NC500 now being advertised for Cyclists

Otter Spotter

Otter Spotter

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You couldn’t make this up but it’s reported in the CCC magazine this month that ‘Bikepacking Scotland’ has teamed up with NC500 tourism team to “ Encourage people to explore the route on 2 wheels’

My cynical brain thinks this is a plan to drive Campervans and Motorhomes off the NC500 by ensuring they get stuck behind a Peleton of cyclists of a certain age thus causing the trip to take 5 times longer and a good chance of getting done for ‘Death by frustration/driving‘ 🙀🙀🙀😈😈😈🙀🙀🙀
 
Is the peloton legal in Scotland? Was surprised to learn that it is legal here in Spain but is no more than two abreast in Ireland and there, that's subject to modification depending on the road (going uphill) and traffic (lots of people wanting to pass).

There would be a certain class of motorist who might die should they get stuck behind my MH! I am an avid transport cyclist and even I could have gone up on the bike at the same rate as my van did when I drove up crazy inclines in the Catalunyan prelitoral to see a friend who said 'yeah, there are a couple of slight climbs up to our house'. Never again!

Isn't it all tourism at the end of the day and cyclists have great legs!
 
See lots of cyclists on Nc500, some loaded with pannier. Some are pita but not all.

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Yes I remember cyclists very very well on the pass of the cattle
 
You have to think of the other side of this though , if it was up to me id ban all bikes off roads, but, for the shops and hotels and things around that road, who is going to spend more money?
Motorhomes who carry everything with them, or bikers who will have to fill up with food and somewhere to stay on the way round, sounds like a money spinner to me.
 
It's been a "thing" for cyclists and bikers since it was launched as a tourist route in 2015 - and prior to that was part of one of the standard end-to-end routes for those who were spending a few weeks doing LEJoG rather than doing it at pace. So this isn't new.

From 2019

From 2016

Mark Beaumont's North Coast 500 | Cycling UK

This 500-mile loop around the North Highland coast is perfect cycling country. Unless, like adventurer, broadcaster and Cycling UK member Mark Beaumont, you do it in 38 hours.
www.cyclinguk.org www.cyclinguk.org

And on the biker and cycling forums they complain about motorhomers spoiling the route :)
 
Otter Spotter said:
You couldn’t make this up but it’s reported in the CCC magazine this month that ‘Bikepacking Scotland’ has teamed up with NC500 tourism team to “ Encourage people to explore the route on 2 wheels’

My cynical brain thinks this is a plan to drive Campervans and Motorhomes off the NC500 by ensuring they get stuck behind a Peleton of cyclists of a certain age thus causing the trip to take 5 times longer and a good chance of getting done for ‘Death by frustration/driving‘ 🙀🙀🙀😈😈😈🙀🙀🙀
Click to expand...
I have looked at the route on the "Bikepacking Scotland" web page and they seem to be suggesting that the original NC500 is too long for a cycle route so they are promoting a 200 miles route so I really don't see a problem and afterall the roads do not all belong just to motorhomers.

Cycling distance: 318 km (200 mi)
Ascent: 3,420 m
Terrain: A mixture of on- and off-road section, some very remote
Difficulty: The route doesn’t include unrideable hike-a-bike sections, but might require pushing your bike at more technical uphill and downhill sections. The route contains gates which, if closed, might require you to lift your bike over the gate.
 
mofurt said:
and prior to that was part of one of the standard end-to-end routes for those who were spending a few weeks doing LEJoG rather than doing it at pace. So this isn't new.:)
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Father and uncle did most parts of what is now called NC500 on their 3 speed bikes and tent pre-WW2.(y)

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Can't see any problem with it myself. And no, ducks do not ride bicycles.

I have a Kalkhoff in the garage that I have not ridden for 2 years due to spine issues. Must sell it sometime........
 
Done the NC500, or at least most of it, one way or another, on a fully loaded touring bike many years ago before it was the NC500. Several times. How good it was. Hardly a car to be seen and no motorhomes clogging up the roads. Pitch tent pretty well anywhere and use local facilities where needed. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
 
Would riding this persuade cyclists blocking traffic to get out of the way?
 

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I quite often get the motorbike out for a blast. I've found myself giving a wave to motorhomes and sometimes get a wave back.
When we are out in the Hymer, we see cyclists fully loaded going up some of the bigger climbs, and wonder what is the attraction in torturing yourself like that ?
As I've said before living on the NC500 we see and come across every type of transport you can think of, some are a pita, but most are just out for a nice time.
 
The reality is that those are narrow, country roads. They've been used for leisure by all sorts of travellers for many decades. Any group could complain that the others are spoiling it for them, but no-one has priority and you've got to accept that going on to small roads that are popular means you aren't going to make progress. Walkers, cyclists, bikers, sports car drivers, normal car tourists, campers, motorhomes (not forgetting people who actually live there!) - every one of them will be being disrupted by every other type of user.

If you want to travel fast, or on quiet roads, or hate users of other modes of transport (no matter which you're using yourself on the NC500), you're better off going somewhere else. If you are happy to sit back, travel at whatever speed is possible, enjoy the scenery, interact with people, visit the communities en-route it's great.

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My friend (in her late 60s) thinks 100 miles a day on her bike is a short ride. She and her hubby have cycled all over Europe from The North Cape to Southern Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal. She did buy an electric bike but got rid of it as she cycles too fast for the electric assist!
 
Tombola said:
I dont think all of a sudden the roads are giong to be jammed with cyclists..... plenty room for all.
be courteous and patient, no problems.
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I'd not be in any hurry to get past as crawling along for half a mile or so enables me to enjoy the scenery.
 
We did it in 1979 on our honeymoon in a Riley Elf following the coast from Dumfries to Edinburgh, going back to do part of it in August for our son’s wedding, hopefully with our new van if it arrives in time 😊
 
Tombola said:
I dont think all of a sudden the roads are giong to be jammed with cyclists..... plenty room for all.
be courteous and patient, no problems.
Click to expand...

Hopefully the cyclists will interpret that as pulling into a passing place to let following motorised traffic pass.

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