Ullapool to Edinburgh

[Camperfamily]

We’re starting to plan the final leg of our summer trip (restrictions permitting) and I’m looking for recommendations on a good route for Ullapool to Edinburgh over the course of up to 5 days, ie. we can go slow and see lots.

We’ve spent a fair amount of time around Fort William and Glencoe and, whilst not averse to going via this area, might prefer an alternative route to explore new areas

Any recommendations gratefully received.

 

[B J G]

I'd have 2 options relating to weather conditions.

First being to go across to Speyside and run up the river and then wander around the Grampians as far down as Perth.

Second if weather not too good in the hills would be to do the Northeast Coast, with the option to divert inland at Deeside or just keep running down the coast to Edinburgh.

I've always been a go with the weather holiday route planner. Did have a pencilled in (in my head) knowledge of the main intent of the trip as regards as to what I wanted to see. Not much point sticking to a pre-planned scenic route if visibility is down to under a half mile.

 

[Cali Phillip]

Moray or “Costa del Moray” as we call it is wonderful place, very much like Northumberland climate, 1/10 of annual Fort William rain fall. Good walking and costal climbing too.

 

[kenm]

If you have got as far as Ullapool I would spend the 5 days exploring Aultbea, Poolewe, Gairloch, Kinlochewe, Torridon, Sheildaig, Applecross, and Lochcarron. Lots of things to see and do with good campsites and beaches. It’s a fairly easy days drive home from Kyle although lots of opportunity for a stop off to break the journey if needed.

 

[GrannyJen]

We’re starting to plan the final leg of our summer trip (restrictions permitting) and I’m looking for recommendations on a good route for Ullapool to Edinburgh over the course of up to 5 days, ie. we can go slow and see lots.

We’ve spent a fair amount of time around Fort William and Glencoe and, whilst not averse to going via this area, might prefer an alternative route to explore new areas

Any recommendations gratefully received.

Zap straight over to Inverness and start from there. Drop down to loch spey and follow the river North to its estuary near the place where Baxters produce it's superb Cullen skink. You do of course have to pop into every distillery on the way and Grantown will lose you your license just by breathing the air.

Drop into the Baxters factory, have some "proper" Cullen skink, served in the visitor centre restaurant, with crusty bread and Mr Baxter's portrait glowering down on you. Then follow the coast round to where @AlisonF lives, Aberdeen, but not before visiting Ellon church and putting some flowers on Tom Patey's grave for me. Over night at the gorgeous "aire" at port Errol Harbour.

Drop into the granite city, buy @AlisonF a big glass of wine for me because I think she is lovely, then keep to the coast, being in Ullapool you would have seen enough of hills and stags in Wester Ross. Before leaving Aberdeen pop into the Gordon Highlanders museum.

Keep to the coast, drop down to Crail, spend some time there, a fascinating place, then avoiding Kirkaldy drop over the bridge into Edinburgh.

Everyone thinks hills and mountains with the highlands, the coast can be interesting. When you get to Cullen, do a detour, go left instead of right to the Findhorn estuary. A totally beautiful place of isolated beaches that stretch for miles and the saltmarsh with it's bird colonies. Magic!

Oh, and don't overnight at Lossiemouth. I spent a lovely night there parked up on the beach by a beachfront bar and just next door the noisy neighbours kept revving up their Typhoons. It was like trying to sleep in a hair dryer.

 

[AlisonF]

Zap straight over to Inverness and start from there. Drop down to loch spey and follow the river North to its estuary near the place where Baxters produce it's superb Cullen skink. You do of course have to pop into every distillery on the way and Grantown will lose you your license just by breathing the air.

Drop into the Baxters factory, have some "proper" Cullen skink, served in the visitor centre restaurant, with crusty bread and Mr Baxter's portrait glowering down on you. Then follow the coast round to where @AlisonF lives, Aberdeen, but not before visiting Ellon church and putting some flowers on Tom Patey's grave for me. Over night at the gorgeous "aire" at port Errol Harbour.

Drop into the granite city, buy @AlisonF a big glass of wine for me because I think she is lovely, then keep to the coast, being in Ullapool you would have seen enough of hills and stags in Wester Ross. Before leaving Aberdeen pop into the Gordon Highlanders museum.

Keep to the coast, drop down to Crail, spend some time there, a fascinating place, then avoiding Kirkaldy drop over the bridge into Edinburgh.

Everyone thinks hills and mountains with the highlands, the coast can be interesting. When you get to Cullen, do a detour, go left instead of right to the Findhorn estuary. A totally beautiful place of isolated beaches that stretch for miles and the saltmarsh with it's bird colonies. Magic!

Oh, and don't overnight at Lossiemouth. I spent a lovely night there parked up on the beach by a beachfront bar and just next door the noisy neighbours kept revving up their Typhoons. It was like trying to sleep in a hair dryer.

I would add Balmoral, Stonehaven and Dunnottar, St Cyrus or Lunan Bay, basically the old A90 and A92 coast road...

 

[GrannyJen]

I would add Balmoral, Stonehaven and Dunnottar, St Cyrus or Lunan Bay, basically the old A90 and A92 coast road...

If we are to add a royal touch following the death of the Duke and if visiting Findhorn then also continue the coastal odyssey by routing inland a short distance. Between Findhorn and Lossiemouth is the place where Phillip found himself and poor Charles wanted to lose himself, Gordenstoun.

If time allows pop into Elgin, some folks lose their Marbles, the Earl gained his, but it is an interesting little place.

Very nice VW car dealer there as well, I found them when my oil warning light came on and I didn't know what to do. Quite amusing, I wasn't sure when the nice service man referred to the dipstick he was meaning part of the vehicle or the dumb owner

 

[Camperfamily]

To complete this thread, many thanks for all the recommendations. We ended up tracking down the west coast before zig-zagging over to Loch Ness and the down to Glencoe. Some incredible scenery when the sun was shining at the end of July.

Ullapool (stayed at Ardmair campsite)
Poolewe
Gairloch
Kinlochewe (stayed at Kinlochewe campsite)
Torridon
Shieldaig
Applecross via Beallach na Ba
Lochcarron
Broadford, Skye
Kyle of Lochalsh (stayed at Reraig campsite)
Loch Ness
Fort Augustus
Glencoe (stayed at Red Squirrel campsite)
Edinburgh

Particular thanks to @kenm; we followed your suggestion closely!