Fabulous, Peepsie!
Malc, as a veteran of the A9 from Perth to Inverness, and having holidayed in Aviemore almost every year for the past quarter of a century, I agree the scenery is wonderful. It's one of my favourite drives in the UK, with variety all the way.
However, it's only the beginning, as I found out only a decade ago. The best of what Scotland has to offer lies further up the road, north of Dingwall, then up to Lairg and beyond. Where the single-track road takes you beyond any other sign of civilisation for mile upon mile, through the most stunning peaks and lochs you can possibly imagine. I thought I'd seen some spectacular parts of Scotland and the rest of the UK, but I can honestly say that nothing I'd encountered before on these isles could touch the breath-taking views the first time I ventured north of Lairg. I kept stopping to take it all in, each time saying it can't get any better than this, then 20 minutes further up the road, you turn a bend and it does.
Eventually, you can go no further north. But then you encounter perhaps the greatest surprise of all - beaches like the one Peepsie posted above. They're all along that north coast - you expect grey, dark, cold and even oppressive, but what you get is turquoise waters, beautiful golden sands with nary a footprint in sight... and palm trees. Nobody had told me - I literally could not believe my eyes the first time I stepped on the beach at the marvellously named Bettyhill, before heading for home through the jagged peaks (hundreds of them, fading into the distance) and magnificent lochs.
I've done the east coast route, and been up and down the middle routes. Before I die, I'll bag the west coast. Joan, if you've still got three weeks left, and enough stamina (it's a heck of a long drive, but richly rewarding if you get a nice day), don't take my word for it...
