The Participants ……….and their cars

Dave and Linda Bridges. Newish R300 Black and Kawasaki Green

Steve and Christine Wright. Not so new K1600 SS Red but still very shiny

Geof and Lois Carlton-Smith. Getting on now (the car that is) Xflow BRG and Yellow

Nick Woods. Much repaired K1600 SS Red

Keith Brown. Much “depanaged” K1800 VVC BRG and Yellow

Alex Minchin. Newish R300 Lamborgini Diablo Orange + Wimps

Bob Ruddock. Newish road blasted K1800 VVC MG Trophy Blue

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Carrotland Tour of Scotland 2004 Programme

Saturday 28th August Drive to Daviot-Main Hotel near Culloden Inverness.

Sunday 29th August. Loch Tongue and visit to Mrs McDonald at Helmsdale

Monday 30th August. Fort William > Ardnamurchan Point (Lighthouse revisited)

Tuesday 31st August. Sheldaig > Ullapool

Wednesday 1st September. Isle of Skye > Mallaig Ferry > Skye bridge

Thursday 2nd September. Applecross (Don't try this in the winter!)

Friday 3rd September. Local Black Isle morning; Lossiemouth afternoon

Saturday 4th September. Daviot to Barnard Castle

Sunday 5th September. Barnard Castle to home

An excellent Hotel giving the best of service for a very reasonable price.

The intended route was changed partly due to a traffic jam on the Forth Road Bridge, making us detour over the Kincardine Bridge, and partly due to some naf navigation by Bob and his electronic GPS thingy which took us away from the A7 intended route down.

The journey up to Inverness.

We left Swaffham Q8 services on the A47 at about 6.30 am. We were able to get away more promptly this year as Steve had upgraded his mobile phone thus dispensing with having to check the string tension as required by his previous model!

We had some memorable encounters with a white mercedes van who thought he was a Caterham, and a Jaguar who felt the road belonged to him and was not about to give way. However we were on our holidays and not perturbed by such encounters. We arrived safely at Doncaster Bar services for our first stop.

A feature of the trip was Geoff limping in to services on his last gasp of petrol, this stop was no exception.

A trip to Loch Tongue returning via Helmsdale and a call in to see Mrs McDonald (where we stayed last year) to find her still going strong.

A trip to Adnurmurchan point to see the illusive lighthouse that Bob couldn't find last year. Thankfully it did exist, although some of the roads made you wish it didn't.

No whales spotted.

A trip over the sea to Skye.

We went out on the ferry and returned on the bridge.

The day started with a manic drive (possibly one of the best so far) to catch the 11.10 am ferry. Two caught it, one arrived as the ferry was leaving dock and the rest followed up later.