North coast 500

[Kenny-55]

Looking to try the north cost 500
Have 10 days 22nd July I know there are itineraries on line but most for driving by car
We will be doing it in a 7.4 m motorhome
I imagine lots of funsters have done this route
So looking for sites and stopovers that can be recommended the 2 of us like walking and cycling and like outdoor things to do and see
Any help would be appreciated
Happy to do sites and stopovers be it paid or of grid
Thanks in advance

 

[Gellyneck]

Personally, wouldn't think of trying to do the NC500 in 10 days. You can't do it justice in that time.
Pick part of it and focus on that.

 

[Googlebot]

I would agree, the roads are so slow it’s a lot of driving. We did it in 10 days and had to miss loads. I would head to the West Coast above Ullapool. It’s beautiful!

 

[wiljoy]

At this time of the year everyone and there dog is up there acting as midgie food. The route has great difficulty coping with normal traffic but in summer it would probably easier to either cycle it or walk. I've friends who live in the Highlands and at the moment it's pretty full.
You'll definitely enjoy Scotland as it's our favourite destination after 40+ years of touring the world.

 

[WillH]

Wait till September or October, the weather can be good then, the crowds and midges will have gone. And take three or four weeks.

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[Lenny HB]

22nd July, start of school holidays probably the worse possible time. I would leave it until you can do it at a more sensible time of year.

 

[Figaro]

Wait till September or October, the weather can be good then, the crowds and midges will have gone. And take three or four weeks.

Good plan if the op has the time ?

 

[Gellyneck]

Wait till September or October, the weather can be good then, the crowds and midges will have gone. And take three or four weeks.

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooo!

That's when we're going for 4 weeks albeit only part of the NC500.

 

[Kenny-55]

Thanks folks looks like it will be put on hold and go at a quiet time

 

[Gellyneck]

Wait till September or October, the weather can be good then, the crowds and midges will have gone. And take three or four weeks.

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooo!

That's when we're going for 4 weeks albeit only part of the NC500.

Thanks folks looks like it will be put on hold and go at a quiet time

September and October are usually rammed solid so would avoid then!

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[skodaman]

Check the NC500 website and use the suggested route for motorhomes which avoids the applecross section, the locals are friendly, but you can expect to be politely advised of the alternative route for motorhomes if you attempt Bealach na Ba in anything larger than a transit. (I'm not a local with an axe to grind, I'm part of the problem - motorhome hire company, this is what we tell our customers based on the feedback from customers who tried it anyway). Note - polite advice may contain expletives.

Off grid camping has got a terrible reputation around the NC500. There is no right to wild camp in a vehicle, and while it is tolerated in many places - less so around the NC500. Ten days is fine for an awesome road trip, much much longer if you really want to explore.

Oh and the mosquito nets that your manufacturer may have fitted to your van - no defense against the scottish midgie. Fearsome wee buggers are smaller than the holes in the netting - smidge helps deter them, but they love a game of "find the bit of flesh with no smidge on it" and something suitable toxic to spray the van before going to sleep is essential. Midgie hats look very ridiculous, people running around in a circle madly swatting they're own face even more so. Consider a midgie hat.

 

[VandM]

Look at coming up to the Orkney Islands, so many different Islands to choose from and inter island ferries are great.

 

[Bobbydaisy]

Have been to most of it before NC500 route existed ,in caravan and Motorhomes over the years. A small part we did most recently in our then 7.5m Autotrail Apache was Dornoch to Durness ( photo from pitch below ) to Ullapool, 3 nights at each campsite,we don’t wild camp .

 

[Sleuth-Hound]

10 days you say? As others have said, do it in increments if time permits. 10 days in the south, 10 days in the middle, 10 days in the north. Then come back and do it all over again, just the other way round. You miss so much just going the one way!!!

 

[Pathfinder]

Hi, I did the NC500 on a motorbike with a group of friends a couple of years ago even that was slow going. We did the whole route in 7 days travelling from Coventry. There is a lot of stop start sections to let traffic past, definitely worth doing but pick a quieter time of year.

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[dosser]

22nd July, start of school holidays probably the worse possible time. I would leave it until you can do it at a more sensible time of year.

School holidays started up here on Friday so be pretty busy from now on

 

[Tony50]

Check the NC500 website and use the suggested route for motorhomes which avoids the applecross section, the locals are friendly, but you can expect to be politely advised of the alternative route for motorhomes if you attempt Bealach na Ba in anything larger than a transit. (I'm not a local with an axe to grind, I'm part of the problem - motorhome hire company, this is what we tell our customers based on the feedback from customers who tried it anyway). Note - polite advice may contain expletives.

Off grid camping has got a terrible reputation around the NC500. There is no right to wild camp in a vehicle, and while it is tolerated in many places - less so around the NC500. Ten days is fine for an awesome road trip, much much longer if you really want to explore.

Oh and the mosquito nets that your manufacturer may have fitted to your van - no defense against the scottish midgie. Fearsome wee buggers are smaller than the holes in the netting - smidge helps deter them, but they love a game of "find the bit of flesh with no smidge on it" and something suitable toxic to spray the van before going to sleep is essential. Midgie hats look very ridiculous, people running around in a circle madly swatting they're own face even more so. Consider a midgie hat.

Midgies my cousin says are like that Lager they get to places ----- ( but where you don't want them ) !!

 

[Bobbydaisy]

On the “road” to Durness to give an idea of how long it takes and to get used to reverse gear to let others pass , not all like this but fair amount of single track roads.

 

[Bobbydaisy]

Forgot to add , pleeez !!! use your mirrors , pull over and let locals & faster traffic to pass on single track roads

 

[Kenny-55]

Ave a bit of experience driving round Skye a few years ago plenty single track and passing places

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[poppycamper]

Ave a bit of experience driving round Skye a few years ago plenty single track and passing places

On any single track roads (not necessarily NC500) which I just adore driving on and will go out my way to find them is that I tend to spend most of my time going backwards because I always seem to meet those who won't or can't reverse..
How they passed their test escapes me.
Ps not just referring to mohos...plenty of car drivers are the same.

 

[pxh38257]

Hi Kenny as somebody has already said 10 days is not long enough as there are so many beautiful sites along the route that you will just have to drive past.
OK that said, we drove from Co Durham to Pitlochry where we wild camped overnight With several other MoHo owners, as this was our first time we felt safe and relaxed.
We Then drove to Brora and stayed on the caravan and motorhome site, lovely site close to the beach clean and very friendly helpful staff.
We then drove to John’O’Groats and wild camped in the carpark. There is a small fee on £2 a day so if stopping overnight well worth the £4.
We then did Dunnet Bay, fantastic campsite and again really nice friendly staff with spotless facilities.

We then moved on to Durness and Stayed at Sango Sands. Probably the worst experience I have had as member of the staff was extremely rude to me, allowed another MoHo to park within 1 meter of us and When we left the chemical waste drain was blocked and overflowing and the length of pipe on the drinking water supply was touching the ground within about 6 foot of the contaminated area. I raised my concerns with the management and was basicall to to go Fk yourself. AlI I can say is I’m please I already had water on board, I would recommend you wild camp close by As the staff we rude, unhelpful, unpleasant and basically could not care.
That experience ruined the whole trip for us so we returned home, and I reported the site for breach of both hygiene and safety rules.

 

[Kenny-55]

Aye some folk are just downright rude
Sounds a nice route drove the first part of your route in car from Inverness up to John o groats when we had a caravan and based in Inverness
Sounds doable

 

[WednVegas]

We are on the NC500 at the moment. No midges on the east coast as fairly windy. Staying at Brora for a couple of nights before heading up to John O Groats and Dunnet Bay. Brora is a lovely site with beautiful beach just over the golf course but lots of dead birds and jelly fish so have to watch where you are walking. Sites are busy but have managed to extend our planned one night stay here (needed to do some washing), there are also places to stop with more Aire type facilities popping up. Weather has been better than expected with some fine sunny days but mixed with very windy overcast days. It does not detract from the absolutely stunning scenery and friendliness of the locals we have encountered. Just go for it

 

[Gellyneck]

lots of dead birds and jelly fish so have to watch where you are walking.

Golf course as well!

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[WednVegas]

Golf course as well!

View attachment 634780

Ooh did not see that but did spot a live adder

 

[Bobbydaisy]

Just back from Brora CAMC site , lovely site with brilliant staff , easy walk into town along old road , did heritage trail and centre , spot of lunch in town and back via golf course and beach .

 

[Gellyneck]

Just back from Brora CAMC site , lovely site with brilliant staff , easy walk into town along old road , did heritage trail and centre , spot of lunch in town and back via golf course and beach .

Were the gannets about?

Sunset can be not bad at the site, as well.

Unfortunately, the weather ain't always glorious, though.

But when it clears up!

You need to be wary of the giants down the beach!

 

[JCE]

Just got back from 6 weeks in Scotland - we spent a lot of time out on the Islands and did not 'do' the NC500 but did use some of the route on our travels up the West Coast (from Ullapool to Durness). Midges were not much of a problem - mostly due to the fact that in 6 weeks there were precisely 7 days without rain being driven by 30-50mph winds! I am from the West of Scotland so was not expecting wall-to-wall sunshine but..... Campsites all up the West Coast (and on the islands) were rammed - we had booked at all the sites which was just as well...saw people being turned away most evenings. On the sites that are not gated, there is a fair bit of 'roll up after the office has closed, pitch in between MH on marked pitches then BO before the office opens in the morning' behaviour. Unfortunately, brought out the 'grumpy' in the this old man. However, the driving (on single track a fair bit of the time) is amazing and the scenery awesome - made up for the lousy weather. As another MHF member has highlighted, do not try to get out to Applecross...or Clashnessie if you are in anything bigger than a VW California.

 

[royandsharont]

I’ve see photos of larger vans, and even a caravan, up at Bealach na Ba Viewpoint, so it must be possible if not recommended. I thought all the PVC’s were fine on that section of the route. Anyone confirm or otherwise