Road Trip! French France & the NC500
Discussion
Enjoy the trip. Very jealous!
Since you like walking too, a nice beach to visit is Sandwood bay. It’s an hour or so walk from the car park but it is worth the walk.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherland/sandwoo...
Since you like walking too, a nice beach to visit is Sandwood bay. It’s an hour or so walk from the car park but it is worth the walk.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/sutherland/sandwoo...
Day 4. Wick to BettyHill (50 Miles with a few switchbacks!)
The day started looking rather grey. I assume the sun did come up, but it was one of those days where it wasn’t notable. As is becoming a pleasing routine already, I laced up & headed out of my B&B to see what the coastline of Wick had to offer. The weather was far from ideal – very strong and biting winds soon shut down my plans to run a 10-mile loop out to Noss Head Lighthouse. However, determined to at least get a few miles in I hugged the path & stone bungalows on a coastal path out of the town. It was 8am and not a soul in sight. I ran past a sea fed plunge pool that didn’t look that inviting this time of year, though I’m sure to some it provides some good cold-water therapy. Despite the weather the coastline impressed, jagged rocks and the crashing waves were a sight to see. A very different coastline from where I am down in south Kent, so it was great. I took one picture looking out to a large trawler who looked like he was returning to Wick Harbour.
I found a bit of a spring in my step as I headed back and ended up running through the town centre where they looked to be setting up a Christmas market of some description. With 10k covered and earache from the wind, I called it a day.
The weather remained gloomy as I packed up the Alpine and headed out of Wick, with the sky feeling like it was hanging immediately above my head. First stop for the day was John O Groats. The last time I was there I was saddle sore having done the end-to-end cycle over a couple of weeks some 20 years ago now. I was interested to see how it had changed, but not before some fuel for the Alpine. I’m struggling to find premium unleaded up here, but don’t think the odd tank of 95 will do it any harm. The views & roads soon opened-up as I left Wick
I arrived at John O Groats after a short drive. My memory of it is one of tourist tat & the infamous sign. I’m pleased to report the sign remains and the tat does, too. To be fair, there are some decent coffee shops there now that weren’t when I was there last, and there are some high-end huts that I assume you can hire for a more premium signpost view. It was very quiet & I managed to get a shot of the Alpine right in front of the sign.
After eating a huge piece of rocky road & having a coffee, I made my way to Dunnet Head (the true most northly part of mainland UK). It was quite a drive getting there – single track in places and some incredible views. The views out were breathtaking so I’m glad I made the effort.
I then headed for Thurso. The town itself was like any typical town really, but I needed to grab some lunch & stretch my legs so parked up by the bridge that you cross as you enter the town and had a pleasant hour or so wandering about. As I left Thurso the weather started to really pick up & the roads became even better. There was hardly any traffic, and I made the most of the car where I could.
I stopped for a break after about 45 minutes and felt obliged to have an Irn Bru!
The skies then cleared almost completely, making the waters below really shine. It was turning out to be a fantastic afternoon behind the wheel.
As I came up on BettyHill, I noted that it was only about 2pm. I then realized that I had booked here as couldn’t find anywhere a bit further round to UllaPool for tonight. I’m always one for maximizing the smiles in life, so as any self-respecting Alpine owner would do, I decided that I’d had such a great drive from Thurso that I simply drove all the way back again and then returned to BettyHill at about 3:30! The only slight irritation was the low sun on my second run – but aside from that, I think this afternoon will take some beating. When I got to BetyHill for the second time I took the opportunity to catch the sunset down at Farr Beach. I might have been denied a sunrise today, but fate granted me a great sunset. (Respect to the surfers still out there as it got dark, too).
I’m now settled in at the ‘BettyHill Hotel’. Great vantage point over the bay and I can see how this place would be heaving peak season. Not tonight, though. Tomorrow sees me continue round to Ullapool & whatever I come across en-route. It’s very hilly where I am now, so I’m a bit more nervous about my planned run first thing!
The day started looking rather grey. I assume the sun did come up, but it was one of those days where it wasn’t notable. As is becoming a pleasing routine already, I laced up & headed out of my B&B to see what the coastline of Wick had to offer. The weather was far from ideal – very strong and biting winds soon shut down my plans to run a 10-mile loop out to Noss Head Lighthouse. However, determined to at least get a few miles in I hugged the path & stone bungalows on a coastal path out of the town. It was 8am and not a soul in sight. I ran past a sea fed plunge pool that didn’t look that inviting this time of year, though I’m sure to some it provides some good cold-water therapy. Despite the weather the coastline impressed, jagged rocks and the crashing waves were a sight to see. A very different coastline from where I am down in south Kent, so it was great. I took one picture looking out to a large trawler who looked like he was returning to Wick Harbour.
I found a bit of a spring in my step as I headed back and ended up running through the town centre where they looked to be setting up a Christmas market of some description. With 10k covered and earache from the wind, I called it a day.
The weather remained gloomy as I packed up the Alpine and headed out of Wick, with the sky feeling like it was hanging immediately above my head. First stop for the day was John O Groats. The last time I was there I was saddle sore having done the end-to-end cycle over a couple of weeks some 20 years ago now. I was interested to see how it had changed, but not before some fuel for the Alpine. I’m struggling to find premium unleaded up here, but don’t think the odd tank of 95 will do it any harm. The views & roads soon opened-up as I left Wick
I arrived at John O Groats after a short drive. My memory of it is one of tourist tat & the infamous sign. I’m pleased to report the sign remains and the tat does, too. To be fair, there are some decent coffee shops there now that weren’t when I was there last, and there are some high-end huts that I assume you can hire for a more premium signpost view. It was very quiet & I managed to get a shot of the Alpine right in front of the sign.
After eating a huge piece of rocky road & having a coffee, I made my way to Dunnet Head (the true most northly part of mainland UK). It was quite a drive getting there – single track in places and some incredible views. The views out were breathtaking so I’m glad I made the effort.
I then headed for Thurso. The town itself was like any typical town really, but I needed to grab some lunch & stretch my legs so parked up by the bridge that you cross as you enter the town and had a pleasant hour or so wandering about. As I left Thurso the weather started to really pick up & the roads became even better. There was hardly any traffic, and I made the most of the car where I could.
I stopped for a break after about 45 minutes and felt obliged to have an Irn Bru!
The skies then cleared almost completely, making the waters below really shine. It was turning out to be a fantastic afternoon behind the wheel.
As I came up on BettyHill, I noted that it was only about 2pm. I then realized that I had booked here as couldn’t find anywhere a bit further round to UllaPool for tonight. I’m always one for maximizing the smiles in life, so as any self-respecting Alpine owner would do, I decided that I’d had such a great drive from Thurso that I simply drove all the way back again and then returned to BettyHill at about 3:30! The only slight irritation was the low sun on my second run – but aside from that, I think this afternoon will take some beating. When I got to BetyHill for the second time I took the opportunity to catch the sunset down at Farr Beach. I might have been denied a sunrise today, but fate granted me a great sunset. (Respect to the surfers still out there as it got dark, too).
I’m now settled in at the ‘BettyHill Hotel’. Great vantage point over the bay and I can see how this place would be heaving peak season. Not tonight, though. Tomorrow sees me continue round to Ullapool & whatever I come across en-route. It’s very hilly where I am now, so I’m a bit more nervous about my planned run first thing!
Day 5. Bettyhill to Ullapool (113 Miles)
I woke early to an eerie silence. The Bettyhill Hotel is quite large, and I was the only guest staying there. At dinner last night there was some Dolly Parton playing in the background and not a lot else going on. I sense that in high season the place must be rammed – there is NC500 memorabilia dotted around, as well as well-worn sofas dotted about. It was a well-trodden but clean hotel – fine by me.
As the first signs of light started to crest over the hills from my window, I could see that a decent sunrise was likely, so I laced up and headed out for my planned run. It’s lumpy in Bettyhill, (clue in the name), and from the off I was huffing and puffing as I made my way off the roads & onto the trails, cursing myself once more for failing to put my trail shoes on. The run was pre-planned using ‘Komoot’. I can’t recommend this app enough if you’re a runner / cyclist etc. You can map routes you’d never know were there, as was the case today as I found myself stumbling through gorse, heather, and some seriously boggy terrain. In short – bloody good fun! Here I am being treated to the sun cresting over the hill in front of me
And about 20 minutes later when the sun was up & the terrain had changed to being whipped by ferns.
I ran out of Bettyhill & turned back on myself, deciding to scrub some of my planned route & head back down to the sandy beach where I had been the previous afternoon. It was an early Sunday morning, so not a soul in sight, and one of the things I have wanted to do on this trip was have a proper run on the sands of a beach, so that is what I did. After 20 minutes or so my legs were burning from pounding the soft sand, so I headed back up the not unsubstantial hill to the hotel. As you can see, the views from the road & beach were breathtaking as the sun hit them in the early morning
I got back thoroughly knackered but turned myself around pretty quickly & had packed the Alpine and was on the road by 10:30, threading through the roads where I had run only moments before. It was nice to see it all from a different perspective. First stop of the day was Durness, but I stopped a few times enroute to get a few pictures. Almost every corner presented a spectacular view today, be that rock formations, mountains, cresting waves or a combination of all and more. Here is a view from the window – taken as I love the detailing on the doors of Alpines (!) and the backdrop isn’t bad either!
Once again it was a day of chasing rainbows – here is just one of the many I saw throughout the day
I had a fantastic hour or so to Durness. I saw one other car on the road – ONE. I had to almost pinch myself, it was like the Scots had closed the road for me. Just before I got to Durness I paid a visit to Smoo Cave. I have great memories of being walked around numerous ‘Grotes’ in France as a kid with my enthusiastic Dad, so tend to always seek a cave if I can whilst roaming. This one didn’t disappoint – just look at the view out from the cave itself as you make your way down
As I turned to walk into the cave the view really was breathtaking. I wasn’t expecting such an imposing overhang – I’ve tried to capture it in this picture, but photography is not really my strong point, so it doesn’t really do it justice.
Once in the cave I could hear a tremendous roar of water. A man-made bridge led me into a cove where there was the almightiest waterfall crashing down. The mist created by it was freezing but I didn’t care – I stood there for ages soaking it up in all its might – magical!
After walking back up the (very) steep steps to the car on worn-out legs, I plonked myself into the Alpine and continued on. Durness itself turned out to be a bit of a non-event, or rather it was closed. Undeterred, I just headed in the general direction of Ullapool keeping my eye out for the NC500 signs (which, I have to say, are well placed and obvious). I took this photo as it looked like a bit of a storm was coming in, and the sun behind it rather grabbed me. I wasn’t wrong about the storm, either – but more on that in a bit
A short while after taking that photo the signage presented me with 2 options for the NC500 – one appeared to be the NC500 ‘proper’ and one for larger vehicles. No question as to where I went….
Now, I can honestly say that the remainder of the day was quite simply the best drive I have ever had in my life. In my view, truly great drives are the ones that challenge you a lot & scare you a bit. To do that you need to have varied conditions, roads, and luck on your side. Today – my ship came in on all counts.
The rain came in as soon as I started towards Scourie & those that know this part of the NC500 will know this part is a great challenge to drive. Blind summits, switchbacks, VERY narrow and the ever-present fear of meeting something coming the other way, my eyes were on stalks as the wipers beat double speed and the rains came down the road like a river. (Not driving fast – you can’t – but the roads are that narrow / blind I often thought that in peak season it would be hell on earth meeting people every other bend). Then, the rains cleared almost as soon as they had come in, and as I came back onto the A837 all I could see was a wide, clear road that stretched for miles. I was in motoring heaven. I think it took me about a further hour or so to get to Ullapool and I stopped only once more to eat the emergency sausage roll that I had in my bag for lunch (note to self: stuff shuts up here off season!) In all honesty all I wanted to do was drive – so that is all I did.
Ullapool is my place of rest tonight. It’s a nice fishing town & there is a Ferry just docking outside my window just now. I believe it is the Stormont service. If I had more time, I’d be tempted to head that way. Maybe next time….
Tomorrow sees me thread my way towards Applecross, though not before a good feed & sleep tonight. Thanks for reading.
I woke early to an eerie silence. The Bettyhill Hotel is quite large, and I was the only guest staying there. At dinner last night there was some Dolly Parton playing in the background and not a lot else going on. I sense that in high season the place must be rammed – there is NC500 memorabilia dotted around, as well as well-worn sofas dotted about. It was a well-trodden but clean hotel – fine by me.
As the first signs of light started to crest over the hills from my window, I could see that a decent sunrise was likely, so I laced up and headed out for my planned run. It’s lumpy in Bettyhill, (clue in the name), and from the off I was huffing and puffing as I made my way off the roads & onto the trails, cursing myself once more for failing to put my trail shoes on. The run was pre-planned using ‘Komoot’. I can’t recommend this app enough if you’re a runner / cyclist etc. You can map routes you’d never know were there, as was the case today as I found myself stumbling through gorse, heather, and some seriously boggy terrain. In short – bloody good fun! Here I am being treated to the sun cresting over the hill in front of me
And about 20 minutes later when the sun was up & the terrain had changed to being whipped by ferns.
I ran out of Bettyhill & turned back on myself, deciding to scrub some of my planned route & head back down to the sandy beach where I had been the previous afternoon. It was an early Sunday morning, so not a soul in sight, and one of the things I have wanted to do on this trip was have a proper run on the sands of a beach, so that is what I did. After 20 minutes or so my legs were burning from pounding the soft sand, so I headed back up the not unsubstantial hill to the hotel. As you can see, the views from the road & beach were breathtaking as the sun hit them in the early morning
I got back thoroughly knackered but turned myself around pretty quickly & had packed the Alpine and was on the road by 10:30, threading through the roads where I had run only moments before. It was nice to see it all from a different perspective. First stop of the day was Durness, but I stopped a few times enroute to get a few pictures. Almost every corner presented a spectacular view today, be that rock formations, mountains, cresting waves or a combination of all and more. Here is a view from the window – taken as I love the detailing on the doors of Alpines (!) and the backdrop isn’t bad either!
Once again it was a day of chasing rainbows – here is just one of the many I saw throughout the day
I had a fantastic hour or so to Durness. I saw one other car on the road – ONE. I had to almost pinch myself, it was like the Scots had closed the road for me. Just before I got to Durness I paid a visit to Smoo Cave. I have great memories of being walked around numerous ‘Grotes’ in France as a kid with my enthusiastic Dad, so tend to always seek a cave if I can whilst roaming. This one didn’t disappoint – just look at the view out from the cave itself as you make your way down
As I turned to walk into the cave the view really was breathtaking. I wasn’t expecting such an imposing overhang – I’ve tried to capture it in this picture, but photography is not really my strong point, so it doesn’t really do it justice.
Once in the cave I could hear a tremendous roar of water. A man-made bridge led me into a cove where there was the almightiest waterfall crashing down. The mist created by it was freezing but I didn’t care – I stood there for ages soaking it up in all its might – magical!
After walking back up the (very) steep steps to the car on worn-out legs, I plonked myself into the Alpine and continued on. Durness itself turned out to be a bit of a non-event, or rather it was closed. Undeterred, I just headed in the general direction of Ullapool keeping my eye out for the NC500 signs (which, I have to say, are well placed and obvious). I took this photo as it looked like a bit of a storm was coming in, and the sun behind it rather grabbed me. I wasn’t wrong about the storm, either – but more on that in a bit
A short while after taking that photo the signage presented me with 2 options for the NC500 – one appeared to be the NC500 ‘proper’ and one for larger vehicles. No question as to where I went….
Now, I can honestly say that the remainder of the day was quite simply the best drive I have ever had in my life. In my view, truly great drives are the ones that challenge you a lot & scare you a bit. To do that you need to have varied conditions, roads, and luck on your side. Today – my ship came in on all counts.
The rain came in as soon as I started towards Scourie & those that know this part of the NC500 will know this part is a great challenge to drive. Blind summits, switchbacks, VERY narrow and the ever-present fear of meeting something coming the other way, my eyes were on stalks as the wipers beat double speed and the rains came down the road like a river. (Not driving fast – you can’t – but the roads are that narrow / blind I often thought that in peak season it would be hell on earth meeting people every other bend). Then, the rains cleared almost as soon as they had come in, and as I came back onto the A837 all I could see was a wide, clear road that stretched for miles. I was in motoring heaven. I think it took me about a further hour or so to get to Ullapool and I stopped only once more to eat the emergency sausage roll that I had in my bag for lunch (note to self: stuff shuts up here off season!) In all honesty all I wanted to do was drive – so that is all I did.
Ullapool is my place of rest tonight. It’s a nice fishing town & there is a Ferry just docking outside my window just now. I believe it is the Stormont service. If I had more time, I’d be tempted to head that way. Maybe next time….
Tomorrow sees me thread my way towards Applecross, though not before a good feed & sleep tonight. Thanks for reading.
I remain full of both vicarious joy and unabated envy. 
So pleased you've had (broadly) good conditions for this - it's only ever a matter of chance (I was up there in June this year, and while you all enjoyed that first 30deg heatwave, everything northwest of the Loch Ness faultline was basking in howling winds and a balmy 12deg <shrug>). Further to that, the morning runs seem a brilliant way to absorb a lot more of the locale than lazy sods like me manage. Chapeau!
A small suggestion for tomorrow's leg - the NC500 route will have you turn right at Kinlochewe. Before you take that turning, carry on up to the Glen Docherty viewpoint (google maps knows it); it's just a stunning bit of road, and when you turn around at the top, you get to look at this (before driving back down it):
Other things before you get to that point:
- There's a cracking beach at Gairloch
- Just after that, if you like gin, there's a cute little distillery about 15 mins out of your way in Badachro
- The A832 past Loch Maree is a joy
And things after that:
- Torridon is probably the prettiest part of the entire NC500 route
- And Shieldaig is lovely
- The section from Shieldaig to Fearnmore is slow going
- But the coastal bit after that is fabulous
Safe travels!
Nick
So pleased you've had (broadly) good conditions for this - it's only ever a matter of chance (I was up there in June this year, and while you all enjoyed that first 30deg heatwave, everything northwest of the Loch Ness faultline was basking in howling winds and a balmy 12deg <shrug>). Further to that, the morning runs seem a brilliant way to absorb a lot more of the locale than lazy sods like me manage. Chapeau!
A small suggestion for tomorrow's leg - the NC500 route will have you turn right at Kinlochewe. Before you take that turning, carry on up to the Glen Docherty viewpoint (google maps knows it); it's just a stunning bit of road, and when you turn around at the top, you get to look at this (before driving back down it):
Other things before you get to that point:
- There's a cracking beach at Gairloch
- Just after that, if you like gin, there's a cute little distillery about 15 mins out of your way in Badachro
- The A832 past Loch Maree is a joy
And things after that:
- Torridon is probably the prettiest part of the entire NC500 route
- And Shieldaig is lovely
- The section from Shieldaig to Fearnmore is slow going
- But the coastal bit after that is fabulous
Safe travels!
Nick
If you're travelling on the A832 tomorrow, perhaps towards Poolewe there's a good photo opportunity at Fainmore House , particularly for blue cars!
Day 6. Ullapool to Applecross (90 miles plus a bit of back tracking!)
I woke early as normal, and sensed it was a cold day outside – I wasn’t wrong. BBC weather gave 4 degrees as the temperature so decision made – hat to be worn on my run! I wasn’t really feeling it for a run but forced myself out of the door regardless. As always it was the right call, and I had a great hour pounding the streets in and around Ullapool. I caught start of dawn as I walked out of my hotel:
The run I had planned wasn’t feasible as some of the tracks were in too bad a state, so I just made it up as I went along for 10k. Often these can be the best runs, and today was no exception. With dawn breaking over Loch Broom, it was great to be out and about.
I ran up and down most of the streets of Ullapool, which I found to be a mixture of new smart houses amongst those that had clearly been there for decades if not centuries. There is a substantial port in Ullapool, and all the associated trade that goes with it. I liked it. There is something of a tradition it would seem of making Christmas trees out of Creel pots that residents & visitors can sponsor. They were putting these up when I arrived yesterday, and I can imagine when lit they look quite magical looking out to the sea. (To the right of this picture you can see a lady going in for a swim – no wetsuit but a bobble hat! Just brilliant).
After my run I packed up the Alpine & walked Ullapool for a bit to pick up some lunch. I found a deli that sold black pudding scotch eggs that were the size of a small football. That was lunch sorted. I also gave the windscreen & glass a damn good clean with some of CoOp’s finest window cleaner that I had bought the day before. I then enjoyed the cold start as always, and hit the road.
The roads were decent from the off. I drove for a couple of hours stopping off randomly before arriving at Gairloch Beach. The sun was out and quite warm on my back as I stood watching the birds in the sea below as I devoured a particularly good scotch egg for lunch. The sun was catching the little remaining clean paintwork on the Alpine quite well!
I woke early as normal, and sensed it was a cold day outside – I wasn’t wrong. BBC weather gave 4 degrees as the temperature so decision made – hat to be worn on my run! I wasn’t really feeling it for a run but forced myself out of the door regardless. As always it was the right call, and I had a great hour pounding the streets in and around Ullapool. I caught start of dawn as I walked out of my hotel:
The run I had planned wasn’t feasible as some of the tracks were in too bad a state, so I just made it up as I went along for 10k. Often these can be the best runs, and today was no exception. With dawn breaking over Loch Broom, it was great to be out and about.
I ran up and down most of the streets of Ullapool, which I found to be a mixture of new smart houses amongst those that had clearly been there for decades if not centuries. There is a substantial port in Ullapool, and all the associated trade that goes with it. I liked it. There is something of a tradition it would seem of making Christmas trees out of Creel pots that residents & visitors can sponsor. They were putting these up when I arrived yesterday, and I can imagine when lit they look quite magical looking out to the sea. (To the right of this picture you can see a lady going in for a swim – no wetsuit but a bobble hat! Just brilliant).
After my run I packed up the Alpine & walked Ullapool for a bit to pick up some lunch. I found a deli that sold black pudding scotch eggs that were the size of a small football. That was lunch sorted. I also gave the windscreen & glass a damn good clean with some of CoOp’s finest window cleaner that I had bought the day before. I then enjoyed the cold start as always, and hit the road.
The roads were decent from the off. I drove for a couple of hours stopping off randomly before arriving at Gairloch Beach. The sun was out and quite warm on my back as I stood watching the birds in the sea below as I devoured a particularly good scotch egg for lunch. The sun was catching the little remaining clean paintwork on the Alpine quite well!
I then headed towards the Kinlochewe viewpoint (as recommended to me yesterday!) It was superb – both the run up & the run back to pick back up the NC500. I remained amazed at the complete lack of traffic. Thought I’d take a similar shot looking down that was shared with me yesterday, and one from slightly back:
After this part of sightseeing, I realized that in my enthusiasm I had overshot the Victoria waterfalls that I had wanted to see. It meant re-tracing my steps for 15 minutes or so back around Loch Maree. Such hardship (!) Once at the falls, I took a couple of shots of both the falls and the view from up the top – I was the only one there, so just savored the absolute peace (bar the cooling fans running on the Alpine!)
I then simply headed towards Applecross where I am staying tonight. The drive was incredible. I came across one large motorhome who pulled in & let me past. I have a T5 camper myself, and did wonder about doing this trip in that, but the roads (to me) are not great for anything slightly larger than average up here. I was glad to be in my wee Alpine, relishing every bend & grinning down every straight. A low sun in the sky made it tricky at points, but it was still just damn good fun!
I came into Applecross around 3. It is a tiny place & I’m staying in a hostel tonight just outside the main village. The ONLY pub is shut on Mondays, supermarkets are hours away and yep – I have some crisps and a can of coke in my bag. That is dinner then! Oh well. Might be a bit lightheaded for the planned running tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow is my last day on the ‘official’ NC 500 as I arrive back in Inverness. I have the famous Bealach na Bar pass to navigate tomorrow which I’m looking forward to, and a couple of other Lochs I’d like to see too.
Thanks for suggestions of stopping points - they have been appreciated.
Right, time to enjoy my crisps. Until tomorrow…
After this part of sightseeing, I realized that in my enthusiasm I had overshot the Victoria waterfalls that I had wanted to see. It meant re-tracing my steps for 15 minutes or so back around Loch Maree. Such hardship (!) Once at the falls, I took a couple of shots of both the falls and the view from up the top – I was the only one there, so just savored the absolute peace (bar the cooling fans running on the Alpine!)
I then simply headed towards Applecross where I am staying tonight. The drive was incredible. I came across one large motorhome who pulled in & let me past. I have a T5 camper myself, and did wonder about doing this trip in that, but the roads (to me) are not great for anything slightly larger than average up here. I was glad to be in my wee Alpine, relishing every bend & grinning down every straight. A low sun in the sky made it tricky at points, but it was still just damn good fun!
I came into Applecross around 3. It is a tiny place & I’m staying in a hostel tonight just outside the main village. The ONLY pub is shut on Mondays, supermarkets are hours away and yep – I have some crisps and a can of coke in my bag. That is dinner then! Oh well. Might be a bit lightheaded for the planned running tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow is my last day on the ‘official’ NC 500 as I arrive back in Inverness. I have the famous Bealach na Bar pass to navigate tomorrow which I’m looking forward to, and a couple of other Lochs I’d like to see too.
Thanks for suggestions of stopping points - they have been appreciated.
Right, time to enjoy my crisps. Until tomorrow…
Thanks for sharing your trip: it's been a delight to read. One final recommendation: Loch Maree Islands by Peat and Diesel. Yes, I'll admit they're a bit Marmite, but they got me through Lockdown 2...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bb8DeVulWaw
...and if you don't like them, don't listen
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bb8DeVulWaw
...and if you don't like them, don't listen
Happened upon your thread (via the "what's new") - what a fabulous trip, & great weather really!
I was going to recommend Smoo cave - we did the NC500 back around 1989, before it was a thing, & had a wee boat trip into the cave.....the road after then was virtually a dirt track - felt like driving on the moon!
I cycled LEJoG in May21, joined pals for the Scottish leg - we stayed at Bettyhill, but they put us in a bungalow over the road - like a retirement home for knackered cyclists
Great roads: enjoy!!
I was going to recommend Smoo cave - we did the NC500 back around 1989, before it was a thing, & had a wee boat trip into the cave.....the road after then was virtually a dirt track - felt like driving on the moon!
I cycled LEJoG in May21, joined pals for the Scottish leg - we stayed at Bettyhill, but they put us in a bungalow over the road - like a retirement home for knackered cyclists
Great roads: enjoy!!
Day 7. Applecross to Inverness. (90 miles)
Unsurprisingly, I woke up hungry having only had a pack of Doritos for dinner last night through rubbish planning. Nonetheless, I wanted to go for a run so laced up & headed out the door. The dawn breaks about an hour later up here than it does for me back home & it is taking some getting used to!
My run today was a mixture of very steep & rocky trails & some great sections of road alongside the coastline. Applecross is a very small village and there was no sign of life as I ran through in the mists of the early morning. The trails & views were great – as you can see:
It was a run of two very different halves, the first part being quite clear, and I had some zing in my step, but the second part was tough – lack of energy and a fine drizzle descending on my eyelashes made for a heavy return to the hostel – especially as I had misjudged the run and ended up doing 8 miles rather than 6! Of course, there was still no food when I got back, so I turned myself around quickly and got on the road fueled by some Nescafe instant – determined to find a Café!
No cafe was available for the foreseeable (end of season – closed- bah!) but the drive over the Bealach na Bar was breathtaking. You think you’ve seen the best view of the whole trip, and then you go around another corner and it’s even better. I had all the seasons on the drive, driving through low cloud was great, and popping out into sunshine that beat off the wet hillsides has made memories that will stay with me forever. I took only a couple more pictures, but I think they sum it up well:
I then arrived in Locharron and found a café that was both open and looked great. I quickly found a spot & shot inside. Two bacon rolls were devoured at pace with a huge black coffee for good measure. The view out to the loch was idyllic, like most moments of most days up here! Feeling like I could function again (!) I strolled back to the Alpine alongside the Loch. It was so incredibly peaceful & I could see how during peak season it would be busy.
It was then a push to Inverness. Dialing in sport mode from the off, I made good progress with minimal traffic as has been the theme of this trip.
As I joined the final section of the A9 back into Inverness I realized that this was it – the NC500 was done. And what a trip. In my view, this is the time of year to do it if you want the peace and quiet. I would imagine some of the shine is taken off if you are spending multiple days behind large motorhomes. It’s one I’ve loved doing on my own but will certainly encourage mates who are car nuts too to come and do this with me next time – it was that good.
The Alpine has been the ideal tool for the job. Save for the odd jerky gearchange, it has been flawless. It’s size, power and feel are ‘just right’ to exploit these roads. Mine is the ‘S’ version with firmer suspension which was great on most of the route bar the odd bit of dodgy tarmac on some of the higher passes. I kept my eye on the engine temperature as was pushing on most days & know what Renault engines are like for getting hot. It peaked at 97, but would settle back to the low 90’s. I’ve not seen it that high before, but then I haven’t really driven it that hard before. All within safe parameters. The brakes got a bit squealy towards the end of some days, but I think that is to be expected.
Tomorrow is the return south. I expect the roads to get ever increasingly busy as each hour passes, but my mind will be wandering & planning the next trip. If anyone has any suggestions of further week (or so) tours to do in UK or Europe, then please chip in. I’m all ears & want to keep using this incredible car for what it was designed for.
Thanks for reading & I hope it has provided an insight to anyone looking to do this trip.
Unsurprisingly, I woke up hungry having only had a pack of Doritos for dinner last night through rubbish planning. Nonetheless, I wanted to go for a run so laced up & headed out the door. The dawn breaks about an hour later up here than it does for me back home & it is taking some getting used to!
My run today was a mixture of very steep & rocky trails & some great sections of road alongside the coastline. Applecross is a very small village and there was no sign of life as I ran through in the mists of the early morning. The trails & views were great – as you can see:
It was a run of two very different halves, the first part being quite clear, and I had some zing in my step, but the second part was tough – lack of energy and a fine drizzle descending on my eyelashes made for a heavy return to the hostel – especially as I had misjudged the run and ended up doing 8 miles rather than 6! Of course, there was still no food when I got back, so I turned myself around quickly and got on the road fueled by some Nescafe instant – determined to find a Café!
No cafe was available for the foreseeable (end of season – closed- bah!) but the drive over the Bealach na Bar was breathtaking. You think you’ve seen the best view of the whole trip, and then you go around another corner and it’s even better. I had all the seasons on the drive, driving through low cloud was great, and popping out into sunshine that beat off the wet hillsides has made memories that will stay with me forever. I took only a couple more pictures, but I think they sum it up well:
I then arrived in Locharron and found a café that was both open and looked great. I quickly found a spot & shot inside. Two bacon rolls were devoured at pace with a huge black coffee for good measure. The view out to the loch was idyllic, like most moments of most days up here! Feeling like I could function again (!) I strolled back to the Alpine alongside the Loch. It was so incredibly peaceful & I could see how during peak season it would be busy.
It was then a push to Inverness. Dialing in sport mode from the off, I made good progress with minimal traffic as has been the theme of this trip.
As I joined the final section of the A9 back into Inverness I realized that this was it – the NC500 was done. And what a trip. In my view, this is the time of year to do it if you want the peace and quiet. I would imagine some of the shine is taken off if you are spending multiple days behind large motorhomes. It’s one I’ve loved doing on my own but will certainly encourage mates who are car nuts too to come and do this with me next time – it was that good.
The Alpine has been the ideal tool for the job. Save for the odd jerky gearchange, it has been flawless. It’s size, power and feel are ‘just right’ to exploit these roads. Mine is the ‘S’ version with firmer suspension which was great on most of the route bar the odd bit of dodgy tarmac on some of the higher passes. I kept my eye on the engine temperature as was pushing on most days & know what Renault engines are like for getting hot. It peaked at 97, but would settle back to the low 90’s. I’ve not seen it that high before, but then I haven’t really driven it that hard before. All within safe parameters. The brakes got a bit squealy towards the end of some days, but I think that is to be expected.
Tomorrow is the return south. I expect the roads to get ever increasingly busy as each hour passes, but my mind will be wandering & planning the next trip. If anyone has any suggestions of further week (or so) tours to do in UK or Europe, then please chip in. I’m all ears & want to keep using this incredible car for what it was designed for.
Thanks for reading & I hope it has provided an insight to anyone looking to do this trip.
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