Rainfall stats for the West Highlands Many MG enthusiasts enjoy taking their classic car on a touring holiday in the Highlands and will know that the levels of rainfall there, particularly in the west, are much greater than in the drier areas in England. But just how wet and which are the driest months? Well in today's issue of the Oban Times (which the V8 Webmaster enjoys as a subscriber) there is an interesting article reporting that "data show 2017 was the driest year since 2010". They have a chart showing the stats for 2017 compared with the 25 year average. The rainfall recordings were made at a farm near Tyndrum which is a village on the West Highlands railway north of Loch Lomond and south of Glen Coe on the western side. As someone who visits the Highlands regularly as a mountain walker I usually go up in the second half of April and into May - looking at the stats you will see why although an additional factor is the dreaded midge do not usually arrive until the first week in June! See our Memorable MG Routes in the Highlands - details and links alongside. More Highland route guides are coming Victor Smith is preparing three more Memorable MG Routes in the Highlands: > Route from Perth on the A9 to Inverness through Aberdeenshire via Arbroath, Brechin, Banchory, Huntly and Grantown on Spey. > Route to Orkney via the Northeast route from Inverness to the ferry from Scrabster near Thurso to Stromness and then touring the many sights on Orkney. > Route from Perth via the Spittal of Glenshee into the Cairngorms to Braemar, visiting some of the tower houses and castles, passing Balmoral, reaching Ballater and on to Aboyne on the River Dee in Aberdeenshire. Further Memorable MG Routes are very welcome - do contact the V8 Webmaster with any routes you have. Chart credit: Oban Times Posted: 180118 Route from Dalwhinnie A9 through to Kyle of Lochalsh A wonderful route over hills and along glens from the Drumochter Pass on the A9, through Dalwhinnie, Laggan Bridge, Spean Bridge and on to Invergarry. Then up the long hill up from Invergarry to a viewpoint with the reward of the long views over to the Rough Bounds of Knoydart. The route winds through the hills until you reach the spectacular mountains seen as you drive along the shores of Loch Cluanie and then down Glen Shiel and on to Skye. MMGR07 and MMGR07 photo route guide Route round the Wester Ross Trail Driving around Wester Ross Trail is an adventure on its own with many single track roads and breathtaking scenery with huge mountains. It's one of the most enjoyable routes in any car but particularly in a classic MG. We hear the Tea by the Sea teashop in Ullapool was closed in 2017 and has been up for sale. As a wonderful place for refreshment let's hope it opens again in 2018. MMGR06 and MMGR06 photo route guide Route into wild Assynt from Ullapool Assynt is a remote and wild landscape north of Ullapool in the North West Highlands with many spectacular views across wild moorland to remarkable mountains like Quinag, Canisp and Suilven. Viewed from different vantage points, groups of these mountains can seem mysterious and weirdly-shaped as they peer above the skyline. Always vast, this landscape can change - sometimes intimidating but then with a weather change it can take on a mantle of breathtaking beauty. Certainly a memorable route in an MG. MMGR08 & MMGR08 photo route guide Weather in April and early May can have snow In the last three years late snow has been seen - above a view in late April 2016 driving up Glen Shiel from Loch Duich and Kyle of Lochalsh near Skye, and ahead you can see snow on the mountains reaching down to near the road. But often there are bright days with sunshine and with the cold air amazingly long views with no haze. With less tourists around April and particularly May are good months to visit the Highlands - and the bonus is you miss the midge!