Scotland for the Motorist
I CAN see only one drawback to the motorist's enjoyment the beauties of Scotland, and that is the clim.ste. Given Inc With the weather, touring over the greater part of the count has everything to recommend it.
Generally speaking the main roads are excellent ; they a for the most part as nearly skid-proof as is possible, bu where they are much worn there is quite a chance of punetu owing to the sharp stones so often used for surfacing.
During the past few years there has been a wave of roa reconstruction, and this season several of the main, roads a officially closed, including that through the famous" pas; Glencoe and considerable stretches of the Oban-Invern road. A large number of the main roads are patrolled by t Automobile Association, and there are' also telephone boxy at frequent intervals. In Scotland distances are not grea between the large towns, and in all of these are excellen garages. It should be remembered that the Scot is a bo engineerwhat ship has ever yet saiI^d the seas without Scotsman in charge of the engine room !—and so it is uncommon thing to find a competent mechanic in the smaller of garages. • Filling stations abound, signposting is adequate, an normally, there is amide garage accommodation at all hotels As the country in general is very hilly, special attention shoal be given to the brakes and the cooling of the engine.
The best way to see the country is to select a few starting points such as Edinburgh, Braemar, Oban, or Blair Atholl, all of which have excellent hotels, and from them the chief places of interest in South Eastern, North Eastern, the Western Highlands, and Central Scotland can easily be reached.
Remember that wherever you are staying there may well be an excellent golf -course nearby ; and that many hotels have excellent river and loch fishing for their guests at moderate daily charges.
I have omitted the North-west Highlands because the roads are, for the most part, exeeptionately narrow and winding and of poor surface. The wild loneliness of the scenery and difficult driving make this part of the country unsuitable for all but the most venturesome. The Automobile Association, which has offices in some of the larger towns, should be con- sulted as to road conditions, and it can be relied upon to give practical advice as to tourd and the most interesting places to visit.
Clan warfare left many traces in Scotland. The country is dotted with castle strongholds, many of which have sur- vived, and in their settings of mountain and. heather are of great beauty. Walter Scott and Robert Burns have made so much of the country fainiliar to thousands who have never been to Scotland that when they do visit it they feel already more than half acquainted with many of the places they see. No one should miss seeing one of the Highland Gatherings or Games. These consist of piping and dancing and athletics generally, staged in the most attractive surroundings. It is as well to make hotel and garage reserva- tions in good time for such popular Gatherings as at Inverness, Oban, or Braemar.
I would suggest to the r--Jorist who intends making a tour of Scotland to review what time he has at his disposal, and map out accordingly various routes of interest. If his time is short, and he prefers the less crowded parts, he should avoid the tour vid Edinburgh, Callender, and Loch Katrine, as the loch being the home of "Ellen's Isle" of Scott's immortal " Lady of the Lake," the road is crowded with charabancs carrying daily trippers to the island. The same, applies to Edinburgh and Melrose, as Melrose Abbey and Abbotsford also draw crowds of daily sightseers. Rather I' would suggest that wonderful stretch of road from Perth to Pitlochry, and thence vid Blair Atholl to Kingussie, and North to Inverness.
Gleneagles, which lies some twenty miles south of Perth, is the most up-to-date and luxurious hotel in Scotland ; in fact, so much so that it appears as if a portion of America had been brought by aeroplane and dropped in the middle of a bleak Scottish moor. Gleneagles is not of the country nor characteristic, but in these days, when comfort means so much to the average traveller, it has distinct advantages as a starting point for wonderful excursions. The hotel itself has a swim- ming bath, ball-room, two golf courses, and a number of first- rate tennis courts. There are good hotels at Pitlochry and Inverness.
After having visited that beautiful county of Sutherland, a night at Strathpeffer and Dornoch, from which it is but a short run along a wooded sea coast road to Dunrobin Castle (the seat of the Duke of Sutherland), and thence through Lairg, to Tongue on the North coast. The Highlanders speak Gaelic, though all understand English as. well.
The county, or " country " as it calls itself, of Caithness is less attractive ; the roads are bleak, and trees are few, fields and roads being bordered with slabs of stone resembling tomb- . stones ; the people are really Nimenien, being direct des- cendants of the ancient Vikings who invaded this part. The return trip could either be made vid the west coast by Kinloch Rannoch, Loch Tay and Aberfeldy, or vid the east coast, Peterhead, Aberdeen, Ballater and Braemar.
Like the proverbial child at a party who keeps the sugar on his cake to the last, I now suggest a drive, or drives, through the most beautiful part of all Scotland—Argyllshire. The roads are not nearly so• good as those already mentioned, nor is usually the weather, but though it is just " a wee bit salt " as the natives call it, that gentle, but Oh ! so wetting rain is -soft and kind, and quite unlike the harsh east winds of the brighter North. Be adventurous! Descend upon Argyllshire down the Caledonian canal, or through Glencoe down that beaut' sea coast to Oban, where you can stay in a hotel which overlooks the harbour and the islands4 thence to Loch, Awe, Inveraray, and back via Tarbert: All these places have good hotels.
As I have already said, the roads and hotels are good, the people delightfully courteous, the scenery some of the m beautiful in the world ; what more is required for a perfect motoring holiday but to quote an old Scottish proverb-. " A' the wealth o' the wand is r the weather."
• PErnani Cocaamkrz,
Previous page