Road Trip! French France & the NC500
Discussion
Now then. I thought I’d do a bit of a road trip in my Alpine. After all, road trips are one of the reasons I bought the car last October, and despite doing some great local drives over the last year, I’ve not (until now) had the time to really get away in it owing to a busy year with work & just generally messing about doing other things in life like cycling through the amazing summer weather / camping holidays etc…
So – this is my trip for those who will be interested in following it over the next week or so. It’s been broken into two parts which is quite deliberate. Part one was over the weekend just gone via a Friday afternoon ‘Le Shuttle’ & the D roads down to Honfleur for the weekend with Mrs Nomadic Mind. Part two (and the lions share) will see me tackle the North Coast 500 over 5 days. I’ve wanted to cycle this route for years and thought driving it would be a good recon for the group I’m planning to ride it with next year.
The road trip is a bit of much needed time for myself having lost my best friend very suddenly to cancer 4 weeks ago. 41 is no age to be leaving us all with so much left to give and enjoy. We did most things together and as you can imagine it’s left a big hole. We were huge adventurers & made the most of everything and one of his last messages to me was him telling me to just go do this trip – so here I am.
I have my friend’s funeral tomorrow and will be setting off on Wednesday from Kent for the NC500 leg of this tour. This is my itinerary:
Day1: Home – Gretna.
Day 2: Gretna – Inverness
Day 3: Inverness - Wick
Day 4: Wick – BettyHill
Day 5 – BettyHill – Ullapool
Day 6 – Ullapool – Applecross
Day 7 – Applecross – Inverness
Day 8 – Inverness – Derby
Day 9 – Derby – Home
I live about as far away as you can from starting this trip (!) so all told I’ll be doing about 1700 miles. Accommodation is booked & as a keen runner my plan is to take in each overnight stop with an exploratory run each morning before packing the bags and enjoying some decent roads for the remainder of the day. I fully expect the weather to be atrocious, but I really don’t care! I can’t wait. I’ve bought Robbie Roams ‘NC500’ book as a guide and plan on stopping at whatever takes my fancy. Aside from a destination each day I’ll take it as it comes.
A bit about my Alpine. It is a ‘S’ model that I bought from Orpington Alpine in October last year. It was the company car for one of the big wigs at Renault initially & I bought it at 1 year old. It had pretty much every option ticked on it which helped me seal the deal on this rather than a ‘new’ car and has been everything I’d hoped it would be since buying it. It’s just ticked over 7000 miles & is heading for some new PS5’s on the rear prior to my setting off on Wednesday morning. Yes. It’s been enjoyed so far.
That is enough for context & background! Onto the trip. I’m posting up the France leg now, but my intention is to update my journey with tales of (hopefully) joy at the end of each day when at my hotel for the night. So more from me on Wednesday evening….
So – this is my trip for those who will be interested in following it over the next week or so. It’s been broken into two parts which is quite deliberate. Part one was over the weekend just gone via a Friday afternoon ‘Le Shuttle’ & the D roads down to Honfleur for the weekend with Mrs Nomadic Mind. Part two (and the lions share) will see me tackle the North Coast 500 over 5 days. I’ve wanted to cycle this route for years and thought driving it would be a good recon for the group I’m planning to ride it with next year.
The road trip is a bit of much needed time for myself having lost my best friend very suddenly to cancer 4 weeks ago. 41 is no age to be leaving us all with so much left to give and enjoy. We did most things together and as you can imagine it’s left a big hole. We were huge adventurers & made the most of everything and one of his last messages to me was him telling me to just go do this trip – so here I am.
I have my friend’s funeral tomorrow and will be setting off on Wednesday from Kent for the NC500 leg of this tour. This is my itinerary:
Day1: Home – Gretna.
Day 2: Gretna – Inverness
Day 3: Inverness - Wick
Day 4: Wick – BettyHill
Day 5 – BettyHill – Ullapool
Day 6 – Ullapool – Applecross
Day 7 – Applecross – Inverness
Day 8 – Inverness – Derby
Day 9 – Derby – Home
I live about as far away as you can from starting this trip (!) so all told I’ll be doing about 1700 miles. Accommodation is booked & as a keen runner my plan is to take in each overnight stop with an exploratory run each morning before packing the bags and enjoying some decent roads for the remainder of the day. I fully expect the weather to be atrocious, but I really don’t care! I can’t wait. I’ve bought Robbie Roams ‘NC500’ book as a guide and plan on stopping at whatever takes my fancy. Aside from a destination each day I’ll take it as it comes.
A bit about my Alpine. It is a ‘S’ model that I bought from Orpington Alpine in October last year. It was the company car for one of the big wigs at Renault initially & I bought it at 1 year old. It had pretty much every option ticked on it which helped me seal the deal on this rather than a ‘new’ car and has been everything I’d hoped it would be since buying it. It’s just ticked over 7000 miles & is heading for some new PS5’s on the rear prior to my setting off on Wednesday morning. Yes. It’s been enjoyed so far.
That is enough for context & background! Onto the trip. I’m posting up the France leg now, but my intention is to update my journey with tales of (hopefully) joy at the end of each day when at my hotel for the night. So more from me on Wednesday evening….
This is Honfleur. Genuinely surprised at how much I liked it. I adore France but tend to ordinarily head to more rural locations & had heard that Honfleur was a bit ‘tourist trap’. I sense it would be in the summer, but on a bleak November day, it was all I could ask for. The steak dinner on Friday night & red wine was amazing, and I found a great café to watch the world go by while my wife bought ‘stuff’ on the Saturday. We stayed at ‘La Frachette’ – a 3-star hotel about 3 miles outside. I’d recommend it. Very clean, excellent breakfast and a nice indoor pool to relax around if that’s your thing.
On Sunday we headed back to the UK. Google maps and ‘avoid tolls’ to head back to Coquelles via Dieppe. I have wanted to visit the Alpine factory since I bought the car & whilst it’s not glitzy like Aston Martin is in Gaydon, to me there was still something nice about going there. You can’t go in or have a tour - but I think there’s something quite funny about it just being ‘as is’ and not showy! The town has a few indicators that they make quite a special car there, such as the memorial roundabout. The main standout was just the drive. A few hours of empty D roads and cheering from locals for the Alpine in a couple of the sleepy towns we drove through. One of the many things I love about this car is the quiet appreciation it seems to get from those that just ‘get it’!
Day 1. Home to Gretna. (6.5 hrs, 380 miles)
And so, my journey to the start of the NC500 begins. An 8:30 appointment at the local ATS saw two new PS5’s put on the rear prior to setting off. Pleased with a price of £124 a corner fitted via Blackcircles. Good to get a couple of shots of the car up in the air & I still love the completely clean underside of Alpines – so much thought went into this car. I had a proper look at it all while up on the ramps – sheet aluminum riveted to the chassis & you can see all the bonding – just fantastic.
The weather as I left was very bad (I knew my clean car wouldn’t last long in November, but I thought I’d at last make it a few miles before it got sprayed with muck by a passing HGV! Oh well…
It was a full day on our motorway networks today, pitting in only twice for comfort breaks and one fuel stop. The Alpine always feels very small in modern Britain on the roads, but I made good progress threading my way north in a sea of SUV’s & lorries. Radio 1 kept me company, and as more of the tell tale yellow ‘Arnold Clarke’ car dealer stickers appeared in the rear of some cars, I knew I’d left the south behind! I'm excited for this trp as I haven't been to Scotland for years. In fact the last time I went was probably back in 2001 when I drove a Pug 206 1.4 from Kent to Oban in a day. It took most of that holiday to recover from that drive!
Back to today, and after a few hours of very heavy rain I was glad that I’d swapped out the old PS4’s for these PS5’s. Granted, the PS4’s were still legal at 3mm, but the new rubber didn’t skip out once. I was interested to see if I’d get any ‘tramlining’ as I know some have experienced that with these tyres, but so far, so good & after 380 miles today I consider them nicely scrubbed in.
After 6.5 hours of driving I’m pretty tired (went running at 6am too, so to be expected) but the car was very comfortable save for that awful part of the M25 around Cobham where I think you could be in a Rolls and still hear the concrete & seams bashing below.
Tomorrow, I have a 10k run planned via the ‘komoot’ app that should take in what there is to see of Gretna before hitting the road mid-morning again. It is still quite a haul to get to Inverness, and I’m hoping for a smooth run again. I don’t think my OCD (!) will stand for the car to be this grimy for the next week, so I may try and find somewhere to get it cleaned when I get to Inverness. I am wary of the ‘hand car wash brillo pad’ outfits, so will see what I find - it might just stay grubby.
And so, my journey to the start of the NC500 begins. An 8:30 appointment at the local ATS saw two new PS5’s put on the rear prior to setting off. Pleased with a price of £124 a corner fitted via Blackcircles. Good to get a couple of shots of the car up in the air & I still love the completely clean underside of Alpines – so much thought went into this car. I had a proper look at it all while up on the ramps – sheet aluminum riveted to the chassis & you can see all the bonding – just fantastic.
The weather as I left was very bad (I knew my clean car wouldn’t last long in November, but I thought I’d at last make it a few miles before it got sprayed with muck by a passing HGV! Oh well…
It was a full day on our motorway networks today, pitting in only twice for comfort breaks and one fuel stop. The Alpine always feels very small in modern Britain on the roads, but I made good progress threading my way north in a sea of SUV’s & lorries. Radio 1 kept me company, and as more of the tell tale yellow ‘Arnold Clarke’ car dealer stickers appeared in the rear of some cars, I knew I’d left the south behind! I'm excited for this trp as I haven't been to Scotland for years. In fact the last time I went was probably back in 2001 when I drove a Pug 206 1.4 from Kent to Oban in a day. It took most of that holiday to recover from that drive!
Back to today, and after a few hours of very heavy rain I was glad that I’d swapped out the old PS4’s for these PS5’s. Granted, the PS4’s were still legal at 3mm, but the new rubber didn’t skip out once. I was interested to see if I’d get any ‘tramlining’ as I know some have experienced that with these tyres, but so far, so good & after 380 miles today I consider them nicely scrubbed in.
After 6.5 hours of driving I’m pretty tired (went running at 6am too, so to be expected) but the car was very comfortable save for that awful part of the M25 around Cobham where I think you could be in a Rolls and still hear the concrete & seams bashing below.
Tomorrow, I have a 10k run planned via the ‘komoot’ app that should take in what there is to see of Gretna before hitting the road mid-morning again. It is still quite a haul to get to Inverness, and I’m hoping for a smooth run again. I don’t think my OCD (!) will stand for the car to be this grimy for the next week, so I may try and find somewhere to get it cleaned when I get to Inverness. I am wary of the ‘hand car wash brillo pad’ outfits, so will see what I find - it might just stay grubby.
Up on the ramps for the tyres. Probably as clean as we’ll see this Alpine on this trip!
I think the rear is one of the best angles on the Alpine – especially when taken from below
Undertray. I just love the attention to detail on this.
Safely in Gretna for the night. Bagged a spot right outside the entrance too! (Gables Hotel).
I think the rear is one of the best angles on the Alpine – especially when taken from below
Undertray. I just love the attention to detail on this.
Safely in Gretna for the night. Bagged a spot right outside the entrance too! (Gables Hotel).
Day 2. Gretna to Inverness. (4.5 hrs, 245 miles)
After a night sleeping in what felt like the centre of the sun (why are hotel rooms always set to almost nuclear levels of heat?) I awoke to a cold crisp morning in Gretna. Having arrived in the dark I had yet to see what it was like. I laced up and went for my 10k leg stretch, knowing that I would be in the Alpine for the best part of 5 hours today. There had clearly been a lot of rain, as the tracks I ran were very boggy as I ran down to a viewing point of the river Esk. After a couple of miles, I realized wearing road shoes was a mistake, but the views & the crisp morning air were worth it. It’s always nice to wish everyone a good day when out running in the early morning & it was nice to hear the Scottish lilt in accents as I passed many dog walkers. It was going to be a good day, I’d already decided that! As to what Gretna is like? Well, a bit bleak if I'm being honest. But the views of the Esk were great.
A quick pack up and I was soon on the road, though not before a tactical dash for the local Co-Op to get a cheap lunch for later. Once on the A74(M) the views started almost immediately. I sat back and relaxed at a steady 65 and just took it all in, relishing the light traffic & open spaces in between some torrential downpours. The gantry’s were showing a yellow warning for wind, but it didn’t seem too bad the whole way up.
It wasn’t a day for photographs (aside from the running this morning). The A9 has a series of very well-placed laybys to stop off in, but it’s a busy old road so it limits the opportunity for a good photo – though traveling through was magical. Lovely to see lorries loaded with Christmas trees & just generally fewer people about than I am used to living in Kent meant for a content day behind the wheel.
The Alpine is (so far) taking it all in its stride. For some reason I couldn’t get my phone to play Spotify for a while, but that seems to have sorted itself now. I’m also keeping an eye on a stress fracture on the front windscreen that appeared while in France last week. From what I understand this is a known issue of 19/20 plate cars where the factory used thinner glass for the screens that (evidently) isn’t up to the job. It’s not spreading (yet) but I will be calling Orpington Alpine to get it sorted. Averaging 36mpg so far which is decent I’d say. The car is filthy (as in rear plate obstructed!) so I do need to get it cleaned. I’ll have a hunt around Inverness tomorrow.
I'm staying in a hotel called 'BlackFriars' Room is very good & it's right in the centre. Won't be able to comment on the food as I'm going to wander out for a curry. The 'free customer parking' turned out to be a bit of a ramshackle ex council car park. Hoping the car is still there tomorrow!
Tomorrow it’s a run around the town, then on the road to start the NC500 ‘proper’. Destination tomorrow is Wick, though I’ll be stopping off at wherever takes my fancy enroute.
Appreciate the positive comments so far for those that are interested in this short road trip.
This is the only photo today – looking out onto the Channel of the River Esk from just outside Gretna.
After a night sleeping in what felt like the centre of the sun (why are hotel rooms always set to almost nuclear levels of heat?) I awoke to a cold crisp morning in Gretna. Having arrived in the dark I had yet to see what it was like. I laced up and went for my 10k leg stretch, knowing that I would be in the Alpine for the best part of 5 hours today. There had clearly been a lot of rain, as the tracks I ran were very boggy as I ran down to a viewing point of the river Esk. After a couple of miles, I realized wearing road shoes was a mistake, but the views & the crisp morning air were worth it. It’s always nice to wish everyone a good day when out running in the early morning & it was nice to hear the Scottish lilt in accents as I passed many dog walkers. It was going to be a good day, I’d already decided that! As to what Gretna is like? Well, a bit bleak if I'm being honest. But the views of the Esk were great.
A quick pack up and I was soon on the road, though not before a tactical dash for the local Co-Op to get a cheap lunch for later. Once on the A74(M) the views started almost immediately. I sat back and relaxed at a steady 65 and just took it all in, relishing the light traffic & open spaces in between some torrential downpours. The gantry’s were showing a yellow warning for wind, but it didn’t seem too bad the whole way up.
It wasn’t a day for photographs (aside from the running this morning). The A9 has a series of very well-placed laybys to stop off in, but it’s a busy old road so it limits the opportunity for a good photo – though traveling through was magical. Lovely to see lorries loaded with Christmas trees & just generally fewer people about than I am used to living in Kent meant for a content day behind the wheel.
The Alpine is (so far) taking it all in its stride. For some reason I couldn’t get my phone to play Spotify for a while, but that seems to have sorted itself now. I’m also keeping an eye on a stress fracture on the front windscreen that appeared while in France last week. From what I understand this is a known issue of 19/20 plate cars where the factory used thinner glass for the screens that (evidently) isn’t up to the job. It’s not spreading (yet) but I will be calling Orpington Alpine to get it sorted. Averaging 36mpg so far which is decent I’d say. The car is filthy (as in rear plate obstructed!) so I do need to get it cleaned. I’ll have a hunt around Inverness tomorrow.
I'm staying in a hotel called 'BlackFriars' Room is very good & it's right in the centre. Won't be able to comment on the food as I'm going to wander out for a curry. The 'free customer parking' turned out to be a bit of a ramshackle ex council car park. Hoping the car is still there tomorrow!
Tomorrow it’s a run around the town, then on the road to start the NC500 ‘proper’. Destination tomorrow is Wick, though I’ll be stopping off at wherever takes my fancy enroute.
Appreciate the positive comments so far for those that are interested in this short road trip.
This is the only photo today – looking out onto the Channel of the River Esk from just outside Gretna.
Day 3. Inverness to Wick (104 Miles casually throughout the day).
I woke early to the street cleaners / bottle banks being cleared. Once dawn looked imminent & after a hit of caffeine, I laced up once again to run a 10k loop that would see me take in the Ness Islands and the Merkinch Nature Reserve of Inverness. It was a cold; clear morning & I was glad to get out of the centre of Inverness to explore some of the waterways. I had a fantastic run. Happy Scottish dog walkers were out in force, and the Ness Islands looked magical as I ran through them. This is a photo of part of them:
I then continued round to the nature reserve & ran past a series of locks until I’d reached Beauly Firth. By luck rather than judgement I timed it just right and caught the most incredible sunrise that you can see here:
I continued on, and just before I got back to my hotel, I managed to catch this picture of the Kissock Bridge just after the sun had come up that I would be crossing shortly in the Alpine enroute to Wick. Not the best picture, but it impressed in person.
By the time I was ready to leave the hotel the moody skies that I had half an eye on during my run had come in with aplomb. Big, heavy raindrops greeted me as I made a dash with my luggage for the Alpine – with half a mind on would it be OK as the car park was a bit suspect. I needn’t have worried – all was well. I hastily packed the car and set Google Maps up with the first destination: Dornoch. I meandered out of Inverness & was surprised to see the NC500 is a signposted route. It’s logical that it is as I know a lot has been invested in it, but regardless it was nice to see! As the Alpine popped and banged on a twisty descent, I quietly grinned to myself at what I imagined was to come.
It rained intermittently for the first 30 minutes or so. I caught this picture of the Alpine with a rainbow in full force as I crossed one of the waterways. As it turned out I’d be chasing rainbows all day, which made for quite a magical drive as you can imagine.
Once in Dornoch, I headed down to the beach car park & spent an hour or so walking the dunes & taking in the man-made golf course and the ruggedness of what nature offered immediately next to it. Aside from one chap who had about 6 dogs there wasn’t a soul in sight. The sun was out & quite piercing as I walked the shore, though with inky skies looming I headed back to the Alpine before getting a dousing.
I then drove back into Dornoch and parked up to sample what was advertised as ‘The Best Hot Chocolate’ by a café called Cocoa Mountain. I’m more of a strong black coffee drinker ordinarily, but it was that kind of day – bitterly cold, rain at times etc. I don’t regard myself as a connoisseur of hot chocolate – but it was bloody nice!
After recovering from a sugar coma, I headed to ‘Big Bern Falls’ for a short hike of an hour or so. The weather was on my side, and I didn’t pass anyone while enjoying these incredible waterfalls. I’m quickly realizing that this is the time of year to do these kind of trips as you really do have the place to yourselves, and if I’m honest the rain (so far) has added to the beauty of it all. A quick photo from the hike, though it doesn’t really capture the power of the waterfalls (that I forgot to photograph!)
Once back in the Alpine I headed down to Dunrobin Castle as I have always thought it looked so imposing from pictures I’ve seen. It didn’t fail to impress, and whilst the actual castle and gardens are shut this time of year, I still managed to drive right down to it and get this shot of the Alpine with the castle towering in the background & as I left via the walled road out. Not convinced I could have done that in high season!
Time was marching on by this point, and I was keen to see Wick in the daylight prior to checking in at my B&B. I dialed in Wick to Google Maps and hit the road with Spotify working nicely. (Thanks to a fellow PH’er who yesterday suggested downloading some tunes!) The drive to Wick was an absolute joy. Wet in places, but dry in others the car felt alive the whole way. I drove largely within the limits and wondered as I often do where anything more powerful could ever be used properly. If this is the type of roads I have to look forward to over the next 4 days then I am in for the trip of a lifetime.
I came into Wick around 3pm & popped to the Pulteney Distillery as I had a tip that they do an incredible Whisky Liquor. A quick sample (obviously) confirmed the recommendation wasn’t wrong & a bottle is now tucked away in the frunk to enjoy at Christmas.
After that I parked up outside my accommodation for the night: ‘Harbour House B&B’. It is wonderfully basic and takes me back about 20 years when I did the ‘LEJOG’ cycle and stayed in places just like this up and down the country. A wander into Wick pre sundown didn’t reveal much to get excited about, but there looks to be a decent pub in the centre that will do me just fine later on, I’m sure.
I did give in and get the car cleaned when I got here (pointless I know, but when your hands are grubby just from opening the door & the windows look frosty it’s £7 well spent in my mind). My car was cleaned by who must have been Bert Large (of Doc Martin fame) twin. The mannerism was the same too, and it just made me smile!
I have a long run planned tomorrow morning (if the weather is good) and then I am making my way round to BettyHill, via (as always) wherever takes my fancy.
Thanks to all for the tips for things to see so far. I am taking note. The gin distillery near Dunnet Head has certainly been added to the list. PH’er LE62NDE said yesterday ‘may the road rise to greet you’. That sat with me for much of the day, and I feel it has. I take comfort to find there are corners of PH that remain pleasant.
Until tomorrow…..
I woke early to the street cleaners / bottle banks being cleared. Once dawn looked imminent & after a hit of caffeine, I laced up once again to run a 10k loop that would see me take in the Ness Islands and the Merkinch Nature Reserve of Inverness. It was a cold; clear morning & I was glad to get out of the centre of Inverness to explore some of the waterways. I had a fantastic run. Happy Scottish dog walkers were out in force, and the Ness Islands looked magical as I ran through them. This is a photo of part of them:
I then continued round to the nature reserve & ran past a series of locks until I’d reached Beauly Firth. By luck rather than judgement I timed it just right and caught the most incredible sunrise that you can see here:
I continued on, and just before I got back to my hotel, I managed to catch this picture of the Kissock Bridge just after the sun had come up that I would be crossing shortly in the Alpine enroute to Wick. Not the best picture, but it impressed in person.
By the time I was ready to leave the hotel the moody skies that I had half an eye on during my run had come in with aplomb. Big, heavy raindrops greeted me as I made a dash with my luggage for the Alpine – with half a mind on would it be OK as the car park was a bit suspect. I needn’t have worried – all was well. I hastily packed the car and set Google Maps up with the first destination: Dornoch. I meandered out of Inverness & was surprised to see the NC500 is a signposted route. It’s logical that it is as I know a lot has been invested in it, but regardless it was nice to see! As the Alpine popped and banged on a twisty descent, I quietly grinned to myself at what I imagined was to come.
It rained intermittently for the first 30 minutes or so. I caught this picture of the Alpine with a rainbow in full force as I crossed one of the waterways. As it turned out I’d be chasing rainbows all day, which made for quite a magical drive as you can imagine.
Once in Dornoch, I headed down to the beach car park & spent an hour or so walking the dunes & taking in the man-made golf course and the ruggedness of what nature offered immediately next to it. Aside from one chap who had about 6 dogs there wasn’t a soul in sight. The sun was out & quite piercing as I walked the shore, though with inky skies looming I headed back to the Alpine before getting a dousing.
I then drove back into Dornoch and parked up to sample what was advertised as ‘The Best Hot Chocolate’ by a café called Cocoa Mountain. I’m more of a strong black coffee drinker ordinarily, but it was that kind of day – bitterly cold, rain at times etc. I don’t regard myself as a connoisseur of hot chocolate – but it was bloody nice!
After recovering from a sugar coma, I headed to ‘Big Bern Falls’ for a short hike of an hour or so. The weather was on my side, and I didn’t pass anyone while enjoying these incredible waterfalls. I’m quickly realizing that this is the time of year to do these kind of trips as you really do have the place to yourselves, and if I’m honest the rain (so far) has added to the beauty of it all. A quick photo from the hike, though it doesn’t really capture the power of the waterfalls (that I forgot to photograph!)
Once back in the Alpine I headed down to Dunrobin Castle as I have always thought it looked so imposing from pictures I’ve seen. It didn’t fail to impress, and whilst the actual castle and gardens are shut this time of year, I still managed to drive right down to it and get this shot of the Alpine with the castle towering in the background & as I left via the walled road out. Not convinced I could have done that in high season!
Time was marching on by this point, and I was keen to see Wick in the daylight prior to checking in at my B&B. I dialed in Wick to Google Maps and hit the road with Spotify working nicely. (Thanks to a fellow PH’er who yesterday suggested downloading some tunes!) The drive to Wick was an absolute joy. Wet in places, but dry in others the car felt alive the whole way. I drove largely within the limits and wondered as I often do where anything more powerful could ever be used properly. If this is the type of roads I have to look forward to over the next 4 days then I am in for the trip of a lifetime.
I came into Wick around 3pm & popped to the Pulteney Distillery as I had a tip that they do an incredible Whisky Liquor. A quick sample (obviously) confirmed the recommendation wasn’t wrong & a bottle is now tucked away in the frunk to enjoy at Christmas.
After that I parked up outside my accommodation for the night: ‘Harbour House B&B’. It is wonderfully basic and takes me back about 20 years when I did the ‘LEJOG’ cycle and stayed in places just like this up and down the country. A wander into Wick pre sundown didn’t reveal much to get excited about, but there looks to be a decent pub in the centre that will do me just fine later on, I’m sure.
I did give in and get the car cleaned when I got here (pointless I know, but when your hands are grubby just from opening the door & the windows look frosty it’s £7 well spent in my mind). My car was cleaned by who must have been Bert Large (of Doc Martin fame) twin. The mannerism was the same too, and it just made me smile!
I have a long run planned tomorrow morning (if the weather is good) and then I am making my way round to BettyHill, via (as always) wherever takes my fancy.
Thanks to all for the tips for things to see so far. I am taking note. The gin distillery near Dunnet Head has certainly been added to the list. PH’er LE62NDE said yesterday ‘may the road rise to greet you’. That sat with me for much of the day, and I feel it has. I take comfort to find there are corners of PH that remain pleasant.
Until tomorrow…..
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.
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…
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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