Scotland NC500 trip planning, Assistance required

I prefer to use bunkhouses or hostels, especially if there is a few of you, usually have a good drying room if it is throwing it down, (better than hotels or b&b)

Do it Anti clockwise, if you have never been up that neck of the woods before. May usually a good time to go, Midge not as prevelent and can get some good weather, but it is Scotland.

I would stay in Glencoe and go to Clachaig Inn, good beers and music. I would vear off NC500 to do Ardnamurchan peninsular just as you get out of Glencoe, catch Lochaber ferry.

Ullapool is a good place to stay and you can sometimes catch a band if thats your thing, seen Alabamha 3 a couple of times up there.

Kylesku hotel nice and has a good bar in the back with a good range of beers, it is just before the curved bridge at Kylesku which you will recognise when you see it.

I always like to take a tent, cos you can get some nice free camping spots.
 

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Metropolis said:
Big Dave: Take a look at the Ord Arms Hotel just outside of Inverness.
From there you can ride either up the east coast to JoG or head for the more scenic and spectacular West Coast route. The NC 500 route is brown-signed just a mile from the hotel.
Ample room to park bikes out front or round the back out of sight behind a locked gate. Myself and mate used this hotel a couple of years ago as a base to do the NC500 in stages, returning to the same hotel each night....
"Located on the western boundary of the Black Isle, the hotel is 13.5 miles west of Inverness, and 6 miles south of Dingwall. We are conveniently situated on the North Coast 500 Tourist Route with Muir of Ord Golf Club a 5-minute drive and Glen Ord Distillery and Visitor Centre a 10 minute walk away.[/I]"

https://www.ordarmshotel.co.uk/
Click to expand...

From Inverness to Beauly, and on to Ord, you'll pass, on your left, Mitchell's bike shop about halfway there - a good place for a stop and look.
 
I’d recommend stopping in Ullapool for the night and stopping in the Harbour house. A lovely little place just 10 mins walk from the town
 
As a trip report this thread is distinctly lacking in 2 areas......a trip and a report :blast:green gri
 
Posh Pete said:
Go in May or September.

Sent from me
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From mid April, just check the weather, can be really nice. And early October similar. Plus as Pete says May and September.

And don't rush it, go down the side roads, stop in villages, go onto piers and talk to the fishermen and visiting yachts from all over. Walk on the nice beaches, drink in the pubs, just don't try and rush round and see nothing but tarmac.
 
Not really needing to tick the NC500 box had 2 trips after Covid and based ourselves in Inverness. Days out covered most of the NC500 and a lot of other nice roads which you would miss
As mentioned before, Beauly and Ord are lovely places and I would look at those as a base next time I went
Got to do some Island hopping and could route with the weather
Went October, wet and dry days
June, better weather more midges
 
As Mr Posh Pete says go in May or Sept. Out of season out of school holidays .. best choice of accomodation and or empty campsites. The top bit all the way along the coast is just stunning.
Enjoy your trip.
 
On the west side the road from Durness down to Ullapool sticks in the memory.

Definitely anti clockwise is the way to go.

If going in the spring beware of lambs. Their instinct is to run to their mothers if they perceive danger e.g. a motorcycle. If the mother is on the other side of the road ...work it out.

tom
 
We’ve done it a few times and stayed in Youth Hostels which are excellent. We’ve used the Bettyhill Hotel which is basically in the centre of Scotland’s North Coast, pretty reasonable, very comfortable and biker welcoming too.
 
bristolsaint said:
Fuck that.

Hotels, meals that are brought to me, full English/Scottish with proper sausages (none of yer square, flat nonsense) to start the day. It's not an adventure, it's a bimble round Scotland and Northern England.

For the OP, there are better roads than the NC500, especially if you stick to the west coast. The NC500 should really only be completed if you feel the need to tick that box. Available accommodation in some parts can be scarce as the route gets heavily booked. Alternatively, try Dumfries and Galloway, which has little traffic, or the borders which have some great roads if you want Scotland.

The southwest 660 offers a good, if sometimes crowded alternative.

https://southwest660.com/route-map
Click to expand...
Shhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!! The Borders, nothing to see move along! :ROFLMAO:
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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