The Motorist in Scotland
IN the months of July and August Scotland does not know how to cope with the -huge. influx. of visitors who travel by ear. Each summer . slime the War thousands more cars have descended -upon. the Highlands for L tour, and many motorists have come back from their holiday somewhat disappointed with the accommodation Open to theni:" Those who have not yet Visited Scotland need, however, be subject to no *discomfort at all,- provided they take the ;precaution of iflanning: their tour Carefully. beforehand and: booking accommodation ahead. The alternative is to tour Scotland at will and sleep in the car at night. -• It will simplify matters considerably if your touring is done from centres, where two or three nights can be spent in the same hotel. Let us take Crieff in Perthshire as an example. An excellent first day's tour can be made as follows : Descend the hill facing the Drummond Arms Hotel and continue smith past the village of Muthill, taking the right fork road. This leads through two other 'villages,.. Bram and Greenloaning, before the town of Dunblane is reached. Below Dunblane are Bridge of Allan and Stirling, hut these will have been seen on the way north to Crieff, at Stirling is the natural gateway to the Highlands, unless the road from Glasgow to the west is used. Instead of this, then, take the road going west to Dotme and from there on to Callender. The village was once merely a group of cottages, but .as. the- turning point for the Trossachs it has steadily grown in size and is .now considerably used as a centre. The Trossachs lie some eight or nine miles to the west on a road which Offers a good view of the whole of Lake Vennacher. At the end of the loch, the Bridge of Turk is (Tossed, and Very shortly after the Trossachs Hotel is seen. Much time could be spent exploring this extremely rugged country. and journeying by boat around Loch Katrine, so it is as well to remember when reaching theTrossachs that the return to Crieff has to be made with several places to see en Mae.
Before this tour can be resumed the road must be taken into Callender again, whence the road from Doune will be continued through the Pass of Leny and Strathyre to Lochearnhead at the foot of Loch Earn. There is no more easy or more pleasant run in Scotland than that which goes along the bank of the loch to St. Fillans and Comrie, and from there back to Crieff. The road has a perfect surface, and does not twist and bend as do so many Scottish roads.
A second *tour, slightly longer, and equally as interesting, can be taken by beginning on the same road back to Lochearn- llead and turning to the right through pretty Glen Ogle to
Two miles " or so before Killin is reached a. sharp
• turn to the right his to be made by the A.A. post. If the road on the north side of Loch Tay be chosen for the journey Wang its banks, a comfortable ride will be enjoyed and some ine stretches of scenery overlooked. At the end of the orb you must turn sharply fo the left or right. To the right is enmore village, and, adjoining, TaymOuth Castle. The ad continues through Aberfeldy, noted for its " Birks " nd the Falls of Moness, and sweeps round to Birnem, illage adjoining the once noted cathedral city of Dunkeld, Rd then on to Perth. Should there be time for a two hours etour When reaching the end of Loch Tay, the turning to he left will take you over one of the finest pieces of rugged muntain country in the Central Highlands. About three tiles beyond Coshieville on this road the left of the forlt
ds should be taken for Kinloelf-Rannocil—a roughish fountain Pass offering plenty of opportunity for testing the r s braking and climbing powers. Passing through the illage of Rannoch, you take the road to the right and proceed r. se"6 miles. beside -the- -River Turnmel and bear to the ft at Tummel Bridge, past Loch Turnmel and on to the main ertb-Inverness Road: Two miles Or so to the left lies the Thous Pass' of Killiecrankie, though to the right lies your waY. nle. • The return' journey hi.. not *without interest, as it kcs through pidoehry, on the way to Dunkeld. At the 7f the lager .villag'e you cross a bridge, turn to the right K4u. u ion,nediately to theleft,and make the direct rnev
- to Crieff through' delightful Strathbran and Sina'
Glen, passing the fishing village of Arnulree on the Way. You can be sure that these two tours will have whetted your appetite for more Scottish 'scenery, and you will quickly follow your wish to venture northwards. In the ordinary way the main road north passes Birnam and Pitlochry, bet at the moment parts of it, while under repair, are such A strain to journey over, that most motorists prefer the alterna- tive route through Balmoral. You will first make for Perth, crossing the River Tay---one of the finest of fishing rivers- and then turn to the left for Blairgowrie, meeting on the way the famous Beech Hedges (what an avenue they would haye made had they been planted on both sides of- the highway 1).
The run from Blairgowrie used once to be considered One of the most eventful in Scotland. The road was rough and narrow, while the climb over the Cairn Well, with its two hairpin bends, known as the Devil's Elbow, proved a formid- able test for any car. After having been closed for two seasons, the road was reopened last year, and has been widened, corners removed, new bridges built, and an excellent n ad- surface provided. Once over the summit, you will begin a gradual descent for several miles into Braemar. Ilere you will meet the North Deeside Road—Scotland's best- loved motoring highway. Beautiful woodland scenery flanks each side of the road for many miles, while the River Dee can be seen almost the whole way into Aberdeen.
Balmoral Castle will first be noticed about five miles from
Braemar as you look down the river. This is the best view you will obtain of the Castle, because later it becomes partly Obscured by the wooded country surrounding it. Time niay_ possibly prevent your going into Aberdeen. If so, you will be able to make a short cut to Inverness by taking- h road to the left about two miles beyond Aboyne, or about halfway -between Aberdeen and Braemar. This road leads direct to Huntly on the Inverness-Aberdeen road, but as there are bad stretches between Huntly and Keith you will do better to branch to the left at Clatt village and go through Rhynie, Dufftown to Craigellaehie, a noted fishing village on the River Spey, and then continue to Elgin. If you play golf, you will naturally visit Lossiemouth (six miles north of Elgin) and enjoy a round on one of the finest sporting links in Scotland, the Morayshire Golf Club. More golf Can be had at Nairn. As a centre for the North, Inverness as not wholly to be recommended in view of its awkward situation and the long distances to be travelled in order to reach the higher parts of Scotland. Should your ambition lead yo a to the northernmost point of the Highlands, you fhould keep to the East Coast road, taking you through Beauly, Dingwall,,Bonar Bridge, Golspie and Wick, and yoii. are advised to return the same way, owing to the poor state of the roads around the Western Coast. When at Beau& on the return journey, you should take advantageof a morninfl or afternoon run along the river Beauty to the end of the road at Loch Affric. The distance is under thirty miles each way; and Glen Affric is often considered to be the most beautifuk spot in the whole of Scotland. From here you need not go back to Inverness on your way to the South. You can turn to the right by the Invereannich Hotel and reach Loch Ness at Drumnadrochit. Your route then lies to the right along the bank of the loch to Fort Augustus. The road below the latter town towards Speen Bridge is had in parts,
but this cannot be avoided. • After this a good road will take you through Fort Williarn
(Ben Nevis is on the left, before reaching the town) to the ferry at Ballachulish. You will be forced to use the ferry (five shillings for a two-seater) as the road round Loch Leven is closed for repairs. Once over the ferry you will be torn between taking the road round the coast and over Connel Ferry bridge (a toll of ten shillings is charged) to Oban, or the opposite road, rough,, narrow, steep and winding, and, enjoying the wonderful scenery of Glencoe. The end or the road is at Tyndrum, where a first-class highway is met ; this will lead you by Way of Crianiarich to Loch Lomond and ..direct to Glasgow, when doubtless your, tour of.. the
Highlands will have finished.
C. A. R.
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