Gill and I joined the La Carrera Caledonia tour of Scotland on the 5th to 8th June, this was the last time this tour of Scotland would run, and was highly recommended to us by Triumph Enthusiasts. The tour loops around the Border Counties and then around the Trossachs and Lochs and Glens using mainly minor roads, with good route maps supplied.

We drove up from Norfolk to Kelbrook, Lancashire, in the TR7 convertible for the traditional pre tour Club Triumph Pennine and Pendle Area Gymkhana and Barbeque on the Friday evening, breaking the journey from Norfolk in Wetherby where we met my father for Lunch. After Wetherby the weather turned inclement, however we still took the scenic route through the Pennines, past Pately Bridge, up and down Nidd Vale, then to Skipton and across into Lancashire. The night at the Old Stone Trough Inn with the Pennine and Pendle group was bitterly cold for the time of the year, we needed the heat from the Barbeque to keep warm, Gill and I both entered the Gymkhana, putting in rather slow times on the test where the driver had to hold 2 cups of water, with the navigator doing the steering and gear changing, however I did not break the egg behind the rear wheel on the hill start! We where joined by another TR7 driver from Club Triumph Norfolk, Also adding TR7 interest was a TR7/V8 track prepared car, a TR7 2 litre stage rally car, and a TR7 Sprint from the Netherlands.

V8 Track Day Car.

Cars at the Old Stone Trough.

Raiders Stage Rally car.

The following morning we dashed up the M6 to Southwaite services near Carlisle for the start of the La Carrera Caledonia meeting around 30 other classic and sports cars. We had a good run into Scotland, weather slowly improving along the way, and followed a very good route through the border country towns of Newcastleton, Jedburgh, Kelso and Duns, visiting the Jim Clark Museum in Duns, then turned west through Innerleithen, where we passed another “tour” coming in the other direction, made up of 50 or 60 other classics, but not a "Seven" among them.

KBA's First trip to Scotland.

Weather brightening in the Borders.

Kelso Abbey.

Jim Clark museum.

Typical Borders road after Duns.

Rally Vitesse followed by Triumph 2500 saloon.

Foot down, Clear road ahead!

Ready to descend to Lower Tweeddale.

Unfortunately the lovely road across Megget reservoir linking lower and upper Tweeddale was closed due to filming, however we drove down to Moffat past St Mary’s Loch, followed by a fast run up the twisty and hilly A701 through Tweed Dale towards Edinburgh and the Forth Bridge.

Classics on another "tour" we spotted near Innerleithen.

Parked for Lunch at St Marys Loch.

Ever present obstacle, did not hit any though.

Upper Tweeddale.

Heading onto Forth Road bridge.

The final part of the days run was west from the Forth Bridge, on minor roads past Alloa and Stirling, then through Bridge of Allan, to Callender where we spent the night at the dreadful Dreadnought Hotel, never have I seen such a run down hotel as this! Traditionally this tour always uses this Hotel due to its sheer horribleness. Here we spotted a Blue TR7/V8, however we never met the owner or saw the car on the run. We had a very nice Chinese meal in the company of some Norfolk and Suffolk Triumph owners, then returned to the bar to see the famous, awful accordionist, before turning in for an uncomfortable night in a sagging bed!.

Following a surprisingly good breakfast in the hotel on Sunday morning we followed the tour route on a loop through the edge of the Trossachs, then virtually back to Callender, before heading past Strathyre Forest, then along the North shore of Loch Earn towards Crieff.

Looking out over the Trossachs.

Driving down towards the Trossachs.

View over Loch Earne.

Strathyre Forest.

The next part was the best road I have ever driven, we followed a Triumph Mk11 Estate up the famous Sma Glen pass, with hairpins so tight and steep, that he only had 3 wheels on the road, the road was very narrow and twisty, with sheep everywhere, marvellous views, and some sunshine, we then dropped down through more hairpins to Kenmore, where we parked and took a short stroll along Loch Tay.

Heading towards Sma Glen.

Bottom of Sma Glen.

Climbing up Sma Glen with the Suffolk 2000 Mk11 estate.

Hairpins, The Estate has negotiated these and is on the higher level.

View from the top of Sma Glen.

Descending  Sma Glen.

Loch Tay from Kenmore.

Back in the car we followed the north shore of Loch Tay, then up another fabulous pass we went, called Ben Lawyers, meeting the Norfolk and Suffolk Triumphs parked near the Dam. Here the TR7 Sprint passed, powering his way up the pass with some impressive driving. Too fast to even get the camera powered up! We then convoyed with the other gold TR7 and the Mk11 estate to Aberfeldy for lunch and petrol.

Norfolk and Suffolk Triumphs - Ben Lawyers.

Following the TR7 and Mk11 estate down Ben Lawyers.

Caught by Stag on way to Aberfeldy.

After lunch, the other gold TR7, and ourselves had a little gold TR7 convoy, along both shores of the long and lovely Loch Rannoch, where we had our one and only incident, with Gill driving, a car coming the other way would not move over forcing the seven into the side of the road, hitting a rock with the front wheel with a crunch. We could see or feel no damage so carried on for a while, further inspection just before dropping down to the A9 revealed the tyre was badly damaged, with the side wall bulging badly.

Start of Loch Rannoch.

Loch Rannoch, South shore road.

View from top of Loch Rannoch.

Heading down the North Shore of Loch Rannoch.

Threatening skys at end of Loch Rannoch.

Letting the other TR7 go ahead we took the remainder of the route along the sides of Glen Garry at a slow pace to preserve the tyre to the finish at the Coylumbridge Hilton, Aviemore.

Rain ahead, dropping down into Glen Garry.

Feshiebridge, near Aviemore, the rain cleared nearing Aviemore.

River Feshie.

River Feshie.

Finishers at Coylumbridge Hilton.

More Finishers.

Having changed the tyre on solid ground we enjoyed a little 4 star luxury in the Hilton, before a very nice meal with around 70 others from the tour in the hotel, and spent the rest of the evening in the bar drinking and chatting with Triumph owners.

Monday was the dreaded journey home, 511 miles, firstly down the A9, stopping in Pitlochry for souvenirs, around Perth and across the Forth Bridge, then around Edingburgh. We then took the A68 through the Borders, keeping an eye out for the many speed cameras, stopping at Kelso for lunch. Entering England on a winding, hilly section the rain came, the A38 is one hell of a long road through the borders into Northumberland, a typical tourist route, with twists and bends, but through Northumberland is in a fairly straight line, but all hills and blind summits, like a roller coaster all the way to the A1 at Darlington, fun to drive and preferable to the A1.

Leaving Glen Garry.

Heading home down the A9.

Northumberland, A 68.

Nearing Stanhope Edge on the straight and roller coaster like A38.

The remainder of the journey was mind numbingly boring, down the A1, A14, and A143 back to Harleston.

Gill and I thoroughly enjoyed the event, we enjoyed the company of the Norfolk and Suffolk members of Club Triumph, along with other classic Triumph, MG, Porsche owners, and it was good to meet many other Club Triumph members whose name I only knew from the Forum, many thanks to McJim for the route and Pennine and Pendle for the Barbeque.

Total mileage home to home was 1352 miles.

Here's hoping Club Triumph can organise something similar next year.

Andy and Gill.