NC500 in 3 days?

J

Japseroony

Member
Just thinking about the NC500 and doing the trip in 3 days but wondered if that was feasible or not?

Inverness to Tongue on the first day - 192 miles
Tongue to Second Coast on the second day - 163 miles
Second Coast to Inverness on the third day - 160 miles

I would need to stay in or around Inverness the night before and after the trip as I live in Newcastle Upon Tyne so have a long trip to get there and back.

What do you guys think?
 
I have never done the NC500 although have done bits of the roads separately. I would think possible but it wouldn't leave much time for stopping when you wanted / saw something of interest.

Paulgs1000 has just done the trip along with some of the North East boys and I am sure they can tell you more accurately. :thumbsup:
 
Like AlfaScozzesi, I've never done it yet either, but for sure 3 days is feasible, and 3 days is also what I'd prob plan for if/when I finally do it ...

Just for interest, a couple of my mates recently joined a crazy big NC500 Scottish Independence convoy in May, and considering their very long convoy, they managed it in 2 days (see here for interest: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands/919706/hundreds-take-part-in-epic-nc500-convoy-but-drivers-stuck-behind-get-frustrated/)
 
It's possible - we did it in three days (with 2 days up there and back home (Newcastle))

We did it slightly differently:

1 day from Newcastle to inverness for our start (averaging cameras on nearly all of A9 in fact lots of cameras on way up)
1 day Inverness to Ullapool
1 day Ullapool to Wick
1 day Wick through Inverness to Perth for our finish
1 day home (though that was a luxury - we could have come home from Perth if we had wanted, but it would have been a long day).

We had hotels and meals arranged (in the hotels mostly) which made it very relaxing - arrive shower/bath and rest then meal.
Set off about 10am and drove sometimes until tea time but had plenty of stops like Durness Cold War Bunkers for coffee and something to eat, visit to Glenmorangie Distillery. A full English kept us going most the day with the hotel meal to look forward too later.

Hope you get the weather for the incredible views. Allow 'heavies' through on the single track sections as they spend all day pulling over stopping and starting - much easier for us.

We've done it since and missed out the North East section (to John O Groats)

1 day from Newcastle to Fort William
1 day Fort William to Ullapool
1 day Ullapool to Grantown on Spey via Tongue (down the centre of Scotland)
1 day Grantown on Spey to Newcastle

Still a wonderful experience and well worth the effort getting up there. Be sure to do the Clachtoll loop (up from Ullapool), it's like a Scalextric track with inland small locks and hills - fabulous. Stop at the far side of Kylesku Bridge car park - great views.

Have further details if you wanted - send me a pm.
 
A few years ago we done it on the bikes in 3 days, and that was leaving from home around 180 miles from Inverness.
The only part we missed out was Applecross.
Left Paisley, next to Glasgow Airport all the way to Ullapool and camped there for the night.
Next day Ullapool headed north to Durness and then right round the coast to John O Groats and then down to Inverness and stayed there overnight.
Next day Inverness to home.
Great trip but pretty tiring.
 
Cheers for the reply's chaps and many thanks Paul for the info. I will drop you a PM soon and maybe catch up for a drive as I have time through the week to get out these days :thumbsup:

I did some of the trip on a bike a couple of years ago before it became the NC500 and can see why it might take longer than the 3 days.

Happy to alter the route but think I would like to go anti-clockwise as always seem to go clockwise so the view the other way will be interesting.
 
Still not driven it. Only made it to Skye this year. Last time I cycled it, it took 4 days. I'm sure you can pinch that down to three in a Zed. :wink: The Zed is such a comfy car on a long journey, I find. No trouble driving for as long as the petrol lasts, then filling up and doing the same again. Not every day but a few times a year, when I have the time. :D :driving:

Enjoy your trip. :thumbsup:
 
Not sure if you could it in 3 days but it worth a go. We went from Wigan on a Thursday and ended up at Achmelvich beach via Strathpeffer, Applecross and back to Newtonmore on the Saturday night. One thing that shocked me is just how fast you can get about up there. We were always back at the hotel for 3pm after seeing plenty of scenery.

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=81451&hilit=achmelvich

H.
 
paulgs1000 said:
It's possible - we did it in three days (with 2 days up there and back home (Newcastle))

We did it slightly differently:

1 day from Newcastle to inverness for our start (averaging cameras on nearly all of A9 in fact lots of cameras on way up)
1 day Inverness to Ullapool
1 day Ullapool to Wick
1 day Wick through Inverness to Perth for our finish
1 day home (though that was a luxury - we could have come home from Perth if we had wanted, but it would have been a long day).

We had hotels and meals arranged (in the hotels mostly) which made it very relaxing - arrive shower/bath and rest then meal.
Set off about 10am and drove sometimes until tea time but had plenty of stops like Durness Cold War Bunkers for coffee and something to eat, visit to Glenmorangie Distillery. A full English kept us going most the day with the hotel meal to look forward too later.

Hope you get the weather for the incredible views. Allow 'heavies' through on the single track sections as they spend all day pulling over stopping and starting - much easier for us.

We've done it since and missed out the North East section (to John O Groats)

1 day from Newcastle to Fort William
1 day Fort William to Ullapool
1 day Ullapool to Grantown on Spey via Tongue (down the centre of Scotland)
1 day Grantown on Spey to Newcastle

Still a wonderful experience and well worth the effort getting up there. Be sure to do the Clachtoll loop (up from Ullapool), it's like a Scalextric track with inland small locks and hills - fabulous. Stop at the far side of Kylesku Bridge car park - great views.

Have further details if you wanted - send me a pm.
Click to expand...

Don't forget that 3 mile bit we did to see the Atlantic crossing memorial :lol:

As Paul said though, easy in 3 days unless traffic is a lot worse now which slows you down, or you want shorter days.
 
I did similar a few years ago :

Glasgow to Skye day 1 - overnight Skye with some evening touring around Skye

Skye via Ullapool etc to Tongue Day 2 - overnight Tongue - poor roads this stretch in many places needs extra time / more time than you think - take your own entertainment not much to do up here lol

Tongue via Wick to Dornoch day 3 - plenty of time stop was to stay with relatives could easily reach Inverness

Dornoch to Glasgow day 4 long drive

Depends if you want to drive drive or go slower and take in the brilliant scenery :driving: :thumbsup:
 
Don't forget that 3 mile bit we did to see the Atlantic crossing memorial :lol:

Only light traffic on that section :rofl:

 
Do include the Pass of the Cattle and Applecross, it's very special. :thumbsup: (If you get the weather and visibility for the views)
 
Did this last year with the RX8 OC and am doing it again in september but might not be in a RX8 this time :oops:

(One day travelling up to Falkirk)
Day 1 was Falkirk > Inverness > Ullapool via Applecross.
Day 2 was Ullapool > Wick
Day 3 - Wick > Inverness > Falkirk
One day travelling back

1600 miles covered.
 
Done in more sedate fashion ..8 days but there seemed some good accommodation listed in this blog which might suit smaller groups on the route

http://www.alongdustyroads.com/posts/2016/6/21/nc500-accommodation-hotels-hostels-where-to-stay
 
There was an article in the CTC magazine recently where a cyclist (a pedal cyclist) completed the NC500 in 38 hours of non-stop cycling. 3 days in a car would seem like luxury!

(We took 4 driving days and did it anti-clockwise to get the really dull bits, Inverness to Thurso, out of the way early)
 
All hotels booked and sorted for early September so basically going from Newcastle to Marine Hotel in Invergordon for the first night - 301 miles. Second day is on to Borgie Lodge Hotel in Thurso - 154 miles. We then have a short drive on the third day to The Altnacealgach Inn near Lairg - 114 miles. On the forth day its a long one around to the Drumnadrochit Hotel nearly back to Inverness - 219 miles and on the final day its back to Newcastle via Fort William - 300 miles.

All in all I think it will be a great trip but getting places to stay has been the problem as we need 2 rooms for 1 nights stay - I wont share with the other chap that is going as he snores like a jackhammer on full tilt :roll:

Will report back and add some pics once we are back :thumbsup:
 
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