While in Australia, I spent a couple of days on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. It’s a beautiful coastline, with some spectacular geological features. The first part up to Apollo Bay hugs the coastline and makes for an exhilarating drive. But beyond Apollo Bay, you can barely see the ocean from the Great Ocean Road. This is where many of the geological features are – The Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, London Bridge, etc – and you nip off the main road down to the coast to see each one.

It’s often described as one of the great drives of the world. It doesn’t, though, stir your soul like, say, the drive along the north coast of Scotland. It’s too manicured and civilized for that. (My favourite spot was not the tourist magnet of the Twelve Apostles, but the Loch Ard Gorge, which retains its sense of wildness and tempestuousness.)

So, I though I would contrast the photos from the Great Ocean Drive with those from the Great North Drive (it’s not called that, but it would make good promotional tag), from Sandwood Bay to Dunnett Head.

Great Ocean Drive – Cape Otway

Great Ocean Drive – The Twelve Apostles

Great Ocean Drive – Loch Ard Gorge

Great Ocean Drive – London Arch

Great Ocean Drive – The Grotto

Great North Drive – Sandwood Bay

Great North Drive –
From Sandwood Bay to the Kyle of Tongue

Great North Road – Dunnett Head