North Coast 500 planning

Pinkway round we were asked to get a wriggle on as 11hrs was stretching it a bit :tarka
 
Regarding 'missing the East Coast out' - don't.

Once you get over the Dornoch bridge it's a very good road up to JOG. Easily do-able in 3 hours at a steady pace, give yourself time to stop off at places like Dornoch (nice wee town, take the back road North through Embo to rejoin the A9 at Loch Fleet), Helmsdale (lovely harbour and a nice village centre. If the Mirage chippy is still in go, then eat there for mega-portions) and Lybster for a mooch around another harbour.

Wick for fuel (Tescos on the North side) and then onto JOG. They've done a lot of work up there these past 5 years, Seaview hotel is a belting night out if the locals are on form and they've even a small brewery up there which I believe is run by Andrew Mowat, son of Walter who owns the Seaview.

The Lairg/Altnaharra/Tongue route is an absolute cracker, but personally I'd leave that for another trip and combine it with a return leg from Ullapool back across the middle to Lairg via Strath Oykel - a route definitely off most tourists radar.

Do the full circuit, don't cut it short. BTW heading South going down the West side gives you the best views.

One more thing: When you get to Lochinver, don't follow the main road route to Ullapool - you'll miss out. Go into Lochinver past the shops and towards the harbour, take a small turning on your left to Inverkirkaig and onwards to Loch Lugainn at the foot of Stac Pollaidh :thumb
 
Regarding 'missing the East Coast out' - don't.

Once you get over the Dornoch bridge it's a very good road up to JOG. Easily do-able in 3 hours at a steady pace, give yourself time to stop off at places like Dornoch (nice wee town, take the back road North through Embo to rejoin the A9 at Loch Fleet), Helmsdale (lovely harbour and a nice village centre. If the Mirage chippy is still in go, then eat there for mega-portions) and Lybster for a mooch around another harbour.

Wick for fuel (Tescos on the North side) and then onto JOG. They've done a lot of work up there these past 5 years, Seaview hotel is a belting night out if the locals are on form and they've even a small brewery up there which I believe is run by Andrew Mowat, son of Walter who owns the Seaview.

The Lairg/Altnaharra/Tongue route is an absolute cracker, but personally I'd leave that for another trip and combine it with a return leg from Ullapool back across the middle to Lairg via Strath Oykel - a route definitely off most tourists radar.

Do the full circuit, don't cut it short. BTW heading South going down the West side gives you the best views.

One more thing: When you get to Lochinver, don't follow the main road route to Ullapool - you'll miss out. Go into Lochinver past the shops and towards the harbour, take a small turning on your left to Inverkirkaig and onwards to Loch Lugainn at the foot of Stac Pollaidh :thumb

'The wee mad road'.....what it says on the tin!
 
'The wee mad road'.....what it says on the tin!

We rode it from Ullapool north "via" Achiltibuie. Fekkin awful. Took us 6 and a half hours to ride 25 miles before we got back onto the main road.



( For the whoosh ploppers out there Im being fekkin sarcy!)
 
An alternative

Plan to do this later this year.

Leave Blairgowrie,First stop Bettyhill, Second stop Fort William Back home on the third day. Big miles on the second day but do able?
 

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I have created a full itinerary with all my maps and accommodation along with other POIs thanks to the members on here but for the purpose of giving you an idea of what I will be doing milage wise we have settled on the following. There are a few shorter days that will be rest/sightseeing excursions. We are travelling from the North West so the starting point will be a meet up at Forton services. There are a couple of alternatives in there that we will decide upon en-route.

Day 1

• Forton Services
• Gretna Green
• Glasgow
• Perth
• Pitlochry
• Blair Atholl
• Kingussie
• Aviemore
• Inverness

Day 2

• Inverness
• Kessock
• Brora
• Helmsdale
• John O’Groats
• Thurso
• Bettyhill

Day 3

• Bettyhill
• Tongue
• Smoo cave
• Durness
• Scourie
• Kylescu
• Lochinver
• Achiltibuie
• Ullapool

Day 4

• Ullapool
• Dundonnell
• Inverewe Garden
• Poolewe


Day 5

• Poolewe
• Gairloch
• Kinlochewe
• Torridon
• Sheildaig
• Tournapress
• Applecross

Alternative route:

• Gairloach
• Kinlochewe
• Garve
• Drumnachochit (Loch Ness)
• Torridon
• Arrina (single track coast road)
• Applecross​

Day 6

• Applecross
• Tournapress
• Lochcarron (via Beallach na Ba)
• Strathcarron
• Kyle of Lochalsh
• Uig (round trip of Skye)
• Kyleakin

Day 7

• Kyleakin
• Dornie
• Sheil Bridge
• Invergary
• Fort William
• Ballaculish (detour for a trip up Glencoe)
• Benderloch

Alternative route:

• Glencoe
• Tyndrum
• Dalmally
• Taynuilt
• Connel
• Benderloch​


Day 8

• Benderloch
• Inverary
• Tarbet
• Glasgow
• Carlisle
• Forton Services
 
Your Day 1 is up the big road from Glasgow to Inverness, better ways of going if doing more than just getting to Inverness. If you turn off for Blairgowrie, go up Glenshee to Braemar and over the Lecht to Grantown you would have more fun. You could stop in Grantown or Aviemore.
 
Thanks. I'll take a look on the next round of planning when I create my GPS files.
 


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