Quite eager to get in the car for a road trip and due to CV19 it had been delayed, but a tour of Scotland seemed a good idea, lots of space, moody weather and open roads, ideal!
The car has had 2 main issues recently, coolant loss and random James Bond style engine smoke on cold starts, but with the leaks stopped we got packed, fuelled-up and away.
We decided to make a long run from the Midlands to close to Sterling, earlyish start and got there early!
Surprisingly easy journey, just cruised up the motorways and main roads. The car simply eats miles up.
My wife has a Degree in sorting hotels and locations, and the first hotel was great, set in it's own expanse of land and very Scottish. Managed to park the car in 'pole position' outside reception so rested well that night. Located in Kine Lochard nr Aberfoyle we paid a visit to the closed Dune hillclimb that I have not raced at (we do a lot of hillclimbs), the odd antiques centre and too many coffee and cakes but such crisp fresh air and open roads really got us going.
The car was perfect.
There are endless nature reserves in these areas, so if you have a 'need' to be with nature, this will do the trick.
We found a cracker, almost nobody there, and those who were stood in a queue for a l-o-n-g Zip-wire ride across a gorge...however, being FAR more sensible we headed off for a waterfall and a large hid deep in the forest in search of the Red Squirrel!
We were not disappointed, the fall was great, very agitated but the water beyond crystal clear. The hide further on was abundant with birds of all shapes and sizes and lots of red squirrels, almost got bored watching them!
Moving on and ever north we had another classy hotel and a real room with a view as the old hotel was next to the wide river Dee by Banchory which was a sheer delight and made me want to re-live my school boy fishing days with my late father when I was in short trousers. Great hotel, wonderful food and a warm atmosphere.
The car was perfect.
The roads were by now really open with almost no traffic, but have to add the number of motorhomes is amazing, everywhere, but easily and safely despatched by the Boxster to the red line...
Wife not impressed by that, so only did it a few times.
Sometime you come across some odd sights, such as the AA box, fully restored in shining colour with a mini garden surrounding it!
I won't bore you with too much sight seeing, but as the Scottish weather closed in cloudy blue skies fell to angry dark skies and dirty roads and the Boxster slowly changed colour to a deep even grey.
Love it.
The car was perfect.
Yet another move north and even saw a sign for John o Groats and our third hotel adjacent to an old golf coarse by the sea The Royal Golf Hotel, Dornoch.
Rain set in so didn't tour around much, but castles and manors to visit. The N500 route was now close and lots of old and new special cars everywhere (all behaving themselves oddly) and all tried to find some respite from the rain and winds. Didn't dampen anything mind literally, not a drop came into the Boxster.
Then, for me a very selfish day to the next hotel, one we had been to several times before but the excitement was the journey getting there.
The fabulous Glencoe region, a goodly run across Scotland down it's 'diagonal' route and the drive through the very best UK senary I know to, hardly any traffic, motorhomes all parked for a cup of tea, and time to cruise this magnificent road, the A82, not once but twice!
Pointless me going on about this road, you simple have to do it.
The car was perfect.
The Holly Tree Hotel is a converted train station and has a very enviable view across the Loch with a great bar and food and large open rooms some with balconeies to savour the ever changing weather, sun rise and sets that only autumn Scotland can deliver.
For the run home we decided to pop-in to the Lake district, absent from out tours for nearly 40 years, so much to see. The weather changed to Californian blue skys! The whole of England had the same idea! We did of course find a great river side coffee/cake stop early in the day, so did that and decided to make a run for it. The queue to Ambleside as we left was fully 5 miles long at 11/30 in the morning..
The run down the M6 was simply 'The M6' slow laborious and tedious, disrespectful driving, barging lorries, so we snuck home via the scenic route past Oulton Park race track and slipped home for 4.00pm.
The car was dirty. Took ages to wash Scotland off it, but would not have it any other way, imho the best Boxster is the dirty one, used.
Final stats, 1578 miles total, car now just over 64K, 34.5 average mpg, coolant level at Max where it was when we started.
White smoke? Yep, once when the car was hot and parked for 20 mins on a good slope, but I'll forgive it.
The car is (near) perfect.
The car has had 2 main issues recently, coolant loss and random James Bond style engine smoke on cold starts, but with the leaks stopped we got packed, fuelled-up and away.
We decided to make a long run from the Midlands to close to Sterling, earlyish start and got there early!
Surprisingly easy journey, just cruised up the motorways and main roads. The car simply eats miles up.
My wife has a Degree in sorting hotels and locations, and the first hotel was great, set in it's own expanse of land and very Scottish. Managed to park the car in 'pole position' outside reception so rested well that night. Located in Kine Lochard nr Aberfoyle we paid a visit to the closed Dune hillclimb that I have not raced at (we do a lot of hillclimbs), the odd antiques centre and too many coffee and cakes but such crisp fresh air and open roads really got us going.
The car was perfect.
There are endless nature reserves in these areas, so if you have a 'need' to be with nature, this will do the trick.
We found a cracker, almost nobody there, and those who were stood in a queue for a l-o-n-g Zip-wire ride across a gorge...however, being FAR more sensible we headed off for a waterfall and a large hid deep in the forest in search of the Red Squirrel!
We were not disappointed, the fall was great, very agitated but the water beyond crystal clear. The hide further on was abundant with birds of all shapes and sizes and lots of red squirrels, almost got bored watching them!
Moving on and ever north we had another classy hotel and a real room with a view as the old hotel was next to the wide river Dee by Banchory which was a sheer delight and made me want to re-live my school boy fishing days with my late father when I was in short trousers. Great hotel, wonderful food and a warm atmosphere.
The car was perfect.
The roads were by now really open with almost no traffic, but have to add the number of motorhomes is amazing, everywhere, but easily and safely despatched by the Boxster to the red line...
Wife not impressed by that, so only did it a few times.
Sometime you come across some odd sights, such as the AA box, fully restored in shining colour with a mini garden surrounding it!
I won't bore you with too much sight seeing, but as the Scottish weather closed in cloudy blue skies fell to angry dark skies and dirty roads and the Boxster slowly changed colour to a deep even grey.
Love it.
The car was perfect.
Yet another move north and even saw a sign for John o Groats and our third hotel adjacent to an old golf coarse by the sea The Royal Golf Hotel, Dornoch.
Rain set in so didn't tour around much, but castles and manors to visit. The N500 route was now close and lots of old and new special cars everywhere (all behaving themselves oddly) and all tried to find some respite from the rain and winds. Didn't dampen anything mind literally, not a drop came into the Boxster.
Then, for me a very selfish day to the next hotel, one we had been to several times before but the excitement was the journey getting there.
The fabulous Glencoe region, a goodly run across Scotland down it's 'diagonal' route and the drive through the very best UK senary I know to, hardly any traffic, motorhomes all parked for a cup of tea, and time to cruise this magnificent road, the A82, not once but twice!
Pointless me going on about this road, you simple have to do it.
The car was perfect.
The Holly Tree Hotel is a converted train station and has a very enviable view across the Loch with a great bar and food and large open rooms some with balconeies to savour the ever changing weather, sun rise and sets that only autumn Scotland can deliver.
For the run home we decided to pop-in to the Lake district, absent from out tours for nearly 40 years, so much to see. The weather changed to Californian blue skys! The whole of England had the same idea! We did of course find a great river side coffee/cake stop early in the day, so did that and decided to make a run for it. The queue to Ambleside as we left was fully 5 miles long at 11/30 in the morning..
The run down the M6 was simply 'The M6' slow laborious and tedious, disrespectful driving, barging lorries, so we snuck home via the scenic route past Oulton Park race track and slipped home for 4.00pm.
The car was dirty. Took ages to wash Scotland off it, but would not have it any other way, imho the best Boxster is the dirty one, used.
Final stats, 1578 miles total, car now just over 64K, 34.5 average mpg, coolant level at Max where it was when we started.
White smoke? Yep, once when the car was hot and parked for 20 mins on a good slope, but I'll forgive it.
The car is (near) perfect.
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