NC500 (north coast road)

[JM]

Stewart62 said:

you would be better renting a campervan there is a really good company near Glasgow www.ascottishadventure.co.uk.
save you money on the long run and allows you to wild camp

Are you happy with the vans returning with full 'waste' tanks?


Parking in a layby in a campervan isn't "wild camping".

[GetCarter]

Artic at the top of a hill with 90 degree bends behind him. Also behind him a motor caravan. He has nowhere to go. The three motor caravans facing him don't know how to reverse - or are too frightened to, and just sit there. End result. Gridlock. I turned around and went home (stopping more traffic from joining the jam). No idea how long it took them to work it out.

Excuse rubbish pic... through windscreen

[duncancallum]

I have to say in the 15yrs I've being heading north the nc500 has not done anything for the area. If you get off the track it's still quiet.

However what I used to enjoy has just become slightly grubby. Litter every layby. Every nice layby has a camper in it on hire from mcwky hire co or some other twee name.

If found Dumfries and galloway quieter though they're trying their own sc200 thing

Still love it in winter though. Only cos I'm an antisocial got though.

[57 Chevy]

duncancallum said:

If found Dumfries and galloway quieter though they're trying their own sc200 thing

Seems everyone is jumping on this bandwagon...

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/heart-200-route-des...

[ninepoint2]

57 Chevy said:

Seems everyone is jumping on this bandwagon...

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/heart-200-route-des...

indeed they are..

https://www.northeast250.com/

[BREMBOV6]

6 of us are doing this shortly, Thursday - Saturday. Taking in the West coast of the 500.

Starting at Luss > Glencoe > Mallaig (ferry) > Armadale > Poolewe (first stop) > Scourie > Lairg (coming back down, believe this is the road done in the grand tour) > Alness > Inverness (2nd stop) > Spean Bridge > back to Loch Lomond.

Really hoping it isn't too busy or wishful thinking!

[cat220]

BREMBOV6 said:

6 of us are doing this shortly, Thursday - Saturday. Taking in the West coast of the 500.

Starting at Luss > Glencoe > Mallaig (ferry) > Armadale > Poolewe (first stop) > Scourie > Lairg (coming back down, believe this is the road done in the grand tour) > Alness > Inverness (2nd stop) > Spean Bridge > back to Loch Lomond.

Really hoping it isn't too busy or wishful thinking!

Schools finish up today and tomorrow so things will start getting busier. Early starts are your friend, the earlier the better! Have a great trip.

[justin220]

I did the Applecross last night around 7pm and pretty much had it to myself. I'll post a few pics tomorrow

[BREMBOV6]

cat220 said:

Schools finish up today and tomorrow so things will start getting busier. Early starts are your friend, the earlier the better! Have a great trip.

Thanks, that's my aim being early starts.

justin220 said:

I did the Applecross last night around 7pm and pretty much had it to myself. I'll post a few pics tomorrow

In an AM that must be pretty special!


I'm on the hunt for one more walkie talkie! can anyone assist? (I'm in Edinburgh) have four need one more (5 cars going)

[GetCarter]

BREMBOV6 said:

cat220 said:

Schools finish up today and tomorrow so things will start getting busier. Early starts are your friend, the earlier the better! Have a great trip.

Thanks, that's my aim being early starts.

justin220 said:

I did the Applecross last night around 7pm and pretty much had it to myself. I'll post a few pics tomorrow

In an AM that must be pretty special!


I'm on the hunt for one more walkie talkie! can anyone assist? (I'm in Edinburgh) have four need one more (5 cars going)

Can't help with WT as you're not coming my way (Applecross coast Rd). I did 120 miles before 08:15 this morning - mostly off the NC500 mind. Empty and clear blue all the way.

[Monsterlime]

57 Chevy said:

duncancallum said:

If found Dumfries and galloway quieter though they're trying their own sc200 thing

Seems everyone is jumping on this bandwagon...

https://www.insider.co.uk/news/heart-200-route-des...

This is deeply annoying. I live in Larbert and regularly go for a run up round the Trossachs (A821) and it is usually very quiet with some very nice drives. The Heart 200 follows a good chunk of it exactly.

The scenery is stunning, so I get it. The A84 is already clogged with people doing 20MPH below the limit and that is wide and straight just past Stirling.

[f1ten]

True but if it removes some of the tourist traffic from the highlands that’s a good thing as we know plenty of these campers don’t spend much money locally anyway so pubs and guest houses aren’t benefiting a lot from them.

[jet_noise]

Up! the Bealach 1206


Rua Reidh Lighthouse 1706

[Skyedriver]

Oh good they've invented the "Heart 200" now.

So a 200 mile race around central Scotland, benefiting no one except maybe the odd filling station and causing accidents.
Even the bit on the BBC News showed a collection of foreign registered Porsche lined up.

I'm off both routes thankfully but still get "performance" vehicles flying past our door on a single track road where there are residences on both sides and pedestrians, cyclists, horses etc

Bet the guy who set it up doesn't live on the route.

[57 Chevy]

Skyedriver said:

Bet the guy who set it up doesn't live on the route.

As I understand it he owns a hotel on the route.

[Heidfirst]

Monsterlime said:

This is deeply annoying. I live in Larbert and regularly go for a run up round the Trossachs (A821) and it is usually very quiet with some very nice drives. The Heart 200 follows a good chunk of it exactly.

that'll be murder through the Duke's Pass - it can be bad enough as it is sometimes ...

[MarkR26]

My wife comes from Tongue so we're up fairly regularly.

The NC500 is a complete pain in the arse for locals trying to gt anywhere for work or to move livestock because of the increased traffic on what is mostly single track roads. I honestly have absolutely no intention of 'DOING' the NC500. It's a complete pain in the ass sitting behind people doing 20mph that don't or won't pull into a passing place to let you by etc etc. It turns any drive up there into a chore and not enjoyable at all.

Come off the NC500 a bit and go explore the roads between Lairg, Bonar bridge, Tain etc and Pistonhead types will find a lot more enjoyment .

[justin220]

BREMBOV6 said:

justin220 said:

I did the Applecross last night around 7pm and pretty much had it to myself. I'll post a few pics tomorrow

In an AM that must be pretty special!

Ah the AM is long gone...


PSX_20190627_073039(1) by justinking1986, on Flickr

DSC_3036 by justinking1986, on Flickr

DJI_0152 by justinking1986, on Flickr

The drone was really struggling with the low light, but it still looks great from above

DJI_0122 by justinking1986, on Flickr

DJI_0125 by justinking1986, on Flickr

DJI_0107 by justinking1986, on Flickr

Down the other side -

DSC_3058 by justinking1986, on Flickr

[Skyedriver]

MarkR26 said:

a complete pain in the arse for locals trying to gt anywhere for work or to move livestock because of the increased traffic on what is mostly single track roads, a complete pain in the ass sitting behind people doing 20mph that don't or won't pull into a passing place to let you by etc etc. It turns any drive up there into a chore and not enjoyable at all.

.

Even on proper carriageways (Oban area) it's a pain at times.
This week we are on Lewis and Harris, like old times on Skye, the race to the passing place, the ignorant who don't know to stop there for oncoming vehicles and press on regardless, the ignorant who won't acknowledge that you've stopped for them.

But had an interesting one a couple of days ago, winding, two way traffic carriageway, I'm doing about 45 - 50, guy comes up behind me fairly quickly, I indicate, and slow and pull over to let him pass where he would be able to see a decent amount in front of me to past me. He first of all slows behind me then eventually overtakes pointing at his head to indicate I was somehow stupid....
Was I in the wrong? No idea, was trying to be helpful but sometimes I wonder why I bother.

[C997]

justin220 said:

Ah the AM is long gone...

Down the other side -

DSC_3058 by justinking1986, on Flickr

I passed you going the other way just outside Westhill a couple of weeks ago I think. Recognise the plate. I was in a red V12VSRM, heading to Gairloch, Torridon, Applecross, etc for a few days. It was good fun but the weather wasn't brilliant. Looks like you had it better.