Popular Post Craigieboy Posted August 28 Popular Post Share Posted August 28 No it's not a typo, it's the name we've given to our version of the NC500. My friends and I have done the NC500 or our NC250 route every year for the past 8 years and varied the route and stops to suit. Its only just up the road so would be rude not to. This year due to it being midweek it was only the two of us, me and my mate in his MK Indy. Our route on day one took us from home and up a short section of the A9 where we cut off for Crieff and fun began. We then headed up to Dunkeld for a quick pit stop. We were interrogated by some American tourists who were impressed we had Miata and Ford engines. We then headed into the Cairngorms via the A93 through Glenshee to the ski centre. It's a fantastic road and we had a clear run up. We stopped in Braemar for lunch. Not here though, far too expensive, went to the tea room next door. Our route then took us past Balmoral Castle, where we took some single track towards Corgarff Castle and the Lecht ski centre. Again brilliant roads with little traffic to hold us up. Then onto Tomintoul and Grantown on Spey, pretty sure this is always the first road to be closed by snow every year. Then onto our overnight at Inverness via Nairn and a stop at Fort George, but the dolphins weren't out to play. All tucked up. Day 2 promised to be better weather and no hoods. We crossed the Kessock bridge, then the Cromarty bridge heading in land towards Bonar Bridge. viewpoint for the Dornoch Firth and bridge in the distance. Always one of my favourite views of the whole route, never fails to impress. Bonar Bridge in the distance. Thankfully never needed these guys... Our Airbnb in Lairg was a bit too bijou, even if it was on a private island. So we gave it a miss and continued North towards Altnaharra and Tongue. This is where the roads turn to single track, but you often get a good view ahead and can open to car up a bit. This wind farm wasn't there the last time we past here about 3 years ago. Apparently at times we make five time the electricity we use. So why aren't my bills coming down! Stopped at Tongue for lunch and cake. For once it wasn't raining here, we've been soaked often before. After lunch we continued West towards Durness and the Smoo cave. Loch Eribol was picturesque as always. You drive along one side to its end and then 10mins later your driving along the other side you had just been looking at. We topped up our tanks and chocolate supplies at Durness. We also spoke to a couple of bikers from the Netherlands whom we'd past a few times at passing places. Really nice guys who were over on the DFDS ferry for 10 days. Then onto Kylesku for the obligatory pictures. The car park was busy and the cars got lots of attention, one woman even sat in my drivers seat. This year we stayed at the Gairloch Hotel and this was my view, nice eh. Day 3 was forecast to be wet and it didn't disappoint! Although it was raining it didn't damped or spirits as we knew we had some fantastic roads and views ahead. We continued down through Torridon to Shieldaig and the only advantage of the rain was the roads were quiet. Shame Calum the deer is no longer there. This year our route took us on a new road to the base of the Bealach na Ba and not the usual Applecross loop. Again we stopped for the obligatory picture at the Bealach sign and contemplated our next move. The rain was heavy and the mist pretty much covered the mountain, but we had planned to go up and back down the pass, so that's just what we did. The video shows how extreme it was, wind and rain blowing right through the cars! There is a fantastic cafe next to the sign and is highly recommended. After a quick brunch we headed south towards Plockton via Lochcarron. After Plockton we had planned to jump onto Skye and then catch the Glenelg ferry back off and do the Ratagan pass, however the weather was so bad the ferry was off. So a quick picture on Skye and then head for home, via Fort Willam, Glencoe and Callander. Where we hit the motorway. My total mileage for the trip. We usually do this trip in September and maybe it didn't pay off weather wise, but we still enjoyed it. The video should give you an idea just how wet it was. Thanks 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 Great write up, thanks. The wet weather is what puts me off the NC500 in an aero screen car! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigieboy Posted August 28 Author Share Posted August 28 Yeah, that's why I had held off until I had a roof. Should've had the new side screens, but that's another story 🤬, still my lightweight composite honeycomb half doors worked well. 😄 And of course this weekend looks like good weather... Not sure if you've been up before Ian, but the scenery is amazing. Maybe not the drama of the high Alps, but it has more variety than the Alps. Hence all the Dutch, German and Swiss cars we passed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvd8n Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 The Glenshee Ski Centre is great; the chairlifts run even in summer which means that you can do the mountains and even bag yourself a Munro without all that tedious walking up hills 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingster Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 9 minutes ago, dvd8n said: The Glenshee Ski Centre is great; the chairlifts run even in summer which means that you can do the mountains and even bag yourself a Munro without all that tedious walking up hills yep did that on our NC tour this year 👍 love the Glenshee road 🥰 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingster Posted August 28 Share Posted August 28 And don’t forget the road past Loch Maree 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenstreak-Andy D Posted August 29 Share Posted August 29 I did the NC 500 in June this year with my daughter. We were lucky with weather having days with beautiful clear skies. Rain came twice once 17 miles from the next stop and another day where it was very on and off. Will be looking to do it again next year. Scenery is unbelievable! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigieboy Posted August 29 Author Share Posted August 29 1 hour ago, Greenstreak-Andy D said: I did the NC 500 in June this year with my daughter. We were lucky with weather having days with beautiful clear skies. Rain came twice once 17 miles from the next stop and another day where it was very on and off. Will be looking to do it again next year. Scenery is unbelievable! Nice one. Hopefully you did it the correct way, anticlockwise and not clockwise as per the official route. That way all the best bits are at the end so every mile South the views just keep getting better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigieboy Posted August 29 Author Share Posted August 29 8 hours ago, Kingster said: And don’t forget the road past Loch Maree It was a more gentle drive this time, but yeah I've blasted that section in my Mx5, M2 and last year the wee angry Yaris. 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigieboy Posted August 29 Author Share Posted August 29 11 hours ago, Kingster said: And don’t forget the road past Loch Maree I had wondered where that viewpoint was, now I know 👍 We've always been driving South into Kinlochewe and then take a right towards Torridon, so missed that section out completely. Had some great blasts along that road in the dry, just not this year and it was empty too 😕 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Carrot Steve Posted August 29 Share Posted August 29 There has been a series on TV about the NC500, I think it's called something like The Most Beautiful Road In The World. I was considering buying a camper and the NC500 would be top of my list of roads to travel. So when I saw what's in the attached pics it made me chuckle, beautiful scenery, amazing villages, wonderful coastline, then tons and tons of campers 😂😂😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man On The Clapham Omnibus Posted August 29 Share Posted August 29 I know. My wife and I did that route in 1971 and hardly saw a soul - unless sheep have souls... Spoiled now - twin track roads, bridges, instead of single track and ferries. It felt really wild. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigieboy Posted August 29 Author Share Posted August 29 32 minutes ago, Man On The Clapham Omnibus said: I know. My wife and I did that route in 1971 and hardly saw a soul - unless sheep have souls... Spoiled now - twin track roads, bridges, instead of single track and ferries. It felt really wild. Wow, 71' didn't even have colour then and yeah now there is the Kessock and Kylesku bridges. I don't think it's spoiled really, just made it more accessible. The big change was of course covid when anyone with a 300k mile transit van thought they could put some cheap stickers on it and call it a camper! Apart from the German coach, first time in 8 years I've seen one up there, the roads were clear. Indeed the congestion down on the South Coast was much worse. So good I'm going back up this weekend 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevanP Posted August 29 Share Posted August 29 Looks like an amazing trip and some great pictures. Brought back lots of memories being up there, sadly not in my Westie. The last time we visited Scotland was just before Christmas, Glenshee didn't look like your picture, was coming back over from Braemar in a blizzard, thankfully in a tintop. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigieboy Posted August 29 Author Share Posted August 29 4 hours ago, Flying Carrot Steve said: There has been a series on TV about the NC500, I think it's called something like The Most Beautiful Road In The World. I was considering buying a camper and the NC500 would be top of my list of roads to travel. So when I saw what's in the attached pics it made me chuckle, beautiful scenery, amazing villages, wonderful coastline, then tons and tons of campers 😂😂😂 I'd like to do it in a small camper, Transporter or Transit size. The problem when diving a good car is when the road opens up, the right foot goes down and you miss out on some scenery. Slow time would be good 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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