The Nearly NC500 Trip - Pic heavy

M

metal licker

Elite
 In the mosh pit
Heading north to Scotland in a week or so for five days, doing most of the NC500 only missing the loop back to Inverness :driving:
Decided to go anticlockwise and get over what I've been told was the least inspiring part first
Thanks for the advice given by a few nice chaps on here :thumbsup:
Pics to follow.........
The Route - https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Leith,+Edinburgh/Braemar/Dornoch/John+o'+Groats/Durness/Stoer/Lonbain/Applecross/Glasgow/@56.9982927,-3.6688344,7.15z/data=!4m81!4m80!1m5!1m1!1s0x4887b8047c3b7ae1:0xf47b5c73152f780e!2m2!1d-3.1665102!2d55.9755278!1m15!1m1!1s0x4885e458e9e9d3c3:0xd78d16916a837a4d!2m2!1d-3.3979439!2d57.0064696!3m4!1m2!1d-4.4139148!2d57.4664276!3s0x488f0c85492d47c3:0x6e6187fa73f322de!3m4!1m2!1d-4.4362743!2d57.5635264!3s0x488f0a810fd14483:0xf38e7b57dd8e94ae!1m5!1m1!1s0x488f8b0338bae469:0x1ecf2957a9a9afd5!2m2!1d-4.028026!2d57.87907!1m5!1m1!1s0x489adf22b8be52c3:0x86f8db37f5b5c574!2m2!1d-3.0688997!2d58.6373368!1m10!1m1!1s0x4890395fe0758cdd:0x6e45ef344b056e4a!2m2!1d-4.7468816!2d58.5685565!3m4!1m2!1d-5.2930386!2d58.2311148!3s0x488e27d09123fdbd:0x9ef25a6d8efcc096!1m10!1m1!1s0x488e26567d510b61:0x63c7fa0148140d5e!2m2!1d-5.338043!2d58.20249!3m4!1m2!1d-5.5963693!2d57.7709648!3s0x488e6ebf09124f31:0x42ad7eec2d2fa452!1m5!1m1!1s0x488e807555f53c5d:0x9f8d68d704a36998!2m2!1d-5.864113!2d57.507841!1m10!1m1!1s0x488e810ba82c3f4d:0x9e1276b3016162ed!2m2!1d-5.809727!2d57.4319012!3m4!1m2!1d-4.9926718!2d56.8716086!3s0x488ed267f2b70461:0xfbbb189c15493b23!1m5!1m1!1s0x488815562056ceeb:0x71e683b805ef511e!2m2!1d-4.251806!2d55.864237!3e0
 
How many days are you spending travelling around the route?

I am actually heading up there this weekend to do the NC500 with the RX8 OC.

Did it clockwise last year, absolutely fantastic roads and scenery. The Inverness to Wick section isnt the best but we went off on some of the backroads instead which made things better. Only just going to miss you but hey, would like to try and arrange a OC run next year maybe :)

This is a little footgae from my trip last year
[youtube]nA4lrkAabmo[/youtube]
 
shortfuse 2 said:
have a great time plenty of pictures we are doing it this time next year .
all the best :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
Thank you :thumbsup:
Jph009 said:
How many days are you spending travelling around the route?

I am actually heading up there this weekend to do the NC500 with the RX8 OC.

Did it clockwise last year, absolutely fantastic roads and scenery. The Inverness to Wick section isnt the best but we went off on some of the backroads instead which made things better. Only just going to miss you but hey, would like to try and arrange a OC run next year maybe :)

This is a little footgae from my trip last year
[youtube]nA4lrkAabmo[/youtube]
Click to expand...
The plan...... Leith - Dornoch Castle hotel - Old School at Kinlochbervie - The Torridon at Torridon - Glasgow
 
Nice :) Looking forward to the pics!

We are doing:
Falkirk > Inverness > Ullapool
Ullapool > Wick
Wick > Falkirk
 
Not sure if your turbo needs super on a daily basis Alan but you're welcome to this octane booster if it's any use to you on the NC500 trip.I had it for emergencies for a vehicle I've now moved on so surplus to requirements.
 

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I would say give us a call but it sounds like I might be in our factory in France when you are up :thumbsdown:
 
We did the 500 this year in June, going anti-clockwise, primarily because experience of driving the Inverness Wick section many years ago had been so dull. That section of the road was this time made more tolerable by diverting through Dornoch and later by visiting Duncansby Point and Dunnet Head instead of stopping in John O'Groats. The last 60 miles or so back into Inverness was pretty uninspiring as well.

People we spoke to along the route mostly seemed to be travelling in the clockwise direction and some of those had driven it a few times before and claimed the views were more impressive when seen 'in reverse.' Almost impossible to gainsay and anyway once west of Thurso the views are pretty much universally stunning whichever direction you are looking.

At this time of year I imagine the midge problem is much reduced. I still bear the scars of a night in Scourie and an open window to try and promote some air flow.
 
Highlander thanks for the offer but I've always just took pot luck with petrol and its made no change that I could notice :thumbsup:
Filtermike its a bugger that work thing always getting in the way :)
Nick_in_Suffolk hoping the midges are just about finished for the winter but we've got plenty of spray just in case :evil:
 
Just arrived back yesterday from doing the NC500 anti-clockwise and have to say what a special route it is.

Get some "Skin so Soft" from Avon if you can as believe me the midges are still out in abundance.

We did the following;

Newcastle to Invergordon
Invergordon to Borgie
Borgie to Leadmore
Ledmore to Inverness
Inverness to Newcastle

5 nights stay and 2 days getting there and back with 3 days doing the 500 - think a further day would have been good to allow more time for stops/exploration but was a great trip anyway.

Be careful on the tight bits as some of the locals fly around and like to be in the middle of the road and some bits get very busy so lots of pulling over allowing traffic through.

Have a great time :thumbsup:
 
The day has come off to Leith this morning and hoping the weather gods are with us :D :driving: :driving:
Got to have a little tune to get us into the mood..........

[youtube]ASJy3c4ACiU[/youtube]
 
Enjoy your trip,hope the weather's good for photo's,sightseeing,etc
Aultbea Hotel good for food,accomodation.......but pricey for rural scotland!!
 
Thanks chaps :thumbsup:
Had a good drive up to Leigh in the sunshine then visited Tom Kitchin's place for a outstanding meal this evening (wife's birthday and our anniversary ) time for bed now happy but skint :o :thumbsup:
 
Hopefully you have had similar weather to what we had over the weekend.
A few showers here and there but mainly dry, especially while putting up and packing away the tents.
We camped at Ullapool and visited Smoo cave in Durness one day and Applecross the next.
Both of these places are something to see if in the areas.
Smoo cave is enormous and quite cool, at the end of the day it is just a cave though.
And Applecross for anybody that has never been or are thinking about it in the future, the views are absolutely fantastic. I dont think there is anywhere else in this country with any like it. The climb up into the hills is amazing.
But.
The road is absolutely frightening. Very small single track road thats falling to bits with even smaller passing places with sheer drops off the side. Cars have to really squeeze past each other and it is a slow journey. We were there at around 10.30 yesterday morning so probably missed weekend traffic. I really wouldnt like to be on that road when it is busy.
I have been there, seen it, drove it, and can honestly say I never want to go back and drive it again.
The campsite


Smoo cave


Half way up the pass of the cattle

And a couple of random pics

 
Got back yesterday after a great time in the highlands covered 1100 miles and ate a lot of good food :thumbsup:
Here's a few random pics starting from Leith -












 
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