NC 500

PG’s trips

PG’s trips

Joined
Aug 7, 2020
Posts
187
Likes collected
184
Funster No
74,055
MH
Carado T339
Exp
Coachbuilt
As Newbie thinking of doing some or all of the NC 500 next week in 7.m MH hopefully before it gets too mad ( people or smidges). What parts should I avoid that are particularly white knucke ie high up pricipecies? Not too worried about narrow roads just those that are very high up when you look down and you go OMG or worse. Any advice welcomed😲
 
Not much chance off avoiding large drops at side of the road, it is the North Coast road for a reason to miss out sections would take you inland on some seriously narrow roads, best get practicing at reversing down a single track road for half mile or so .
 
Watch a YouTube of Applecross to decide if it’s for you. Other than that you should be ok once you’re used to the single track roads. Think of the locals and let them past 😀
 
Andy MacD said:
Watch a YouTube of Applecross to decide if it’s for you. Other than that you should be ok once you’re used to the single track roads. Think of the locals and let them past 😀
Click to expand...
Have done the Bealach Na Ba to Applecross several times but would not do it in anything longer than 6 metres. Some of the passing places are too small for larger vans to pass And there are steep drops from some of them.
Make sure you know the correct way to use passing places and you should have no problems but don’t expect to get anywhere quickly.
 
Potty said:
Have done the Bealach Na Ba to Applecross several times but would not do it in anything longer than 6 metres.
Click to expand...
Good info 😂 treat that rd with respect

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Lots of things over 6m go over the Bealach Na Ba to Applecross
Only snag if you have a big overhang and a lot of weight in the rear you may have a bit of a grip issue on a couple of the hairpins if you don't get things right
 
Bealach had new sign up to advise no large MHs after having to sort out a few impasses. I’m just back from Torridon checking up on our house - NC 500 already mobbed - plenty of sports cars tearing down the single track Glen road today but no midges.
 
I didn't find the Applecross day that hard. It's steep and has tight bends, so it's harder on the vehicle, but you can generally see fairly well ahead and plan to be in the right gear or to stop and wait at a passing point.

The tougher stretch for me was the leg between Unapool and Ullapool that takes you out beyond Drumbeg. It's marked as optional with an easy bypass for bigger vehicles. I did the loops, but I'm not sure I'd want to do in anything more than a campervan. For a lot of it, you can't see the next passing spot because it's wooded, up and down and winding. Most of it is 2nd gear. Often you meet another vehicle between passing spots and have to negotiate who reverses back. There were a handful of larger motorhomes doing it, but when I met them it generally meant I was doing the reversing uphill into a muddy passing point that's collapsing into a ditch because they had massive queues behind them. It was a good challenge for me. I'd hate to see what happens if to large motorhomes meet.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
It's already crazy busy. We went over to Inverewe Gardens in the car today from Alness (so Cromarty to Gairloch) and we passed over 20 MH's. This is busy, normally in summer we'd see maybe 5 or 6.
Over there, almost every stopping place had a camper or MH in there. Bit worried ourselves as we go over to the west and wildcamp, but wondering where we could stay. Poolewe campsite looked very busy too. We have never seen so many either on the road or stopped.
 
Last edited:
Garfields said:
Lots of things over 6m go over the Bealach Na Ba to Applecross
Only snag if you have a big overhang and a lot of weight in the rear you may have a bit of a grip issue on a couple of the hairpins if you don't get things right
Click to expand...
Maybe they do but having had a hair-raising encounter with a not very large Hymer, in a small, narrow passing place that had steep drops on both sides of the road, I would not do it in anything longer than 6m.
 
Grianan said:
Bealach had new sign up to advise no large MHs after having to sort out a few impasses. I’m just back from Torridon checking up on our house - NC 500 already mobbed - plenty of sports cars tearing down the single track Glen road today but no midges.
Click to expand...
Does it just say large vehicles? Why can’t they just put a maximum length?
 
Potty said:
Does it just say large vehicles? Why can’t they just put a maximum length?
Click to expand...

Because it isn’t as simple as that. Wheel base, overhang length and ground clearance are also factors.

Ian
 
Garfields said:
Lots of things over 6m go over the Bealach Na Ba to Applecross
Only snag if you have a big overhang and a lot of weight in the rear you may have a bit of a grip issue on a couple of the hairpins if you don't get things right
Click to expand...
We all know that the refuse wagons do these roads weekly rigid body, big wheels, and no risk of the rear end grounding which is a big difference to a motor home with rear garage loaded with big overhang.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
F3D4C9F8-A423-427C-86BB-102325AD40AE.jpeg
 
Potty said:
Does it just say large vehicles? Why can’t they just put a maximum length?
Click to expand...
Remember that when the NC500 was first promoted it was deemed by the promoters not to be suitable for anything larger than a T6.
 
Lovely period photo would have loved to drive it back in the day, and again big wheels probably twin rear wheels and rear wheel drive
 
As newbies we hired a MH to do the NC500 2 years ago over 2 weeks.

We avoided Applecross route as looked very stressful.

My other suggestion would be decide if you really want to tick the box and do the whole route. In my opinion West Coast is so much better and north/east didn't float our boat so next time I would miss those bits out and focus on the west.

If you decide to do whole route we found 2 weeks including travel there and back from Hampshire a bit of an endurance test so I would take longer next time.

Hope this helps

Rob

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Now that the nc 500 is so popular , I explore off ‘ piste ‘
 
petrolhead195 said:
If you decide to do whole route we found 2 weeks including travel there and back from Hampshire a bit of an endurance test so I would take longer next time.

Hope this helps

Rob
Click to expand...
I don't think you are or others doing that are an issue
Big issue is that people that want to blast around in a couple of days
Mainly performance cars and bikes but also vans there seem's to be a lot of folk that just want to tick it off
Personally I don't stop anywhere for just a night and normally at least three
 
There you have it , they also have a screaming zip wire there as well , near Durness
 
2GB Racing said:
Lovely period photo would have loved to drive it back in the day, and again big wheels probably twin rear wheels and rear wheel drive
Click to expand...
Yeh, and probably a crash gearbox and no power steering 😳

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Andy MacD said:
Watch a YouTube of Applecross to decide if it’s for you. Other than that you should be ok once you’re used to the single track roads. Think of the locals and let them past 😀
Click to expand...
Reminds me of the smell of burning clutches and over warm brakes :eek:
 
Potty said:
Have done the Bealach Na Ba to Applecross several times but would not do it in anything longer than 6 metres. Some of the passing places are too small for larger vans to pass And there are steep drops from some of them.
Make sure you know the correct way to use passing places and you should have no problems but don’t expect to get anywhere quickly.
Click to expand...
Been up it in a slightly bigger van and biggest problem was the amount if old guys cycling up it in their best Tour De France gear who once they’ve started won’t stop, can be awkward trying to get past them and any momentum going up when it’s busy,
 
IanFraser said:
Been up it in a slightly bigger van and biggest problem was the amount if old guys cycling up it in their best Tour De France gear who once they’ve started won’t stop, can be awkward trying to get past them and any momentum going up when it’s busy,
Click to expand...
Correct I also experienced cyclists , not easy , what is the procedure ?
 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top