Right, so as my pic suggests, we've just had a great weekend up in Scotland.
A chance email chat with Y2K on here, about his move to a GT3, revealed he and a couple of other lads were heading up from Southampton and Cheshire for a week long road trip. They'd be passing right through my area and on into Scotland so kindly invited us along.
As it turned out we would have to catch up with them on Friday night in Falkirk, Scotland, which funnily enough is where I bought the car from. Until driving up to Falkirk last week, the longest journey the car had done was driving it home from there when I bought it, 2 and a half years ago. :grin:
So I picked Craig up at 4pm on Friday and off we went.
By the time we got up there, washed the car and brimmed it full of V-power, we managed to meet up for a quick drink with YK and his two mates Marv and Barry, at the hotel.
Saturday was the main day. 320 miles of driving, which equated to an 11 hour journey by the time we had lunch and petrol stops etc. There was a touch more traffic than we might have liked but we still had plenty of fast flowing sections.
Not many pictures, as we were too busy enjoying ourselves, but anyway...
Just managed to get the car washed before it got dark on Friday night -
We met with another 3 cars on Saturday morning, some lads from Scotland who YK knows, and we headed off. I can't remember the whole route but the first stop was Glenshee, as previously pictured.
After that it was onto Lecht via Braemar -
We had a lunch stop in Grantown I think it was, then hit the road again.
On past Aviemore and Kincraig, then picked up the A86, then A82 to Fort William.
I haven't a clue where this was or how far round our route it was. :dont know: -
The Scottish lads left us after Corran.
We then followed the A82 and headed in over past Crianlarich and down past Loch Lomond, to our hotel for the night in Dumbarton.
Sunday we drove some great roads. We travelled down past Ayr, Straiton, Bargrennan and onto Newton Stewart. Then it was across to Talnotry and a lunch stop at Clatteringshaw Reservoir.
The only pic of the day as it was chucking it down by Clatteringshaw Reservoir -
After lunch we split up, the other lads were going for a play before finding their next hotel, whilst me and Craig headed down to Carlisle and across to Newcastle.
Back home. 3 days, 750 miles and a few stone chips later. We had a fantastic time! -
I've got some cleaning to do mind -
This was a good shakedown test for the car, for a couple of reasons. The first being we've had it pulled to bits that much for work and the second being that I'd hardly used the car since buying it, until this trip, so I still didn't really know it or trust it 100%.
I'm pleased to say though it didn't use a drop of oil or water and performed faultlessly. It wasn't a leisurely cruise either, the engine definitely earned its keep this weekend.
So that may be the biggest trip it does this year. We'll definitely be heading back to Scotland next year, probably to incorporate some of the NC500 and some of what we done this time. I'm hoping to do a Euro tour with my wife next summer too, but that's still to sort.
So great roads, great company and the car was super.
Massive thanks to YK and co for having us and for planning the routes etc.
After the week I had last week, that was just what I needed. :thumb:
One last thing. We came to a huge traffic jam at one point and the police had the road closed away in the distance.
When we finally got moving and went past, there was a camera crew and a Porsche under a cover. I guessed it was just a Cayman or something but YK said it was the Porsche Mission E being filmed for the launch of Forza Horizon on the Xbox games console. Even though I'm 41 now, I do have an Xbox one and the Forza games are actually the only only games I buy for it, so I wished I'd seen a bit more of what was going on now, as I'm a nerd. :wink:
Anyway, boring anecdote really...