NC500

[Catlady]

Hi we are planning on doing NC500 (anticlockwise) in September for first time. Any advice or places of interest would be appreciated.

 

[CV20Bobby]

Durness is a must .

 

[royandsharont]

The only advice I would offer, from my own experience in August 2022, is be aware of many inexperienced drivers and foreign drivers who had no knowledge of such single track roads and the etiquette to follow.

I made sure I stopped early at the passing place to ensure the biggest gap possible and often turned my mirror in too, rather than be the vehicle moving. We still got mirrors clipped by I suspect a hire van, or just an a…….. driver from the west coast of England who shouted did I expect him to go on the verge!

We even had a French Renault 5 rally coming at us hell for leather and they didn’t stop, I was glad I’d done that advanced driving course, many years ago, as I was in my brand new van and I tend to read the road much better as a result.

Be mindful the tarmac has some very rough edges with drops so a risk to your tyres.

The whole area is beautiful, we first drove it in 1979 on our honeymoon in a Riley Elf

 

[Just us on Tour]

Hi we are planning on doing NC500 (anticlockwise) in September for first time. Any advice or places of interest would be appreciated.

How big is your Motorhome . Some roads are extremely tight for anything over 8m .
Especially the wee mad road at Applecross . If your motorhome is large I would avoid that road.
We did it and we survived but it was extremely stressful. The views are some of the best in the world and it’s well worth doing BUT as others have said , take your time and look out for inexperienced or oversea drivers . Whatever a Sat Nav estimates as your journey time , double it !
Good luck and enjoy .

 

[Catlady]

Thank you for your kind response. We are 7m so hopefully OK. Yes we have heard about Applecross and will avoid it.
We intend taking our time and enjoying it. Looking at plenty of YouTube videos and will have guide book and map. Exciting time ahead.

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[Just us on Tour]

Thank you for your kind response. We are 7m so hopefully OK. Yes we have heard about Applecross and will avoid it.
We intend taking our time and enjoying it. Looking at plenty of YouTube videos and will have guide book and map. Exciting time ahead.

Yes , you will be fine in a 7m . Our van is just over 8m. We were foolish enough to do the Applecross wee mad road. We got through , but boy was it was stressful. I certainly would not go that route again. Everywhere else was fine even in our 8m. It really is a stunning trip and September will be a bit quieter . Enjoy

 

[VXman]

How big is your Motorhome . Some roads are extremely tight for anything over 8m .
Especially the wee mad road at Applecross . If your motorhome is large I would avoid that road.
We did it and we survived but it was extremely stressful. The views are some of the best in the world and it’s well worth doing BUT as others have said , take your time and look out for inexperienced or oversea drivers . Whatever a Sat Nav estimates as your journey time , double it !
Good luck and enjoy .

Roaming Radfords did Applecross in his 9 metre van recently. No problems apparently. Below copied from Facebook

Despite me showing in our last 2 videos, and a series of reels, what it’s like to drive our 9m motorhome around the NC500, there are still a lot of angry and upset people out there saying it’s illegal and motorhomes are banned over Bealach na Ba to Applecross.
Apparently our motorhome is too large and it won’t fit in the passing places, it will clog up the road for locals, and there isn’t anywhere to pull over in such a large vehicle, however this simply isn’t the case.
I have showed in the videos that it’s not really that challenging, sure there are a couple of hairpin bends, and one I had to do a 3 point turn in, but that’s about it. It’s probably one of the easiest of these ‘challenging mountain passes’ that I’ve ever driven.
I showed how easy it was to pass other motorists coming the other direction, including another motorhome, and I believe I only counted 6 vehicles coming the other way on the whole route when I did this.
Now I drove this in mid June, so during the summer, which I understand is the busiest time of the year to do it, however I’m guessing it will be a little busier during the school holidays so I can’t comment on that.
And I would recommend you being a little competent in driving your motorhome too, so if you’re not maybe give it a miss and take the alternative route instead, but if you’re a confident driver you should be fine.
I’ve been assured by locals that trucks and lorrie’s drive this route regularly.
At the end of the day do your own research and maybe try it in a smaller vehicle first, as I did, but
don’t listen to the people that say you can’t drive it, it’s illegal and motorhomes are banned from it as this simply isn’t the case.
For reference this is a photo of the sign everyone will refer too, let me know where is says motorhomes are banned or states a length limit for vehicles?

 

[Just us on Tour]

Roaming Radfords did Applecross in his 9 metre van recently. No problems apparently. Below copied from Facebook
View attachment 1086493

You are right he did . I suppose it just depends on if you are prepared to chance it . Once you have committed it takes at least an hour and 15 mins to get to the other end

 

[999RAR]

I've been having holidays in this area for over 50 years and can't think of anywhere in the world I'd rather be. However, sometimes when you go the weather can be terrible and there are no views. The midges can be bad at that time of year, so take precautions.
Just take your time after all you're on holiday.
My favourite campsites are Clachtoll and Sands near Gairloch but went to Sango sands at Durness in January and it would be very nice in better weather.
I think the Applecross Pass is overrated but not too difficult to drive over. The east coast has a lot of amazing beaches which are bigger and quieter than the popular ones on the west and some very nice villages which are often overlooked.

 

[VXman]

You are right he did . I suppose it just depends on if you are prepared to chance it . Once you have committed it takes at least an hour and 15 mins to get to the other end

When I passed that way I just took the sign at it's word and bypassed it. In hindsight I wish I'd done it. Having seen videos of it I have driven much worse roads in Europe. Have had to reverse down a few narrow mountain roads to find space to allow vehicles to pass.

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[DonA4000]

We did Applecross Pass a couple of times, we traveled up early evening spent the night up top, got up early 6am to head back down one time we met the farmer on his way up, as their up early too in the biggest tractor you can imagine with trailer luckily we met at a big passing place

 

[Catlady]

Hi all, thank you for all your advice, another question please.
How do we find places to empty cassette and refill fresh water? We are in a couple of other clubs as well as this one but not sure if there are rallies etc going on.

 

[Jo-jo]

Hi all, thank you for all your advice, another question please.
How do we find places to empty cassette and refill fresh water? We are in a couple of other clubs as well as this one but not sure if there are rallies etc going on.

There are some really community facilities that offer this service. If you look on Park4night, you'll find some. Other than that, there are plenty of campsites, some offer servicing only, for a fee.

 

[Catlady]

Thank you

 

[laurieash]

Don't wave at other motorhomes keeping your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
If you raise your hand you will travel in that direction.
What you look at you will go to.
No room on a lot of roads. Pot holes side of road and also crumbling at the edges.
If you can't see round a bend slow down and think what if. Walkers horse or just some foreigner parked up.

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[laurieash]

Don't wave at other motorhomes keeping your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
If you raise your hand you will travel in that direction.
What you look at you will go to.
No room on a lot of roads. Pot holes side of road and also crumbling at the edges.
If you can't see round a bend slow down and think what if. Walkers horse or just some foreigner parked up.

 

[laurieash]

Followed my friend last year he lost two drivers mirrors.
Both our vehicles 7m one clipped mine at speed in a hire motorhome his splattered mine just knocked out the bottom part of the mirror.
Thanks to mirror guards so glad I put them on.

 

[AG 2602]

We did it this year in May had fantastic weather and it was a great trip!
Highlights regarding stop overs
Farr Bay Inn KW14 7SZ £10 to park in car park and food in hotel was great.
Dunbeath Harbour KW6 6EF lovely park up with honesty box great walk at the top end of town
We missed out Apple Cross and drove down to Plockton instead parked up at Coral Beach car park IV52 8TU very nice village great food in pub on left as you walk into village. Also 10 min walk to a fabulous bay.

We didn’t pre book any campsites and the only place we missed out on was Durness which was fully booked (so might pay to book this one).
No issues with driving there are plenty of passing places.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

And if you get a couple of cars queuing up behind you or a truck or a Tesco delivery van pull into the nearest passing place or layby and let them pass. Don't just slow down as it just restrixts thier view and they can't pass on a narrow road anyway unless you pull over. They are usually working your not.