North Coast 500 (with whisky detour!) (1 Viewer)

[Peter & Elaine]

@Peter & Elaine
It's called a holiday

Yup my kind of holiday

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

View attachment 124546 View attachment 124542 Arrived at our campsite Fortrose campsite on the Black IsleView attachment 124540parked up right at the end of the site . Lovely views .View attachment 124541Having tea in the Pug , not the pub tonight . View attachment 124545Pasta with king prawns for me , chicken and bacon for Ralph . View attachment 124548We are now sat in the evening sun dolphin watching , well looking out for Dolphins ! Fingers crossed . We're well prepared , warm clothes ,wine,beer,chairs...... View attachment 124550 View attachment 124551If we manage to catch some on film we shall post . Have a good evening everyone , whatever your up to xx

I was once there and was unlucky and never seen the dolphins but I did see them looking over the wall of Fort George straight across the water from where you are. They were spectacular. Hope you see them

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Not seen any as yet . Suns gone down now as its 7.30. But it's been nice . Chatted to lots of tourists from here and abroad .
@Peter & Elaine you know us too well ! Ralph's on the hobgoblin I'm on the Shiraz medicinal purposes , honest . Just to keep the chill off !

I recon we will have the silver screen on tonight it's dropped colder . We've been lucky with the weather since Tuesday . No midges so far either .

Moving on to Durness tomorrow . We shall keep you posted.
Just seen this flying out to the rigs. A few seals but no Dolphins

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[Peter & Elaine]

If you go over to end of Black Isle to cromarty point you can wild camp next to bus turn area then get little ferry over to nig bay
Dropped pin
near Cromarty
https://goo.gl/maps/9pKef891PRy

 

[big bertha]

Enjoying your photos especially ones of Buster, say hello to my McKenzie ancestors on the Black Isle.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Will bookmark for a future trip , for sure Peter . But we've only got 21/22 days to do the NC500 and already got lots planned to see and do . I'm sure we shall be back around these places we are visiting many more times . As you both know you can't fit everything in , as much as you try to .

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

Enjoying your photos especially ones of Buster, say hello to my McKenzie ancestors on the Black Isle.

nooo , I'm whacked , let me sleeep !

 

[lorger]

You guys look like your having a ball, keep posting and keep enjoying this beautiful country.

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Not wo

Will bookmark for a future trip , for sure Peter . But we've only got 21/22 days to do the NC500 and already got lots planned to see and do . I'm sure we shall be back around these places we are visiting many more times . As you both know you can't fit everything in , as much as you try to .

Not to worry it's nice there we went round where you are now and could not get in so we went round to point on recommendation from a local pleased we did Though we ended up staying 2 days and I thought view was better nice couple of pubs up in town food was good beer crap
Best day of our trip was on isle running round on trike scenery was great
Enjoy your pub crawl

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[big bertha]

Another border enjoying campervan last week.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

No pub crawl tonight Peter. Food in pug , drinks on pebbles looking out for dolphins and seals. Only saw seals though , but we had a lovely evening . The moon looked full and golden . I don't think it photographed well though .

You had to be there to see how big it looked.

We're back in pug now. 8.45 chilling and watching tv.
Dunbeath tomorrow . Nighty night x

 

[DavidG58]

Did you walk from the camp site to the lighthouse for dolphin watching?

or where is the camp site relative to Chanonry point?

Looks like you could see dolphins from your van on site , (if they are there of course) we drove down to the point last month and met the chaos that was created by the new parking bays, be warned anybody bigger than a small PVC , unless it is very quiet you will not get parked

long drive tomorrow, but on to one of my favourite spots, then it just keeps getting better (but you already know that ), actually from around Tongue the scenery restarts IMO

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[pappajohn]

a pint of Theakstons old perculier was £4 a pint !

Tourist trap Bev.
Wait til you get up the top of Scotland...that price could be cheap.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Hi David it's a mile walk up the side of the golf course ( Rosemarkie golf course , founded 1888 look out for low flying golf balls if you walk on the road , not the beach ) the pebbled beach to the light house.
But the Morray Firth is right outside Pug So you could see them on your doorstep ! ( there's around 100+ Dolphins in the Morray Firth )
The new satellite is working a treat btw , away from the forest at the last campsite. Just push a button and it does it all for you .

The campsite is an ideal base , lovely spot too. We shall be back .
Plus they knock off £3 if you don't have electric !

I forgot to say we went to the official starting point of the NC500 today , Inverness castle!!!

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Oops it's not Durness tomorrow ,

@DavidG58
I think the hobgoblin must have got to Ralph's head ....whilst looking through his banoculars , (looking for Dolphins) when telling me where we were going.

Durness is 4 more days away on our NC500 trip! we are doing it nice and steady .

It's Dunbeath tomorrow a bit nearer ! Begins with a D anyway !
We are hopefully going to see a naked lady

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[runrig]

Hi Bev n Ralph
We have just finished our tour of the highlands but just 14 days, now camped at callender on our way home, last stop Gretna green tomorrow night then home Sunday have a good trip. WTch out for the tour of Britain cyclists, they caused a few hold ups going north today,. Xx

 

[Baileysbus]

Drat ....... you've got to rosemarkie quicker than I could keep up with!
Just down the road in fortrose is a pub called the Anderson
It's run by an American guy, specialises in Belgian beers, bottled and draft and has a great selection of malts ....... Might still be open if you hurry. It's excellent!

 

[Baileysbus]

Loving your photos by the way. Used to live in inverness and just love the surrounding area

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[lorger]

Hi Bev n Ralph
We have just finished our tour of the highlands but just 14 days, now camped at callender on our way home, last stop Gretna green tomorrow night then home Sunday have a good trip. WTch out for the tour of Britain cyclists, they caused a few hold ups going north today,. Xx

Hi Sheila,
Dont know if your planning on going to Gretna for a reason but in my humble opinion there's not much there apart from shopping and weddings. If i was you I'd stop at Moffat or come off there and head to Dumfries although its a detour it actually only adds a few miles overall. Moffat is a far nicer town with nice pubs and eating places. Dumfries is larger and nice for a night with some great free spots. If you change your mind and would like any help just ask i can recommend some lovely stopovers near Dumfries.

 

[Techno]

Great thread many thanks for doing this. If we took on a dog it would have to be a Buster clone, some lovely shots of him
We'd love to follow your trail about this time next year

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Hi Bev n Ralph
We have just finished our tour of the highlands but just 14 days, now camped at callender on our way home, last stop Gretna green tomorrow night then home Sunday have a good trip. WTch out for the tour of Britain cyclists, they caused a few hold ups going north today,. Xx

Yes if you can get on at the Ccc club at Moffat , do so. We've been going for the last 3 New Years eves for a week or so. Plus a trip or two throughout the year .

Lots of nice pubs ,eating places and things in the surrounding area to see.

We agree with @lorger about Gretna. Ok to stop off for a coffee or to get married !

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

Great thread many thanks for doing this. If we took on a dog it would have to be a Buster clone, some lovely shots of him
We'd love to follow your trail about this time next year

Thought you'd already been , and left your skis in the pub ( up in the beams of the old Bridge Inn!) last night Andy !

We thought of you when we saw them . You'd love it .
You can have Buster for a tenner ..........



Joking !

 

[Techno]

We did part of it going clockwise but had considerably less days. Durness is lovely and Dunnet bay

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Well we decided to do a slight detour to Cromarty the best preserved 18 century town in the highlands .
(Thanks to @Peter & Elaine .)
We came across a lovely thatched cottage belonging to Hugh Miller (10 October 1802 – 23/24 December 1856) was a self-taught Scottish geologist and writer, folklorist and an evangelical Christian .

Glad we did , not just because it was a lovely old fishing village , which wasn't on our trip !
But also cos we found a lovely little bakery with fresh baked scotch pies ( which were the best we've had ) and a spinach and cheese quiche .

Tug boats were towing the huge test drilling rigs beyond the Harbour .

Lots of Americans about with a guide explaining the age and history of the village .

After a nice walk about the village , in the Scottish sunshine we headed back to pug . For a quick snack mmmmm.

Before heading back on our planned route to Balintore. To see the naked lady .......

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[runrig]

Sorry Gerry couldn't reply earlier re Gretna we are calling cos our friends in other motorhome it's their 44th wedding anniversary so having a meal in the Gretna inn.

Bev, called at Moffat 2 weeks ago didn't want to call on way home again.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Here's one of the huge exploratory rigs
( we were told by a local )
being dragged by a tiny tug . There were several in situ . Just outside the Harbour .
We set off and drove through some countryside which reminded us more of Yorkshire than Scotland really . Managed to get Pug filthy all down one side , as we went into a ditch to avoid a large bailing machine on a tractor. No doubt Ralph will be calling into a garage to use the jet wash asap now ! Then over the Cromarty Firth on a fly over bridge .

Heading for

to see the

Back on the road now , heading to Dunbeath We found a big lidl ( In a place called Tain ) so whilst Ralph's buying some provisions ,and we've got 3G........It's 22 degrees at the moment . No midges as yet .

 

[Baileysbus]

Cromarty is a great wee village. Glad you found the bakery. It's got a great reputution.
Great wee restaurant called the Oystercatcher in Portmohomack but only open at 6pm so you'll be way past by then ........ future reference though ......

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[seesaw]

I had the pleasure of meeting Ralph and Bev yesterday. What a great couple and what a fantastic van you have. All the extra little touches you have put into the van are what makes it so special. I would like to think that I could do a van like yours to the same standard when the time comes.
Have a great tour on the NC500 and hope the weather is kind to you.
All the best
Sid

 

[CWH]

Tain's a lovely village. Fascinating old church. They were just putting in the foundations for the Lidl when we visited.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Ralph had seen that Golspie had an award winning chippy , and as we love fish n chips , he'd checked this place out on trip advisor.

Looks good

so off we go to find a nice spot on the beach front to eat them

Anyway they may have won awards......
But we wouldn't recommend going out of your way to try them .
( very very greasy and we think twice cooked chips , that were hollow like freezer chips , the batter was very chewy on the haggis )
The seagulls loved them though . And the home made tartar sauce was very nice hahaha.
On to see Dunrobin Castle now . Before finding our little campsite for the night .

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