Member Since: 27 Dec 2009
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 6551
NC 500 accommodation advice please
Will be doing this route late September this year. Will be just me and SWMBO and have been told that we WILL NOT be camping. So I’d appreciate any info on hotels and B&B’s as I know quite a few of you have already done this.
I’ve got the relevant OS map and the NC500 guide book plus I’ll do a search and see what that brings up.
Cheers AndyD4 MY15 SE TECH
D3 gone but never forgotten.
30th Apr 2018 6:55 pm
HughMartin
Member Since: 30 Mar 2008
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 751
Definitely worth trying to get into the Kylesku Hotel if you can get a room.
Member Since: 27 Dec 2009
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 6551
SWMBO currently checking it out D4 MY15 SE TECH
D3 gone but never forgotten.
30th Apr 2018 7:31 pm
david007
Member Since: 01 Sep 2012
Location: Angus
Posts: 15
We stayed there in November and had one of the top floor rooms in Willie's house and would thoroughly recommend it. This chap paid a visit during the night.
We also had a really good stay at the Torridon hotel and were very fortunate to get a free upgrade to the best room in the hotel as they were quite that weekend.
Last edited by david007 on 1st May 2018 5:15 pm. Edited 1 time in total
30th Apr 2018 9:26 pm
highlands
Member Since: 10 Jan 2010
Location: NW Highlands
Posts: 5107
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30th Apr 2018 10:48 pm
NC500
Member Since: 18 Sep 2017
Location: On the NC500
Posts: 549
We live on the NC500 and own the only 5 star bed and breakfast on the north coast. Suggest travelling anti clockwise, stay with either Culgower House near Helmsdale or ourselves at Mey House for the east/ north coast. The Kylesku is excellent but usually booked well in advance so if they are full stay at Makays in Durness. On the west coast either at the Torridon Hotel, Inver Lodge Hotel or Aultbea Hotel.
Take a look at our website as it gives tips on where to eat and also some alternative off piste routes off the NC500- it’s all on the Explore page
1st May 2018 6:55 am
xcentric
Member Since: 01 Apr 2015
Location: Shropshire, UK
Posts: 1081
Andy - here's my route and the places we stayed. All pretty good, especially the chalets on the ocean edge.
McKinnon Country House Hotel is weird, but worth visiting because of that. Specialities include 17 kinds of mashed potato; the dining room hides its elegance under a cameo net slung from the roof, and the hotel proprietor wouldn't light the fire as it was 9pm and we were the only guests so it would be wasteful......
1st May 2018 4:18 pm
JMack
Member Since: 02 Aug 2014
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 1517
Xcentri wrote:
All pretty good, especially the chalets on the ocean edge.
The owners are cousins of mine, very nice place to stay.
Not on the actual NC500 route, but a decent detour to Coigach.
1st May 2018 9:09 pm
GSLRO
Member Since: 10 Sep 2008
Location: Sunderland
Posts: 1279
Andy I have a turn by turn route programme for TomTom or Garmin drop me an email (T&T) and I will ping it over to you.Club N.E.R.D.s
3rd May 2018 7:45 pm
Andy Foster
Member Since: 27 Dec 2009
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 6551
Not been on here for a few days and had one email notifications so just seeing this.
Thanks for all the advice so far. The “definitely won’t be camping” has been reiterated again
Thanks so far Andy D4 MY15 SE TECH
D3 gone but never forgotten.
4th May 2018 8:32 pm
ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15269
Personally, I'd give the NC500 a miss..... too commercialised.
Best bet is to stay off the typical "tourist" route and make your own plans around the W/NW area and take in some of the islands e.g. Islay, Jura, Mull, Skye etc.
Only my opinion of course. ...... always on the road less travelled 🚧
< ‘tis but a mere scratch …….. it’ll polish out.
4th May 2018 9:37 pm
JonM
Member Since: 24 May 2012
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1247
I don't really get the fascination with doing the NC500 as a "thing". We've stayed in various places in the Highlands and it's easy to visit all of the NC500 areas as day trips from a single base cottage with plenty of time left in a week to do other stuff as well.
no need to keep packing / unpacking & moving house. Just rent a cottage and enjoy the highlands at your own pace. MY2022 D5 HSE D300 - with extra nice bits added
MY2019 D5 HSE 3.0 SDV6 - sold to a dealer for a crazy price! - So good I bought another!
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4th May 2018 10:02 pm
xcentric
Member Since: 01 Apr 2015
Location: Shropshire, UK
Posts: 1081
I see both sides. Doing it as a 'thing' was fun - gave a specific focus to the trip, and my elderly father enjoyed the fact that we'd done something he could easily talk to about his friends and they knew what it was.
For the route itself, I think the west and north-west are many times better than the other parts, and we spent comparatively more time there too - but next time I'd not do the N500 thing again but would do just a west coast trip, as suggested.
So, having done it once, that's enough, and a repeat would be a more focussed individual trip. But I'm pleased we did it the once.
5th May 2018 1:10 pm
Someone-Gone
Member Since: 21 Dec 2015
Location: Gone
Posts: 5117
It’s just marketing hype. The road was there before the concept. It’s catching on, they have now invented a NorthEast 250 round the Moray area.
Thing is the roads are mostly single track and can’t cope with the volume of traffic that the main arterial routes can and people are starting earlier and earlier and in greater numbers.
There’s already been a build up of traffic in the last month - Bikers, Camper Vans, Caravans, Open Top Cars and the like.
5th May 2018 4:21 pm
highlands
Member Since: 10 Jan 2010
Location: NW Highlands
Posts: 5107
I came back from Inverness yesterday on my bike and was, for a short time, riding behind a red Morgan 3 wheeler that looked fab.
It also drowned out my ZX9R with full titanium Akrapovič exhaust system, which is quite a feat!
I do like some of the more esoteric vehicles the NC500 has attracted...
Not that there weren't a good few around before anyway:
I was lucky enough to drive the Jag in the photo round most of the NC500 long before it became the NC500 but sadly not the Bentley.
Although quite a few on here have done it, I wouldn't mind rather fewer motorhomes on the route. Black 05 TDV6 HSE Auto
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