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Scottish Malts 2003
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Scottish Malts Reliability Trial 2003 (see below for Classic Car Route) Revised Route and Programme Outline Sunday 11 May: scrutineering at the Ocean Terminal, Leith (Edinburgh's former port area), where you'll be able to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia. Documentation at the Rally HQ hotel, the Crowne Plaza. Evening get-together dinner at the magnificent Museum of Scotland. Overnight at the Crowne Plaza or Carlton Hotel in Edinburgh's city centre.
Day 2: Tuesday 13 May: an early call at Tomatin Distillery precedes the famous Loch Ness Monster regularity section and a test at Inverness. After lunch at Glenmorangie Distillery, there's the test at Little Ferry kart ciruit. A run up the scenic coast road punctuated by two more regularities on hill byways, brings us to Wick and a test at the Old Pulteney distillery. Overnight at various hotels in the Wick and Thurso area - you can drive between the two via John o'Groats if you wish. Dinner in local restaurants.
Day 4: Thursday 15 May: a regularity section through attractive wooded landscapes takes us to Scotland's leading whisky distilling area, Speyside. Here, we visit a test at Glenfarclas Distillery and the beautiful riverside estate of The Macallan, before heading for Johnson's of Elgin's cashmere mill and a lunch halt at a quayside inn at Portsoy, a picturesque fishing port. A test at Boyndie kart circuit, a regularity section through the fertile hills of Aberdeenshire and two more tests take us to Fyvie Castle, a splendid historic house. A final test, and then it's overnight at Dyce, near Aberdeen. Dinner at your hotel. Day 5: Friday 16 May: an early test before reaching the Grampian Motor Museum at Alford, where there's a test on the sprint circuit; then a regularity section and a scenic link run through the lower Cairngorms to pay a visit to the Queen's home, Balmoral Castle, and to the nearby Royal Lochnagar Distillery. We then drive Britain's highest road over The Cairnwell before taking a scenic route, via a final regularity section and a couple more tests, to the final control at Scone Palace, next to the mound where the Kings of Scotland were crowned. Then it's back to our hotels near Edinburgh, and a last evening get-together. Saturday 17 May: there's a spectacular line-up of all the cars and a champagne breakfast at Scotland's most magnificent stately home, Hopetoun House, before the official awards ceremony in the ballroom, finishing in time to get you home (or to your ferry) that day. The above programme is provisional and may be amended. Dinner on Days 2 and 4 is not provided by the Organisers. |
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Revised Route and Programme Outline Sunday 11 May: arrive in the afternoon for vehicle check at the Ocean Terminal, Leith (Edinburgh's former port area), where you'll be able to visit the Royal Yacht Britannia, and for registration at our hotel. Evening get-together dinner at the magnificent Museum of Scotland. Overnight at Edinburgh's fine Crowne Plaza Hotel, right on the Royal Mile.
Day 2: Tuesday 13 May: start with a detour to Loch Garten, where ospreys nest, before calling at Tomatin Distillery. After lunch at Glenmorangie Distillery, pass through the ancient burgh of Dornoch and call at the kart ciruit at Little Ferry if you want to watch the Reliability Trial competitors desporting themselves. The run to Wick is one of Britain's great coastal drives, with many smaller sights to see, including the 300 Whaligoe Steps, dropping dizzily down to the shore. Be sure to get to Wick in time to see glass blowing at the Caithness Glass factory. Dinner at the local malt distillery, Old Pulteney, before we overnight at the Norseman Hotel, Wick. Day 3: Wednesday 14 May: make an early start for a long day's drive through one of Europe's great wildernesses, the magnificent north western corner of Scotland. Start with a run past some fine coastal castles to Duncansby Head, less well known than its neighbour John o'Groats but more spectacular, with its view of Duncansby Stacks. Then another detour takes you to the northernmost point of the British mainland, Dunnet Head, with striking views across to the Orkneys. West from Thurso, as you pass the nuclear centre of Dounreay, the coast road gets lonelier and more beautiful. Visit the museum at Bettyhill to find out about the Highland Clearances that emptied this once prosperous land, or descend to the shore to visit the impressive Smoo Cave, before turning south at Durness to reach our lunch halt at the Cape Wrath Hotel. Then there's a run past half a dozen lochs back across the width of Scotland to a lockside tea at Dalmore Distillery, before a short run to our night halt at the Marriott Hotel, Inverness; dinner in hotel.
Day 5: Friday 16 May: the first organised port of call today is the Grampian Motor Museum at Alford, before heading through the lower Cairngorms to pay a visit to the Queen's home, Balmoral Castle, and to the nearby Royal Lochnagar Distillery. You then drive Britain's highest road over The Cairnwell before taking a scenic route to Scone Palace, to cheer in the finishers at the end of the Reliability Trial, next to the mound where the Kings of Scotland were crowned. Then it's back to our country house hotel near Edinburgh, the Marriott Dalmahoy, and a last evening get-together. Saturday 17 May: there's a spectacular line-up of all the cars and a champagne breakfast at Scotland's most magnificent stately home, Hopetoun House, before the official awards ceremony in the ballroom, finishing in time to get you home (or to your ferry) that day. The above programme is provisional and may be amended. |
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Photos: John Brown
HERO – the Historic Endurance Rallying Organisation The Town House - Leigh - Worcester - WR6 5LA - UK tel (+44/0) 1886 833505 - fax (+44/0) 1886 833144 - e-mail [email protected] |
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Day 1: Monday 12 May: you're flagged away from Scotland's most hallowed historic place, Edinburgh Castle. Cross the Forth Road Bridge to Knockhill for two tests, including a four-lap consistency trial on the superb race circuit; then via a regularity section to our first distillery, Glenturret, home of The Famous Grouse. Via minor hill and lochside roads to Killin and the superb Kenknock test - "Scotland's Stelvio". Then to, Loch Tummel and the Blair Athol Distillery at the Pitlochry, before driving through the Pass of Killiecrankie to lunch and a test at Blair Castle, one of Scotland's finest historic houses. On to a regularity through attractive Strathspey to the overnight halt at Coylumbridge, near Aviemore. Evening: Highland Dinner.
Day 3: Wednesday 14 May: we make an early start from Thurso for a long day's drive through one of Europe's great wildernesses, the magnificent north western corner of Scotland, punctuated by a couple of tests and regularity sections on wonderful little roads. We pause for a superb seafood lunch at the Kylesku Hotel, and call at Dalmore Distillery for tea, before arriving at our overnight halt of Inverness and dinner at Inverness Castle.
Day 1: Monday 12 May: you're flagged away from Scotland's most hallowed historic place, Edinburgh Castle. Cross the Forth Road Bridge to Knockhill for two or three optional untimed laps of this superb race circuit; then through lovely hills to our first distillery, Glenturret, home of The Famous Grouse. Take the scenic run to Aberfeldy and historic Castle Menzies, then over the hills to Loch Tummel and a short visit to Blair Athol Distillery, Pitlochry. Through the Pass of Killecrankie to lunch at Blair Castle, one of Scotland's finest historic houses, then on to Dalwhinnie Distillery, Scotland's highest, before a run through attractive Strathspey to the overnight halt at the Coylumbridge Hilton Hotel, Aviemore. Evening: Highland Dinner.
Day 4: Thursday 15 May: quickly to the battlefield of Culloden, before a run on quiet roads past the prehistoric Clava Cairns and ancient Cawdor Castle, then through attractive wooded landscapes, passing the preserved museum distillery of Dallas Dhu, to Scotland's leading whisky distilling area, Speyside. Here, we visit the rally test at Glenfarclas Distillery and the beautiful riverside estate of The Macallan, before heading across the fertile hills of Aberdeenshire to Fyvie Castle, a splendid historic house. Overnight at the Thistle Hotel, Dyce, near Aberdeen; dinner in hotel.