NC500 (north coast road)

NC500 (north coast road)

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Discussion

cat220

2,762 posts

214 months

Thursday 16th June 2016
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
Well done people. You managed to fk it up.

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/invernes...
Not good, this was my concern in my posts above.

Lugy

830 posts

182 months

Friday 17th June 2016
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
Well done people. You managed to fk it up.

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/invernes...
Surprised it took so long to be honest frown.

Drive Blind

5,076 posts

176 months

Saturday 18th June 2016
quotequote all
with the amount of coverage the route was getting in the media it was only a matter of time before the police spotlight was shone on it.

Rocco1

Original Poster:

3,081 posts

182 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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I'm sure the police will not discourage those who want to enjoy the scenery opposed to using it as a festival of speed event

clarki

1,312 posts

218 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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GetCarter said:
Well done people. You managed to fk it up.

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/invernes...
Not really - drive like a tit and the police will pull you over - is hardly a shock??!!


GetCarter

29,358 posts

278 months

Monday 20th June 2016
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johnwilliams77 said:
towser said:
Well that's a load of crap. Many many of the car clubs stay in hotels / b+b's.
That says more about Mr Tom Forest's B&B than what is actually happening. (See below *)

I host websites for quite a few local B&Bs here and talk to the local hoteliers and all are reporting a huge increase in room occupancy.


http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12500737.Why_th..._it_seemed_a_reasonable_request__But_Tom_Forrest_apos_s_refusal_to_let_two_men_sleep_in_a_double_bed_has_kickstarted_a_far_reaching__chain_of_eventsBy_Jennife/

nigelonich

1,017 posts

219 months

Tuesday 21st June 2016
quotequote all
I did the route with my Land Cruiser quite happily in March over two stops (Sheildaig and Smoo Cave) this year and it was EMPTY. I had a temptation for another car option but practicality won.

Although it was a bit damp at times id happily trade weather for empty roads as I had to take to the verge a couple of times for wildlife (as below at Dundonnel) and other road users. Doing the whole route in a day would be miserable as far as I can see as whats the point in going to one of the most epic parts of the world and not taking time to look at it? Sandwood Bay at the bottom image was well worth doing as we had a mile of the best beach in the UK to ourselves but its an hours easy walk (we took the bikes) from the closest car park.

What I would say if you are to have an accident on this route it would be pretty easy to end up somewhere where nobody could see you, no phone signal and 150 miles from any A&E so take it easy regardless of the Police aspect. I wouldn't even do it without a spare wheel to be honest as I have had a flat bed recovery in the past following a puncture and that was miserable.




Viperzs

966 posts

166 months

Friday 24th June 2016
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I got back today from doing the route Monday-Friday. We started at Inverness and went West to the coast, following it all the way round, back through Inverness and across to Fort William. We saw no Police and we saw nobody else doing the trip. None of the staff running the hotels/B&Bs we stayed at had any complaints about people doing it and loved talking to us about it.

The roads are fantastic, the single track lanes were fine for me in an Exige and passing places are unbelievably frequent and all drivers incredibly courteous. It is by far the best route I have ever driven and the views are astonishing.

Do it for the views, enjoying the roads and having a great time with your friends and you will have no problems.

GetCarter

29,358 posts

278 months

Saturday 25th June 2016
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Viperzs said:
we saw nobody else doing the trip
You saw no other cars or bikes? wink


Viperzs

966 posts

166 months

Saturday 25th June 2016
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GetCarter said:
You saw no other cars or bikes? wink
None that specifically looked like they were doing the 500. There were maybe 2 groups of bikes that we saw, mainly tourers, and that was about it.

The rest were logging lorries and damn caravans.

GetCarter

29,358 posts

278 months

Saturday 25th June 2016
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Viperzs said:
None that specifically looked like they were doing the 500. There were maybe 2 groups of bikes that we saw, mainly tourers, and that was about it.

The rest were logging lorries and damn caravans.
I'm only winding you up smile

Most that do the NC500 are in motor caravans, next it's bikes, next it's cars, and then it's clubs and convoys. Noticing more Germans than English this year (compared to last).

Viperzs

966 posts

166 months

Sunday 26th June 2016
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GetCarter said:
I'm only winding you up smile

Most that do the NC500 are in motor caravans, next it's bikes, next it's cars, and then it's clubs and convoys. Noticing more Germans than English this year (compared to last).
Yeah there were definitely a lot of foreign plates around. I'm still amazed by the constant courtesy shown. There was one vehicle, I think on French plates, who let us all pass on a single road. We pulled up about 10-15 minutes later to take some photos and he actually waited for us to finish so we could make progress again. Never thought I'd see that happen.

Here's a photo of our group



Edited by Viperzs on Sunday 26th June 19:27


Edited by Viperzs on Sunday 26th June 19:28


Edited by Viperzs on Sunday 26th June 19:28

Hoonmeister

5,185 posts

177 months

Sunday 26th June 2016
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I am sure that a few years ago Stelvio was the demain of motorhomes and cyclusts before it was declared the worlds greatest driving road.
It took me 3 years to get a clear run.
The same may become of the NC500 as it is now known, although those of us have been spending our money in those parts for years.
Last time I went up I stayed with the quoted Mr Forrest.
He talked of JK and other hooners but still treated me well.

oiljames

4 posts

92 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
quotequote all
Viperzs said:
Yeah there were definitely a lot of foreign plates around. I'm still amazed by the constant courtesy shown. There was one vehicle, I think on French plates, who let us all pass on a single road. We pulled up about 10-15 minutes later to take some photos and he actually waited for us to finish so we could make progress again. Never thought I'd see that happen.

Here's a photo of our group



Edited by Viperzs on Sunday 26th June 19:27


Edited by Viperzs on Sunday 26th June 19:28


Edited by Viperzs on Sunday 26th June 19:28
Ah you went up with Fisher! Myself and a load of others that know him were up there this weekend. The only 'incident' was early on in the trip with an unmarked Audi on the A892...

We had courteous drivers ahead all weekend and mostly good weather.

This is outside the Rock Stop Cafe at Ullapool. (Highly recommend for lunch. They take cards and have venison burgers and the most amazing Langoustines you've ever seen!)




We're missing an MGB and a Crossfire in the photos. Unfortunately the Crossfire got a bad sidewall puncture and had to find a tyre on a Sunday in the highlands!

Edited by oiljames on Tuesday 5th July 10:27

GetCarter

29,358 posts

278 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
quotequote all
oiljames said:
Ah you went up with Fisher! Myself and a load of others that know him were up there this weekend. The only 'incident' was early on in the trip with an unmarked Audi on the A892...

We had courteous drivers ahead all weekend and mostly good weather.

This is outside the Rock Stop Cafe at Ullapool. (Highly recommend for lunch. They take cards and have venison burgers and the most amazing Langoustines you've ever seen!)




We're missing an MGB and a Crossfire in the photos. Unfortunately the Crossfire got a bad sidewall puncture and had to find a tyre on a Sunday in the highlands!
I was standing in Torridon when you passed on Saturday at about 3 pm.

..and BTW the corner on your last shot (just before Kylesku) is a bloody nightmare in winter as the stream that flows diagonally across the corner freezes. So: driving south - Sheet ice, blind corner, hill, adverse camber, fast road, telegraph poles and big drop on nearside of road.

Ug

(and just for pedantic interest, it's at Unapool, not Ullapool)

Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 5th July 12:08

oiljames

4 posts

92 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
I was standing in Torridon when you passed on Saturday at about 3 pm.

..and BTW the corner on your last shot (just before Kylesku) is a bloody nightmare in winter as the stream that flows diagonally across the corner freezes. So: driving south - Sheet ice, blind corner, hill, adverse camber, fast road, telegraph poles and big drop on nearside of road.

Ug

(and just for pedantic interest, it's at Unapool, not Ullapool)

Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 5th July 12:08
Oh really? We were only about half an hour from our hotel at Loch Maree when we passed Torridon. Early finish on Saturday, then a good meal, a few Laphroaigs and a good night's sleep before day 2.

You're absolutely right, it is Unapool, not Ullapool. Nobody will find the Rock Stop at Ullapool, as it's about 30 miles away!

Stevenr

915 posts

193 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
quotequote all
oiljames said:
Ah you went up with Fisher! Myself and a load of others that know him were up there this weekend. The only 'incident' was early on in the trip with an unmarked Audi on the A892...

We had courteous drivers ahead all weekend and mostly good weather.

This is outside the Rock Stop Cafe at Ullapool. (Highly recommend for lunch. They take cards and have venison burgers and the most amazing Langoustines you've ever seen!)




We're missing an MGB and a Crossfire in the photos. Unfortunately the Crossfire got a bad sidewall puncture and had to find a tyre on a Sunday in the highlands!

Edited by oiljames on Tuesday 5th July 10:27
We were at the Viewpoint before Applecross when your group arrived.I believe we were dining in the inn at the same time too,i was in the Focus RS among a group of Renaults


Edited by Stevenr on Tuesday 5th July 23:43

minimax

11,984 posts

255 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
quotequote all
oiljames said:
GetCarter said:
I was standing in Torridon when you passed on Saturday at about 3 pm.

..and BTW the corner on your last shot (just before Kylesku) is a bloody nightmare in winter as the stream that flows diagonally across the corner freezes. So: driving south - Sheet ice, blind corner, hill, adverse camber, fast road, telegraph poles and big drop on nearside of road.

Ug

(and just for pedantic interest, it's at Unapool, not Ullapool)

Edited by GetCarter on Tuesday 5th July 12:08
Oh really? We were only about half an hour from our hotel at Loch Maree when we passed Torridon. Early finish on Saturday, then a good meal, a few Laphroaigs and a good night's sleep before day 2.

You're absolutely right, it is Unapool, not Ullapool. Nobody will find the Rock Stop at Ullapool, as it's about 30 miles away!
The Rock Stop was great, and pretty reasonably priced too all things considered. Absolutely brilliant roads, what surprised me most was how those cars overtaken by and large caught right up close behind during our 30mph stints through villages..amazing. These morons will likely be the first to complain about "supercars" "racing" on "their" roads...anyway, all in all, a great trip and every hotelier seemed very enthusiastic and not just about us spending money with them, genuinely enthused at the publicity garnered.

minimax

11,984 posts

255 months

Tuesday 5th July 2016
quotequote all
Stevenr said:
We were at the Viewpoint before Applecross when your group arrived.I believe we were dining in the inn at the same time too,i was in the Focus RS among a group of Renaults
Oh hey there! I gave you a toot in return to your waves as I gave it beans past your group parked up on a viewpoint, also I saw you on the Monday too at John O'Groats smile