Dumbarton to Fort Augustus
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert Marcel Scherpenkate
Last edit: 27-02-2021
Route Summary
This breathtakingly beautiful route takes you through the Scottish highlands! (Highlands) I drove this route in 2018 during my motorcycle vacation through Scotland, and leads you along beautiful roads through the Rannocher Moor to Glencoe and then with the ferry across Loch Linnhe to the historic Glenfinnan. Starting point: Hotel Dumbuck House Hotel in Dumbarton.
End point: The White House B&B in Fort Augustus.
The route has been made the same for TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation users.
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Verdict
Duration
6h 28m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
366.87 km
Countries
Glenfinnan
RouteXpert Review
Scotland is a very beautiful country, known for its historic castles and the beautiful lakes. But certainly also from the of the Scottish Highlands. You can actually divide the country into two areas: the Highlands and the Lowlands. The Lowlands cover the part of the country that has hardly any serious hills or mountains. This is the densely populated area and is concentrated in the south and east of the country. Within the Lowlands are the largest cities such as Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. If we have left these big cities behind, we will soon be in a totally different environment, the Highlands. These cover the western and northern part of the country, they are often hilly or mountainous, contain many so-called 'lochs' (lakes and coves) and are sparsely populated. In terms of nature, this is by far the most beautiful region in the country. There is much to see and experience on this route, too much actually and that is why I want to highlight a number of highlights so that you can make the choice yourself. The route starts in Dumbarton at Hotel Dumbuck House hotel, seen on the outside a little run down, but neat inside. (See link). In Dumbarton you immediately have the opportunity to visit a historic location, the Dumbarton Castle. The Castle is located on the Firth of Clyde, where the rivers "Leven" and "Clyde" come together. The castle is situated on a volcanic rock with two peaks, known as Dumbarton Rock. Probably this place was already inhabited in the Iron Age. A visit is really worth it, you have to be agile because it is a steep climb, around 350 steps together. But once you have reached the top you have a beautiful view of the river and surroundings.
The route covers the first 90 km on excellent roads, beautiful curves and rolling countryside to finally arrive in Inveraray where a cup of coffee can be drunk in The Royal Burgh Café. After coffee, it is very worthwhile to take a walk before getting on the 3 viewpoints that give a nice view of Loch Fyne.
We continue our route to leave the A85 after 30 minutes and turn left onto a narrow road. This is the B8074 that takes us along the Orchy River to the Orchy Waterfall. The entire course of the Orchy River includes 3 waterfalls and many rapids. Once we have left this beautiful road in the midst of nature, we can enjoy the Loch Tulla viewpoint for a while and possibly make some nice pictures. After the short stop, another beautiful piece of natural beauty immediately emerges. The Rannoch Moor.
Rannoch Moor:
Rannoch Moor is an area, 130 km² in size. It lies approximately 300 m above sea level and consists for the most part of marshy heathland. It is one of the most wild and unspoilt natural areas in Scotland. We find treacherous mud puddles and heather covered with boulders. It is an open area where there is little shelter and it usually blows, something to take into account. The view of the landscape changes with the light, the season and the weather.
Rannoch Moor is a plateau with a surface of soft granite, around 400 million years old. Scientific research has shown that 20,000 years ago a huge glacier formed Rannoch Moor, creating a rolling landscape with a large number of small and large lakes (lochs). Loch Rannoch is located a few kilometers east of Rannoch Moor. The peat fields that were created here are the largest in size in Great Britain and of international importance. Stumps and roots of pines that once formed the Caledonian forest are hidden here in the soil. Heather, grasses, wild gale and peat mosses and the very rare peat flower bulbs locally called "Rannoch rush" come for this. Along the way along the route on the A82 there are enough parking places to let the surroundings soak in peace and to take a number of photos. The route continues and you arrive in the Glencoe.
Glencoe:
Glencoe is one of the most picturesque and beautiful places in the Highlands. A visit to the Glencoe waterfall and a little further down the parking lot for The Three Sisters are a great way to experience this beauty. If you want to find out more about the history of this region and its nature, pay a visit to the Visitors Center. In the village of Glencoe we refuel before continuing to our lunch location MacDonald Hotel in Kinlochleven.
After lunch we continue the route to sail from Corran to Ardgour via the Ferry. This ferry sails to the other side every 30 minutes, so you never have to wait long. We continue on the A861, the only main road, and we notice that we drive further and further into the western Highlands, it becomes increasingly bare, robust and quiet on the road. We continue the route and arrive in an environment that has become known through the Harry Potter films, the Genfinnan.
Glenfinnan:
Glenfinnan is a village in Scotland located in the Highland council area, at the northern end of Loch Shiel, 21 kilometers west of Fort William. In 1815 a monument was erected just outside the village. This is to mark the place where Charles Edward Stuart, aka Bonnie Prince Charlie, hoisted his royal banner on August 19, 1745 with which the 2nd Jacobite uprising was a fact. It consists of a tower with a statue of "the unknown Highlander in kilt" on it. Next to the monument is a visitor center where a permanent exhibition has been set up about Jacobite history.
The Glenfinnan viaduct is a railway viaduct in the West Highland Line between Fort William and Mallaig. It was built by Sir Robert McAlpine and was completed in 1901. The viaduct, entirely made of concrete, contains 21 arches of 15 m each; the highest point is 30 meters above ground level. In the film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, a scene takes place during the passage of the Hogwarts Express over the viaduct. After the viaduct also appeared in the two following films, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the viaduct is definitively associated with the Harry Potter film series.
We leave this picturesque area to pass through the A82 along the Loch Lochy and Oich for another hour to arrive after our long day at our final destination, Fort Augustus at our B&B.
I have driven this route myself and have experienced the beautiful beauty of the Highlands, which is why this route gets 5 stars from me.
A few more tips for driving in Scotland:
In Scotland, people drive on the left side of the road. The main roads are fine, but if you drive on the local roads then these are usually narrow roads on which quite a bit of gravel can lie. In addition, if you pass a picturesque higher-lying bridge, the road can turn treacherously to the left or right immediately after a bridge.
Places to visit:
RP 3 Dumbarton Castle.
RP 10 The Royal Burgh Café.
RP 14 Waterfall from Orchy.
RP 15 Loch Tulla.
RP 16 The Rannoch Moor.
RP 19 Glencoe Waterfall.
RP 20 The Three Sisters.
RP 23 MacDonald Hotel in Kinlochleven.
RP 27 The Genfinnan.
Glencoe Waterfall
Glennuig
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Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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Scotland
About this region
Scotland (Scots: Scotland, Scottish Gaelic: Alba [ˈal̪ˠapə] (listen)) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a 96-mile (154-kilometre) border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the northeast and east, and the Irish Sea to the south. It also contains more than 790 islands, principally in the archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Northern Isles. Most of the population, including the capital Edinburgh, is concentrated in the Central Belt—the plain between the Scottish Highlands and the Southern Uplands—in the Scottish Lowlands.
Scotland is divided into 32 administrative subdivisions or local authorities, known as council areas. Glasgow City is the largest council area in terms of population, with Highland being the largest in terms of area. Limited self-governing power, covering matters such as education, social services and roads and transportation, is devolved from the Scottish Government to each subdivision. Scotland is the second-largest country in the United Kingdom, and accounted for 8.3% of the population in 2012.The Kingdom of Scotland emerged as an independent sovereign state in the 9th century and continued to exist until 1707. By inheritance in 1603, James VI of Scotland became king of England and Ireland, thus forming a personal union of the three kingdoms. Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with the Kingdom of England on 1 May 1707 to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain. The union also created the Parliament of Great Britain, which succeeded both the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England. In 1801, the Kingdom of Great Britain entered into a political union with the Kingdom of Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (in 1922, the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom, leading to the latter being officially renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1927).Within Scotland, the monarchy of the United Kingdom has continued to use a variety of styles, titles and other royal symbols of statehood specific to the pre-union Kingdom of Scotland. The legal system within Scotland has also remained separate from those of England and Wales and Northern Ireland; Scotland constitutes a distinct jurisdiction in both public and private law. The continued existence of legal, educational, religious and other institutions distinct from those in the remainder of the UK have all contributed to the continuation of Scottish culture and national identity since the 1707 incorporating union with England.In 1999, a Scottish Parliament was re-established, in the form of a devolved unicameral legislature comprising 129 members, having authority over many areas of domestic policy. The head of the Scottish Government is the first minister of Scotland, who is supported by the deputy first minister of Scotland. Scotland is represented in the United Kingdom Parliament by 59 members of parliament (MPs). It is also a member of the British–Irish Council, sending five members of the Scottish Parliament to the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly, as well as being part of the Joint Ministerial Committee, represented by the first minister.
Read more on Wikipedia
Scotland is divided into 32 administrative subdivisions or local authorities, known as council areas. Glasgow City is the largest council area in terms of population, with Highland being the largest in terms of area. Limited self-governing power, covering matters such as education, social services and roads and transportation, is devolved from the Scottish Government to each subdivision. Scotland is the second-largest country in the United Kingdom, and accounted for 8.3% of the population in 2012.The Kingdom of Scotland emerged as an independent sovereign state in the 9th century and continued to exist until 1707. By inheritance in 1603, James VI of Scotland became king of England and Ireland, thus forming a personal union of the three kingdoms. Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with the Kingdom of England on 1 May 1707 to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain. The union also created the Parliament of Great Britain, which succeeded both the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England. In 1801, the Kingdom of Great Britain entered into a political union with the Kingdom of Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (in 1922, the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom, leading to the latter being officially renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1927).Within Scotland, the monarchy of the United Kingdom has continued to use a variety of styles, titles and other royal symbols of statehood specific to the pre-union Kingdom of Scotland. The legal system within Scotland has also remained separate from those of England and Wales and Northern Ireland; Scotland constitutes a distinct jurisdiction in both public and private law. The continued existence of legal, educational, religious and other institutions distinct from those in the remainder of the UK have all contributed to the continuation of Scottish culture and national identity since the 1707 incorporating union with England.In 1999, a Scottish Parliament was re-established, in the form of a devolved unicameral legislature comprising 129 members, having authority over many areas of domestic policy. The head of the Scottish Government is the first minister of Scotland, who is supported by the deputy first minister of Scotland. Scotland is represented in the United Kingdom Parliament by 59 members of parliament (MPs). It is also a member of the British–Irish Council, sending five members of the Scottish Parliament to the British–Irish Parliamentary Assembly, as well as being part of the Joint Ministerial Committee, represented by the first minister.
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Route Collections in this region
6 Must do routes in The Highlands of Scotland
This collection of routes in the spectacular Scottish Highland's offers a great way to experience the full spectrum of what this region has to offer - snowcapped mountains, loch after loch, areas of solitary wilderness, white sandy beaches and a multitude of historic castles and buildings that reflect the past, the Highland's have everything. The weather however, cannot be guaranteed and somebody once said " Nobody visits Scotland for the weather"!
May can be a very good time of year to visit - temperatures can be pleasant and it's often a dry month with the added bonus that it's too early for the midgies. Many of the roads are single lane but largely empty and well maintained so the riding is comfortable and stress free allowing you to take in the views and there really is a wow around every corner. The pass at Glencoe for example is staggeringly impressive - you can actually see the geology and appreciate how it was scooped out by glaciers.
The people you encounter are warm and engaging and the food is good.
The very popular North Coast 500 route is included for those of you with Iron Butts that like a 1 day challenge. For me, the best way of enjoying the NC 500 is with two overnight stops, so the route includes these if required.
May can be a very good time of year to visit - temperatures can be pleasant and it's often a dry month with the added bonus that it's too early for the midgies. Many of the roads are single lane but largely empty and well maintained so the riding is comfortable and stress free allowing you to take in the views and there really is a wow around every corner. The pass at Glencoe for example is staggeringly impressive - you can actually see the geology and appreciate how it was scooped out by glaciers.
The people you encounter are warm and engaging and the food is good.
The very popular North Coast 500 route is included for those of you with Iron Butts that like a 1 day challenge. For me, the best way of enjoying the NC 500 is with two overnight stops, so the route includes these if required.
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6 Routes
2275.79 km
57h 3m
Top 10 Downloaded UK routes by RouteXpert Nick Carthew
Hello and welcome to this collection of the Top 10 MyRoute app downloaded routes in the UK.
There will be a great new event to be announced soon, where all these routes can be ridden.
Download them all now and place them in a new "Top 10" folder, so that you always have them at hand.
If you are going to drive one of these routes in the meantime, track them with the MRA Mobile App or with MRA Navigation. Take some photos (moments) along the way as these will come in handy.
Create a travelstory of your Top 10 driven routes and add the recorded track to it.
There will also be some great prizes on offer, so keep an eye on the MRA-RouteXperts page and your email.
There will be a great new event to be announced soon, where all these routes can be ridden.
Download them all now and place them in a new "Top 10" folder, so that you always have them at hand.
If you are going to drive one of these routes in the meantime, track them with the MRA Mobile App or with MRA Navigation. Take some photos (moments) along the way as these will come in handy.
Create a travelstory of your Top 10 driven routes and add the recorded track to it.
There will also be some great prizes on offer, so keep an eye on the MRA-RouteXperts page and your email.
View Route Collection
10 Routes
2910.58 km
83h 52m