Tips for Motorhome Trip on NC500

[Toby2018]

I am doing NC500 in July, any tips please and recommended campsites for a motor home

 

[Carol]

Good morning Enjoy your trip, are you buying a Motorhome or Hiring.
Take care how many posts you answer as you only have 5 Free Posts then you will need to join £20 a year I think, you will still be able to read but not post, If you are buying a Motorhome then membership to the club is the best investment you will make.
Good luck.

 

[Ray-Vic]

Not the best time for midges, unfortunately, so be prepared in the mornings and evenings to have a few unwelcome visitors.

 

[Figaro]

 

[dazandandrea]

Not the best time for midges, unfortunately, so be prepared in the mornings and evenings to have a few unwelcome visitors.

A few?

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[Phill D]

Hi welcome

If you are not aware already make sure you know the rules and etiquette for single lane narrow roads with dedicated passing places.
Some of the roads are very narrow and restrictive.
Also if it’s an unfamiliar motorhome make sure your reversing camera and skills are good.

 

[Ray-Vic]

A few?

I know, I'm trying to gently ease him in to the idea that July is probably not the best time

 

[VXman]

We spent 3 weeks on the NC500 and a few other bits. Didn't use one campsite (actually we did pop into one to dump the toilet) it's a great place for 'off grid' parking. Quite a few car parks allow overnight parking for motorhomes for £10 and there other plenty of other very pretty spots for free.

 

[Stag man]

Few thoughts -
There is an ’advisory’ one-way system, anti-clockwise I think
As above, gen-up on single track road etiquette
Allow loads of time, it might look a short distance on a map,,
Be flexible and allow for unscheduled stops
Respect the locals, it must feel like an invasion to them
Enjoy

 

[Otter Spotter]

Before you decide to do it have a watch if this guys videos and maybe buy his guides

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[robnchris]

Our thoughts, there are plenty of other routes in Scotland far better than the NC500 and without the hassle the 500 brings, do your homework you will enjoy it so much more, a simple route driving up the east coast along the top and down the west coast with the occasional excursion inland is a far better option.
Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[Grianan]

Yes there are some great campsites that get booked up early. Is July fixed? My preference would be May, June, September before July. It depends on weather when hatchings are (August was horrific this year and July tolerable) but usually July/August are horrific for midges.

 

[IRHP]

Probably better to sit down for a few hours and watch YouTube videos, there's loads of them.

 

[Nanniemate]

Hi welcome

If you are not aware already make sure you know the rules and etiquette for single lane narrow roads with dedicated passing places.
Some of the roads are very narrow and restrictive.
Also if it’s an unfamiliar motorhome make sure your reversing camera and skills are good.

Reversing camera ...what's one of them

 

[Jo May]

I wonder if that megalomaniac Gates has considered making burgers out of midges? There seems to be a plentiful supply!
The Muck Midge Burger - has a certain ring to it.

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[SUGGY]

We did anticlockwise took 4 weeks to complete at the beginningof September. Weather was kind no midge bites ..get off early try to park up by 2 / 3 to get a space. Only problems we had was the local impatient speeding white van man ...plenty of places for water and cassette dump .

 

[Petroleumblownapart]

Reversing camera ...what's one of them

Common sense

 

[Tombola]

Our thoughts, there are plenty of other routes in Scotland far better than the NC500 and without the hassle the 500 brings, do your homework you will enjoy it so much more, a simple route driving up the east coast along the top and down the west coast with the occasional excursion inland is a far better option.
Good luck whatever you decide.

YEs and plenty other routes in the lakes, and other areas round GB too.

Ill never be doing Scotland again, NC500 over hyped and overused now to the point where the "name calling" and too many tarring all us "Sassenachs" with the same brush everywhere you turn on social media is tireseome, let alone the midgies.

Being on Merseyside Much easier for us to drive to otye beautiful places in England / wales or over to Hull, or Dover and jump onto the continent, far more friendly and accepting.

But I understand the want to go (as its hyped) and worth a look, so dont want to put you off, but keep your options open, after all thats what all this MH lark is about. good luck

 

[davidbaldam]

Hi and welcome to FUN.

 

[Ber090]

Totally agree with Tombola. Spent 40 years visiting West Coast. Apart from a few money grabbing locals, the residents have their lives ruined. July absolutely worst time. All Scottish schools on hols. Busiest hire van month(Why don’t they spend time with hirers who don’t have a clue?) Lack of infrastructure not likely to change.

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[Nanniemate]

Common sense

Agree stop before you hear the bang

 

[pxh38257]

1st Tip. Take your time, don’t rush it or you will miss something. It took us 3 separate trips and about 6 weeks to do it and we still love going back.
2 Have a mixture of wild camping and sites so you can get rid of your rubbish correctly.
3 Don’t follow another motorhome closely on the single track roads in case an emergency vehical needs to get past.
4. Don’t try and drive to far in one day because there’s lots to see.

depending on where you are travelling from on the route North wild camp at Pitlochry car park or there’s an Aire at Kingussie.
On the NC500 we have stopped at Brora, John O Groats, Thurso, Dunnet Bay and Dunnet Head, Sango Sands (nice site but warden can be very rude) Clachtoll Beach, Applecross, and many many more.
Enjoy.

 

[Alanben]

Don't get into a convoy situation with several other vehicles ahead or behind you. If you meet a convoy coming the other way, the passing places are not big enough to accommodate all the vehicles, causing a big jam up. Remember that you are on holiday and that car or white van maybe locals trying to get to work.
Always pull over and let impatient drivers pass, its less stressful that way. Just chill out and enjoy the views which are fabulous.

 

[CWH]

You've asked for 'tips' so here's a few. I'm NOT trying to put you off, just to help you prepare. The main tip of course is to take it as slowly as you can, relax, absorb the place, be prepared to only do a part of it and come back again and again...

LPG
If you're on a tank, be miserly with your use of lpg and top up whenever the opportunity arises, fill places are few and far between. Certainly start with a full tank - Tore service station and Evelix service stations usually have a supply but always phone ahead to check.
INSECTS
Folks go on about midgies (use Smidge), but ticks can be worse - you won't know you've picked one up until you have a good look in all your nooks and crannies (read up on how to remove them and get a Tick Card), and try to avoid cleggs which HURT (you'll need to cover up). You may not encounter ANY of these!
ROADS
Single track roads have passing places approx every half mile or within the distance you can see (obviously it can't always be achieved due to terrain). Leave at least one passing place between you and any vehicle in front. Be aware of traffic behind you - passing places are also there so that you can allow other vehicles to pass you from behind. Look well ahead and if you see a vehicle approaching, signal 'left' and either pull into a passing place if it's on your left, or stop (on the left) opposite a passing place if it's on your right. Don't try to be helpful by cutting across to the right - this is a recipe for grid-lock. If you (or an opposing vehicle) haven't stopped in time, you must be able to reverse for potentially long distances and round bends, often with no defined edge to your road. NEVER be tempted to use the verge to pass - there's a reason that roads are single track and it's usually because there's a ditch or a bog at the side. Recovery can be expensive! But single-track roads are easy really.
Two-way roads can be more of a challenge than single-track as they're often narrow and very wiggly yet carry wide vehicles. Be prepared to give way to timber lorries, tourist coaches, RVs, etc. AFAIK the only wing-mirror replacement place is Inverness.
Many tourists are from places where driving is on the right hand side of the road. This leads to lots of occasions of people ending up on the wrong side for the UK and a good few accidents each year.

Plus all the usual of course about not parking on verges; taking all rubbish away; not lighting fires; etc.

 

[Clive Beeza]

A few?

Obviously did nit finish the sentence
meant to say "a few hundred" (at least)

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[Clive Beeza]

Few thoughts -
There is an ’advisory’ one-way system, anti-clockwise I think
As above, gen-up on single track road etiquette
Allow loads of time, it might look a short distance on a map,,
Be flexible and allow for unscheduled stops
Respect the locals, it must feel like an invasion to them
Enjoy

NO the adviced rotation is CLOCKWISE
and travelling anti clockwise infuriates the locals

 

[Clive Beeza]

We did anticlockwise took 4 weeks to complete at the beginningof September. Weather was kind no midge bites ..get off early try to park up by 2 / 3 to get a space. Only problems we had was the local impatient speeding white van man ...plenty of places for water and cassette dump .

probably the "impatient white van man"
was agitated because you were travelling in the opposite direction
to the Clockwise direction recommended for Motorhomes

 

[CWH]

There is an ’advisory’ one-way system, anti-clockwise I think

eh?

travelling anti clockwise infuriates the locals

and again ..... eh?

 

[Suenliam]

Although you appear to be starting in North Yorkshire, The NC500 is an awfully long way - particularly as you might be new to motorhomes. There are lots of equally if not better routes to do before you have to travel that far. As you are going in July - do you have kids? If so consider whether they or you want a driving holiday looking at scenery (lovely though it is) or one to explore on bikes or foot without the constant "are we there yet". Remember it's 500 miles long and you have to get there!
Scotland is lovely - don't spoil it by wizzing from one stop to the other without being able to appreciate either.
Don't underestimate the midges
Sue
edit: or the ticks!

 

[CWH]

'White van man' might be agitated/ seem impatient because of all the tourists - moho or otherwise - who travel slowly on the bends (where he can't pass) then speed up on the straights (SO THAT he can't pass). S/he's likely to be self-employed and paid per job.