The Highland 500 April 2016 (1 Viewer)

[OldAgeTravellers]

Hi all,
After a long run up from the South of France to the Peterborough show via family and friends along the south coast we left the show ground this morning, Monday, without having to be towed and pointed the van toward Scotland. We had a good run 608 km and are now parked up wild camping by the side of Loch Lomond with a large glass of French "Red Tea", sorry Scotland we will be visiting the Speyside Whiskey festival in a couple of weeks time.
We should hit the HL500 tomorrow and will be travelling anti-clockwise, Eddie & Carol @Carol are a bit behind us and have said they will be doing it clockwise so hopefully they will add to this thread. If you have done it please post with tips for essential points of interest to visit or special places to park up.
Really looking forward to a leasurely drive round a part of Scotland we have hardly explored.
More to follow.
Steve & Judy

 

[kip]

Languedoc ! you lucky people !!.Have a great trip.

 

[DavidG58]

If you get the weather you cant fail to be impressed

IMO you are doing it the 'right' way round, get JoG out of the way then enjoy the massively better west coast

Looking forward to your updates, with photos please

Carol has started her own thread, there are quite a few of us heading along the same roads over the next couple of months, looking forward to both of your tales

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[irnbru]

If you go onto the Facebook Scottish Wildcampers forum you will get access to a free map of all the places to wildcamp you will ever need.

Yes please with updated photos as you travel. Hope you enjoy.

 

[RowleyBirkinQC]

Is there any "approved" guide to wild camping sites for motorhomes on the NC500 route?

 

[namwaldog]

This months issue of Camping & Caravan Club Magazine has a feature on the route so it will probably get more popular now.

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[OldAgeTravellers]

Hi All,
Been a bit busy enjoying Scotland to post anything on here. But if you go to our blog you can read about our Highland500 trip. Fantastic, we are really enjoying ourselves. https://theoldagetravellers.blogspot.co.uk/ you can enter your email address on the right and get updates emailed to you as we ad them. I find it much easier to write the blog off-line then go on just to publish it rather than being connected all the time. Click on any picture to get a full size version. Enjoy....
Steve

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

Is there any "approved" guide to wild camping sites for motorhomes on the NC500 route?

Hi @RowleyBirkinQC I don't think you will find "approved" wild camping spots anywhere, but in Scotland it is acceptable almost everywhere. Some places are putting up orange "No Overnight Parking" notices but it is my understanding that unless the appropriate "Bylaw" is quoted then they are not legally enforceable. However they are usually in places where we would not want to park anyway. We are currently camping by a beautiful Loch where we have been for two nights but will move on tomorrow. Some people are in tents a few hundred yards from us, yesterday there were four campers.
It is our 7th night in Scotland, each one has been in a beautiful place with no interference at all and I expect the next two weeks to be exactly the same.
Usual rules though, Don't: park where it will spoil a residents view, Near a Hotel or B&B, Leave rubbish or empty waste tank, always leave it better than you found it if possible i.e. if somebody has left rubbish then remove it or put it in a bin if there is one.
Apart from the cold Scotland is probably the best place to motorhome.
Steve

 

[irnbru]

Some places are putting up orange "No Overnight Parking" notices but it is my understanding that unless the appropriate "Bylaw" is quoted then they are not legally enforceable.

Hi, this is not exactly true. I also thought it was until recently writing to a council to get a sign checked. Turned out the sign I was referring to was covered by a Road Traffic Order, so I guess its hard to tell.

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[klaatu]

I read your blog, and note that you had problems at the JoG Tourist Information when asking about the "Highland 500" or "HL500". This may have been because the route is usually referred to as the "North Coast 500" or "NC500", so using those terms may have helped. You would think, though, that they should still have been able to guess what you were talking about anyway!

Steve

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

Hi Steve, @klaatu, they did know about it and had one of the NC500 maps pinned on the wall but had none to give out. Which is bad on somebody's part as it is the start of the anti clockwise route really. When we asked if she had suggestions of anything we should see she just said she knew nothing about it. Actually to be fair it is more of a gift shop than a tourist info. We've more or less finished it now, did it too quick, at Rogie Falls for the night tonight then up to Falls of Shin which we didn't go to on the way up. Then on to Grantown-on-Spey for the Whiskey Festival on Friday.
Need to find some good places to go to for Wednesday & Thursday.
Steve

 

[DavidG58]

Hi Steve, @klaatu, they did know about it and had one of the NC500 maps pinned on the wall but had none to give out. Which is bad on somebody's part as it is the start of the anti clockwise route really. When we asked if she had suggestions of anything we should see she just said she knew nothing about it. Actually to be fair it is more of a gift shop than a tourist info. We've more or less finished it now, did it too quick, at Rogie Falls for the night tonight then up to Falls of Shin which we didn't go to on the way up. Then on to Grantown-on-Spey for the Whiskey Festival on Friday.
Need to find some good places to go to for Wednesday & Thursday.
Steve

If you like wild and nature, get yourself to the top of the Findhorn Valley, come off A9 at Tomatin, turn right at only junction in village keep going to end, our favourite spot on mainland Scotland away from coast , several options at top of road (about 10 miles)

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[OldAgeTravellers]

If you like wild and nature, get yourself to the top of the Findhorn Valley, come off A9 at Tomatin, turn right at only junction in village keep going to end, our favourite spot on mainland Scotland away from coast , several options at top of road (about 10 miles)

Thanks David,
Sounds good will head there tomorrow. Will let you know what we think. Walking 6km in a blizzard this morning!
Steve

 

[DavidG58]

these photos are in our favourite place, about 1/2 miles from end of road at Coignafearn Lodge, there is a car park there that can be used, we have, but 'our' spot is off road by the bridge on the right as you drive back down

Hope the sun shines for you, every time we have stayed there around dusk 100's of red deer come down to the river

 

[OldAgeTravellers]

these photos are in our favourite place, about 1/2 miles from end of road at Coignafearn Lodge, there is a car park there that can be used, we have, but 'our' spot is off road by the bridge on the right as you drive back down

Hope the sun shines for you, every time we have stayed there around dusk 100's of red deer come down to the river

Hi David,
We are there now, absolutely beautiful, except that we were in a blizzard last night. The school bus just came down so we should be able to get out ok.
The Deer came down last night but were a bit wary of us I think so went a few hundred yards down the valley to drink. Is your Hymer a 614? We are just looking to buy one and would be interested in chatting if it is.
Steve

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[DavidG58]

Glad you found it, will be there again ourselves next month

if the weather is half decent and you have time for a walk before you move on, either straight up the road past the lodge, or if you are feeling fit, over the bridge and up the hill for amazing views

we have a S 800