NC500 (north coast road)
Discussion
Dave. said:
iand17 said:
On our drive over the pass Friday, cloud level was a bit higher so I managed a picture.
I was amazed at how low the temperature was at the top, sure it must only have been a few degrees but a ClubSport has a lap timer rather than an outside temp !
Damn that's lovely!I was amazed at how low the temperature was at the top, sure it must only have been a few degrees but a ClubSport has a lap timer rather than an outside temp !
Synchromesh said:
If I were to do the NC500 this year, when would be the best time to do it?
Would I be right in thinking that September might be the sweet spot between busyness and weather?
September starts busy but gets quieter here. Weekends more busy than weekdays. 10 am to 4 pm is when everyone drives... so if you can avoid those times you'll not meet much traffic.Would I be right in thinking that September might be the sweet spot between busyness and weather?
If you can take a snap decision (weather dependent) to come, then Oct through March it's pretty much empty. (We often get a week of stunning weather in both Oct and Nov... and end Oct/early Nov you get this:
..days are obviously much shorter (than down south)
I did most of the NC500 a few years ago with some friends as part of longer road trip, so when I found out I had a work trip up near Inverness I managed to extend the hire car a couple of days and take in part of the route. This time I headed straight up to Ullapool, then back down and round the coast to Applecross, before heading over to Dunvegan on Skye.
Applecross was pretty busy late Saturday afternoon, mostly because there was an ambulance parked in the middle of the street. It looked like a motorcyclist had had a low-speed collision with an Audi coming the other way - I don't know any other details, but his bike looked largely intact and the other bikers around didn't look too concerned so fingers crossed his injuries weren't anything serious. I did get to see an R35, E46 and a few others (including a Caddy van, possibly mentioned earlier in this thread) caught up in the traffic, but by the time we'd had some lunch all was clear again. Aside from a few groups of bikers and a couple of Porsches we met coming down into Applecross, we didn't see anyone who was obviously 'doing the 500.'
I was expecting it to be far busier than it was, and having read this thread I was pleasantly surprised at the general driving standards (aside from one particular German caravanner who WOULD NOT move over). In fact it only got obviously touristy when we ended up at Loch Ness on the way back to the airport.
Weather was a bit wet, but the car was so underpowered it made very little difference. Site lines are good and people seem to encourage overtaking so we managed to make good progress without ever feeling like we were pushing on too much or being a nuisance (sub-30 through the villages as well).
I'd heartily recommend Skye as part of any trip up that way. The road across to Dunvegan is spectacular, and if you can get accommodation over there the Old School Restaurant does fantastic food: http://www.oldschoolrestaurant.co.uk/
My only regret is that I was in a bloody Vauxhall Corsa hire car
...and one from a couple of years ago in fairer weather!
Applecross was pretty busy late Saturday afternoon, mostly because there was an ambulance parked in the middle of the street. It looked like a motorcyclist had had a low-speed collision with an Audi coming the other way - I don't know any other details, but his bike looked largely intact and the other bikers around didn't look too concerned so fingers crossed his injuries weren't anything serious. I did get to see an R35, E46 and a few others (including a Caddy van, possibly mentioned earlier in this thread) caught up in the traffic, but by the time we'd had some lunch all was clear again. Aside from a few groups of bikers and a couple of Porsches we met coming down into Applecross, we didn't see anyone who was obviously 'doing the 500.'
I was expecting it to be far busier than it was, and having read this thread I was pleasantly surprised at the general driving standards (aside from one particular German caravanner who WOULD NOT move over). In fact it only got obviously touristy when we ended up at Loch Ness on the way back to the airport.
Weather was a bit wet, but the car was so underpowered it made very little difference. Site lines are good and people seem to encourage overtaking so we managed to make good progress without ever feeling like we were pushing on too much or being a nuisance (sub-30 through the villages as well).
I'd heartily recommend Skye as part of any trip up that way. The road across to Dunvegan is spectacular, and if you can get accommodation over there the Old School Restaurant does fantastic food: http://www.oldschoolrestaurant.co.uk/
My only regret is that I was in a bloody Vauxhall Corsa hire car
...and one from a couple of years ago in fairer weather!
BenWRXSEi said:
I did most of the NC500 a few years ago with some friends as part of longer road trip, so when I found out I had a work trip up near Inverness I managed to extend the hire car a couple of days and take in part of the route. This time I headed straight up to Ullapool, then back down and round the coast to Applecross, before heading over to Dunvegan on Skye.
Applecross was pretty busy late Saturday afternoon, mostly because there was an ambulance parked in the middle of the street. It looked like a motorcyclist had had a low-speed collision with an Audi coming the other way - I don't know any other details, but his bike looked largely intact and the other bikers around didn't look too concerned so fingers crossed his injuries weren't anything serious. I did get to see an R35, E46 and a few others (including a Caddy van, possibly mentioned earlier in this thread) caught up in the traffic, but by the time we'd had some lunch all was clear again. Aside from a few groups of bikers and a couple of Porsches we met coming down into Applecross, we didn't see anyone who was obviously 'doing the 500.'
I was expecting it to be far busier than it was, and having read this thread I was pleasantly surprised at the general driving standards (aside from one particular German caravanner who WOULD NOT move over). In fact it only got obviously touristy when we ended up at Loch Ness on the way back to the airport.
Weather was a bit wet, but the car was so underpowered it made very little difference. Site lines are good and people seem to encourage overtaking so we managed to make good progress without ever feeling like we were pushing on too much or being a nuisance (sub-30 through the villages as well).
I'd heartily recommend Skye as part of any trip up that way. The road across to Dunvegan is spectacular, and if you can get accommodation over there the Old School Restaurant does fantastic food: http://www.oldschoolrestaurant.co.uk/
My only regret is that I was in a bloody Vauxhall Corsa hire car
...and one from a couple of years ago in fairer weather!
black dark blue E46 was me.Applecross was pretty busy late Saturday afternoon, mostly because there was an ambulance parked in the middle of the street. It looked like a motorcyclist had had a low-speed collision with an Audi coming the other way - I don't know any other details, but his bike looked largely intact and the other bikers around didn't look too concerned so fingers crossed his injuries weren't anything serious. I did get to see an R35, E46 and a few others (including a Caddy van, possibly mentioned earlier in this thread) caught up in the traffic, but by the time we'd had some lunch all was clear again. Aside from a few groups of bikers and a couple of Porsches we met coming down into Applecross, we didn't see anyone who was obviously 'doing the 500.'
I was expecting it to be far busier than it was, and having read this thread I was pleasantly surprised at the general driving standards (aside from one particular German caravanner who WOULD NOT move over). In fact it only got obviously touristy when we ended up at Loch Ness on the way back to the airport.
Weather was a bit wet, but the car was so underpowered it made very little difference. Site lines are good and people seem to encourage overtaking so we managed to make good progress without ever feeling like we were pushing on too much or being a nuisance (sub-30 through the villages as well).
I'd heartily recommend Skye as part of any trip up that way. The road across to Dunvegan is spectacular, and if you can get accommodation over there the Old School Restaurant does fantastic food: http://www.oldschoolrestaurant.co.uk/
My only regret is that I was in a bloody Vauxhall Corsa hire car
...and one from a couple of years ago in fairer weather!
Broch said:
164 coupe said:
Booked up for this next month. Going after the schools go back, and mid week, so should be quieter. Coming from Aberdeen, first night at Tongue, then second night at Torridon.
I'm home next week and was hoping to do the NC500 this time home.Could have a 'mini' meet
I'm back, did 1041 miles as we took a few detours, including Orkney Islands and Loch Ness.
Visited all of these over two weeks.
Beauly
Applecross
Sheildaig
Torridon
Gairloch
Poolewe
Inverewe Gardens
Mellon Charles
Aultbea
Mellon Udrigle
Firemore
Cove
Badachro
Red Point
Ullapool
Ardreck Castle
Unapool
Durness
Cape Wrath
Bettyhill
Scrabster
Stromness
Standing Stones of Stennes
Ring of Brodgar
Skara Brae
Kirkwall
Italian Chapel of Lamb Holm
Thurso
Dunnet Bay
Castle of Mey
John O’Groats
Wick
Dornoch
Inverness
Drumnadrochit
Castle Urquart
Pitlochry
Visited all of these over two weeks.
Beauly
Applecross
Sheildaig
Torridon
Gairloch
Poolewe
Inverewe Gardens
Mellon Charles
Aultbea
Mellon Udrigle
Firemore
Cove
Badachro
Red Point
Ullapool
Ardreck Castle
Unapool
Durness
Cape Wrath
Bettyhill
Scrabster
Stromness
Standing Stones of Stennes
Ring of Brodgar
Skara Brae
Kirkwall
Italian Chapel of Lamb Holm
Thurso
Dunnet Bay
Castle of Mey
John O’Groats
Wick
Dornoch
Inverness
Drumnadrochit
Castle Urquart
Pitlochry
Nick Grant said:
I'm back, did 1041 miles as we took a few detours, including Orkney Islands and Loch Ness.
Visited all of these over two weeks.
Beauly
Applecross
Sheildaig
Torridon
Gairloch
Poolewe
Inverewe Gardens
Mellon Charles
Aultbea
Mellon Udrigle
Firemore
Cove
Badachro
Red Point
Ullapool
Ardreck Castle
Unapool
Durness
Cape Wrath
Bettyhill
Scrabster
Stromness
Standing Stones of Stennes
Ring of Brodgar
Skara Brae
Kirkwall
Italian Chapel of Lamb Holm
Thurso
Dunnet Bay
Castle of Mey
John O’Groats
Wick
Dornoch
Inverness
Drumnadrochit
Castle Urquart
Pitlochry
What were you driving Nick? Visited all of these over two weeks.
Beauly
Applecross
Sheildaig
Torridon
Gairloch
Poolewe
Inverewe Gardens
Mellon Charles
Aultbea
Mellon Udrigle
Firemore
Cove
Badachro
Red Point
Ullapool
Ardreck Castle
Unapool
Durness
Cape Wrath
Bettyhill
Scrabster
Stromness
Standing Stones of Stennes
Ring of Brodgar
Skara Brae
Kirkwall
Italian Chapel of Lamb Holm
Thurso
Dunnet Bay
Castle of Mey
John O’Groats
Wick
Dornoch
Inverness
Drumnadrochit
Castle Urquart
Pitlochry
Nick Grant said:
GetCarter said:
What were you driving Nick?
Steve, we were in our '78 Plymouth Voyager, with a 5 litre V8 We camped in the back of it for about half the trip 
We can fit in a king size mattress and still have seating for five Nick Grant said:
GetCarter said:
Glad you managed to get it between fuel stops! Thought I might have seen you (knowing you wouldn't be in anything 'normal') but missed this one. Sure you got some good pics.. it was quite moody weather.
Weather was a bit crap until we got to Orkney, a write up of trip will be in Classic American magazine so hopefully I can salvage some photos! It was lashing down when we came through Torridon, got the Plymouth on the jetty though.
Great trip overall, even my six year old boy was entertained enough.
The biggest disappointment of the trip was Castle Urquart, not been for 20 years and they have ruined it. It was just nice crumbling ruin before, now it has been commercialised to death and they have actually rebuilt parts of it. Hundreds of people crammed in to it too.
Despite the foggy conditions I really enjoyed going to Cape Wrath, you feel like you are at the end of the world, unlike John O'Groats!
bob-lad said:
Just wondering.
Is mid September potentially still convertible weather for a leisurely jaunt around the NC500, or would we be better in a coupe?
I appreciate that's like estimating string, but...
September is usually better than July and August. Last year we had 122mm rain in July, 135mm in August and 46mm in Sept. (I'm on the Applecross coast Road)... with a rain gauge Is mid September potentially still convertible weather for a leisurely jaunt around the NC500, or would we be better in a coupe?
I appreciate that's like estimating string, but...
GetCarter said:
bob-lad said:
Just wondering.
Is mid September potentially still convertible weather for a leisurely jaunt around the NC500, or would we be better in a coupe?
I appreciate that's like estimating string, but...
September is usually better than July and August. Last year we had 122mm rain in July, 135mm in August and 46mm in Sept. (I'm on the Applecross coast Road)... with a rain gauge Is mid September potentially still convertible weather for a leisurely jaunt around the NC500, or would we be better in a coupe?
I appreciate that's like estimating string, but...
First shot from a recent trip round, will post the rest as and when they're done (I miss that Porsche, need to find an excuse to borrow it again!)
NC500 #1 by Scott Reid, on Flickr
www.facebook.com/SBReidPhotography/
NC500 #1 by Scott Reid, on Flickrwww.facebook.com/SBReidPhotography/
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