NC 500 or maybe just part of it…..

[AG 2602]

Hi

Have been planning on visiting Scotland since we got our first Motorhome in 2019 but have yet to get round to it so we have decided that this is the year!

We are planning on leaving Bristol around 6th May after the bank holiday and we have up to 3 weeks to tour.

I quite fancy doing the NC 500 as then I don’t really need to plan anything apart from following the signposts . There seems to be some negativity in following this route one of them being that it’s very busy.
Don’t really want to plan too much so my question is do we need to book campsites in advance or can we just roll up? Happy to do a mix of sites off grid and pub stopovers.

Really interested to know if you have any recommendations of beaches we should visit where we could stay over night or any areas where we can walk a very active dog.

Many thanks

 

[unclestinky]

Hi

Have been planning on visiting Scotland since we got our first Motorhome in 2019 but have yet to get round to it so we have decided that this is the year!

We are planning on leaving Bristol around 6th May after the bank holiday and we have up to 3 weeks to tour.

I quite fancy doing the NC 500 as then I don’t really need to plan anything apart from following the signposts . There seems to be some negativity in following this route one of them being that it’s very busy.
Don’t really want to plan too much so my question is do we need to book campsites in advance or can we just roll up? Happy to do a mix of sites off grid and pub stopovers.

Really interested to know if you have any recommendations of beaches we should visit where we could stay over night or any areas where we can walk a very active dog.

Many thanks

Just back from 2 weeks. Stayed off grid no campsites. I prefer the west and north part of the nc500 and don’t bother with the east, also Skye and mull are lovely. All the beaches are worth a visit.

 

[AG 2602]

Just back from 2 weeks. Stayed off grid no campsites. I prefer the west and north part of the nc500 and don’t bother with the east, also Skye and mull are lovely. All the beaches are worth a visit.

Thanks for the info if you stay off grid are there plenty of places to dump waste and fill up with fresh water.

 

[Purrfecttune]

Did six weeks:
Mull (1 week, 2 campsites but could easily have done none)
Outer Hebrides (2 weeks, 2 campsites for total of 3 days, loads of off grid and a pub stop)
NC 500 (2 weeks, 1 campsite for 2 days, off grid for 12)
Orkney (1 week, all off grid)

 

[unclestinky]

Thanks for the info if you stay off grid are there plenty of places to dump waste and fill up with fresh water.

There several places to dump waste and get drinking water. There are new facilities at Gairloch inc showers reasonably priced.

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[CWH]

If you're on a lpg tank, be aware that there's none north of Evelix in the east & Ullapool in the west.

 

[GoCoeGo]

I personally only recomend 250 of it.
Basically head to Durness and go around west on the rest of it.

There really are so many places to see. But it just depends on how long you want to stay in one area, which will dictate your booking a campsite in advance if there's enough for you to do.

Re walking the dog... well there's plenty space up there. But you do get a lot of free roaming livestock. So if your dog is inclined to chasing animals, have a good look round first before an angry farmer comes for you.

 

[p1mtl]

Just back from 2 weeks on west coast, right up to northern point. Very few people around we had roads to ourselves, very surprising given it was Easter!
Most of the beaches are fantastic. You won’t find many pubs up there to drink from never mind stay at. Surprisingly few pubs up there on the west coast.
In May I would be tempted to book sites as it will be busy and a lot of the sites are relatively small.
It is a phenomenal place to visit!!

We have been several times and never get bored!

 

[AG 2602]

I personally only recomend 250 of it.
Basically head to Durness and go around west on the rest of it.

There really are so many places to see. But it just depends on how long you want to stay in one area, which will dictate your booking a campsite in advance if there's enough for you to do.

Re walking the dog... well there's plenty space up there. But you do get a lot of free roaming livestock. So if your dog is inclined to chasing animals, have a good look round first before an angry farmer comes for you.

Thanks for that yes Eddys favorite past time is chasing deer so he’ll be kept on a lead if there is any livestock around! To be honest as long as we get the miles in he’s more than happy to be on a long lead.

 

[p1mtl]

BTW most of the beaches etc are fine with dogs, we have two any they love it up there. Obvs make sure to clean up after them and all is good.

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[CWH]

Thanks for that yes Eddys favorite past time is chasing deer so he’ll be kept on a lead if there is any livestock around! To be honest as long as we get the miles in he’s more than happy to be on a long lead.

Remember that Scottish law about dog control is MUCH stricter than English law.
Look up Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 and The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021.
There WILL be livestock not just on fields (which are generally unfenced) but also on roads and beaches. Stocking is in low numbers so you may not be aware they're in the area until you come across one hidden behind a rock. There are many deaths each year due to dogs - trained to play by chasing toys, balls, sticks etc - chasing these funny big fluffy 'toys'.
Dogs are REQUIRED BY LAW to be "under close control".

 

[Johnen]

We never travel the west coast after April, cos of the midgies, from May till September we stick to the East side, as there are less of the wee beasties on that side of the country

 

[AG 2602]

We never travel the west coast after April, cos of the midgies, from May till September we stick to the East side, as there are less of the wee beasties on that side of the country

Think we will have to run the gauntlet as I can’t travel that far and not do the west coast. Our plans have moved forward slightly due to the decent weather forecast so we are off next Wednesday 3 nights in Ullswater and then up to Inverness. We will have to hope for hot weather with high winds when we travel down the west coast!!

 

[999RAR]

There are lots of very nice beaches all the way up the east coast and much quieter than the west. Most of the park ups are quieter too. However the scenery is much nicer on the west if the weather stays nice. I've had many holidays on the west coast and sometimes not seen any mountains for the whole week. But next week the weather looks great.

 

[CWH]

We will have to hope for hot weather with high winds when we travel down the west coast!!

Please don't wish high winds on us! - it only needs about 5mph for the midgies to be unable to fly.
It's a bit early for the midgies but there are sandflies and thunderbugs etc and of course ticks. Stock up with Smidge - it should help prevent ALL of those.

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[grasscutter]

Please don’t discount the east coast as some suggest.
We loved some of the small villages and harbours.
At Latheronwheel Harbour we were treated to the sight of a pod of Orcas heading north.
You have plenty of time to do the full route.
Enjoy it all.

 

[CWH]

Thanks for the info if you stay off grid are there plenty of places to dump waste and fill up with fresh water.

Please remember that where facilities are provided, they're usually funded and maintained by the local community, not by councils, and built to accommodate "us" the motorhome/ campervan touring visitors. So please use them and pay appropriately, give generously if "by donation".

 

[steve69]

There is no fixed route for the N500. Travelling East to West gives you the best views. Ullapool is lovely. We took about 2 weeks. The only bad spot for midges was Dumfries & Galloway for some reason. This was June 6 years ago.

 

[CWH]

There are lots of very nice beaches all the way up the east coast and much quieter than the west. Most of the park ups are quieter too.

Please don’t discount the east coast as some suggest.
We loved some of the small villages and harbours.

Absolutely agree. The east coast has its own sort of "spectacular", with some fascinating historical elements from 4000 year old stone rows to herring harbours to castles, and perfect local museums. Look for flagstone "hedges".

 

[Jo-jo]

We did it last September, anti-clockwise.

A few stand-out park-ups for us were Dunbeath, Kinlochbervie and Gairloch.

We parked at Smoo Cave and walked 30mins to Balnakeil beach. We were blown away by the beauty of it. We also noted that there was plenty of free motohome parking there.

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[AG 2602]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far I’ll add them to the itinerary.
Smidge should arrive today

 

[Augusta08]

We're en route to Orkneys and then on to the Hebrides, some sites booked mixed with ad hoc stop-overs.