jatink129

Does the Sat-nav detect them?
My GPS here tells me when there's a camera nearby.

Thanks for that information. We'll keep it in mind.

Ha! I'm not American.

I'm sorry but you lost me there. Is this the bridge?
Not a native and not good with maps.
I put Rumbling Bridge into google maps, and I got this...which was different than the route that you suggested.
So I had to manually tweak the route to do what you were suggesting...to get this.
both of which add an hour onto my trip.
So not really worth it, because we're already driving about 3.5 hours that day. If it really was 20 minutes or so, then we could have done it.

Oh and couldn't find the "Freuchie road".

We may stop at Fortingall, seeing how it's on the way and all.

Jenbel

Oh dear the sat nav generation - I've had similar issues with guys at work who only ever use sat navs, and get lost regularly if they have to rely on directions from people. Someone once tried to get me to give them a post code for someplace up here - the nearest building was 5 miles from where they needed to be, so I gave them that, and then they had a 5 mile walk before they started work because they didn't realise that the post code would not correspond to where they could drive to, but where there were no buildings I nearly took their sat navs away, because, when working on a scheme that was 300 miles long, they relied on their sat navs and had no idea of the actual geography of the scheme

Really, try actually looking at maps, reading the place names and the road numbers? If you are bad at it, then practice does actually help. I gave you the specific road numbers and directions from Dunkeld - but I guess you haven't even looked at the town names along your route? That's a bit naive - your sat nav is a tool, you need to be able to check the inputs. This is exactly why I had a visitor drive from Glasgow to York, Lancashire, instead of York Yorkshire, because he left it up to his sat nav... added 2 hours to his journey! (We didn't even know there was a York, Lancashire).

This would be what I meant:
http://tinyurl.com/nmvoa8q

You'll see - if you look at the map - the route fits with the directions I gave about going straight on at Dunkeld instead of turning right onto the A9. It doesn't involve a detour that goes nowhere near Dunkeld. The "Freuchie Road" is the road between Dunkeld and Freuchie - the hamlet that is halfway between Dunkeld and Crieff. But of course, that won't be googleable either because it's a descriptive name for the road, that depends on people actually looking at maps instead of relying on google and sat navs to be able to find it

And since there are two Rumbling Bridges in Scotland, you will have to find the road signs to find the minor road which leads to this one since your sat nav will likely not be able to find it - but it is only a mile detour off the A822.

Google estimates it is only a minute slower than going via Ballinluig - I don't believe Google in this case, the Ballinluig road is the better road and the detour will cost you about 20 minutes.

jatink129

Well,don't think too poorly of me.
I'm good with roads and will never forget a route once I drive it.

Having said that, it does take me some time getting used to a new place.
And yes, I have come to depend too much on the GPS.
But I bet I could make this drive a second time without GPS.

I did look at the map and the road numbers and the names.
I didn't expect you to do the work for me, and I apologize if I came off like that.
if you look at the two versions of the maps that I linked to, you'll see that I did find "Rumbling Bridge"
But how was I to know that there are two of them?

And you guess wrong. I did look at the town names...In order to figure out what you were saying, I did zoom in all the way, but still found the wrong place. But that would be like me telling you to find the old post playground off 91 in Wallingford on this route. http://goo.gl/maps/hdNNw
Easy to me, since I live nearby and have driven past it.
Not so easy for a stranger.

I'm assuming the "C" that you've marked in the link you gave me, is the Rumbling Bridge I'm supposed to check out?
As opposed the one I found...Funny that there are two and so close to each other!

alanR

I find the fact that they are bright yellow and that other traffic is slowing down works pretty well for me - your GPS may not be up to date.

GPS's are also not very good with minor roads - if I used the GPS suggestion for a 15 mile trip I frequently make it would add 20 minutes to the journey time.

jatink129

Thanks. That's usually the first sign for me as well.
I plan to purchase a local guide and map

JohnSnow

if it wasn't for the fact that you want to see Dunnottar Castle, I would have suggested a trip along Royal Deeside, routing Aberdeen-Ballater-Braemar-Loch Tay instead. Google maps suggest its only 30mins longer than your current route, though I would suggest it is probably more like 1 to 1+1/2 hours

But I am a bit biased - For at least 10 years all my holidays were somewhere along that road, and I think they are two of the most amazing areas on earth.

(Though a HT for Rumbling Bridge, where I also spent a few long weekends)

NSFU

It's over, for now. Northbound carriageway finished, Southbound will be done next year.

jatink129

I'd prefer the Dunnottar Castle over the Balmoral Castle.
And we're trying to reduce our driving time per day.

But thanks for the suggestion! Probably next time! I plan to visit a whole bunch of times again!

jatink129

Just wanted to update this thread with a huge THANK YOU to everyone who helped me out with my endless questions.

My girlfriend and I had an amazing time. We are eternally grateful.
Thank you.

P.S: I've uploaded a few photographs from the trip to the OP

HIDDY

Nice of you to return and tell us how you got on.
Great pictures especially the one of Ben Dorain....an old stomping ground of mine. Here's what it looks like on the postcards.

lwildernorva

Love the view you got of Dunnottar from the south. My photographs were more head on and don't really give a sense of the depth of the grounds surrounding the Castle. Glad you had an amazing time; you've got me looking forward to my return trip next summer!

Jenbel

Always good to hear an update - glad you enjoyed it! Love the photos - did you get any clear nights?

jatink129

That photo didn't come through for some reason...

Ended up getting over a 1000 photographs. And all are RAW, so now I've gotta sit and tweak them all.

I want to plan a return trip as well...sometime when there's less rain!

None!!

The weather forecast before leaving promised clear skies, lots of sun and little to no clouds. What we got instead was overcast skies and rain.
So no photographs of the night sky.

But since we took off a few things off the list, we had some easy driving with lots of stops to take photos or just stand by with a cup of coffee and enjoy the scenery ,until the rains would force us to get back in the car!

Jenbel

Next time!

jatink129

You bet! Plan to do Isle of Skye the next time.

When do I have the HIGHEST chance of getting clear skies, no rain and lots of sun?
Spring? Summer?