NC500 (north coast road)
Discussion
VX0075 said:
Wow, amazing!
Looks like you may have good weather for your long day: http://xcweather.co.uk/forecast/shieldaigIt's the Shieldaig fete and regatta (Saturday), so you may want to avoid the village, or stop and join in!
GetCarter said:
Looks like you may have good weather for your long day: http://xcweather.co.uk/forecast/shieldaig
It's the Shieldaig fete and regatta (Saturday), so you may want to avoid the village, or stop and join in!
Yes, I've been keeping an eye on the weather, and fingers crossed its kind. We're heading out from Inverness earlyish if possible (7am) so would be great to stop by depending on how we're doing for time, would be a nice impromptu stop if we can make it work.It's the Shieldaig fete and regatta (Saturday), so you may want to avoid the village, or stop and join in!
VX0075 said:
GetCarter said:
Looks like you may have good weather for your long day: http://xcweather.co.uk/forecast/shieldaig
It's the Shieldaig fete and regatta (Saturday), so you may want to avoid the village, or stop and join in!
Yes, I've been keeping an eye on the weather, and fingers crossed its kind. We're heading out from Inverness earlyish if possible (7am) so would be great to stop by depending on how we're doing for time, would be a nice impromptu stop if we can make it work.It's the Shieldaig fete and regatta (Saturday), so you may want to avoid the village, or stop and join in!
Depends how many photo stops you make mind!
Well the NC500 seems to have reached its objective now of attracting loads of tourists to the North of Scotland. Even Skye has a no entry unless you have booked warning and a suggested entrance tax!
However, yesterday a friend of mine who spent 10 years restoring a derelict beach side cottage near Armadale on the NC500 (before it was the NC500) for its remoteness said its probably going to get sold because its so busy there now and its tranquility has been removed. White settler perhaps but not a good outcome for the area in some ways in the longer term.
He stopped in a lay by this week en route and there were a pile of M&S sandwich boxes dumped in the ditch and a highland cow in the field eating a plastic bag.
A bit sad really.
However, yesterday a friend of mine who spent 10 years restoring a derelict beach side cottage near Armadale on the NC500 (before it was the NC500) for its remoteness said its probably going to get sold because its so busy there now and its tranquility has been removed. White settler perhaps but not a good outcome for the area in some ways in the longer term.
He stopped in a lay by this week en route and there were a pile of M&S sandwich boxes dumped in the ditch and a highland cow in the field eating a plastic bag.
A bit sad really.
nigelonich said:
Well the NC500 seems to have reached its objective now of attracting loads of tourists to the North of Scotland. Even Skye has a no entry unless you have booked warning and a suggested entrance tax!
However, yesterday a friend of mine who spent 10 years restoring a derelict beach side cottage near Armadale on the NC500 (before it was the NC500) for its remoteness said its probably going to get sold because its so busy there now and its tranquility has been removed. White settler perhaps but not a good outcome for the area in some ways in the longer term.
He stopped in a lay by this week en route and there were a pile of M&S sandwich boxes dumped in the ditch and a highland cow in the field eating a plastic bag.
A bit sad really.
There is definitely more traffic. During weekends in summer It's about 80 cars an hour - 40 in each direction (I can see it from my house across the loch), but on a rainy Friday morning (today), I'm only seeing a car every 10 minutes. And of course for 6 months of the year it is as it always was - empty.However, yesterday a friend of mine who spent 10 years restoring a derelict beach side cottage near Armadale on the NC500 (before it was the NC500) for its remoteness said its probably going to get sold because its so busy there now and its tranquility has been removed. White settler perhaps but not a good outcome for the area in some ways in the longer term.
He stopped in a lay by this week en route and there were a pile of M&S sandwich boxes dumped in the ditch and a highland cow in the field eating a plastic bag.
A bit sad really.
TBH It not the amount of traffic, it's the appalling standard of driving (which has been talked about a lot in here). People who don't know how to reverse shouldn't be allowed on single track roads!
Then there are people who park in passing places on blind corners... and have picnics:
Myself and my parents used to spent a fair bit of time in Wester Ross on vacation, weekends etc, but the appeal in the summer months really has dropped significantly - I am usually up there a couple of times in the Summer, but have not been at all this year mainly due to work commitments - from what I am hearing I would not have enjoyed it much even if I had.
My father was speaking to someone based locally this week, and apparently the Cuillin Hills hotel in Skye was charging £345 a night for a room it had spare, being perhaps the only one available in the whole of the island - if you booked next week it would be "only" £310.
On the flip side, one of the problems I have found if you go in the winter is the lack of facilities - much of the usual touristy attraction or refreshment stuff has closed for the out of season, and what is left is packed out - I went up to Portree in late January this year, and arriving at lunchtime we were faced with having to stand in a corridor and wait 20-30 minutes if we wanted to sit down and eat - in the end we had to sit in the car with a pie from the local bakers.
At least we got parked - 5 months later it would have been impossible even to just park in Portree.
My father was speaking to someone based locally this week, and apparently the Cuillin Hills hotel in Skye was charging £345 a night for a room it had spare, being perhaps the only one available in the whole of the island - if you booked next week it would be "only" £310.
On the flip side, one of the problems I have found if you go in the winter is the lack of facilities - much of the usual touristy attraction or refreshment stuff has closed for the out of season, and what is left is packed out - I went up to Portree in late January this year, and arriving at lunchtime we were faced with having to stand in a corridor and wait 20-30 minutes if we wanted to sit down and eat - in the end we had to sit in the car with a pie from the local bakers.
At least we got parked - 5 months later it would have been impossible even to just park in Portree.
I think the above is why, as much as I'd love to... I've not done this yet.
Much like the Ring and Evo triangle, bit of a victim of it's own success as it's now so busy that it perhaps detracts a bit from the original appeal. A bit rich for me to say that given I've done my fare share of "tourist" trips to the West Coast and indeed the Evo Triangle and to an extent, the Ring... but as a rural lad born and bred, I always feel a pang of guilt as I descended upon a sleepy village with a convoy of cars. We were up in Applecross last year en route back from the Outer Hebrides and it was mobbed and sadly, there were numerous 'types' generally just being a bit t
ttish and disrespectful, not to mention launching out along the bay with little regard for anybody else. Felt quite embarrassed as an "outsider" and was keen to distance myself... same vein at the Ring last time, cue a group of loud, boorish Midlanders who were just rude to the waiting staff and again, I was quick to ensure we weren't included with said group when the manageress made her opinions of them known.
Have followed this thread for a while, found Get Carters images and words to be quite inspiring both in the sense I want to rush home, pack the car and head up and also in the sense that I can appreciate that whilst the influx of traffic to the area is good in some ways, will be quite damaging in others as has been highlighted in some of the past posts. Either way, has made for very good reading. Looking forward to getting back north again soon but think I'll avoid doing the loop... previous trips have revealed that just winging it and exploring random roads and secluded spots usually works well.
Certainly agree that the prices have taken a bit of a hike... few places we've stayed before on Skye and such like are either fully booked or very expensive compared to previous years and sadly, our last tent based holiday was less than successful thanks to the good old summer weather!
Having read this back, not sure it makes sense but I rarely do!
Cheers!
Much like the Ring and Evo triangle, bit of a victim of it's own success as it's now so busy that it perhaps detracts a bit from the original appeal. A bit rich for me to say that given I've done my fare share of "tourist" trips to the West Coast and indeed the Evo Triangle and to an extent, the Ring... but as a rural lad born and bred, I always feel a pang of guilt as I descended upon a sleepy village with a convoy of cars. We were up in Applecross last year en route back from the Outer Hebrides and it was mobbed and sadly, there were numerous 'types' generally just being a bit t
ttish and disrespectful, not to mention launching out along the bay with little regard for anybody else. Felt quite embarrassed as an "outsider" and was keen to distance myself... same vein at the Ring last time, cue a group of loud, boorish Midlanders who were just rude to the waiting staff and again, I was quick to ensure we weren't included with said group when the manageress made her opinions of them known. Have followed this thread for a while, found Get Carters images and words to be quite inspiring both in the sense I want to rush home, pack the car and head up and also in the sense that I can appreciate that whilst the influx of traffic to the area is good in some ways, will be quite damaging in others as has been highlighted in some of the past posts. Either way, has made for very good reading. Looking forward to getting back north again soon but think I'll avoid doing the loop... previous trips have revealed that just winging it and exploring random roads and secluded spots usually works well.
Certainly agree that the prices have taken a bit of a hike... few places we've stayed before on Skye and such like are either fully booked or very expensive compared to previous years and sadly, our last tent based holiday was less than successful thanks to the good old summer weather!
Having read this back, not sure it makes sense but I rarely do!
Cheers!
This year certainly feels busier than last.....idiot count is certainly up.
There's a tale ( shaggy dog possibly ) doing the rounds that the police pulled over a NC500er on the north coast who'd built up a large(ish) queue behind him and was gesticulating at drivers coming towards him. Apparently he thought the NC500 was a one way route - clockwise.
It's so ridiculous that it's probably true!
There's a tale ( shaggy dog possibly ) doing the rounds that the police pulled over a NC500er on the north coast who'd built up a large(ish) queue behind him and was gesticulating at drivers coming towards him. Apparently he thought the NC500 was a one way route - clockwise.
It's so ridiculous that it's probably true!
Planning already for next year's roadtrip (Or later this) year if the car is here in reasonable time so looking for some advice on where to stay. Not doing the full 500 route (Done it a few times now) but just picking the bits we enjoy the best.
To that end. Where is the best place to stay near or inn Ullapool? We've stayed in the Royal hotel in Ullapool which was nice but just looking to try somewhere different.
To that end. Where is the best place to stay near or inn Ullapool? We've stayed in the Royal hotel in Ullapool which was nice but just looking to try somewhere different.
Depends how far away and how much. Kylesku is lovely, friendly, grub is as good as you'll find, but the rooms are tiny and it's mostly booked up. If you go here get into one of 'Willie's Hoose' rooms, they are new and much nicer than the older ones.
Lodge on Lochinver quiet, fine dining (Roux), clean large rooms, expensive, but I'm generally the youngest person in the place (and I'm an old fart).
Lodge on Lochinver quiet, fine dining (Roux), clean large rooms, expensive, but I'm generally the youngest person in the place (and I'm an old fart).
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