North Coast 500
- Thread starter idej_z4
- Start date
If you're looking for some where a bit special try The Torridon Hotel nr Applecross we stayed there on our wedding anniversary during our NC500 hoon its fab but Expensive 8)
We did early Sept and got lucky in 5 days it only rained once and overnight 
Scotland is always hit and miss with the weather.
We were at Ullapool last week and managed to get 3 days with absolutely beautiful weather. Either side of those 3 days was terrible.
We were camping so really wanted it to be dry.
What I was quite surprised at though was the lack of cars on the roads.
Considering the amount of publicity the "NC500" has been getting we were a bit worried that the roads and campsites would be really busy.
It was completely the opposite. The campsite that we go to all the time in Ullapool was empty.
Did have a laugh at this though
http://www.northcoast500.com/
Seen a car with a sticker in the window so had a look at the website. Cant believe that people will pay money to say they have driven a route.
Unbelievable
We were at Ullapool last week and managed to get 3 days with absolutely beautiful weather. Either side of those 3 days was terrible.
We were camping so really wanted it to be dry.
What I was quite surprised at though was the lack of cars on the roads.
Considering the amount of publicity the "NC500" has been getting we were a bit worried that the roads and campsites would be really busy.
It was completely the opposite. The campsite that we go to all the time in Ullapool was empty.
Did have a laugh at this though
http://www.northcoast500.com/
Seen a car with a sticker in the window so had a look at the website. Cant believe that people will pay money to say they have driven a route.
Unbelievable
Ewazix said:Thank's that looks nice, I will check it outmetal licker said:
The evening meal was excellent also !
Not a bad view either
Twin Turbo
Active member
jimmybell said:Planning on doing this early Sept - anyone else around?
Any hotels/b&b that stood out with particularly good parking for precious cars?
Hi,
This was my hotel agenda:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/lo...sid=f7424c6b4e9d514e55efbd6f92f039af#tab-main
https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/in...IBeagCAw;sid=f7424c6b4e9d514e55efbd6f92f039af
https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/mo...IBeagCAw;sid=f7424c6b4e9d514e55efbd6f92f039af
https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/cu...IBeagCAw;sid=f7424c6b4e9d514e55efbd6f92f039af
Prestonese
Member
I did the NC500 recently. It was epic in my Z4M. My friend took his M235i with him and we started from Inverness and went anti clockwise. You can do the drive in 2 or 3 days including a stopover in Skye. We just did it for the drive and a few sights but didn't really stop for whisky. Plenty of places to stay if you plan which town to hit at the end of each day. We went from Inverness to Ullapool. Then to Portree and back south. Glencoe is quite something too.
The weather was all over the place. I got wet and sunburnt. Go figure. I've been in November before when it was glorious with no traffic. It is what it is.
Most interesting bits were the roads from Kylesku south and then leading to Kinlochewe. Best coffee on the trip is at Kinlochewe petrol station. Owner there is an enthusiast and has a Facebook page. Really nice guy and helpful. Seafood is excellent all the way around. The west is much better than the the east and northern sections though.
Obligatory photos below! Feel free to get in touch if you want more info!
The weather was all over the place. I got wet and sunburnt. Go figure. I've been in November before when it was glorious with no traffic. It is what it is.
Most interesting bits were the roads from Kylesku south and then leading to Kinlochewe. Best coffee on the trip is at Kinlochewe petrol station. Owner there is an enthusiast and has a Facebook page. Really nice guy and helpful. Seafood is excellent all the way around. The west is much better than the the east and northern sections though.
Obligatory photos below! Feel free to get in touch if you want more info!
Attachments
metal licker said:
You can always stay in a hostel and go to the Torridon for breakfast/coffee.
Kylesku Hotel is very nice too.I can recommend Dundonnell Hotel and the Ben Loyal (Tongue) for more of a "friendly 3 star" experience. Plus the A832 south of Dundonnell is an incredible stretch of road to tackle at dawn...
jimmybell said:
I cant really comment on anywhere good to stay hotel or B&B wise around the route but when we head up that way we always go to Broomfield campsite in Ullapool. It is quite a large, flat, well looked after campsite 10 minutes walk from basically anywhere in Ullapool. Its right on the water at the edge of the village with stunning views.
When we head up there to camp we do not take anything to cook with, all food is bought when we get there whether its breakfast in a pub or fish and chips at night so its basically just a tent, airbed and sleeping bags we take along with a change of clothes.
The only time that I have done the whole route was a mad dash on the bike where we left Paisley and rode directly to Skye and then on to Ullapool where we camped overnight. The next morning we rode right round the coast through Durness to John O Groats and then onto Inverness where we stopped at the first hotel we could find. Next morning rode home.
All you really want is nice dry weather as it is pretty miserable if its wet and the scenery is blocked.
Prestonese
Member
jimmybell said:
Pretty much everywhere! It's not difficult to find as almost all the local seafood makes it to the dining table. If you like things like oysters and langoustines then it's great. Lobsters too. I had some excellent meals without planning ahead with bookings but let me know if you need names, and I'll try to dig out my scrap book of locations I had starred on googlemaps.
I'd be interested in this depending on the dates
Me and the Mrs have just got back from doing this in the Zed...All I can say is I'd do it again next week if I could get the time off work..We travelled up and stayed in Sterling then Inverness,over to the west we spent a night in the Loch Maree Hotel near Gairloch,next place we stayed was the BettyHill Hotel (just a pub with rooms really) then the Royal Golf at Dornoch..spent a couple of nights near Glencoe on the way back down and finally a night at the Haweswater Hotel in the Lake District..did about 1400 miles altogether..the weather was really good until Glencoe then we had a bit of rain in the mornings but it cleared up in the afternoon... Never having done it before I was a bit unsure about ground clearance/road surfaces etc but we had no problems at all (unlike the two girls we met near Achanalt who had locked themselves out of their car).