Scottish Tours for American Motorists

C. S. BISS

Visitors from Other Shores Have Neglected the British Isles' Most Delightful Section

IN spite of all the disadvantages under which the European motorist suffers, a really surprising number of beautiful, unique and interesting cars are being delivered to owners of more than ordinary good taste. Some of these are shown here. It will be noticed that they are all sturdy, rugged machines, built primarily for negotiating long tours over many varieties of roads both in England and on the Continent.

The touring season is on here, on in full force, and among the streams of motor cars wending their ways along the highways of England and France the observer can discern more than the usual number of Americans. Some of these visitors from the United States have brought their cars with them; others have purchased or chartered cars upon arrival. Most of the motor tourists from America hold tenaciously to the beaten paths of motor travel. This is unfortunate, because they miss some of Europe's most delightful spots, ideal objectives for motor journeys.

With the Scottish border a bare hundred miles, and Edinburgh but two hundred miles, from Liverpool, it has always been

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surprising that so few American visitors to these shores embark on a motor tour to the most picturesque and charming part of the British Isles. England has much of beauty to offer the motorist. The charm of the countryside has ever pleased the American visitor. It is full of quaint and charming comers, of mediaeval buildings, some historically, some architecturally interesting, of legend and story, of the history' of battles and romance. But Scotland, while lacking none of these, has a peculiar attractiveness I find impossible to define. Perhaps Scottish ancestry biases my opinion a bit, although it would seem well supported by the number of tourists from south of the Tweed who annually flock to Scotland by road and by rail.

If a car is not brought over, there is no difficulty in making the necessary arrangements with one of the big companies who rent well equipped cars over here. A tour can be arranged before one sails, or a suggested tour submitted when the company knows how much time is at the visitor's disposal. For members of either organization, tours and schedulesare planned by the Royal Automobile Club and the Automobile Association. Regarding time, a week allows of much being seen, but months cannot exhaust the charms of this delightful country. From early July to mid-October, weather should be suitable for touring, but camping out is too risky in our climate.

If Southampton is the port of arrival, the motorist might take the train to London and then to Edinburgh, which is reached in a night from London, and so save nearly five hundred miles and the time which would be spent to better advantage across the Scottish border. If time admits of a sufficiently extended tour, it were better to explore the lowlands first, the land* of Scott and Burns, of Crockett and Barrie.

There is a delightful coast road from Stranraer to Glasgow, through Girvan, Bridge of Doon, where the poet Burns was bom in 1759, and where his father's cottage is still preserved; through Ayr, full of interesting associations with the poet with its "auld Brig"; through Prestwick and Troon, both of which possess magnificent golf links over which both the Open and the Amateur championships are played; through Ardrossan, Largs, Wemyss Bay; through Ganrock, where the scenery is magnificent; skirting the River Clyde; thus into Glasgow.

The Valley of the Tweed from Peebles to Melrose is a few miles of river scenery unsurpassed in the British Isles. We are now in the land of Scott and familiar scenes from his works are recalled on every side: Abbotsford House, where the poet died in 1832, Clovenford and Ashestiel, where he wrote The Lay of The Last Minstrel, and Marmion, Dryburgh Abbey, now a min where stands Scott's tomb. On the east coast, some twenty miles before reaching Edinburgh, enthusiastic golfers should not overlook the claims of North

Benvick, but do not confuse North Berwick with Berwick-on-Tweed, some forty miles farther south. The whole coast here is devoted to golf, with Gullane, Musselburgh and Muirfield, besides other links less known.

Of cities, Scotland can boast of only one of any considerable size—Glasgow, This makes an excellent center for excursions. Loch Lomond is only twenty miles away, and then for over twenty miles the road runs along the shores of the Loch. But motorists who wish to test their cars should turn West at Tarbet for Arrochar and Ivetary; over the pass of Glencroe, past Lochs Long and Tyne. This is one of the test roads of the Scottish Reliability Trials. Continuing to Dalmally and thence to Oban, Lochs Awe and Etirie are passed. This road, in all about one hundred miles from Glasgow, affords some magnificent scenery and Oban is the chief port for sea trips among the Western Isles.

Oban to Inverness is 130 miles, passing Lochs Lochy, Oich, and Ness, all linked together and known as the Caledonian Canal. This is perhaps the most beautiful road in Scotland, and should on no account be missed by the tourist. The gloomy pass of Glencoe, famous for the massacre of the Macdonalds, lies to the East of Ballachulish. On reaching Fort Augustus make for Whitebridge Hotel and Foyers if the car needs a good hillclimbing test, but if not keep on by Invermoriston. The road here skirts the shores of Loch Ness to within a few miles of Invemess, which is a good center for exploring the northern Highlands. It is a small city, the one-time rallying-ground of Jacobite disaffection and boasting a castle where Macbeth murdered Duncan,

The firths of Beauly, Cromarty and Dornoch are all in a day's run, but time must decide whether the run to John o'Groats be undertaken and trips made to the West coast. The golf links at Dornoch and Lossiemouth, though some miles distant, should be visited, or Nairn, which is nearer. Coming South, drop down from Inverness through Aviemoor, Kingussie to Pitlochry whence Lochs Rannock, Tay and Earn, all lying to the West, afford some beautiful scenery, while eastward the road to Braemar and Balmoral runs over the Spittal of Glenshee. Approaching the summit is the famous Devil's Elbow, a double bend of the road with gradients of 11% and figuring frequently in the Scottish Automobile Reliability Trials. This road is another good car test. The scenery at Braemar is very fine and Balmoral Castle stands amidst beautiful surroundings. The road goes through to Aberdeen. Cruden Bay is well worth visiting for its golf links, or, turning

South at Banchory, work back to Perth through Glamis, the home of the Duke of York's bride. Gleneagles, the most modern and perhaps the best inland golf course in Scotland, is some 15 miles off. It is only a short run of 50 miles from Perth to Edinburgh via Kinross and across the ferry, or 70 miles around by Stirling and avoiding the ferry across the Firth of Forth, unless the enthusiastic golfer makes for St. Andrews, over whose links we all hope to play before we pass over.

Of Edinburgh I will say nothing except that should Fate give me one day only to spend in Scotland, then Edinburgh is where I should spend it.