]

Possible Route...

To be held sometime early August?

How about the following:

Day one (Friday) – Head towards the lake district and stay overnight near lake Windermere (or perhaps further north).
Day Two (Saturday) – Head north over the Grampian Mountains (past Ben Nevis) and up to the Kyle of Lochalsh. Make our way to Inverness and then down past Aviemore to stay the night at Braemar.
Day Three (Sunday) – Head south over the Grampians again and then down to Edinburgh. Now the best bit – a 60 mile stretch of the best road EVER – the A68 to Newcastle.

We then get home tired but happy, sometime late Sunday evening…

Rupert

 

[Guy]

Driving Hol

Sounds a good plan to me Rupert.

Phil, the roads in Ireland are the worst in Europe, even with the improvements. I drove across Ireland twice in the last 3 months, they have a new stretch of motorway out of Dublin to the West that goes about 20miles then stops and you join the old single lane country road.

Guy

 

[Ged]

Ah the A68.
I was on that in June.
A truly excellent road.
The way you emphasized the ever could not have been bettered even by Jeremy Clarkson!

 

[sammy]

Sounds great - just need as much notice as possible of the actual dates in order to book weekend pass etc
sammy

 

[TOKYO]

Blindin idea Rupert

Only one problem which I don't think you could have ever forseen.

GUY IN A CHEAP HOTEL. I think not .

I'm in :smokin: . (no chance of Europe I suppose)

glen

 

[Andy Barnes]

yeh

sounds good to me, will be like the cannonball run, can see it now, stopping at 150mph to pick up some eightys chicks in lycra jump suits and large ample breasts, yeh.....

Will also be good if were are taking the 'northern one' will stop us from getting glassed in Newcastle if we are with locals

Actually, it will nothing like the cannonball run but alot like Convoy, we all need to get CB's installed special....

Breaker one-nine, this is the Dirk, come-on bak youal..

Gone a little too far me thinks, but still, the CB idea is great

 

[TOKYO]

And it would be pretty cool

to take a run up North to meet some of the other board members.

glen

ps. or Europe

 

[Rupert]

Europe next...

I like the interest! - We really only need 5 - 10 cars to make this possible.

Europe would be very cool although, I think for an initial go at it, the highlands are better suited, amount of time it takes to get there, easier to handle disasters (bits going pop), can be fitted into a weekend etc.

That said, I would LOVE to do Europe. There is a fantastic German / Swiss / Austrian Alpine track that I’ve always planned on doing in my Skyline (did it in an inferior car long ago), but that would take a week…

What does everybody think?

Scotty-land or Europe as an initial kick off?

Rupert

 

[matt j]

Sounds good to me.

Dates would be really good to see as I work offshore, but if I'm onshore I think its a great idea.

Matt.

 

[Rupert]

News just in...

I think we've got enough interest to do something here, so leave things with me...

I've just been informed by a legally minded mate of mine, that the maximum number of car's we can have going on this little jaunt is 12. Anything over this number and the 'event' is considered a race and you can get in deep do-do!

Some other ideas could be to have a track day en route? Have part of trip as unplanned (i.e. start here - get there - first there gets free beer all night)? Or perhaps a scramble event.

Please post any other ideas you have here too, and I'll come up with some set dates.

Rupert

 

[Guy]

Trips

Cheap Hotel - damn I didn't spot that bit.........

I also agree with Glen, Europe would be really cool, it worked well in Germany and its as near as Scotland.........also could do the Nurburgring (taking it easy).......then the unrestricted Autobahns of Southern Germany.....

I don't agree with the legal bit about 12 cars though, a race is only a race if it's timed, the number of particpants doesn't matter. Most people prosectuted for racing on public highways are in 2 cars only.

Guy

 

[TOKYO]

And now I know

car washes ARE open on Sundays in Europe GUY , then I'm easy where we go.

glen

ps. I ain't forgot that stitch up you know

 

[Rupert]

Ok - All Change!

Please read my new thread entitled 'Nurburgring Pt 2'. I think this should suit all tastes!

Rupert

 

[Ged]

Car washes on SUNDAY in EUROPE. NEVER

Stitch up? What do you mean?

 

[weston]

Eire ..

Just got back from Cork & Limerick I can confirm that they do have
some smooth patches but not a lot drove 200 miles on UL before
findling SUL. Also the exhaust hit the road 250 times & I caused a
traffic jam when it took ten greeks to lift the car onto the loading
ramp mit exhaust.

The good points are Ireland is free of traffic, the scenery &
they like a drink (or ten) But more than that they liked the car.

Weston