NC500 (north coast road)

[Rocco1]

[Rocco1]

Looks like we did pull over and park up in a passing place yet when you see a car in a ditch and someone stranded you do what comes natural. Luckily for all this passing place was very generous in size, our cars caused no obstruction or delays to other road users, in fact it took us about 10 mins to get the car out/up and running and in all that time not a single car drove past.

[Rocco1]

GetCarter
you are blessed to live in such a beautiful country, we visited Isle of Skye, Isle of Mull, Apple Cross and Oban in May just gone but couldn’t resist calling up again. We may visit your country again this October lol

[Rocco1]

[Rocco1]

Long time no see or hear Chris, enjoy NC500 it’s awesome

[Rocco1]

Hi peeps 😊
What are the road conditions like around Applecross in mid January
Thank you

[Rocco1]

Thanks Steve, few of us are heading in this direction and deciding on what’s best to use this time of year supercars or sportscars.

Edited by Rocco1 on Tuesday 4th December 16:21

[Rocco1]

GetCarter PM sent

[Rocco1]

We’re heading towards Aviemore, Ullapool Applecross and Oban up next weekend. Fingers crossed we see Applecross and Ullapool dusted in snow.

[Rocco1]

abzmike said:

Wishing for a dusting is a very specific request - The long term forecast suggests there might be a bit more than that!

Music to my ears

[Rocco1]

GetCarter said:

Well we now have snow to about 800 ft. Not much of it mind. Roads dodgy first thing. Gritter hasn't been past yet. I'm sure inland there will be more snow and lower temps.



ETA ... state of the roads today:

Edited by GetCarter on Thursday 17th January 11:15

Thank you for the update :-)

[Rocco1]

Guilty as changed m’lord!! I was driving one of the castrol cars we had an amazing weekend with fantastic weather couldn’t ask for anymore. Thank you for weather updates :-)

[Rocco1]

Blown2CV said:

wow, amazing cars and weather there. I'd kind of forgotten the Celica a bit but they look just right, and I don't just think it is 90s rose tinted specs either! Presume they are perfectly suited to that weather too.

The Celica GT4 is a well balanced car, where others failed we succeeded!! We covered approximately 1000 miles over three days in what can only be described as glorious weather. It was our seventh visit to the Highlands and last weekend was arguably the best, no camper vans, no rv’s, no bikers, no cyclists, no ramblers and no cows or sheep on the roads!! We had the Highlands to ourselves and it was awesome.
Thank you Scotland!!

[Rocco1]

f1ten said:

Lovely ! Nothing beats it with a blue sky.

Did you chaps have winter tyres on ?

Winter tyres you say???
We were on simi slicks from our August trip to the Highlands, all we did was fuel up and go!

[Rocco1]

We were in Applecross two weeks ago and the guys who were in rear wheel drives had no issues, drive according to conditions and you will be fine

[Rocco1]

[Rocco1]

Don’t rule out military roads

[Rocco1]

connoisseur21 said:

Great pictures and solid advice on here, thanks go out to all. Me and swmbo are taking two weeks end of March/start of April to drive the NC500 in our 2006 Lexus RX350 old fashioned V6 with a good sound and appalling consumption!

A couple of years ago we drove 3500 top down miles down to southern Spain and back in a sadly missed Lexus SC430. The NC500 reads as an enjoyable UK alternative driving tour.

Going anti-clockwise from Inverness. Guidance on likely weather at that time would be very welcome. Are hoping for quieter roads by going before Easter, and will be spending 2 days + on the coast around Orkney, and same at Applecross.

Bealach na Ba is a must for me; aiming to drive the pass early morning or in the evening, if it is light enough for decent photo opportunities?

Also what does local knowledge say about mosquitos and/or midges as a problem at end of March?

Looking forward to a great road trip, at an unhurried pace and supporting the local economy by filling up at anywhere but Tesco or Morrison’s lol. We’ll see......

Thanks in advance

Michael

We’ve done NC500 for the past three years in mid May and there was no signs of any mosquitos or midges

[Rocco1]

carparkno1 said:

Quick Q... what's the phone reception like on the NC500 as a whole? Pal and I are debating cheap 2way walkie talkies as we drive, or should we just connect on bluetooth with our phones?

We do the NC500 3/4 times a year and we’re heading back in May. Phone reception is 50/50 we use Mitex General walkie talkie radios, good for half mile range due to the terrain

[Rocco1]

We were stopped by a local policeman near Applecross who watched us drive down the pass where the oil platform is or was back in January. We were told that we drove better than the locals ie allowing traffic to pass at passing points. I asked the policeman how many offices patrol the west coast his response was three due to cut backs. Wow three officers to patrol such an area doesn’t seem an awful lot

Edited by Rocco1 on Tuesday 30th April 12:14