Scotland north coast 500

[Deskman]

I forgot to track a few days of our 4-weeks but we have 'done' the west coast. As always the 'hidden gems' that we found by just driving by were more enjoyable than all those 'top-10-things-to-visit'.

Internet or even mobile connection is on many places not available so checking out what is nearby is no option.

We got a lot of information from https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk and not only about walks (but we do like wild camping and walking the hills)

 

[Velma's Dad]

Matt there will obv. be loads of people on here who can tell you their west coast fave spots, but if you have two full weeks you could certainly do a big chunk of the west coast mainland and maybe take in a couple of the islands also. You could certainly go across from Ullapool to Lewis and Harris for a couple of days or three. South Harris is gorgeous.

September will be a great time, most of the midges will have died their fully-deserved deaths (but no doubt that was part of your decision logic).

A lot of us Sassenachs naturally start our trip by heading up the A82 from Glasgow, and then on up the coast in a northerly direction. However that does leave you with the very long slog southwards at the end. So you could consider instead flogging straight up to west Sutherland at the start and then do the trip southwards.

That has the advantage of being able to mosey through the sleepy far north-west depending on how you and the weather are feeling. If you end up spending a lot of time up in the north and don't get to see as much of the south west as you'd planned, well that bit's much closer to go back to some time, maybe on a shorter break. Sorry I haven't explained that logic very well, hope you see what I mean.

 

[AnneMarie]

Hi Matt, Will catch up with you at Stratford and compare plans. We have a rough schedule planned, a couple of weeks after you, but keen to hear advice, especially from those with experience north of the border. We're doing a night in NW yorkshire on the way, and fort William, Ben Nevis on the way back.
Glad Previous post has mentioned lack of wifi etc as we had thought we could pick up sites etc rather than book in advance.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Glad Previous post has mentioned lack of wifi etc as we had thought we could pick up sites etc rather than book in advance.

In September you shouldn't have too much trouble with campsites. There are actually very few of them up in the north west, but they are mostly large enough not to be full in September. Plus, there are of course plenty of places to wild camp in much of the north west, although don't assume you can do that easily easily close to the hotspots like Applecross.

Here's a selection of lovely sites on the west coast:

- Clachtoll Beach, Assynt. Popular site, called in for water but haven't stayed there.
- Stoer Lighthouse. Not a campsite but you can park there overnight 'officially' and put a fiver in the honesty box. Stunning spot for a BBQ.
- Port a Bhaigh. Gorgeous beachside site looking out over the Summer Isles. Very swish facilities so a good place to grab a nice shower and clean up. Good (although not cheap) bar/resto opposite. Defined pitches so may be worth pre-booking.
- Big Sand, on the north side of Gairloch - very large, dispersed site almost on the beach. Doggie heaven.
- Applecross campsite. 5 mins walk from centre of the village and its glorious pub. Gets booked out on summer weekends but otherwise you should be fine.
- If you go onto Skye the 'must-do' site is probably Glenbrittle, with the Cuilin Hills towering behind.
- Further south: the Camusdarach area south of Mallaig is extremely pretty and the Camusdarach campsite looks a good bet although I haven't stayed there.
- Ardnamurchan campsite, out on the peninsula of the same name. Well worth the drive out there.

 

[MattBW]

I am a Fon member so I was looking at this map to see about wifi, me being me I'd like to take pics and video and upload on the road

https://fon.com/maps/

Scotland is quite sparse but there are hotspots there.

 

[Bobbybus]

Well, this is fortuitous. I have been working out where to visit and stay whilst doing the 500 in mid-Sept and I find here all this fabulous info! Quite gratifyingly, some of the suggestions made match my own findings and decisions.
I have done the 500 a couple of times on my motorbike but stayed in B 'n B accommodation and travelled about 200 miles a day (1540 in total last year including the journey from Leeds and back). There's a different emphasis to the trip when on a bike; it's all about the ride. I'll probably average around 100 miles with my wife in the CalI and actually visit places!
I'm so excited.

 

[johnyboy]

We're going up in October so noting much of this info to look at later TY all

 

[AnneMarie]

We're back and in the spirit of passing it forward here are the highs and lows.
As we start in the Midlands we had stops in the Yorkshire Dales and Loch Ness before on to Inverness, we did the NC 500 anti-clockwise. First stop, Inver campsite at Dunbeath. On the main road, so not quiet, but more than made up for by the superb facilities with underfloor heating! Whalligoe steps, Wick and John o Groats before a night at Dunnet Bay. Nice site for a stop off. Then along the North Coast to Durness. Stunning views and a shopping break on the way. Stayed at Sango Sands, superb views, especially sunrise, but awful site ( in our opinion). On to Port O Baigh, but via the coast road through Drumbeg and Lockinver, passing through Clachtoll and the Stoer lighthouse. Another great site, locally caught seafood in the pub across the road. On to Ullapool. Lovely place and the opportunity to stock up, and the compare routes so far with @Bobbybus, touring clockwise. Stayed at Ardmair point, handy as a stopping place, with a lovely view, but not the best site. On to Gairloch, stayed at Sands. What a brilliant site and setting. Regretted not staying for longer. We had a sunset that would grace the cover of any magazine! Then on to Applecross via the famous crossing, had to be done. Lovely pub, busy, but as we were we were on a lucky streak with the weather we sat on the shore and had our fish and chips. The site is OK, and the only one available, so for one night not a problem. Left and decided to follow the coast road out and spotted some great places fo the adventurers who like to wild camp on this road. As we hadn't factored in Skye we headed for the bridge and crossed over, drove across the sleat peninsula to the ferry. End of the NC 500, but then on to Glen Nevis. Big site, but quiet and great facilities, lots of local walks with the option of conquering Ben Nevis as the path starts a 5 minute walk away. 13 nights in the van, 9 sites and 1550 miles! Not a single midge bite, even if a few did share the van

 

[pjm-84]

Cool..... our plans for next year.

 

[Seaview]

Agree with your comment on Sango Sands. We stayed for two nights last year, which was two nights too many!! Great view but the facilities were probably the worst we've come across, the sort of place you feel less clean after your shower.

 

[Taff7996]

Started looking at sites for next year, the c&cc site will only take booking for 2 nights or more and a lot of private sites charges are extortionate for the facilities they offer
A lot of the horror stories are really putting me off
Might just to the Northumbria coast instead

 

[flying banana]

would suggest veering off to Orkney
----
We would love to take Cali & do Mainland Orkney & Fair Island. I would greatly appreciate any ideas/thoughts in getting there and back, campsites you'd suggest, etc. Thank you for any ideas that you might have!

ferry to stromness or kirkwall. you can also take a ferry to st Margarets hope and the island there is connected by road bridge to the mainland

 

[flying banana]

If you look closely the wild camping it does not include using a vehicle only a tent. You are not supposed to use any kind of vehicle or even turn up in a car and camp 10' from it. It is meant purely for hikers who would be expected to take a break during a long hike
I think @Ewan on here explains it on his website https://wildaboutscotland.com/2014/11/30/wild-camping-in-scotland-camper-vans-and-motorhomes/


..me..

rubbish. loads of motorhomes and camper vans are stopped at the roadside on the nc500. I just did it. I find it best to leave the nc500 itself by about a mile or 2 in either direction inland or to the coast. then just pitch up. no problems

 

[Digger]

rubbish. loads of motorhomes and camper vans are stopped at the roadside on the nc500. I just did it. I find it best to leave the nc500 itself by about a mile or 2 in either direction inland or to the coast. then just pitch up. no problems

AS someone from that area originally and with relatives still in the Tongue and Torridon area I would suggest a little discretion when parking up. The complaints are growing and it would not take much for the Scottish Government to introduce legislation.(they have already discussed same and are still looking at the issue although mostly on the islands).
That said most complaints relate to the great whites and the total lack of respect shown to the land but we are all tarred with the same brush and a friendly MSP has said the status quo can not continue.

 

[GrannyJen]

I just love those accumulations of parked up motorhomes (and camper vans).

Just one is an eyesore, a dozen in a row is obscene.

To me it affronts the main purpose of a camper, the ability to get away from it all. Getting away "from it all" is not satisfied by clustering together like a wagon train crossing the mid-west plains --- I can't help looking out for bands of marauding sioux

I can well understand the angst expressed by local residents when the roadway is turned into one linear Aire. If you are going to wild camp, get away from everyone else, surely, that is the whole idea anyway.

Back in the "old" days, before the NC500 became a "must do"... I had this all to myself

 

[Jay586]

It was an issue on Tiree a few years ago & they did introduce restrictions, so they have a precedent. It's also the rubbish that led to the Loch Lomond restrictions.

 

[GrannyJen]

rubbish. loads of motorhomes and camper vans are stopped at the roadside on the nc500. I just did it. I find it best to leave the nc500 itself by about a mile or 2 in either direction inland or to the coast. then just pitch up. no problems

It is not rubbish. The access to open land legislation for Scotland excludes vehicular traffic.

The fact that loads are parked up purely indicates a permissive condition, not a right protected by law. The point being made by a lot of parties concerned over our freedom to park wherever it is not specifically prohibited is that the permissive condition is being abused. Fairly soon I suspect a lot of the NC500 car parks and lay-bys are going to be plastered with "No overnight parking" signs.

A similar permissive condition existed in my own backyard, a section of the South coast where overnight parking was tolerated. Tolerated until rubbish bins overflowed, or worse were not used, vans congregated together, the road got blocked, the place early on a Sunday morning resembled the day after a boozy rave. Result is now "no parking after 10pm" signs are everywhere. A resource valued by a responsible few has been taken off them by a bunch of irresponsible idiots in Great whites. I am not great white bashing but that was all I saw parked there, mostly because campers could limbo under the height-restricted car park nearby.

 

[Velma's Dad]

up to you mate. I'm just informing people I was there in September and had no problems parking my vehicle overnight at remote roadside locations often alongside other motorhomes. those no parking signs are not at all everywhere. your wrong. I bet you stick to 70mph on the motorway too. I sometimes go faster. it's against the law I know but I've done it loads of times. go to scotland and do it. you will see. or take your tent with you just in case eh

oh. and let me know when your going. I'll come with you to do some law breaking. especially the drinking with keys in my pocket bit

Bizarre posts.

 

[Duncan]

Bizarre posts.

I agree, it is totally uncalled for as this is such a friendly forum and when you see posts like this it can make others scared to post in case they get jumped on. Sometimes it is easier just to bit your tongue.

 

[GrannyJen]

Posts boasting about breaking the law have been removed. It is not what this forum is about.

 

[B J G]

Sadly it always seems that legislation is put into place making the innocent pay the penalty rather than the guilty minority being dealt with in the first instant.

I've always been of the opinion that a parking/overnight stop permit could be issued by the relevant Tourist Board (for a fee) and anyone parked without one could be given a fixed penalty or clamped.

 

[jts46]

I am glad I know what NC500 stands for, quite a few more acronyms to work out yet. Must be my age. I think i will have another whisky

 

[flying banana]

people should be able to speak their mind as long as there's no swearing or offensive comments. can't believe none of you sensitive souls ever break any speed limit anywhere or stay overnight where you're not supposed to. no way.

 

[briwy]

I am glad I know what NC500 stands for, quite a few more acronyms to work out yet. Must be my age. I think i will have another whisky

Agree must be an age thing. We did all this before it had a fancy name.
Presumably it's done everywhere to draw more people in. Tourist board marketing.
Bit like national parks seeming to want to turn the country side into nothing but a tourist destination. They don't seem to realise that people live and work there.

 

[GrannyJen]

Agree must be an age thing. We did all this before it had a fancy name.
Presumably it's done everywhere to draw more people in. Tourist board marketing.
Bit like national parks seeming to want to turn the country side into nothing but a tourist destination. They don't seem to realise that people live and work there.

The pic I posted earlier was taken in winter of 2014/2015. Just me, practically no one else, Kyle of Tongue and Eribol. Peace, solitude and beauty all in one.

There are parts of Ardnamurchan and Wester Ross that I really do wish to go back to for the weather was so foul in those years I sometimes spent more time nose pressed against the windscreen trying to see where I was going than seeing what was around me.

However what some people have told me about this Summer I feel that I would rather pass, or perhaps go back in February again but then Bealach na Bar will be closed. It is becoming like the Lake District, my spiritual home. Too much traffic.