Morris Minor Owners Club

Cool, would be nice to have you along.

So, is the date set yet? I'll be along as a co-driver now!

Excellent; we've got a draft itinerary and will be able to announce the exact locations of each night's stay later this week. We intend to arrive in Scotland on the evening of Friday the 8th of May and leave Scotland again on Sunday the 24th of May. The first week will take in the Outer Hebrides and the north coast of the mainland before heading back down to Glencoe. The second week will take in the east coast of the mainland, Skye, and a very small island that you can only get to by passenger ferry.

Bear in mind you don't need to do both weeks - you could join or leave us at the halfway point (Glencoe) if that works out better for you.

hmm sounds like Ghia? I'm not sure entirely what we'll do as part of the plan is to see my parents on Islay (and brother who is Chief on the forum)

Wibble and I have now got an outline route planned and booked our accommodation (a combination of Youth Hostels, Bunk Houses and Bothies). Here are the places we're staying each night:

Friday 8th May: New Lanark. [1]
Saturday 9th May: The isle of Barra.
Sunday 10th May: The isle of Berneray.
Monday 11th May: South Lewis.
Tuesday 12th May: North west Lewis.
Wednesday 13th May: Durness.
Thursday 14th May: Helmsdale.
Friday 15th and Saturday 16th May: Glencoe.
Sunday 17th May: Badrallach (near Ullapool).
Monday 18th May: West Skye.
Tuesday 19th May: North Skye.
Wednesday 20th May: Glenfinnan (15 miles west of Fort William).
Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd May: The isle of Eigg. [2]
Saturday 23rd May: Tyndrum.

[1] This is basically just a convenient place to break our journey to the Highlands. We'll be arriving late and leaving early.
[2] This is the one where it's so small we can't take a car across - we have to get a passenger ferry and walk to our accommodation.

Anyone who is interested in joining us for some or all of the trip, please send me a PM and I can give you the exact details of the accommodation we've booked.

Alex - Although I won't make the trip with you, I may try to meet up at New Lanark which is only a stone's throw from me! Can I ask - how do you find your 'Bunk Houses and Bothies' ? Youth Hostels I can find ok - although I was banned from them 'sine die' (as were all the members of Glasgow University Sailing Club!) when I was a roudy student - I think they may have forgotten now.

Roy, it would have to be a brief visit early on Saturday morning because we'll be arriving late on Friday night and wanting to crash straight into bed, then on Saturday we have to get up to Oban before 14:55. The first couple of days are going to be a bit of a mad dash to reach the Outer Hebrides!

As well as the Scottish Youth Hostel Association we've made use of Independent Hostels UK (they publish a useful free booklet called the Blue Hostel Guide), and the Independent Hostel Guide. Also we found the bothy we're staying in on Eigg from the Isle of Eigg website.

Thanks Alex! I hope you are not making it such a 'mad dash' that you don't enjoy the scenery.

Well, we won't see much but motorways and service stations between Burnley and New Lanark. No chance to take a more scenic route because we're not setting off until I finish work at 5PM! We should have a chance to enjoy the scenery between New Lanark and Oban albeit at a fairly brisk pace. Once we catch the ferry to Barra we'll be able to slow down to a slightly more relaxed pace!

I never travel up the Motorway from Carlisle - always use the 'old road' that runs more or less alongside the Mway. Much more relaxing - and virtually NO traffic. Can you not 'bunk-off' from work a bit early on flexi-time ??

I'll be just doing the second part from Skye onwards! Will be bringing my fiance along as a co-driver ;-)

Ooh, I'm going to be a co-driver! Hang on, that must mean we're engaged

lynda wrote:I'll be just doing the second part from Skye onwards! Will be bringing my fiance along as a co-driver ;-)

Replied to your PM.

I'm away for the next few days and will reply to any more PMs about accommodation when I get back on Monday evening.

<i><b>Very</b></i> much looking forward to seeing you again, lynda - and to meeting the LUCKY fiance Which car do you think you will bring?

Actually I really am the Lucky Fiance We will probably be bringing Brian the Police Car as he has the 1275cc engine which will be that bit better for the highlands

With any luck we'll have sold Rosie (my one) by then as we just don't have the space for three moggies and hogging two police cars (Rosie is an ex MET one) seems a little greedy

wibble_puppy wrote:<i><b>Very</b></i> much looking forward to seeing you again, lynda - and to meeting the LUCKY fiance Which car do you think you will bring?

Looking forward to seeing you too!

I've just sent PMs to everyone who has expressed an interest in this trip.

How time flies when you're slogging away in the garage for months getting a car ready for a rally!

Lintilla is now as ready as she's going to get, and I'm rushing around sorting out lots of other bits and pieces before we leave on Friday.

Since my last rally I've got a shiny phone that will hopefully (if I can find a signal) allow me to post much longer updates and photos to my blog.

safe journey to all who are going and best of luck