North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
...simplicity...
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North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by ...simplicity... »

Hi All,

I hope this finds you all well. I've just booked tickets up to inverness at the start of October to tour the new 500 mile north coast route in the highlands (http://www.northcoast500.com/home.aspx. Has any of the community cycled it since it opened? I'd be really interested to hear how people got on camping on route and any particular highlights to look out for.

Also, I toured the outer hebrides last summer (beautiful) and know the Scottish weather to be rather unpredictable. Has anyone any stories of touring in the highlands in early October/Autumn weather?

Look forward to hearing your stories and thanks in advance.

M
rualexander
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by rualexander »

Nothing 'opened', this is just a collection of existing roads that have been cobbled together by the tourist industry to try and promote driving holidays in the region.
Camping on this route should be a piece of cake, just find a nice spot and put your tent up.
Highlights? Loads of them.
Autumn touring in the highlands? No problem, but be prepared for anything in terms of weather.
iviehoff
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by iviehoff »

rualexander wrote:Autumn touring in the highlands? No problem, but be prepared for anything in terms of weather.

The north coast itself is often noted by cyclists to be very windy, and October is often a rather windy time of year. Keep an eye on the forecast, but in general clockwise is often going to be a much better idea on this route.
FarOeuf
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by FarOeuf »

It's a great route, and October is an ideal time (as the caravans should have gone elsewhere). The north and west sections will have few shops or places to buy supplies, depending on the time of day (and the day) you pass through, so keep stocked up. Camping is easy, just don't camp inside fenced-off fields (which may have livestock even if you can't see them).

Keep an eye out for small info signs at the side of the road, particularly up the east and along the north sections. Lots of local info about life and history of the area.
...simplicity...
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by ...simplicity... »

Thanks for the responses.

I will be travelling clockwise anyway, so hopefully I'll get lucky with the wind. :D Really looking forward to hugging the coast for the majority of the route. Does anyone have any maps that they could recommend, as someone on here recommended a map for when I toured the outer hebrides, and I found it to be really helpful.

Supplies shouldn't be much of an issue, as I'll be taking my stove, so will stock up beforehand alongside the local oatcakes for nourishment.

For anyone that fancies doing it on a budget, I've just got train tickets from Scots Rail for £68.00 - return from London to Inverness. BARGAIN!!!
PH
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by PH »

rualexander wrote:Nothing 'opened', this is just a collection of existing roads that have been cobbled together by the tourist industry to try and promote driving holidays in the region.


I think cobbled together is a bit harsh :)
It looks like a well chosen route to me, I'm considering it for next Spring.
sultzer
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by sultzer »

i did parts of it in june , and it was a nightmare in places , hopefully proper signs are put in place , o and wait until you see the barren lands up top. i cycled over 30 miles never seen a soul .
PH
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by PH »

sultzer wrote:i did parts of it in june , and it was a nightmare in places , hopefully proper signs are put in place , o and wait until you see the barren lands up top. i cycled over 30 miles never seen a soul .


In what way a nightmare? Other than navigation. The 30 miles without seeing a soul appeals to me.
FarOeuf
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by FarOeuf »

I wouldn't recommend relying on NC500 signs, better to have the route mapped out before you go.

I use one of these (half the size/weight of a normal map) for longer distance riding : http://travel.michelin.co.uk/scotland-mini-map-scale-1400-000-1459-p.asp , it's got all major roads (which in the remoter areas is the only road). There aren't many road choices in the Highlands, so this map is probably enough. There aren't any land features on it, or points of interest though. But you can annotate it by yourself, before you leave.

Small scale OS maps would be ideal, but because of the way they are tiled there's a lot of them which is heavy and expensive.

Whaligoe is well worth a stop, and there's a cafe. Bettyhill has some museum I think. As you'll be by the coast most of the time, this might be an interesting reference document http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_117/117_265_352.pdf (PDF)

Also the Visit Scotland website has lots of good info. If you skim through their itineraries you'll find things on or near the NC500 route that you might want to stop at. http://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/itineraries/

cheers,
PH
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by PH »

FarOeuf wrote:I wouldn't recommend relying on NC500 signs, better to have the route mapped out before you go.


Indeed, though that's been true of every signed route (UK, France, Germany, Spain) I've been on.
The worst are those with loads of signs that lull you into a false sense of security, than have one missing at the bottom of a climb or the end of a long day.
rualexander
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by rualexander »

Remember that this is being promoted for motorists, if cycling there are some parts where taking an alternative road would be more scenic and enjoyable.
Ron
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by Ron »

PH wrote:It looks like a well chosen route to me, I'm considering it for next Spring.

There's not a lot of choice as others have said, but the defined route has clearly been drawn up to suit motor vehicle drivers - think camper vans and caravans :D.
I would suggest a cyclist could benefit from doing a little research and tweaking the route to more suit the touring cyclist.
eg include the Inverkirkaig and Lochinver loop, also there are alternative quieter roads between Inverness and Muir of Ord, similarly between The Mound and Dingwall.

Edit rualexander just beat me to it! :D
PH
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by PH »

Ron wrote:
PH wrote:It looks like a well chosen route to me, I'm considering it for next Spring.

There's not a lot of choice as others have said, but the defined route has clearly been drawn up to suit motor vehicle drivers - think camper vans and caravans :D.
I would suggest a cyclist could benefit from doing a little research and tweaking the route to more suit the touring cyclist.
eg include the Inverkirkaig and Lochinver loop, also there are alternative quieter roads between Inverness and Muir of Ord, similarly between The Mound and Dingwall.

Edit rualexander just beat me to it! :D


Just downloaded the GPX and see what you and rualexander are saying. Still doesn't look like it'd need too much tweaking.
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chris_suffolk
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by chris_suffolk »

Be careful with traffic on the new 500 route, seems some motorcyclists see it as a challenge, and want to post the fastest times (between 8 and 10 hrs is seen as good) - some seriously scary speeds when I was up that way in Aug
Ron
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Re: North Coast 500 - Scotland???

Post by Ron »

chris_suffolk wrote:Be careful with traffic on the new 500 route, seems some motorcyclists see it as a challenge, and want to post the fastest times (between 8 and 10 hrs is seen as good) - some seriously scary speeds when I was up that way in Aug

This was my concern following the initial publicity for the route, I have mixed views. Supporters claim it will bring tourists in to benefit the economy, but people who barely stop on the way round or travel in camper van and caravan are spending little or nothing.
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