Help with overnight stays on the NC 500

M

mr wilks

Lifer
 Lancashire
Not fixed a month but its under my skin now & last resort would be January :o
Any recommendations for accommodation welcome or happy for prompts if you think the route can be improved ( bear in mind I did the main Lochs , Cairngorms & Glencoe last year )
I love the road over the Cairngorms/Glenshee/Braemar so plan to take that again from Inverness to Pitlochry on the home leg with a stay at a favourite of ours The Inn on The Tay in Grandtully nr Pitlochry

So plan is clockwise route leaving home in Lancs to first night Mallaig via Rannoch Moor , Glencoe , Fort William

day 1 Home to Mallaig 375 miles 6.5 hrs
day 2 Mallaig to Durness 180 miles 5 hrs
day 3 Durness to Helmsdale 140 miles 4 hrs
day 4 Helmsdale to Grandtully 160 miles 3.5 hrs
day 5 Grandtully - home 290 miles
Total around 1200 miles / 5 days / 4 nights

Feel free to throw in your ideas & pointers ,
 
Mr Wilks.

Stay here if you get chance. Lovely people and a great breakfast from Jane and Ian. Not far from Grandtully but may have to change your route slightly. Worth it though in my opinion.

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g642239-d982501-Reviews-Clune_House-Newtonmore_Aviemore_and_the_Cairngorms_Scottish_Highlands_Scotland.html

H.
 
You're missing some great bits, especially on the Mallaig to Durness leg - Achmelvich, Torridon, Applecross. I'd go further east along the north coast too - towards Bettyhill - before heading south. You just hit one sea loch after another - pretty sensational. Can recommend this B&B in Talmine. Insane view out of the bedroom window!

301g9l1.jpg
 
Cheers PT , Durness - Helmsdale I was planning to go east across to John o groats before going south
The route & stops are flexible & at the mo just a target guide .
Am I right in thinking a ferry off Mallaig to Skye allows a drive up Skye back onto the mainland further north ?
 
mr wilks said:
Cheers PT , Durness - Helmsdale I was planning to go east across to John o groats before going south
The route & stops are flexible & at the mo just a target guide .
Am I right in thinking a ferry off Mallaig to Skye allows a drive up Skye back onto the mainland further north ?
Click to expand...
Yep, you can get the ferry at Mallaig to Skye and drive right through Skye and over the bridge into Kyle of Lochalsh
 
Ah, yes. I was guessing that you'd skipped the north east, but I guess it's doable in 4 hours.

Either way, that is the bit I'd compromise on, unless you really want to tick John O'G off the list (or are a British/Nordic history nut). Especially if you go anti-clockwise [EDIT - clockwise, even!] Sutherland is mind-blowing, so things will just get flatter and more dull after that. The view out towards Orkney is rubbish on a good day and non-existent on a bad one. :D
 
MrPT said:
Ah, yes. I was guessing that you'd skipped the north east, but I guess it's doable in 4 hours.

Either way, that is the bit I'd compromise on, unless you really want to tick John O'G off the list (or are a British/Nordic history nut). Especially if you go anti-clockwise. Sutherland is mind-blowing, so things will just get flatter and more dull after that. The view out towards Orkney is rubbish on a good day and non-existent on a bad one. :D
Click to expand...

The John o Groats corner I was in or out on & planned to take the advice as to whether it was worth it or not .
I guessed it wasn't a "must do " when Paulgs1000 dropped it from his 2nd NC trip
 
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