North Coast 500 The Road Trip of a Lifetime – NC500 Guide Book by Robbie Roams

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Photos: Tarbat Ness and Rosemarkie (by Andrew Dowsett Photography), Achiltibuie (by Hamlet Mountaineering), Dornoch (by The Dornoch Area Community Interest Company) 3. Setting up a base It is important to note that the Bealach na Ba isn’t a tourist attraction; it is a road that people drive through on a daily basis so expect to see lorries and other cars (coming from both directions). As a side note, the road is usually impassable during winter. Whale Cruise – Take a Hebridean Whale Cruise to spot otters, seabirds and even dolphins and sharks in the waters off Gairloch.

Driving the North Coast 500 - ALONG DUSTY ROADS Our Tips for Driving the North Coast 500 - ALONG DUSTY ROADS

Cutting down on plastic waste. Use a refillable water bottle to stay hydrated with excellent free Scottish Highland tap water along the route - we both use this insulated water bottleon road trips as it keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours and is great value. Sometimes two vehicles will meet in the middle of the road just through bad timing. In that scenario, the expectation is that the person closest to the nearest 'passing place' on their side of the road should reverse into it, but only if it is safe and sensible for them to do so. Photos: The Storehouse Restaurant & Farm Shop, Applecross Smokehouse, West Coast Delicatessen, Robertson’s the Larder 10. Be a safe driverBeing flexible also applies to where you might stop to eat and drink, what attractions you may visit or what outdoor adventure you might find yourselves involved with! Restaurants and attractions may not be open all day everyday. Due to the current situation being seen across the UK with staffing issues largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some establishments are being forced to close unexpectedly for a day or two at a time. One of the North Coast 500’s charms is the remoteness. This also means however that there sometimes isn’t an abundance of places to eat! It’s important for visitors to be flexible and have another idea in mind, just in case your first choice isn’t available. 13. Enjoy yourselves! If you are closest to a 'passing place', but it's on the right hand side of the road, then it's your responsibility to wait on the left hand side of the road so that the approaching car can safely arrive and pull into the passing place to let you proceed. In this situation, a driver might flash their lights to let you know to proceed as they've safely pulled into a 'passing place' and are waiting for you to proceed.

The North Coast 500 Guide Book (Charles Tait Guide Books)

Please also note that 'passing places' are NOT parking places. Neither are they photo opportunity stops or places to pull over for a rest, a cup of tea and a natter - you can however use them to allow others to overtake you safely. On hills, the custom is that the car going uphill has priority. The Split Stane, Sutherland– the boundary between Sutherland and Caithness – said to have been split by the devil’s tail. Find the stone at Drumholliston near Melvich. While this viewpoint isn’t usually a stop in most North Coast 500 itineraries, I recommend you make the detour up here as the views are INCREDIBLE. We drove up to Torridon and made our way up the single-pass road up to the Bealach na Gaoithe viewpoint in Diabaig.Scotland’s finest export (after Andy Murray, Alex Ferguson, and Aberdeen's 1983 cup team) is whisky, and there are several fine whisky distilleries and specialist bars dotted along the route. There's also the Scottish Gin Distillery of the Year! The NC500 is often described as Scotland’s route 66 – because it is one of the world’s most epic road trips. However, there are some differences. Route 66 crosses eight states over 2400 miles from Chicago to California. The NC500 miles is a lot shorter at just over 500 miles and takes you through some of the most remote bits of Scotland. How long does it take to drive the route? Berriedale Brae viewpoint (A9 north of Helmsdale) – The Berriedale Brae is an incredibly steep hairpin bend. This is one of the most challenging sections of the North Coast 500. There is a viewpoint if you want to stop. I would suggest that you need a minimum of five days to do the route, a week would be perfect, and 10 days or more if you want to visit Inverness or any of the west coast islands.

500 | VisitScotland North Coast 500 | VisitScotland

Try a dram at Glenmorangie Distillery – famous worldwide, you can take a tour of the distillery – remember no drinking for the designated driver! Other local whisky distilleries include Balblair Distillery, which has one of the oldest archive records of whisky in distilling, and Clynelish Distillery who make most of the whisky for Johnnie Walker Gold. Emily's English tongue simply couldn't fathom half of the place names along the NC500 route (even Ullapool!), whilst Andrew mangled a lot of them, with emphasis on all the wrong syllables - we can only imagine how difficult it must be for some visitors from further afield.

 North Coast 500 road safety tips

When hiring your car, be aware that some companies require the driver to be over the age of 25 – read up on our top tips for car hire along the NC500 before making your reservation. These old country roads roads link remote communities, are access points for workers and medical care, and were not designed for the scale of traffic which arrives come Scottish summertime. It's therefore incredibly important to prepare and know the following in advance: Buchollie Castle – access is across a walkway with sheer 100m drops on each side – don’t try and visit in bad weather!Built by Sweyn Asliefson the notorious pirate and robber in about 1140 and later remodelled by the Mowat Family until 1661.

Scotland 500 Road trip North Road: Scotlands North Road Trip

Stage 3 – Sutherland & Assynt-Drive the beautiful coast from Durness to Gairloch and visit Scotland’s best beaches.So, don't be surprised if you are met with a blank faced look when you ask somebody for directions to Gairloch or if they know a good restaurant in Torridon - the likelihood is you're saying it all wrong. Driving for extended periods of time takes a lot of concentration and can make us tired, a state that could lead to an accident. Rotating with one or more drivers will ensure your concentration level remains high and you stay alert. Take regular breaks Hike the Golspie Big Burn to Ben Bhraggie– At Golspie make sure you visit the beautiful waterfalls at the Big Burn, and if you are feeling energetic there are mountain bike trailson Ben Bhraggie – or you could climb to the top for a view! April 2021 Update | Locals along the North Coast 500 route, after a catalogue of horrendous experiences throughout summer 2020 due to heightened domestic demand, are really concerned about the impact of visitors who do not respect the land, nature, and the people who live amongst it. At over 500 miles long, it is advised that the NC500 journey should be spread across fiveto sevendays – with multiple stops along the way to take in the local scenery,culture andfood.