North Coast 500 (Scotland)

[Casbar]

That looks awesome. Did Oban and Fort William last September. My wife wants to do Scotland this year with me. How many days was the trip, how many miles did you average a day?

[David.]

How many days was the trip, how many miles did you average a day?

I haven't actually done this trip yet. The route was built up based on the idea of meeting someone who lives at Linlithgow between Glasgow & Edinburgh.
Using Linlithgow as the starting & finishing points, it's planned over 4 days for the round trip.

Day 1 (Green) is to Dornoch in the East, 214 miles.
Day 2 (Red) is to Kylesku in the North West, 207 miles.
Day 3 (Green) is to Strathcarron in the South West, 197 miles.
Day 4 (Red) is to Linlithgow (Start/Finish Point),  223 miles.

The average riding time for each day is approx. 4 hours.

[Casbar]

Sounds really good, thanks

[David.]

I did that route this past weekend.

Thoroughly recommend it.

Looking at the possibility of doing the NC500 sometime, may I ask where you stayed on the route to help with any planning, thanks.

[Nobby]

I've always wanted to do the north off Scotland, but not in a day!  Anyone seriously interested in doing it over say 4-5 days (after arriving in Inverness).  I'm also too old to be digging latrines so B&B / hotels all the way.

[David.]

I've always wanted to do the north off Scotland, but not in a day! Anyone seriously interested in doing it over say 4-5 days (after arriving in Inverness).

Yes, I'm interested in doing the NC500.

The route was built up based on the idea of meeting someone who lives at Linlithgow between Glasgow & Edinburgh.
Using Linlithgow as the starting & finishing points, it's planned over 4 days for the round trip.

Day 1 (Green) is to Dornoch in the East, 214 miles.
Day 2 (Red) is to Kylesku in the North West, 207 miles.
Day 3 (Green) is to Strathcarron in the South West, 197 miles.
Day 4 (Red) is to Linlithgow (Start/Finish Point),  223 miles.

The average riding time for each day is approx. 4 hours.

[Tango]

I've always wanted to do the north off Scotland, but not in a day!  Anyone seriously interested in doing it over say 4-5 days (after arriving in Inverness).  I'm also too old to be digging latrines so B&B / hotels all the way.

Hi Nobby, and DaygloDavid,


I would also be interested,  camping, and hotel/ b&b mix, depending on conditions. certainly getting up there sometime this year.


Cheers
Marty

[David.]

The 4 day plan posted above is based upon staying in or around the following hotels.

Dornoch - http://www.dornochcastlehotel.com/

Kylesku - http://www.kyleskuhotel.co.uk/

Strathcarron - http://www.strathcarronhotel.co.uk/

Accommodation between Edinburgh & Glasgow or thereabouts would be needed for the first & last nights.

Any other suggestions and/or recommendations would be most welcome.

[Tango]

Very nice, but spent my entire working life on the road staying in hotels,airplanes,rental cars blah blah blah.  so now like to enjoy the finer things in life when  solo, hence m/cycle  and a bit of camping when the weather is favourable.


Anyway if there is enough interest in the suggested accommodations I would still be interested. If invited of course.


Marty

 

[David.]

A non-RT riding friend has come up with the following suggestion, bearing in mind our starting point is Teesside.

Day 1- Teesside to Newtonmore
Day 2 - Newtonmore to Tongue
Day 3 - Tongue to Poolewe
Day 4 - Poolewe to Newtonmore
Day 5 - Newtonmore to Teesside

Can anyone recommend any accommodation in or around Newtonmore, Tongue & Poolewe.

Late June 2016 has been suggested as a possible date.

[Peter Baker]

Day 1 (Green) is to Dornoch in the East, 214 miles.
Day 2 (Red) is to Kylesku in the North West, 207 miles.
Day 3 (Green) is to Strathcarron in the South West, 197 miles.
Day 4 (Red) is to Linlithgow (Start/Finish Point),223 miles.
The average riding time for each day is approx. 4 hours.

Hi, I am planning the North Coast 500 trip for a couple of friends, two initial comments:-).
Planning an average of 50mph sounds optimistic to me, on "normal" UK A class roads you can expect to average ~45mph, I am told (but have not experienced yet!) the roads in the North Coast 500 are generally smaller (read slower) when I put the route in Google maps motorcycle regular speed you get averages of around 35-40 mph hours so you might be riding more than 4 hours a day?
Also going in June, check with the local people on this group, understand midges are a real issue from Jun-Aug, so we are planning September just because of this!
I have a detailed route and stops planned in MyRoute.App if anyone would like to see them let me know and I share them.
Hope that helps, regards, Peter

[David.]

Planning on doing the NC500 with a couple of non-RT friends from Teesside in June 2016.

[Highlandbear]

  Sorry to be bearer of bad news but midges will still be rife in September , are you camping ?? if not then not an issue little buggers really only out first and last thing

Hi, I am planning the North Coast 500 trip for a couple of friends, two initial comments:-). 

Planning an average of 50mph sounds optimistic to me, on "normal" UK A class roads you can expect to average ~45mph, I am told (but have not experienced yet!) the roads in the North Coast 500 are generally smaller (read slower) when I put the route in Google maps motorcycle regular speed you get averages of around 35-40 mpg hours so  you might be riding more than 4 hours a day?

Also going in June, check with the local people on this group, understand midges are a real issue from Jun-Aug, so we are planning September just because of this!

I have a detailed route and stops planned in MyRoute.App if anyone would like to see them let me know and I share them.

Hope that helps, regards, Peter

[Rusty-pie]

My missus and I will be heading up north from Southampton to do the NC500 at the end of next week, staying in B&Bs. I'll be happy to share feedback about accommodation on our return home. All the B&Bs we have booked offer the facility to garage a motorcycle overnight.


Our plan is to stop north of Preston on the way up as we'll be taking the scenic route through Wales, then Auchterarder, Halkirk, cutting the route short to Invergarry where we have booked 4 nights and then finishing the last leg of the route as a loop from there. The following 3 days will be dedicated to exploring the rest of the area with one day reserved to Skye. It will be just over 250 miles a day.

[David.]

Just returned from doing 1,285 miles over 5 days, including most of the NC500.