Where To Stop On The A9

[camperlck]

Apologies, I'm sure this must have been asked before.

 

We're heading up the A9 next week with the caravan and need somewhere to stop. We'll be taking the A86 west so it needs to be before that. I know there is Ralia just north of the turn which is an option and I'm aware of Ballinluig but that doesn't look so good from a space perspective.

 

So two questions

 

1. Is there anywhere else? We don't really need food, just a stop and maybe a pee.

2. Is it possible to pull into House of Briar towing? Is there room to park / turn etc. And do they like you to anyway?

 

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

[CommanderDave]

layby . You have a toilet in the caravan and can google maps to find them.

 

Saves pulling into services.

 

 

Dave

[Alexbee]

Ive google earthed house of Bruar and looks to me like theres plenty parking areas where you could stop with a van. Ralia however gets my vote. I often go up to Moray, with and without van, and with van find Ralia really convenient and not far to walk for that pee.

However as CD says theres a few set back laybys on the road you could use as well

Edited August 9, 2014 by Alexbee

[Mr wilson]

Loads of space at House of Bruar, and Balinluig has a lorry park next door, so plenty of room to manoeuvre there as well. You can turn off into any of the villages, Pitlochry, Dunkeld etc but it can be a bit tight at this time of year, usually pretty busy with tourists.

 

Shug

[burstneraddict]

We have stopped at the House of Bruar with the van on a couple of times and used the toilets whilst looking in the shops. It is such a big complex, you just fit in with the crowd and there were other vans there as well. Did not have a problem finding space but it was not in August. I have friends who stop at the café at Ballinluig. They don't have a van but it is a transport café so there should be room.

 

If you are going on to the A86, I would have thought that you would be pulling off at Dalwhinnie to take the A889 across to the A86 so you would be a long way short of Ralia. There is a very large visitors car park in front of the distillery there but I am not sure if you would have access to the toilets.

 

The National Trust car park at the Pass of Killikrankie is no good with the van on. We have used The Hermitage on the left as you come past Dunkeld with the van on. We learnt to go straight ahead down the road into the car park where you can turn at the end as the car park at the entrance has quite a slope on it. I'm not sure if there is a toilet block or not. However, this may be a bit early for you if you are looking at House of Bruar etc.

 

There is a large layby, separated from the road, on your side about 3 miles after the end of the long dual carriageway section that climbs up to the Drumochter summit.

 

If you do continue all the way up the A9 to Newtonmore for the A86, there is a large parking area for lorries with a café on the left just before you reach the village.

 

For Commander Dave - There are no services on the A9 only laybys or you pull off into one of the by-passed villages.

[The Coachman]

I called into The House of Bruar last year, solo with car only and I noticed a caravan sitting in what I thought was the queue for the junction ahead.

But no, he had actually parked up on the main road just after the main car park entrance and within 100 yard of the junction onto the A9.

 

He was causing mayhem with the following traffic also thinking he was queuing. I went to take a photo but unfortunately my battery had just gone flat. !!

[camperlck]

Thanks for the replies folks. I'll try the House of Bruar.