NC500

[Paul n Jo]

Good morning all,
Looking at doing the NC500 next year around late April through to early May(approx 2 weeks) and looking for any advice such as…
Do we drive clockwise or anti-clockwise
Obviously there is wild camping but do people book into B&B occasionally on their trip to help satisfy their partners needs and make them happy?
Do you wild camp or is their designated camp sites around the NC500
What places to definitely visit on our trip
Do we stay in one place for more than a day so we can explore that certain area and is there any special hidden places to see whilst exploring a certain area

many thanks in advance

 

[Chris]

Good morning all,
Looking at doing the NC500 next year around late April through to early May(approx 2 weeks) and looking for any advice such as…
Do we drive clockwise or anti-clockwise
Obviously there is wild camping but do people book into B&B occasionally on their trip to help satisfy their partners needs and make them happy?
Do you wild camp or is their designated camp sites around the NC500
What places to definitely visit on our trip
Do we stay in one place for more than a day so we can explore that certain area and is there any special hidden places to see whilst exploring a certain area

many thanks in advance

We did a large part of NC500 in September. There is a mountain of info on the internet and numerous books. My advice is to do loads of research, pick out any bits you really want to do/see and have a loose plan for the rest. We went anticlockwise, booking campsites each day for the next day, so we always knew at bed time where we would be staying at the end of the next day. The East Coast was a fantastic revelation as everyone seems to talk about the West Coast. Black Isle is beautiful. Cairn Liath and Whaligoe Steps are worth a stop. Wick has a great local butcher. Duncansby Head is magnificent. At Smoo Cave there are great views if you walk up the other side onto the cliff top. Corrieshalloch Gorge is well worth a visit. We spent a fantastic day driving round the Applecross Peninsula. We used weather apps to avoid rain as much as possible. The radar forecast in Live Weather gives a good 1-3 day view, Accuweather is good for on the day.

 

[Paul n Jo]

We did a large part of NC500 in September. There is a mountain of info on the internet and numerous books. My advice is to do loads of research, pick out any bits you really want to do/see and have a loose plan for the rest. We went anticlockwise, booking campsites each day for the next day, so we always knew at bed time where we would be staying at the end of the next day. The East Coast was a fantastic revelation as everyone seems to talk about the West Coast. Black Isle is beautiful. Cairn Liath and Whaligoe Steps are worth a stop. Wick has a great local butcher. Duncansby Head is magnificent. At Smoo Cave there are great views if you walk up the other side onto the cliff top. Corrieshalloch Gorge is well worth a visit. We spent a fantastic day driving round the Applecross Peninsula. We used weather apps to avoid rain as much as possible. The radar forecast in Live Weather gives a good 1-3 day view, Accuweather is good for on the day.

Many thanks for ALL that info
I have done plenty of research and doing more and this helps us from what you have said so many thanks
Paul n Jo

 

[Tania]

Good morning all,
Looking at doing the NC500 next year around late April through to early May(approx 2 weeks) and looking for any advice such as…
Do we drive clockwise or anti-clockwise
Obviously there is wild camping but do people book into B&B occasionally on their trip to help satisfy their partners needs and make them happy?
Do you wild camp or is their designated camp sites around the NC500
What places to definitely visit on our trip
Do we stay in one place for more than a day so we can explore that certain area and is there any special hidden places to see whilst exploring a certain area

many thanks in advance

We did this trip clockwise and ended in Brora on a caravan and motorhome site, but the best site for us by far was the one in Ullapool, we were booked into a C&M site but cancelled it and went with the massive one on the edge of the lock, it was cheap and you had lock views and great facilities.

We booked into a hotel in Inverness and also on the way home in Derbyshire, wed kind of had enough by the second week of the van in the rain

Have a fab time.

 

[Andofire]

We did this trip clockwise and ended in Brora on a caravan and motorhome site, but the best site for us by far was the one in Ullapool, we were booked into a C&M site but cancelled it and went with the massive one on the edge of the lock, it was cheap and you had lock views and great facilities.

We booked into a hotel in Inverness and also on the way home in Derbyshire, wed kind of had enough by the second week of the van in the rain

Have a fab time.

annnnd now the stupid question... we are starting to look and plan for later this summer.
Did you put up an awning each time? or not bother ... trying to work out what to take and not.. etc..

 

[Paul n Jo]

We did a large part of NC500 in September. There is a mountain of info on the internet and numerous books. My advice is to do loads of research, pick out any bits you really want to do/see and have a loose plan for the rest. We went anticlockwise, booking campsites each day for the next day, so we always knew at bed time where we would be staying at the end of the next day. The East Coast was a fantastic revelation as everyone seems to talk about the West Coast. Black Isle is beautiful. Cairn Liath and Whaligoe Steps are worth a stop. Wick has a great local butcher. Duncansby Head is magnificent. At Smoo Cave there are great views if you walk up the other side onto the cliff top. Corrieshalloch Gorge is well worth a visit. We spent a fantastic day driving round the Applecross Peninsula. We used weather apps to avoid rain as much as possible. The radar forecast in Live Weather gives a good 1-3 day view, Accuweather is good for on the day.

Hi Chris,
Thank you for all that information and I think every place you have mentioned we have short listed to see. We are doing Applecross and from there we travel across to Skye and Harris.
just hope the weather is nice and kind to us

 

[Paul n Jo]

We did this trip clockwise and ended in Brora on a caravan and motorhome site, but the best site for us by far was the one in Ullapool, we were booked into a C&M site but cancelled it and went with the massive one on the edge of the lock, it was cheap and you had lock views and great facilities.

We booked into a hotel in Inverness and also on the way home in Derbyshire, wed kind of had enough by the second week of the van in the rain

Have a fab time.

Thanks for the info and staying in Ullapool also
We are doing the same regarding hotels at the start and end of our journey.
So sorry to hear about the weather on your trip, let’s hope we fair better