North Coast 500

[ParkerfetchtheRollsplease]

Admin please move this to wherever it sits best....

Just finished the NC500 today. A few thoughts as I found other posts so very helpful in planning our trip...

RS4 B7 Cabriolet. Roof down 80% of the time..

We travelled anti clockwise and that worked well for us. Took 4 days and would not want to do it in less.

Stopped to d a few walks to aid digestion and get fresh air but other than that it was a roadtrip..

Stayed at Bunchesrew House Hotel just outside Inverness, Shepherds Hut AirBNB near East Mey, Kylesque Hotel, Applecross Inn.

All excellent in their own way.

Tesco Momentum at Tain on the A9 was the last proper 99 fuel up until Ullapool where the JET garage has Super 97 and sells Octane booster. Didn't need another fill up but was tight getting to Ullapool from Tain.

Roads were epic, best to travel later in the day when the Campervans have bedded down but definitely would avoid peak season for traffic issues.

Cyclists are fit buggers but a pain as there were so many on the roads...

Do your research on here and it will help you.

Epic route... just epic....

I hope you go and drive it if you haven't yet..

[TheFungle]

ParkerfetchtheRollsplease said:

Cyclists are fit buggers but a pain as there were so many on the roads...

Where on the NC500 were there that many cyclists on the free-flowing, well-sighted roads that they were a pain?

[StanleyT]

Try Berridale Braes in an 18 legger when the side by side TDF wannabes won’t pull into the parking lay-bys to let you, your two escort vehicles, the local coach, around 20 cars and three suspiciously NC500 Ferrari’s past. I know it is only just over a mile, but at walking pace, that is 20 minutes.

[ParkerfetchtheRollsplease]

TheFungle said:

Where on the NC500 were there that many cyclists on the free-flowing, well-sighted roads that they were a pain?

Bealach na ba.....

Very narrow indeed, you may already be aware of that?

Even in the low cloud there were several groups that understandably made slow progress on the climbs and meant first gear crawls until the few passing places on that section...

All road users entitled to as such but on the Bealach na ba they were a pain to us..

[ParkerfetchtheRollsplease]

StanleyT said:

Try Berridale Braes in an 18 legger when the side by side TDF wannabes won’t pull into the parking lay-bys to let you, your two escort vehicles, the local coach, around 20 cars and three suspiciously NC500 Ferrari’s past. I know it is only just over a mile, but at walking pace, that is 20 minutes.

We deliberately travelled that section of the A9 at 4pm on a Tuesday. It was wonderfully quiet and the sun shone. That easterly section of the NC500 may not be the most scenic but in the sun and with very little traffic the roads, including that hairpin section were glorious...

Indeed, in the main, if you want to avoid cyclists and camper vans then travel in the late afternoon on weekdays. There seemed less of both at those times/days..

[mmm-five]

ParkerfetchtheRollsplease said:

Bealach na ba.....

Very narrow indeed, you may already be aware of that?

Even in the low cloud there were several groups that understandably made slow progress on the climbs and meant first gear crawls until the few passing places on that section...

All road users entitled to as such but on the Bealach na ba they were a pain to us..

Was even worse when you had the road closed randomly for a film crew to do some shooting. Took us an hour to get all the cars in the group back together after that.

One cyclist was trying so hard in too high a gear that he was wobbling all over the road, so as we stopped in the passing place to let him pass, he swung completely across the road and almost into the bonnet of one of the cars.

[BGarside]

I cycled the NC500 in 2014, it was beautifully quiet and it seems that since then it's become a car-infested petrolheads wet dream.

Along with the Lake District, Peak District and most other nice parts of the UK this will be another no go area for cycling as it'll be impossible to relax and enjoy cycling in the area without being hassled by speeding traffic and aggressive drivers.

If you guys suffered the same amount of abuse and intimidation experienced by cyclists on a daily basis I think you'd soon lose interest in driving.

Maybe remember when you're having your jollies that other road users might want to enjoy themselves (and the scenery) as well?

[ParkerfetchtheRollsplease]

Sorry to hear that.... This is a driving forum though?...

I gave cyclists plenty of room and got nothing but great chat about the route when I finally caught them up at the next cafe...

Just saying that pedal power is slower on some parts and for us, given this is 'pistonheads' not 'pedalheads' that made the experience lesser.

Still not a bad one and no doubt ourselves and the cyclists we met all went home happy.

Is there a cyclists forum you are on I should join maybe?...

[Riley Blue]

I chatted with bikers, cyclists, walkers and car and motor home drivers on the part of the NC500 I drove last month. All had a mutual respect for each other with recurring topics of conversation being what to see, where to eat and the weather (sunny all the way).

[EazyDuz]

Another example of slowpoke cyclists ruining the fun. Damn shame

[ParkerfetchtheRollsplease]

Riley Blue said:

I chatted with bikers, cyclists, walkers and car and motor home drivers on the part of the NC500 I drove last month. All had a mutual respect for each other with recurring topics of conversation being what to see, where to eat and the weather (sunny all the way).

We could not believe the hardy nature of the cyclists we met, talk about nails......