NC500 questions

Apologies for delay.

Here is A route not THE route, if anyone wishes to make any suggestions please do so.

Firstly, I've based this on coming up M6 and ending at Inverness, therefore doing NC500 east to west.

Secondly, that nice scenery and twisty roads are more important that motorways. There are also places to fuel bike and rider en route !

So here goes,

M6 Carlisle > A7 (edinburgh) via Hawick/Selkirk/Galasheils.

A7 (Dalkeith) > A720 (Edinburgh city bypass) to Forth Road Bridge

Forth Road Bridge onto M9 then exit M9 J4 follow signs to Knockhill Race Track A823.

Stay on A823 Gleneagles. Through Gleneagles then right at A822 Crieff.

Through Crieff, then onto A822 (Aberfeldy). On A822 follow signs for Dunkeld.

Dunkeld A923 to Blairgowrie.

Follow signs for Braemar A93 (also Glen Shee).

Through Braemar, then after distance left onto A939 Cock Bridge (Granton on Spey)

Granton on Spey (A939) to Nairn.

Left at Nairn on A96 to Inverness.

Hope this helps.



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If I may...

at Dunkeld, better to go a few miles up the A9 to Pitlochry and then across Moulin Moor to Kirkmicheal via the A924 and thence onto the A93. Much nicer. If you take a look at a map you can take a short cut before Pitlochry past Edradour distillery onto the A924

After Braemar turn left on the B976 at Crathie....if you get to the Balmoral car park you've past it by a couple of hundred yards...up to Gairnshiel and then over to Cock bridge....good coffee stop on this road, also the Old Fire Station in Tomintoul is a good spot.

After Grantown fiddle your way through the lanes past Cawdor and Culloden into inverness....take a look at a map you'll see a way!
 
Paper map on the way so I can highlight your suggestions before entering in to basecamp. Nothing like local knowledge.

So easy to ride and be within a mile of a 'must see' place/route but you gotta know about it first.
 
There's several distilleries around Grantown on spey, which are worth a look around, for your pillion to sample their wares.

Fort George is worth a look and if you've the time, Dolphin watch at Fortrose.



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There's several distilleries around Grantown on spey, which are worth a look around, for your pillion to sample their wares.

Fort George is worth a look and if you've the time, Dolphin watch at Fortrose.

Cheers Tag, love dolphins so will hopefully find time. All I then want to see is a golden eagle so will keep my eyes peeled
 
They say Chanonry Point is the best place in Europe to see dolphins, though I must say despite several visits, I've only had a fleeting glimpse!
 
Might be worth a gentle reminder to any coming up here for a riding/driving holiday, that Scotland uses much lower drink drive limits than England.
Watch yourself. Especially the morning after. :thumb2
 
..... and don't all be moaning about VW Campers on the NC500 :eek:

I'm up there for four for five weeks later in the year ... I'll be carrying tubeless puncture repair kits, 12v compressor and plenty of tools. If I see a motorcyclist at the side of the road I make sure he/she's OK. If I'm in a lay by making a cuppa and some bikers pull in then I'll make one for them too :thumb

So if you see me give me a friendly wave, not a shaking fist :D

i-JG2C6bV-L.jpg


:beerjug:

As an aside, with the increase in tourism up there, you'll be surprised at the number of tourists that have no idea whatsoever about using the mainly single carriageway roads with passing places. You're only a motorcycle and they won't pull over, or dive in to a handy passing place ... you'll have to do their thinking for them.

Enjoy :beerjug:
 
As an aside, with the increase in tourism up there, you'll be surprised at the number of tourists that have no idea whatsoever about using the mainly single carriageway roads with passing places. You're only a motorcycle and they won't pull over, or dive in to a handy passing place ... you'll have to do their thinking for them.

Enjoy :beerjug:

I had that issue in April 2011 heading up the coast to Tongue when a camper van didn't let us pass for about 10 miles :blast
 
+1 on Gerard's suggestions at post #43. The route from Pitlochry to Kirkmichael is lovely.

From Grantown on Spey, take the A95 southwest for a short distance then turn right onto the A938 at Dulnain Bridge. A couple of minutes down the road turn right onto the B9007 to Ferness; this is a really cracking road over the moor and well worth the slight detour from Grantown. From Ferness then on to Nairn and beyond!
 
..... and don't all be moaning about VW Campers on the NC500 :eek:

I'm up there for four for five weeks later in the year ... I'll be carrying tubeless puncture repair kits, 12v compressor and plenty of tools. If I see a motorcyclist at the side of the road I make sure he/she's OK. If I'm in a lay by making a cuppa and some bikers pull in then I'll make one for them too :thumb

So if you see me give me a friendly wave, not a shaking fist :D

i-JG2C6bV-L.jpg


:beerjug:

As an aside, with the increase in tourism up there, you'll be surprised at the number of tourists that have no idea whatsoever about using the mainly single carriageway roads with passing places. You're only a motorcycle and they won't pull over, or dive in to a handy passing place ... you'll have to do their thinking for them.

Enjoy :beerjug:

How will we recognise you????
 
I had that issue in April 2011 heading up the coast to Tongue when a camper van didn't let us pass for about 10 miles :blast

There's absolutely no excuse for that ... rocket launches should be standard fitment :D

i-Mx5FSRq-Th.jpg


I was thinking more in terms of those coming towards you. Regularly another camper van but usually bloody great motorhomes coming towards you, maybe four or five passing places between you. It's not rocket science to asses the passing place in the middle and one or the other pull in .... an overtake often being possible without either vehicle stopping. On several occasions the other vehicle got to it first, I'm only 100 to 200 yards from it ... but they continue on and drive past it towards me :eek:

They only have a few feet to reverse, but they can't for the life of them :blast

:beerjug:
 
About 10 yrs ago Joanne and I very nearly were taken out by a 6 wheel German camper on the Bealach Na Ba. We where going up heading North he was coming down heading South. It happened on the first tight hairpin, I don't know if he panicked or what, but as I was about halfway around the hairpin he moved over to our side of the road. Very short legs, and a fully loaded 2up 1150 gsa se, I had no option but to gun it and literally had to duck under his wing mirror, fortunately Joanne had ducked also.

Going up-to the Ullapool meet last year, I stopped over at Applecross, it was chucking it down. Got my tent up, got my tea on the go, and was entertained for the next 40mins by a Danish Guy in a very posh Motorhome, trying to get it manoeuvred net to the fence on the grass :eek:

I got talking to him the next morning, and asked him why he didn't just park up on the hardstanding, bearing in mind it was sodden. (this was after he told me his van cost him 136.000 euro ) he replied that it was £26 to go on the hard standing but only £10 to pitch on the grass. I gets packed up and ready for the off, whilst this buffoon is trying to get off the grass. Bumped into a couple that had turned up at Ullapool on the Friday who had been near me at Applecross on the Thursday. The Danish guy had gotten himself well and truly stuck and ended up paying £80 to get himself pulled off the grass.

Beware of big camper vans when in Scotland, even if it means stopping for 10mins to let them get out of the way.
 
I've had my moments on the Bealach too. Nearly got forced off the road a couple of years ago, heading south and before the summit. I saw the bugger coming and the layby on his side but did he use it? Just squeezed by him. On the other hand, on another trip also heading south, a Dutch registered Landy pulled over to let me past on the downhill run after the hairpins. I stopped for a sec by the driver window to say thanks and it was being driven by a teenager who had only recently passed his test (according to proud Dad sitting next to him)! That's some intro to driving! :eek
 
As said .... you have to do their thinking for them. They see the motorcycle and think there's room for them and you :blast

There isn't :eek:

Khulu ... you'll recognise me, I'll have a big grin :jibberbig

:beerjug:
 
As said .... you have to do their thinking for them. They see the motorcycle and think there's room for them and you :blast

There isn't :eek:

Khulu ... you'll recognise me, I'll have a big grin :jibberbig

:beerjug:

Thank you, that certainly helps!
 


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