Several Fers had already arrived in Stirling for a pre run meal in Stirling itself on Friday night but the main group met up on the saturday morning and , surprisingly, the sun was peeping through the clouds. It looked like a promising day and all hoods were down (except those with the odd hardtop still in pace of course !). 

After meeting and greeting each other the field were led away from Stirling by those in the more modified and tweaked Fs  - a roar of the K series and we turned to to see the brakelights of Mike Satur, Gerry Hiorns and Paul Weatherill disappearing into the Highlands - not to be seen again until Glencoe ! The rest of us followed at a more moderate pace with many drivers pausing to admire the scenery en route. Scenery that got more breathtaking the further north we travelled .

After a short tea break on the shores of one of many Lochs we headed for the barren landscape of Glencoe surrounded by snow peaked mountains. A schedule lunch stop at the Glencoe Hotel waited for us but not before Andy Bates celebrated covering 100,000 miles in his F with a bottle of champagne and a lone piper to provide the accompaniment. Perhaps the piper's lament was ominous for the next day Andy's clutch failed him on the way to Applecross and the F had to be trailered back home.

Small groups of Fs then filtered away from Glencoe heading for the Kyle of Lochalsh and the gateway bridge to Skye. With more scenic views on the way, including the wistful Eileen Donan Castle rising from the water we all made it to the Lochalsh Hotel in safety. A fine dinner convivial evening followed before it was up early for breakfast and planning the day ahead. 

Unfortunately the skies had greyed but tops still came off as a small group headed over the toll bridge on to the Isle of Skye itself for a drive around the pitted and potholed roads. The rest headed for the Applecross peninsular and some equally amazing scenery and a fine seafood restaurant in Applecross itself. By the time we returned from Skye and were heading up the A890 (or at least Scotlands version of an A road - single track with passing places and sheep) towards Ullapool following the Wester Ross Coastal Route the rain had arrived. Reluctantly the hood went up for a wet and showery run around the cliffs towards Ullapool.

A damp Royal Hotel hove into view overlooking Ullapool harbour and another night of food, wine and whiskey. By this time two more casualties had emerged  - Mike Satur with gearbox problems had to have his F trailered back to Satur HQ and Paul Weatherill managed to burst two tyres on a pothole hidden under water - borrowing a couple of wheels he managed to limp back home to Glasgow. Dave Clelland thanked everyone for coming and gave out a couple of "awards" - Mike Satur for the Maddest moment - overtaking eight cars when he only had third gear , Terry Garlick for unluckiest - fourth HGF a week prior to the Highlander and then his hardtop fell from the garage roof denting his front wing and then the car was misfiring at the start ! - Tim Morris for traveling the furthest - all the way from Surrey. The rest of us gave Dave a decorative bowl in thanks for organizing the whole event.

Monday morning and the skies were still grey but it was time for us to bid farewell and head our seperate ways. Some headed straight home whilst others spent a few more days enjoying the mountains and Lochs of the Highlands but all of us were happy and this mammoth tour proved that the F is all about Fun

More Photos can be found at :-

http://www.apkdesign.co.uk/photos/Highlander%20VI/ (Andy Keeling's Pics)

http://www.csmgf.dsl.pipex.com/Highlander04_Album/index.htm (Dave Clellands pics on CSMGF site)