North Coast 500 - Scotland???

[glasgowjim]

use SMIDGE its on sale up here good stuff.

[Ron]

Is GPS signal an issue in Scotland? Does anyone have any midge advice?

Unlikely to be any problem with gps signal. The midgies...... learn to love them, or wear a net.

[nomm]

Is GPS signal an issue in Scotland? Does anyone have any midge advice?

Unlikely to be any problem with gps signal. The midgies...... learn to love them, or wear a net.

but I'm so tasty... I remember being in Central American hostels and being the only one in the room who got eaten alive!

[LollyKat]

There are quite a lot of posts about midges -- have a look at this thread. By mid September the worst is usually over.*

*Edited to add: not always, apparently!

"Selfie on Skye" - seen on YACF

[matt2matt2002]

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.

And I usually take sandwiches on my bike tours.
So I'm no good for tourism either.

[matt2matt2002]

Sorry if this has alreayd been posted.
i did look but could not see it.

Here is Mark doing it in one go.

https://vimeo.com/143976799

[mnichols]

I'm planning to do this next May, so I'll be interested to hear how you get on

[matt2matt2002]

I'm planning to do this next May, so I'll be interested to hear how you get on

In one go?

[mnichols]

I'm planning to do this next May, so I'll be interested to hear how you get on

In one go?

No, probably 3 days.

[sam.dilliway]

I'm doing this trip friday Saturday 26th March to Sunday 10th April. If anyone is in the area and would like to ride a section with me, let me know!
I'll be going anti-clockwise from Inverness with a touring bike and all camping/cooking gear, so doing around 60-80 miles per day. I'm also adding in Skye and the Orkneys to see a bit more.

[loch eck steve]

I'm doing this trip friday Saturday 26th March to Sunday 10th April. If anyone is in the area and would like to ride a section with me, let me know!
I'll be going anti-clockwise from Inverness with a touring bike and all camping/cooking gear, so doing around 60-80 miles per day. I'm also adding in Skye and the Orkneys to see a bit more.

Sounds like a great trip , hope all goes well and the weathers kind. Welcome to the forum by the way !

[smuggers]

Very helpful to read other people's comments.. I'll be doing this route in mid May, before the midges I hope!! Had initially planned about 7 days, but have got 12 days A/L, so I can enjoy it more and maybe do a bit of walking.. Just have to hope for good weather.. Have planned to drive the car up to Inverness, but will check trains for good deals instead of driving up. I know somebody mentioned Scots Rail, so will check them out today.. Just how busy are these roads on the NC 500 ?? I've ridden most of the North & East coast, but very little of the West from Torridon upwards..

[LollyKat]

I went from Loch Carron to Lochinver last June and there was very little traffic - and the further north you go, the less there will be. Relatively speaking there were quite a lot of motorbikes, generally in groups, which were irritating because of the noise they make but apart from that they weren't a problem.

[Fraoch Mor]

I live on the west coast on the NC500 route and do a lot of road and mtn bike cycling on these roads. I also teach Bikeability locally so I have quite a lot of relevant experience here. This year, we are certain that there is more traffic on these roads; cars, cyclists and motor bikes. We have also had convoys of traffic, mostly 5-10 motorbikes or sports cars, but one recent convoy in support of Scottish independence was reported to be about 70 vehicles; I got stuck in it! So there are bound to be safety factors arising from the publicity of the NC500. Having said that, these roads are usually very quiet and safe and a pleasure to cycle, provided you like hills and don't mind some wind and weather (it is completely gorgeous this week though!). You won't find any NC500 signs but navigation is very easy, especially once you get beyond the network of minor roads out east between Tain, Inverness and Contin. A couple of pages from a road atlas will suffice to find your way beyond the minor network.

There are some sections I would avoid as they are really not suitable for cyclists.Use the more minor roads to get to get out of Inverness to Contin but then the A835 trunk road between Contin and Garve is very windy, up and down with poor sight lines and fast traffic including big lorries heading out west. I have never cycled it and wouldn't want to. For those with chunky wheels, use the good forest roads north of the river, re-joining the A road near Garve (OS map required or the local mountian biking map). The train or bike bus is an alternative. If you cycle it watch out for the level crossing at Garve and walk it as signed!! Same for the one south of Achnasheen at Balnacra - if you do cycle, weave to cross the rails at as close to 90deg as possible.

The Bealach na Ba over to Applecross and around the coast to Sheildaig is fabulous (my favourite ride). Most drivers are kind to cyclists ascending long steep climbs. Over the Bealach climb, hold your ground and try not to be intimidated by the occasional car trying to bully you out of the way. It is very narrow and gets quite steep just before the first left bend as you approach the head wall so you will be slow and wobbly and working hard - don't let cars try to force past you - there isn't room, but do use the passing places to let them pass - they are just long enough to let 2 cars past before you need to re-join the road! The descent to Applecross has some great fast sections but some blind bends as well. The cattle grid at the bottom is very smooth... Be ready for the roller-coaster of a road as you head South East around the coast back to Sheildaig - great fun on empty roads but narrow with poor sight lines when the trees are in full leaf.

Personally, I wouldn't take the A9 trunk road back from Thurso/Wick to Inverness - I would cut cross country from loch Hope, Tongue, Bettyhill or Melvich to join the A9 at Helmsdale or Lothbeg - some lovely quiet singletrack unclassified and B roads over the wild open flow country - not to be done into a strong southerly!! (The A897 may take some Dounreay commuting traffic on Sunday evenings/Monday mornings and Friday afternoons).

South of Brora, look at the map for detours to avoid the A9 if you want, but certainly use the minor road between Alness and Dingwall (and the cycle tack for chunkier bikes between Alness and Evanton) then train or the network of minor roads back to Inverness. There is also a cycle track most of the way which parallels the A835 after Dingwall and then parallels the A9 to the Kessock bridge. The A9 would be horrendous here - I certainly wouldn't cycle it!

Keep an eye on the NC500 website - there may be more for cyclist posted soon....

[Fraoch Mor]

Ha! typo in my post above - the road from Contin to Garve should be winding (twisty) not windy (well it might be, but that's not unusual!)

You could also look to see if the Nigg to Cromarty ( on the Black Isle) ferry is running again this year - that would take you to within 3 miles of the Kessock bridge, cutting out the really nasty (for cyclists) part of the A9.

Lots of options and fun planning it as well as cycling it....or you could just go and explore...