[Misc] Anyone done the Northcoast 500 route?

[darkwolf666]

Done bits of it as part of family from the highlands - may be our holiday destination this autumn. From what my Mum has said (she still has about 500 cousins up there - benefit of grandmother having 12 siblings etc) you do need to book ahead for places as it is remote and I mean bloody remote, the road will be single track with passing places, the locals hate the f*8king campervan drivers who don’t know how to reverse 1/4mile. There are some of the best beaches in the Uk which you will have to yourself at times. Good distilleries (Dalmore, Glenmorangie) on the Black Isle, need to visit Dornoch, Helmsdale etc. Go to into Invergorden and you might see 20+ oil rigs sat in the Cromarty Firth depending on oil market position recovery. Have to say it’s been nearly 20 years since we went up to relatives up at Kinlochbervie. If you can afford it book a couple of night in the Torridon (was on that C4 programme on greatest hotels in world). I’ve never driven the top section - it’s supposedly a bit dull and bleak.

Thank you. I'm going to have to go through all the places people are mentioning and plot them on a map and see what the greatest areas of interest are... Will keep me busy for a while!

 

[Madafwo]

It's on the bucket list of things to do, been going to the West Highlands for years, mentioned it a number of times on here but I fear Bozza is right, the best time to do it has already passed.

I'm back up that way in June, all being well, but I won't be doing the NC500 with 2 small children in tow in 4 days.

 

[Weststander]

I can't speak for the original poster, but you have sure got Mrs.Cowfold and me interested!

I'm on commission.

 

[Timbo]

Thanks for that, most helpful.

Clearly subjective but what are best bits and worst bits, must do and meh?

Best bits are the islands (the ferries are heavily subsidised so quite cheap), the pubs, Oban, Lochinver, the view of Suilven from just about anywhere, Mallaig, Glen Coe, Sutherland in general, Smoo (really!) Cave and the beaches which if they were anywhere else in the world would be unbearable.

Maybe not the worst but the most disappointing bits are Loch Ness and Ben Nevis although Inverness and Fort William are nice enough.

Like I said, the best bet is to get in a car and just drive. For an example most people would head to Kinlochbervie and stop then turn round but there's a little dead end road that takes you out to Oldshoremore and Shegra which is wonderful.

 

[darkwolf666]

I can't speak for the original poster, but you have sure got Mrs.Cowfold and me interested!

There have been some very helpful posts on here.

Next, who has a good programme to recommend for plotting all these locations!!!

 

[Notters]

Its a beautiful part of the world, in fact possibly the most beautiful, but I fear it will be rammed full of "Staycationers" this year.

In my experience, Skye and Torridon have sadly gone from deserted 15 years ago to packed with tourists now, accompanied by a decline in the standards of restaurants, pubs etc and a ten-fold increase in traffic. Don't get me wrong the scenery is beautiful.

Sadly when I took my wife (in June), we also had rain/snow/fog the whole time.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

One of the greatest bits of marketing ever. I mean it. They made it a thing. Other areas are trying to replicate the success.

Well worth a trip by the way. The part across the north coast is surprisingly short. We came across a closed road due to an accident - and it resulted in a two hour detour. Classic. Amazing scenery.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

They really can be. I've driven through black clouds of them where you can barely see out of the other side, even if you had your windows shut they start appearing through all the air vents! Dreadful things, even if there's just a few about they're more irritating than wasps. Worst time tends to be dusk so plan around them.

Sounds like our face masks are still going to prove useful, even post Covid.

 

[MerseySeagull]

I did a version of it back in October from Merseyside, our stops were Mallaig, Ullapool, Thurso and Pitlochry, absolutely stunning scenery full of alien landscapes, would thoroughly recommend

 

[MerseySeagull]

I did a version of it back in October from Merseyside, our stops were Mallaig, Ullapool, Thurso and Pitlochry, absolutely stunning scenery full of alien landscapes, would thoroughly recommend

From Mallaig we got the car ferry to Armadale on Skye and drove up to Portree, restrictions meant we couldn't see any more of the islands but there's a ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway that goes most days if you wanted to get right out there

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

There have been some very helpful posts on here.

Next, who has a good programme to recommend for plotting all these locations!!!

Hasn't the gorgeous Darcey Bussel been up in those parts recently?

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

From Mallaig we got the car ferry to Armadale on Skye and drove up to Portree, restrictions meant we couldn't see any more of the islands but there's a ferry from Ullapool to Stornoway that goes most days if you wanted to get right out there

We did it as a day trip from Ullapool to Stornoway a few years ago. On a calm, bright day. It was like a cruise. Stunning looking back at the Highlands.

 

[Change at Barnham]

Have thought about this. Is it best to hire car in Scotland or drive all of way

Fly easyJet from Gatwick to Inverness.
Rent a car from Avis/Budget or Europcar who have desks in the terminal. The other car hire companies are located on a local industrial estate and you have to get their courtesy mini-bus who will be waiting for you.

As mentioned previously the bit across from Inverness to Applecross and then north up the west coast is stunning, than along the north coast heading east. But it's not so picturesque around Thurso but still lovely.
Book accommodation in advance, May or September are good times to go avoiding school holidays.

I would recommend having a look on YouTube where there is plenty of information provided by people who have also done it.

 

[Change at Barnham]

 

[Seagull58]

If you're looking for an overnight stop in Scotland on the way up, I liked Peebles and Perth. If you want to stop further south then Durham is very nice.

 

[darkwolf666]

Have thought about this. Is it best to hire car in Scotland or drive all of way

Good question, anybody?

Sorry, didn’t see #33

 

[Lower West Stander]

Funny you say that - I'd not heard of the North Coast 500 before a month or so ago, but it looks stunning so piqued my interest and I had a read around.

One thing I took away is that it's now possibly a bit late to enjoy it at its best. I read a fair bit about how busy it now is and, as a result, how messy it is in places as the infrastructure is not up to the volume of people that now pass through.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18604246.villages-around-nc500-being-ruined-litter-vandalism/

I did it last year at the beginning of September and it was rammed. The good thing is that there aren’t many lorries because there are so many bends. Tends to be bikes and motor homes. Impossible in a caravan which is also good.

Tried to fill up with petrol in Durness and it was an absolute shitshow. There’s one self service pump and that’s it - the queue was down the street. Gave up and was running on fumes by the time we got to Ullapool.

Having said all this, it didn’t really detract. It is certainly the amazing and scenic journey I’ve done in the UK.

I own a timeshare in Ballater so will be doing it again this year going the other way. Really looking forward to it.


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[Lower West Stander]

Hotel recommendation is the Borgie Lodge in Skerray. Just fabulous.

And walk down to Torrisdale Beach. Beyond spectacular.


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[Dick Knights Mumm]

Thurso is interesting. It’s the High Street the chains forgot. It just feels like the 70’s. It’s a fairly busy place (we were there on a Saturday morning) and locals seemed to take an age to walk up the street as there were so many people to talk to.

 

[The Fits]

Suspect you didn’t mean doing it on a bike, but it looked pretty incredible when I watched two guys do it in three days: https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.co...-in-three-days-si-s-ultra-endurance-challenge

That was amazing.
Was going to to do it last Summer by bike (but not in 3 days).
This year maybe....