NC500 (north coast road)

[toon10]

GetCarter said:

There are a bunch of places you can camp as you drive down Glen Torridon. (After Kinlochewe). There's also a campsite by the countryside centre as you reach Torridon.

Great, thanks. We plan to show up in the early evening and leave early the next day with no trace so shouldn't be an issue.

[Janluke]

Just back from a few day on the bike. My brother runs a diving business out of Kinlochbervie so I tend to stay with him and do the route in looped day trips, I actually prefer some of the non NC500 roads.

Couple of observations. The roads don't seem as busy this year as the same time last. However as there's massive staff shortages eating out is really busy, lots of places closed or reduced hours etc. If you're heading up you may need to prebook your evening meal.

I may just of been lucky but I didnt see any daftness this year(even on Sunday)

Even though I've done it numerous times over the years it's still stunning and,for me, nothing in the UK comes close

[Drooles]

We’re really considering doing the route as a 14 day family camping holiday. Unfortunately, not in anything exciting as we’ll be overloaded with child friendly stuff

[ScotHill]

Roads and traffic aside, what cheeky wee bays, beaches and picnic stops should I look out for between Applecross and Ullapool, and then the Inverpolly road to Lochinver and the coast to Unapool?

Edited by ScotHill on Saturday 28th May 19:54

[GetCarter]

ScotHill said:

Roads and traffic aside, what cheeky wee bays, beaches and picnic stops should I look out for between Applecross and Ullapool?

Edited by ScotHill on Saturday 28th May 19:54

I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you.

Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 29th May 13:40

[ScotHill]

GetCarter said:

I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you.

Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 29th May 13:40

I'll be on a bicycle, just need to slip past one motorhome and you'll never catch me.

[GetCarter]

ScotHill said:

GetCarter said:

I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you.

Edited by GetCarter on Sunday 29th May 13:40

I'll be on a bicycle, just need to slip past one motorhome and you'll never catch me.

Ok for a bike there's a few round here. Travelling from Shieldaig to Torridon - there are two good tracks, taking you where cars (and motorhomes) can't go. They are both really quiet and fab scenery.

2 miles after Shieldaig, you reach the River Balgy (pic taken yesterday)


http://stevecarter.com/map3.jpg

You can then take the track on the left head towards the sea and use the track all the way to the Torridon hotel. (not suitable for cars).


http://stevecarter.com/map.jpg

This is the view of that track, but from the road above - you can just see it bottom left:

http://stevecarter.com/latest/31-3-22.jpg


Or when you get to West Lodge take the track on the right which takes you to Loch Damh.


http://stevecarter.com/map2.jpg

[ScotHill]

GetCarter said:

Or when you get to West Lodge take the track on the right which takes you to Loch Damh.


http://stevecarter.com/map2.jpg

Thanks that one looks ideal for a third breakfast.

[ScotHill]

So perhaps reflecting the lack of activity in this thread, I'm riding the crazy wee back roads around Lochinver tomorrow, and Inverness to Ullapool seemed quiet, and Ullapool itself not having much activity going on post-8pm when I got here. The vast majority of accents around me have been from abroad - mainly French, Dutch, Australian and American from what I can tell - so perhaps the litter-dropping st-burying Brits of the last few years have moved back to getting stuck in airports?

It's quite a trek from Glasgow in one go (with one small break) but favourite parts on the A9 are around Dunkeld with the forests, and some other bits further north; Contin looked like a picturesque wee place to stay, and most of Contin to Braemore was a cracking road. In a Vauxhall Caddy anyway.

[jet_noise]

Anyone here?
This quartet is parked opposite Noisy House. Fans of the private plate (and M3s)

[K50 DEL]

Drove part of this route last week (Ullapool to JoG then down to Edinburgh.)
Other than a couple of Ferraris and a McLaren in Ullapool itself I didn't see anything else of interest.

Great roads and fantastic scenery, easy enough to pass the inevitable slow-coaches at this time of year, though I suspect it's mighty frustrating in the summer months.

[Drive Blind]

Found a few days again to go for a random drive along some of the NC500 route.
Decided to visit JOG, yeah I know its not the best but I felt it had to be done at some point. Again using Inverness as a base, I just had a day trip to JOG and back. Dunnet Head was more interesting and visted Lybster Harbour on they way back down.

The A9 between Inverness and Tain was soul destroying. Got the section from Latheron to Thurso traffic free so that made up for it.





Total miles - 678

Need to clean the car now ...

[Puzzles]

I’m due to go in Sept with the missus, can anyone recommend a good quality hotel, with a good spa facilities etc. preferably with a one night stay option?

[sherman]

Puzzles said:

I’m due to go in Sept with the missus, can anyone recommend a good quality hotel, with a good spa facilities etc. preferably with a one night stay option?

Near Where?
Spa you may struggle with on a 1 night stay.

[nebpor]

Puzzles said:

I’m due to go in Sept with the missus, can anyone recommend a good quality hotel, with a good spa facilities etc. preferably with a one night stay option?

Stay at Portivadie on your way up. Get the ferry from there to Tarbert then it's a beautiful road up past Loch Melfort to Oban, then continue north.

This is the Spa pool. There are also indoor pools, but the outdoor is the temp of a warm bath and you can use it all weather. We go all the time

[Puzzles]

sherman said:

Near Where?
Spa you may struggle with on a 1 night stay.

Anywhere roughly along the route will be fine, we can do 2 nights if needed.

[Puzzles]

nebpor said:

Stay at Portivadie on your way up. Get the ferry from there to Tarbert then it's a beautiful road up past Loch Melfort to Oban, then continue north.

This is the Spa pool. There are also indoor pools, but the outdoor is the temp of a warm bath and you can use it all weather. We go all the time

Thank you!!

[nebpor]

Puzzles said:

Thank you!!

You're welcome - it's a nice hotel and the area is my favourite part of Scotland (I don't live far as the crow files). It's the only Spa like it in Scotland as well!

[giveitfish]

nebpor said:

You're welcome - it's a nice hotel and the area is my favourite part of Scotland (I don't live far as the crow files). It's the only Spa like it in Scotland as well!

I’ll second this. First went about 10 years ago and have been back to the spa several times since as day visitors while staying in the area.

I remember one November watching black clouds and a hailstorm roll down the loch towards us while we floated in the lovely warm pool outdoors - not an experience you’d get elsewhere lol. The views are great and the light changes constantly. There are good views from indoors upstairs too where there are couches and a jacuzzi.

We usually stay in a cottage in Strachur which looks straight out on Loch Fyne. We’ve not been since before the pandemic, I think we need to put that right.

[nebpor]

We have a caravan 15 miles south of strachur, so over there most weekends and then the school hols till end august m - I get up in the morning and rag my 996 turbo to strachur petrol station to “pick up milk” or some other wheeze- it’s such a lovely road!

Sadly portavadie have shut the outdoor pool November to March because of the energy prices - normally we go for a swim there every New Year’s Day