daviemck2006 wrote:Peter.N. wrote:My favourite is the A836 (I think) Lairg to Tounge road road, it has everything, forests, rivers lochs with beaches and mountains and about half way Altnahara village which has hardly changed in a century - and very little traffic, most of the time.
Peter
And is often the coldest recorded temperature in the UK in wintertime! I've been on most roads in that area. One of my favourites is the B869 from Lochinver round to Unapool in the NW highlands. Worth going round if anyone is ever in the highlands.
Know both of those roads, and just had a look Peter at the Altnahara road on Google Earth. You are right: nothing much changes, and it has everything.
Remember driving one summer, back in the 70s, up the west coast from Poolewe, and all the way up to Durness and Balnakeil (old radar post, then a craft village), and across to Melvich on the north coast, and then back south along a (signposted private) estate road. Part of Britain few have ever thought to explore.
It was the year that new North Sea Oil money was being poured into Western Highland road improvements, and a couple of the big civil engineering companies were everywhere. Never seen or heard so much explosive being used to shift and straighten the terrain. We picked our way along bits of dusty, widened track (what are now main roads), to have to pull up sharp when a workman with a red flag would jump out and make us stop. A minute or so later, an enormous explosion ahead, and then we were waved through, slowly picking our way around scattered rocks in the road. No messing around: winding single tracks were being smoothed and straightened, and the terrain wasn't being allowed to get in the way.
And all that in a black 1959 Mini (number 502), somewhat improved by its 1098 TC engine, servo brakes, and a couple of Rover P6 front seats. Back seat and boot was full of frame tent and other camping toot.
