North Coast 500
Richard Hurst
Member
Just so you all know this Friday on Channel 5 there is a programme called secret Scotland which covers the NC500
Just hope the editing is better than Messrs clarkson, hammond and may who we watched on it recently alot of non nc500 roads were shown and those that were, didn't actually follow the route they were supposed to be on.
Hi All,
Thinking about doing the NC500 first/second week of April and was wondering if anyone had worked out a good itinerary for it - campsites / wild camp park-ups, recommended restaurants and sites, etc.
Just trying to save myself some leg work. just in the process of browsing the forum posts on the subject.
Thanks in advance.
CZ.
Thinking about doing the NC500 first/second week of April and was wondering if anyone had worked out a good itinerary for it - campsites / wild camp park-ups, recommended restaurants and sites, etc.
Just trying to save myself some leg work. just in the process of browsing the forum posts on the subject.
Thanks in advance.
CZ.
Not technically the NC500 but one of our usual bimbling rambling trips which took in quite a bit of it:
Autumn In Scotland TrackMyTour
Hopefully you might be able to glean something helpful in it.
Cheers Mark
Autumn In Scotland TrackMyTour
Hopefully you might be able to glean something helpful in it.
Cheers Mark
Thought the pie shop in Lochinver was a bit overrated but liked the cafe called An Cala. Achmelvich is beautiful. Smoo cave well worth a visit. The cafe and beach at Bettyhill are lovely. Frankly there are loads of nice places. If you have time just head off down some of the side roads and find unusual places like the Jam Shed (somewhere in west coast can’t remember where).
Not quite on it but i fancy going over the Kessock Bridge, I have done the Glen Morangie distillery before and can recommend that. 
. Ill get a list together of stop-overs and post to get people thoughts...
. Ill get a list together of stop-overs and post to get people thoughts...
Defo anti clockwise, then it only gets better as you go. John o groats is such a disappointment. If you got time a trip across to orkney using the gills bay ferry defo worthwhile, even if just for the day.
I'm biased, but glen ord distillery worth a visit, old boy worked here and only place in uk you can buy the singleton 12 year old.
I'm biased, but glen ord distillery worth a visit, old boy worked here and only place in uk you can buy the singleton 12 year old.
Agree with you on that one. Did half of it back in 2002 - up the east coast via Tain and up to John o groats and along the north coast - but travelled back through the highlands instead of the west coast at the time. Also want to pop by Loch Shiel (west of Fort William) - can anyone tell me why - without googling it?
ace , we are heading up in april
Travelling clockwise, taking a couple of weeks to do it before the midges start biting.
Red blobs are campsites
Orange blobs are places of interest
Green blobs are places to eat
Any comments or further recommendations most welcome from anyone with experience or local knowledge...
Red blobs are campsites
Orange blobs are places of interest
Green blobs are places to eat
Any comments or further recommendations most welcome from anyone with experience or local knowledge...
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We are planning anti clockwise from 4th April. Just binging on you tube blogs at the moment on it.
The Perfect 5 Day North Coast 500 Itinerary: The Ultimate Scottish Road Trip! - Finding the Universe
I used this when I did it but on day one a parked up at the lighthouse at wick for the night instead of a site and on day 3 ullapool was very busy so I got something to eat there and then had a look on the map a saw a campsite on the coast at a place called Altanghu And had a pub right across from the site , really nice views from site also instead of staying in torridon I headed over to applecross but most of the places on the right up I took in
I used this when I did it but on day one a parked up at the lighthouse at wick for the night instead of a site and on day 3 ullapool was very busy so I got something to eat there and then had a look on the map a saw a campsite on the coast at a place called Altanghu And had a pub right across from the site , really nice views from site also instead of staying in torridon I headed over to applecross but most of the places on the right up I took in
Its all very good.
We did anti clockwise in 2017;
Black Isle - Great
Dornoch - Great Gin at Hotel
Whalogoe Steps - Billy Connelly fame
JoG - bit shabby
Dunnet Head - lighthouse and gin distillery!
Durness and Smoo Cave
Ardmair point - great campsite on edge of water - firepit on sand
Sheldaig - great café/bakery/fresh fish
Kinlochewe
Gairloch/Big Sands - great beach
Applecross - very busy and pub landlord owns everything - they can't decide to shun visitors or welcome them! If you're
not eating at the pub then they're not overly friendly!!
"Pass of the Cattle" - fabulous drive, not unlike the Alp ski resorts without the snow! - weather dependent!
If you have time, Isle of Skye is fab.
The authorities are starting to frown on wild camping due to the lack of consideration of idle people!
ITS GREAT !!
We did anti clockwise in 2017;
Black Isle - Great
Dornoch - Great Gin at Hotel
Whalogoe Steps - Billy Connelly fame
JoG - bit shabby
Dunnet Head - lighthouse and gin distillery!
Durness and Smoo Cave
Ardmair point - great campsite on edge of water - firepit on sand
Sheldaig - great café/bakery/fresh fish
Kinlochewe
Gairloch/Big Sands - great beach
Applecross - very busy and pub landlord owns everything - they can't decide to shun visitors or welcome them! If you're
not eating at the pub then they're not overly friendly!!
"Pass of the Cattle" - fabulous drive, not unlike the Alp ski resorts without the snow! - weather dependent!
If you have time, Isle of Skye is fab.
The authorities are starting to frown on wild camping due to the lack of consideration of idle people!
ITS GREAT !!
its a risk.. but we will see... at least i can say that i am self-isolating to my camper... if anyone asks...You could find the NC500 is very busy this year with people changing their travel plans.
Yes, we thought the same when we came back up from Spain and Portugal. If you take the Eurotunnel, you can still self isolate in your own van!
