Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 1418
We did the NC500 back in August 2004, before it was even thought of. Nice and peaceful it was . The only dangerous thing on the road was SWMBO who insisted on driving the hired motorhome - till I insisted after half an hour that enough was enough
Here's a few pics - including ones of some of my abiding memories, rain and midges
Last edited by Brian_DL13 on 16th Jul 2019 1:37 pm. Edited 1 time in total
16th Jul 2019 1:36 pm
kirkyworld
Member Since: 01 Mar 2016
Location: Northampton
Posts: 566
Planning a visit for October half term in the D4. I'll need to try and sort where to stay centrally so i can leave the caravan and do some sightseeing.
Girlfriend asked if I had ever done this NC500 thing so I had to think about it. I worked out I have done it all at one time or another, mostly towing trailers or in a 20 ton lorry.A vaccine does not stop you catching a virus, or passing it on, or getting ill from it, really ill. It does reduce the likelyhood of you dying when really, really ill. Stay Alive - KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
16th Jul 2019 1:47 pm
Someone-Gone
Member Since: 21 Dec 2015
Location: Gone
Posts: 5117
See there was the body of a dead man discovered within a Campervan this week. It had been parked at B&Q car park, Inverness for months!
Alerted by a shopper who noticed the smell and flies round the vehicle.
Evidently not suspicious and not local.
Big hoo ha about why it wasn’t discovered earlier, but B&Q is a favourite spot for tourists in caravans and campervans to park for nothing, use the toilets etc.
17th Jul 2019 5:18 pm
JonM
Member Since: 24 May 2012
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 1247
Sea Raider wrote:
Just wait till the convoy of 15 Italian motorhomes arrive
They passed through Lochgilphead and onto Oban on Saturday, 1 big long line travelling at speeds of 35mph - 40mph and not a thought for anything else on the road.
It's not unique to the Italians....we were staying in Durness a few years ago when the Germans invaded.
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!
MY2012 D4 HSE 3.0 SDV6 - retired to a new home
17th Jul 2019 7:26 pm
marsie
Member Since: 28 Feb 2010
Location: Sheffieldish
Posts: 1807
i honestly think the standard of driving in the uk has got worse over the last few years. I partly put it down to the fact that cars virtually drive themselves these days and with all the driver aids a lot of skill and concentration is taken out of the equation. Not many days go by that i don't witness near misses just on my way to and from work
I passed my test in 1989 and my first car didn't even have servo brakes (1973 mini), followed by a vauxhall chevette that you had to juggle clutch control with use of the choke cable just to keep the b*****d thing running at junctions
We have several trips up to scotland every year and have yet to do the NC500 (since it became the NC500). Lets hope that it doesn't become just another racetrack like the nice driving roads we have around derbyshire and the peak districtPrevious Discos
1989 200tdi 3dr
1994 300tdi ES
1995 3.9 ES (x3)
2000 4.0 adventurer
2001 4.0 ES
2005 D3 HSE (zambesi silver)
2007 D3 SE (Lugano teal)
2011 D4 XS (Baltic Blue)
2008 D3 HSE PREMIUM (buckingham blue)
2009 D4 XS (Nara bronze)
2006 D3 Metropolis (Java Black)
2012my D4 HSE (indus silver)
2013 D4 XS (Firenze red)
Current 2017 D5 first edition (silicone silver)
1989? Newbie!A vaccine does not stop you catching a virus, or passing it on, or getting ill from it, really ill. It does reduce the likelyhood of you dying when really, really ill. Stay Alive - KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
20th Jul 2019 11:17 pm
marsie
Member Since: 28 Feb 2010
Location: Sheffieldish
Posts: 1807
Member Since: 21 Dec 2015
Location: Gone
Posts: 5117
I was out and about in Plockton and Lochcaron this afternoon. Motor Homes literally everywhere, down roads they shouldn’t have been and as for reversing, well they don’t.
I came across three accidents involving them. The photo below shows what happens when you swing out towards the near side to take a corner and forget about a parked car. It was a locals car to make matters worse.
Another Motor Home near Strome Ferry reversed into a stationary car and a third went off the verge on a single track roadand that’s forgetting about the road rage whereby an Edinburgh Mini Coach refused to let a Kyle of Lochalsh Hire Van pass on a single track road and the drivers hand hit the horn and stayed there. Take your life in your hands and it will only get worse.
Plockton incident. Italian driver out with the gaffer tape. Side of the thing was quite badly scraped.
You can see what the Motor Home did.
Overall view of car and motor home.
21st Jul 2019 6:42 pm
robsmith
Member Since: 02 Sep 2007
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 2401
I just got back from a "wee trip" (not in a D3, but a wee Honda estate). (Wee trip = Tamworth -> Lowestoft -> Ardnamurchan -> Tamworth with a couple of days on the Ardnamurchan Peninsular - nicely off the beaten track and very nice place)
I got stuck behind a very large Italian registered motor home who made (nearly) everything back up so he could force through. Nearly??? - Well the live fish wagon coming the other way was even bigger (and I suspect had been watching the motor home's progress for a mile or so) - he was bigger, and most definitely was not going to back up on the sharp bend over a bridge. I'd pulled into a gateway to let the pantomime proceed - the Italian tried to force the fish wagon back, but might won and the Italian had to back up. He could easily have got into the gateway I'd pulled into, but decided to go on a bit further, Mr.Fish lorry stopped and decided to watch what would happen next (the local bus was arriving from "our" direction, so forced Mr.Italian to go forwards, and into the gateway - only he made a mess of that. Mr.Fish and I were now in conversation about Mr.Italian - how the heck did Mr.Fish know so much of Mr.Italian's family tree?? Eventually me, Mr.Italian and Mr.Bus are on our way and Mr Fish was on his way. How the heck did Mr.Bus and I manage to get out of the gateway before Mr.Italian (I wanted to follow Mr.Bus, but he explained he was stopping in about a mile and was quite happy for me to go first, but he was determined that Mr.Italian would be behind us both.Rob Smith
Silver rools OK
21st Jul 2019 7:19 pm
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23832
“No Pain, No Gain”.
The NC500 route brings in an estimated £10m to the local economy.2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
Last edited by LT on 21st Jul 2019 8:03 pm. Edited 1 time in total
21st Jul 2019 7:32 pm
Someone-Gone
Member Since: 21 Dec 2015
Location: Gone
Posts: 5117
£10m is a very small fry considering the disruption and one that’s not seen by the majority of locals, whom would happily loose the trade.
21st Jul 2019 8:02 pm
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23832
I was born and bred in a famous tourist City.
2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
21st Jul 2019 8:09 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14429
I'm planning on cycling it next year with SWMBO. The current thinking is to try and do it in 3 days. D4 HSE EU6 (Known as Jeeves)
New Defender L663 110 SE (known as Noddy!) Sold
Sold Volvo XC90 R-Design (known as Basil)
Sold - D4 HSE (Known as Gerty)
No longer the Old Buses original owner
231,000 miles and counting
05 S manual owned from March 2005
D4 Face lifted
Still original injectors and turbo
V8 Front brakes
BAS Remap, Allisport Intercooler and deCat
EGRs blanked
T-Max split charge
Hanibal Expeedition rack
Prospeed ladder
Duratrac tyres
IID BT
BAS FBH control
21st Jul 2019 8:22 pm
J77
Member Since: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Fife
Posts: 6270
In a few months we will see if that £10m matters
I tour up that way a lot and spend a fair bit with local businesses, just shows I’ve been wasting my cash.
In the East Neuk tourism keeps the little businesses open, come the end of season and it’s a ghost town.
Got to love those that complain, but will go abroad and become a tourist themselves.23.5MY Defender 90 X-Dynamic SE D250 MHEV Pangea Green
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. The only dangerous thing on the road was SWMBO who insisted on driving the hired motorhome - till I insisted after half an hour that enough was enough 
