Douglas Anderson and I decided that after a year of mainly organising events it was time to have some fun on someone else's event. Douglas had entered back in June with no idea of which car he would use, so I suggested my 1998 Lotus Elise. An early model in almost standard setup, it can still bring a smile to the crew when driven with spirit. Spirited driving would be a theme of the La Crofterra, by all crews, the open roads to the west and north of Inverness proving a haven of uncluttered roads, miles of them, ideal for a blast.

Highland Car Club had put on another spectacular route, using some roads I never knew existed. Stunning single track sections leading to views to die for, and not another soul on the road, bar the occasional startled local. In addition they added a booklet with points of interest on route, and a bit of potted history about each.

There was one stipulation I made to Douglas. No matter what the weather we would do the complete route with the top down. No mimsy roof for this pair of old codgers who hark back to the fifties Monte Carlo days when men were men!!

We set off from Inverness with fellow CCHMSC members Roy and John Tulloch in their 1974 MGB/GT, and Tom and Marianne Dromgoole in the 1959 MGA, one of the oldest cars in the event, under a damp and driech sky. It had me thinking that top down may have been a bit optimistic, but as we headed north to Beauly, Dingwall and Alness  things brightened up. Soon we met the Struie Road and over to Loch Oykel. On the way we came across a motorcyclist who had swerved into a ditch to avoid some oncoming traffic. Biker was ok, apart from bent pride, and as the Classic Crews gathered we managed to manhandle the bike out of the 3ft deep boggy ditch with no more than a broken wing mirror. We followed the path of the river on the single track stretch to Loch Borralah, where we stopped for lunch. On to Lochinver and to the westerly point at Clashnessie.

We hugged the coastline up to Scourie, before heading north east over the mountains to Durness, passing the ferry to Cape Wrath, the most north westerly point on the mainland. On the way we passed Roy McQueen and Ritchie Falconer who had managed to bottom out their Golf and hole the sump. If that wasn't bad enough the Golf was in fact Roy's wife's car as he had already broken a drive shaft on his "Rothmans" Escort Mk2 earlier in the day! Son Scott had the magic box in the mini and patched the hole with a Stanley blade and some liquid metal. So he should as he had broken the other Escort drive shaft on the Friday before the rally when testing. What a family of car breakers!!!

So far so good. It had rained on and off, but the Elise is dry if you keep it over 30mph, and that was not a problem today. A quick look at Smoo Cave and then along the north coast round Loch Eriboll and south alongside Loch Hope and Strathmore, Loch Naver to Bettyhill. Finally we hugged the north coast to the overnight at Thurso, passing Dounreay. The Inn at Thurso was full as they say, so Douglas and I stayed over in nearby Scrabster where a dinner of freshly caught fish was on offer. 

Sunday started somewhat misty and damp, and just as we took the roof off the rain started. A quick jump to the top of the queue got us underway at 10.00. Martin and Angie Luke had arranged a photo shoot at John O' Groats and were worried that we would see nothing, but the mist lifted and it was really quite pleasant when we arrived. John O' Groats wondered what had hit it with all 50 Classic cars piling in!

We hugged the east cost to Wick than headed up the Wick River, over to the A9 and down to Helmsdale. A trip up Strath Ullie and back to Lochmore crossed some wild and bleak country. Another photo opportunity was held at Dunrobin Castle near Golspie, and all 50 entries lined up for the occasion.

The final leg took us to Tain via the Abbainn an t-Strahta Charnaig to Bonar Bridge, where the dynamic duo, otherwise known as Gordon Mackay and Ross Mclean, were nursing the Anglia Estate along on what sounded like three cylinders! After crossing the causeway over the Dornoch Firth we took a quick detour over some single track roads on the black Isle to complete the 460 mile two day adventure.

A welcome meal and prizegiving followed before Douglas and I headed back home, reaching Dundee, still with the top down, around midnight.

If you don't do anything else in 2009, you must try and join HCC for the next La Crofterra Pandemonia. You will not be disappointed.

Updated 24 September 2008
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