anyone got a NW500 route with stops, hotels etc?

[bordseye]

the 191 pages of the Highl;ands thread no doubt contains any and all info that I need but the idea of reading it all is daunting. I wonder if anyone has done the north coast 500, reckons they did it well and has a google map with hotel stops they are willing to share. I will be taking SWMBO so stops and scebnery rather than a giast thrash are important.

Edited by bordseye on Wednesday 7th February 11:01

[bordseye]

Apologies for the title - guess it comes from being a bike racing fan. Anway its the North coast 500 I am interested in.

[Cpt Stirling]

This may help, www.northcoast500.com

[Wozy68]

Unless your just cruising the NC500.

If you live south of Birmingham , head south and get the ferry to Spain and the Pyrenees. It’s closer , far better roads, better twisties, less traffic , less cops (no risk of being banned and punished to the hilt) and beautiful scenery to boot.

Just saying

[Red Devil]

Nothing like a bit of thread derailment, eh?

Wozy68 said:

...less cops (no risk of being banned and punished to the hilt)

I have been doing tours of the Highlands (12k+ miles) since before the NC500 was even a concept.
Over all that time and distance I can comfortably count the number of cops on the fingers of one hand.
The places where they are most likely to be found lurking are pretty well known.
As for traffic, the trick is to choose the right time of year. Thus I seldom find it an issue.

I live well south of Birmingham btw (c65 miles from Dover).
Not sure what maps you are using but no way are the Pyrenees closer.
Fort William - 520
Inverness - 580
Ullapool - 640.
To the Pyrenees (border crossing)
Irun - 760
Túnel de Somport (Candanchú) - 800
Col du Portalet - 795
Tunnel d'Aragnouet - 795
Garonne bridge (Fos/Canejan) - 770
El Pas de la Casa (Andorra) - 785

@OP, accommodation depends on your budget!
Torridon - https://www.thetorridon.com/stay/
https://goo.gl/maps/cueLi1h8MrT2
Ullapool - plenty of choice
https://goo.gl/maps/VuA8rzzU67F2
Baddidarach (Lochinver)
Opposite ends of the piggy bank spectrum
http://www.thealbannach.co.uk/
http://www.the-rose-bb.com/
https://goo.gl/maps/RvgYXej5QzE2
Kylesku - http://www.kyleskuhotel.co.uk/
https://goo.gl/maps/2jWWdTTMpCH2

Others will no doubt be able to come up with more.

[catsey]

Red Devil said:

I have been doing tours of the Highlands (12k+ miles) since before the NC500 was even a concept.
Over all that time and distance I can comfortably count the number of cops on the fingers of one hand.
The places where they are most likely to be found lurking are pretty well known.
As for traffic, the trick is to choose the right time of year. Thus I seldom find it an issue.

I live well south of Birmingham btw (c65 miles from Dover).
Not sure what maps you are using but no way are the Pyrenees closer.
Fort William - 520
Inverness - 580
Ullapool - 640.
To the Pyrenees (border crossing)
Irun - 760
Túnel de Somport (Candanchú) - 800
Col du Portalet - 795
Tunnel d'Aragnouet - 795
Garonne bridge (Fos/Canejan) - 770
El Pas de la Casa (Andorra) - 785

@OP, accommodation depends on your budget!
Torridon - https://www.thetorridon.com/stay/
https://goo.gl/maps/cueLi1h8MrT2
Ullapool - plenty of choice
https://goo.gl/maps/VuA8rzzU67F2
Baddidarach (Lochinver)
Opposite ends of the piggy bank spectrum
http://www.thealbannach.co.uk/
http://www.the-rose-bb.com/
https://goo.gl/maps/RvgYXej5QzE2
Kylesku - http://www.kyleskuhotel.co.uk/
https://goo.gl/maps/2jWWdTTMpCH2

Others will no doubt be able to come up with more.

Same here been doing Scotland since 5 yrs old 1955 and roads brilliant cops are sparse

[Wozy68]

Red Devil said:

I live well south of Birmingham btw (c65 miles from Dover).
Not sure what maps you are using but no way are the Pyrenees closer.
Fort William - 520
Inverness - 580
Ullapool - 640.
To the Pyrenees (border crossing)
Irun - 760
Túnel de Somport (Candanchú) - 800
Col du Portalet - 795
Tunnel d'Aragnouet - 795
Garonne bridge (Fos/Canejan) - 770
El Pas de la Casa (Andorra) - 785

@OP, accommodation depends on your budget!
Torridon - https://www.thetorridon.com/stay/
https://goo.gl/maps/cueLi1h8MrT2
Ullapool - plenty of choice
https://goo.gl/maps/VuA8rzzU67F2
Baddidarach (Lochinver)
Opposite ends of the piggy bank spectrum
http://www.thealbannach.co.uk/
http://www.the-rose-bb.com/
https://goo.gl/maps/RvgYXej5QzE2
Kylesku - http://www.kyleskuhotel.co.uk/
https://goo.gl/maps/2jWWdTTMpCH2

Others will no doubt be able to come up with more.

Sorry for the thread creep. but if I was wanting a quick road giving it some omph, fab roads, great tarmac and no traffic, I'd be heading to Spain. The only point of replying was to point out, if you fancy strecthing the legs of your motor on always empty roads, dont dismiss the idea of out of country.

I obviously didnt mean driving all the way. (Though I have actually done this via the Chunnel)

Evesham to Plymouth 190 miles...... Evesham to Portsmouth 140 miles. Ferry to either Bilbao or Santander 19 or 24 hours dependant on which route...... 80-120 miles from there to the Pyrenees. Total mileage to get to some of the greatest and emptiest roads in Europe around or less 1.5 days, less than a tank full of fuel, .... oh, and plus a ferry.

Last year I got the ferry return for £620, 1 two birth cabin and two cars.

Evesham to Fort William for example 440 miles, so for actual road mileage, its half or two/thirds of the distance for me to get to Spain than it is to get to Fort William.

I agree the cops are sparse in Scotland, but if you do get caught, the other hassle is attending Court so far away. I'm not saying you should be able to speed everywhere, far from it, but a lack of speed concentration at the wrong moment could cause hassles.
I'l actually be heading up that way this summer ....... but for a slow sight seeing tour, after all its absolutly beautiful.


EDITED. Ahhhhhhh. I see the OP is taking his missus and taking in the scenery. I'l take more time reading it next time before I post.

Edited by Wozy68 on Thursday 8th February 16:38

[Red Devil]

I wasn't dismissing it, merely saying it wasn't relevant to the OP's question.

Taking a ferry doesn't bring your destination any closer.
I grant you that it will mean a fair bit fewer driving miles though.
However it just means you are spending your money in a different way.
My last trip to the Highlands cost me not much more than your ferry alone.
Mind you I did choose not to go overboard with expensive hotels on that one.
I negotiated some excellent late season deals on B&Bs.

As for traffic:
I drove the 105 miles from Applecross to Braemore Junction* and saw around a dozen vehicles.
Only one (a foreign registered campervan) caused me any problem.
From Ullapool to Lochinver (where I was staying that night), 36 miles, I saw four.

 * A832/A835 near Corrieschalloch Gorge.

In fact there is only one road on which I have ever encountered any major traffic stream.
The A87 between Kyle of Lochalsh and Portree on Skye.

Other plus points for Scotland afaiac.
- No need to carry any foreign currency.
- Not having to adjust to driving on the wrong side of the road in a low slung RHD car.
- I can understand what the locals are saying (my Spanish is as good as non-existent).

Why would I have to go to court in Scotland?
Are you assuming I might be caught at a speed which would make it automatic?
I would rather pay a £100 FPN within 28 days than have to find however many € in cash on the spot.
The points might be a bit of a PITA but I doubt it would make a huge difference to my insurance premium.

Anyway, I digress. Back to the NC500.

[bordseye]

Red Devil said:

@OP, accommodation depends on your budget!
Torridon - https://www.thetorridon.com/stay/
https://goo.gl/maps/cueLi1h8MrT2

Hells Bells - thats over £250 a night and in someowhere completely out of the way. Does anyone pay that much unless its to a buiness account?

I shall have to go and sit down. Its Scotland - I was expecting cheap

Edited by bordseye on Saturday 10th February 18:38

[Red Devil]

bordseye said:

Hells Bells - thats over £250 a night and in someowhere completely out of the way.

That's true of 90% of the North West Highlands.
Ullapool is the biggest settlement by far: population a little over 1500.
The Torridon is not that remote. It's on an A road (A896) slap bang on the NC500 route .

bordseye said:

Does anyone pay that much unless its to a buiness account?

There appear to be sufficient well-heeled patrons to make it viable.
Whether they charge their stays to a business account I couldn't say, but it's hardly a megalopolis up there.

bordseye said:

I shall have to go and sit down. Its Scotland - I was expecting cheap

If you want somewhere inexpensive I can recommend the B&B in Lochinver I linked to.
Plenty of B&Bs in Ullapool. I usually stay at Dacama House or the Morefield Motel.

Edited by Red Devil on Sunday 11th February 20:59

[bordseye]

When I said "somewhere remote" I was thinking of Scotland

[GetCarter]

bordseye said:

Hells Bells - thats over £250 a night and in someowhere completely out of the way. Does anyone pay that much unless its to a buiness account?

I shall have to go and sit down. Its Scotland - I was expecting cheap

Edited by bordseye on Saturday 10th February 18:38

Voted 13th best hotel in the world last year by The Times Travel mag - it's 5 star, so costs!

It has an Inn next door, which is half the cost.

If you want cheap, there are loads of B&Bs that start at about £30 pppn

[matt3001]

Red Devil said:

I have been doing tours of the Highlands (12k+ miles) since before the NC500 was even a concept.
Over all that time and distance I can comfortably count the number of cops on the fingers of one hand.
The places where they are most likely to be found lurking are pretty well known.

Where would you say the well known locations are (out of interest)?

[matt3001]

GetCarter said:

Voted 13th best hotel in the world last year by The Times Travel mag - it's 5 star, so costs!

It has an Inn next door, which is half the cost.

If you want cheap, there are loads of B&Bs that start at about £30 pppn

This hotel truly is an amazing place. I've stayed twice now and its worth the cost for the experience.

[GetCarter]

matt3001 said:

GetCarter said:

Voted 13th best hotel in the world last year by The Times Travel mag - it's 5 star, so costs!

It has an Inn next door, which is half the cost.

If you want cheap, there are loads of B&Bs that start at about £30 pppn

This hotel truly is an amazing place. I've stayed twice now and its worth the cost for the experience.

Took a pic of the hotel during the hot spell:

[matt3001]

GetCarter said:

matt3001 said:

GetCarter said:

Voted 13th best hotel in the world last year by The Times Travel mag - it's 5 star, so costs!

It has an Inn next door, which is half the cost.

If you want cheap, there are loads of B&Bs that start at about £30 pppn

This hotel truly is an amazing place. I've stayed twice now and its worth the cost for the experience.

Took a pic of the hotel during the hot spell:

Amazing photo. One of my favourite places. Driving past it this weekend but sadly won't have time to stop by.

Whats the weather forecast like in your neck of the woods on Saturday?

[GetCarter]

matt3001 said:

Amazing photo. One of my favourite places. Driving past it this weekend but sadly won't have time to stop by.

Whats the weather forecast like in your neck of the woods on Saturday?

It's August in NW Highlands (probably the worst month weather-wise!)... so 'variable'

http://www.xcweather.co.uk/forecast/shieldaig

[Red Devil]

matt3001 said:

Red Devil said:

I have been doing tours of the Highlands (12k+ miles) since before the NC500 was even a concept.
Over all that time and distance I can comfortably count the number of cops on the fingers of one hand.
The places where they are most likely to be found lurking are pretty well known.

Where would you say the well known locations are (out of interest)?

A82: Bridge of Orchy, KingshouseHotel/Glencoe Ski Centre, Onich, Fort William, Loch Lochy (northern end)
The above are home to the scamera van.

A832: Achanalt<->Achnasheen.
Described by a Sheriff as 'the most notorious speed trap in the Highlands'.
That one is a double crewed mobile police patrol.

Many of those who get caught will be doing 3 figures (because...)
https://www.forres-gazette.co.uk/News/Former-RAF-m...
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highland...
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/the-press-and-journ...

Someone I know got tugged just over a week after the article about the Porsche driver appeared in the press.

[GetCarter]

There's often a van in the lay-by next to the railway crossing at Garve.