NC500 - Any advise?

[gronk1967]

Right as we aren’t venturing abroad this year the good lady out of nowhere has suggested that we use the holiday time we have in the calendar to undertake the NC500...as you’d expect I’m going to snap her hand off at the offer and am pricing up as we speak based upon the itinerary that R3 did last year (thanks Phillip for sharing) any hints and tips, lessons learnt or changes suggested from those who did the trip in 2019 Would be gratefully received.

 

[Rubber_Duck]

Hi Simon, I have attached the final routes used. We went over Cairngorm and through Braemar and on to Dornoch the first night. In the past I have stopped at Aviemore and would do so again as Dornoch is a little far (MacDonald Hotel or plenty of B&Bs in Aviemore and a great Indian on the main street just by the railway station). You could then stay in Tongue, Durness, Kylesku Hotel or Lochinver for the second night (if you stop at a distillery though or for anything else Lochinver is a stretch).

I would not use the Dornoch Castle Hotel or the Duisdale Hotel again (neither was really worth the money and if you are not in a group a B&B is a better option).

Greg and Deb found a great B&B by the Armadale ferry on Skye and even had time in the morning for a run round Skye before the ferry).

The stop in Alloa at the Inglewood House and Spa was great and the owner is a real car nut (even if he does now own a McLaren).

Also if its open the Jim Clarke Museum in Duns is worth a stop and the Boarders scenery is magic.

If you have the time take it slowly, and extra 2 days would make for a much more enjoyable and scenic trip.

Give me a call or PM if you want to talk anything through, and I'll send the itinerary as I don't seem to be able to attach 2 files.

Regards - Philip

 

[Rubber_Duck]

Itinerary

 

[gronk1967]

Thanks again Philip. Downloading now....

 

[Temmplar]

Thanks again Philip. Downloading now....

Thank you Philip for posting the advice from last years tour.

Hello Simon,

Sam and I were thinking along similar lines and looking to book for late August or early September?

What dates have you in mind?

If you are ok with it and dates are available for hotels perhaps we can get a few cars together?

Thanks and regards,

Raj and Sam

 

[gronk1967]

Thanks again Philip. Downloading now....

Thank you Philip for posting the advice from last years tour.

Hello Simon,

Sam and I were thinking along similar lines and looking to book for late August or early September?

What dates have you in mind?

If you are ok with it and dates are available for hotels perhaps we can get a few cars together?

Thanks and regards,

Raj and Sam

Hi Raj, would be a good forerunner for Stuttgart...we have the B.Hol week booked off and thought we‘d do it in 4-5 days Although I’m feeliong a little overwhelmed with the amount of guides and recommendations hence the call out on here....I thought of starting out midweek assuming the prices would be at a premium over the BHol built there dont actually change some we’ve decided to start ou on the Sunday so we get a few days to recover before we go back to work. At the moment we‘ve booked Inverness on 30th and Bettyhill on 31st simopky because we looked the look of the hotels and are now looking at options on the West coast. We may go up via Edinburgh as I’ve got a load of hotel points to use but that may depend on what is/isn’t open...i can walk around a deserted city down here LOL.

Even if we only meet up in the odd place on the way round Im sure after lengthy periods together it would be good to see someone else.

PM me if you want to discuss in more detail..

 

[deb_harm]

Good planning re August Bank Holiday as it isn’t a bank holiday in Scotland. We used this to our advantage for our 2016 WOTY. No over inflated prices or busy roads, but we all had a long weekend without using holidays from work.

 

[chrisbradley]

We did it 5 years ago on our own - loved every minute.

3 tips - take as long as you are able and explore the area around each stop (we took a week to complete the trip)

be prepared for all types of weather, including hail and strong wind (but also glorious sunshine if you are lucky)

pack a couple of cans of high grade petrol (fuel stops are not plentiful and sometimes only 3 star)

Would recommend Bettyhill hotel where we stayed for 2 nights - good 3 star accomodation with excellent management.

Good luck

Chris

 

[gronk1967]

Thats good to know Chris as we booked the Bettyhill Hotel last night...just working out way down the West coast now....

 

[chrisbradley]

Don't forget to include the pass over from Applecross !

We actually did the NC500 clockwise which drives the best roads first !

 

[gronk1967]

Raj, if you are thinking of booking I suggest sooner rather then later...looks like everyone has the same idea...hotels i was looking at last night along the West coast are all booked up this morning...seems to have been a rush...

As FYI we have booked the following (1st 3 are all made via Booking.com and cancellable thru August)

30/8 The Glenmoriston Hotel - Inverness

31/8 Bettyhill Hotel - Bettyhill

1/9 The Shieldag Lodge Hotel - Gairloch (dont ask about the price of that one, but it was 5* or a tent)

2/9 Clachance Manse - Applecross

Undecided on whether to book a stop on the way up on the 29th or way home on the 3rd yet but as they are off the NC5600 route so imagine less problem finding somewhere.

 

[Eldavo]

Gairloch to Applecross is an odd one as there is only an hour and a half between the two. 2/9 why not book the Cuillin Hills Hotel at Portree on Skye. You could leave Gairloch, follow the road round the coast through Kenmore to Applecross, go over the pass to Tornapress, then to Kyle of Lochalsh (fill up with fuel here, the middle two pumps sell super unleaded), take the Skye Bridge and then either do a clockwise loop of Skye turning left onto the a863, a850, a87, or follow the a87 past Portree to Uig, get on the a855 for 2 mins then take the single track road up and over the Quiraing before the a855 back to Portree.

Then the next day take the Armadale to Mallaig ferry and head back to Fort William from there, quick detour up to Spean Bridge to pay respects at the Commando Memorial then back down the A82 to North Ballachulish, ignore the bridge and hang a left onto the b863 to Kinlochleven aka ’the scotburgring“. Spits you out at Glencoe, get back on the A82 heading towards Tyndrum (The Real Food Cafe is a great lunch stop) but don’t miss the turning a few miles out of Glencoe to the right towards Loch Etive for the “skyfall” photo.

From Tyndrum, I’d stay on the A82 down to Tarbet, turn right onto the A83 and then come off on the b838 at Arrochar, take the rollercoaster coastal a814 until you reach the roundabout, turn left to stay on the a814 and then left at the next roundabout for the A817 aka “The Haul Road” - built to transport nuclear weapons over to Faslane submarine base, you can stop at the lay-by and see the base and any submarines that are in. Hot foot it over the A817 and you end up back on the A82 by Loch Lomond golf club. Then you’re a stone‘s throw from Glasgow with the choice to stay in Balloch at Queen of the Loch and explore the Trossachs and The Duke’s Pass the next day or just head home.

 

[gronk1967]

Thanks for the heads up David as I said when we spoke trying to judge distances and the quality of the roads is a major headache when you dont have experience of the roads which is why the advise on here has been so valuable. I mentioned to the good lady the diversion via Skye and the ferry which she liked the sound of so I‘ve taken your advise (&hotel recommendation) and rebooked.

A couple more questions if i may...do you have to rebook the ferry or is it a drive on/off arrangement & is the run back home doable in a day or would you suggest another night north of Glasgow?

 

[Eldavo]

Yes - book the ferry now, just checked its £16 for a car and two passengers on the 09:45 - check in by 09:25.

Personally I did Skye back to Newcastle via the route above in a day, lunch at the Real Food cafe in Tyndrum, coffee and a police interview over the phone on the ferry (there was a mix up about me abducting a child near Gairlochhead, it was my friend doing the abducting, just in my car. One man’s abduction is another man’s rescue, right up to the point that Northumbria Police turn up on your doorstep and start interrogating your wife about your movements, anyway thats for another time - top tip, don‘t let your mate rescue any lost kids in your car, it’s a thankless task, there’s no reward, a dog gets run over, there’s a bit of breaking and entering, and your number plate is loaded into the ANPR system for the whole of Scotland, it gets really embarrassing when you don‘t know they’re trying to apprehend you and you inadvertently lose them whilst “making progress”).

If you wanted to tag on an extra night then why not take the A85 to go to Oban after Tyndrum? The Ranald is a lovely little place albeit no parking, the distillery is right in the town centre and well worth the tour. Seafood Temple for dinner is amazing and a short walk along the harbour or there is a shack on the pier that does seafood quite literally straight from the boats. Then take the a816 to Lochgilphead in the morning then the A83 to link up to the a814 at Arrochar as above. That’s a lot more easily done in a day and you get to enjoy more of the West Coast roads.