Anybody have a good route from Inverewe to Braemar? Towing 7 meter caravan.
Trying to avoid going the highland tourist route, and all those long hills over the Cairngorms.
Thanks. Rick
How long have you got and when are you going? To be frank, you've not got a lot of choices initially from Inverewe. I guess by the term "highland tourist route" you're referring to the NC500 but honestly with little choice, you're just going to have to bite the bullet on the first bit. The time factor I'm asking about relates to the bit from Inverness to Braemar - you can avoid the worst of the hills but will add a lot of miles to your journey. When you are travelling also has a bearing on journey times - in Scotland, it's not mileage that counts.
------------- " When I die I don`t want my life to flash before me in an instant, I want it to be a 3 hour epic !"
Inverewe to Inverness - A832, A835 and A9. Mostly good road with few hills.
If you want to avoid going over the Cairngorms, then it's either A9 - Pitlochry - Blairgowry and then back north to Braemar, but this is also quite hilly. OR, A96 from Inverness past Huntly to Kintore, then turn for Dunecht, Echt and then Banchory. That's you on the A93 and a straight run to Braemar. This route is fairly level, but it's a long way to avoid the hills.
There are other routes that partly avoid the hilly bits. You could turn up at Huntly and go through Rhynie.
I'd either change my plans, or 'bite the bullet'.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
Sorry for the delay in replying, time is not a problem, we are now at a site just off A9 at Inverness, thought maybe going Pitlochry and that way round as going across Cairngorms way the is a bridge, that is on a sharp RH turn it's a steep one and it looks as though the caravan could possibly get grounded here, when we went across in the car a car with a trailer had grounded had a job to get free and done a bit of damage.
I'd rather do more miles and be safe.
Probably the best, but long route to take. I'd probably also tank up and buy any provisions in Pitlochry or Blairgowrie as choice is limited in Braemar.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
I hope you weren't talking about the A939 Lecht road i.e. via Tomintoul and Cock Bridge? If you do go that way, let me know if you make it as seriously, I'd not try it.
From A9 at Pitlochry might be OK cutting across via A924 to A93 but I remember that being rather twisty in just a car. If going that way I'd go down to Blairgowrie and head North from there. Again the A93 is rather twisty and narrow in places from the south towards Glenshee but I know people do it, I've never had to though.
Easiest would be A96. Cutting down from Huntly though Rhynie, Alford & Tarland to hit A93 at Dinnet. You could also probably go through Glenkindie following the A97 instead of Alford/Tarland but I've never done it personally. From Dinnet to Braemar is a breeze.
Another tip, don't always assume that in Scotland just because it's an A road it's the best route. Sometimes a longer B road route is actually easier.
Once in Braemar, enjoy it. It's a nice site and a stunning area.
Any route that takes the fish & forestry lorries will be ok for you. Shame there's no App for that. But that's what makes me support the ideas suggested to go along the coast east of Inverness, then head south.
Presumably you're heading home south from Braemar, the "snow road" to Perth is ok but not a motorway. But I'm used to doing it in a motorhome shorter than your caravan alone.
Is the Inverewe to Braemar drive happening in one day, I wonder...
Look at the suggestions made 4 years ago that include Huntly & they’ll do fine. Elgin to Huntly is straightforward. Just adjust the end of the route to get to Ballater instead of Braemar.
Worse comes to the worse, take main road Inverness / Elgin to Aberdeen, take the relatively new ring road south then head inland past all the castles.