Member Since: 21 Dec 2017
Location: Leominster
Posts: 279
Scotland North Coast 500
Anyone done this trip, any comments.1955 SWB Series 1 86 inch
1960 SWB Series 2 88 inch
2009 Discovery 3 HSE Bournville Pearl
6th Dec 2020 5:32 pm
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23866
I've heard that driving it in a camper van is popular.
I've driven all of it, but not in one trip. Just when I've been holidaying in Scotland, which is most years. Some stunning scenery. 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)
6th Dec 2020 5:58 pm
Farmer Chalk
Member Since: 06 Mar 2013
Location: Independent Republic of Kentishshire.
Posts: 4197
brilliant!
Yes buy yourself the slowest widest knackered old camper van.....
Other than the midges the locals are also quite vicious I hear...
Do a search on here to see what we mean!
6th Dec 2020 6:32 pm
Oxford-boy
Member Since: 07 Sep 2015
Location: Oxford
Posts: 1122
Yes. Several times.... so much to say.... Others on here will have/live there too.
Is fantastic and should be something everyone does at least once.
Can get VERY busy. Try to go when others don't.
How will you overnight? There are a few excellent places to stay for most budgets but they get booked up VERY quickly. Your own tent/B+B will give you more options.
Weather. Variable but some times are better than others.
Midges. Think this through...
If you are into the driving element more than the meader element then I recommend you go on Pistonheads and do a search. Much to find there.
Three best things?
Scenery is just epic..
Some fabulous places to stay, Castles to AirBnB cabins.
Cuisine. Careful research will see you lunch at the seafood shack in Ullapool and dine in the Kylesque Hotel where the menu and wine are superb... etc
Three things we struggled with...
Campervans. Roads single track in many places and these are not always respectful of the rules of the road and too big to get by.
Cyclists. In places there can be many. I have nothing against cyclists but when they stretch as far as the horizon on the single track roads it becomes tedious.
Not realising there was so much to do and see. We spent 5 days Inverness to Inverness and should have spent 8..
Enjoy it....
Jim
2014 Discovery 4 XXV SDV6 Causeway Grey
2016 Discovery 4 HSE Lux SDV6 Loire Blue - now gone
6th Dec 2020 6:36 pm
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23866
Farmer Chalk wrote:
brilliant!
Yes buy yourself the slowest widest knackered old camper van.....
Other than the midges the locals are also quite vicious I hear...
Do a search on here to see what we mean!
Remember to stock up on all your food, fuel and anything else you may need before crossing the border into Scotland. Oh and park up for the nights in the conveniently located passing places.
OP, yes do a forum search for NC500. 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)
6th Dec 2020 7:26 pm
Grandadrob
Member Since: 21 Dec 2017
Location: Leominster
Posts: 279
Thanks Guys. Did the search and read the post.
Any thoughts on doing the route in late May. Any midges out then, or cyclists.1955 SWB Series 1 86 inch
1960 SWB Series 2 88 inch
2009 Discovery 3 HSE Bournville Pearl
6th Dec 2020 8:39 pm
LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23866
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)
6th Dec 2020 8:45 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73121
May should be too early for the midges but the spring campers and early summer cyclists will be out in droves.
6th Dec 2020 9:35 pm
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 14478
Pop in and say hi to TD. Tell him we miss him. 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
6th Dec 2020 9:50 pm
highlands
Member Since: 10 Jan 2010
Location: NW Highlands
Posts: 5107
May and September tend to be the best months for a decent chance at good weather, lack (but not necessarily absence) of midges and not so crazy busy.
There are many places that are well worth a visit that aren't on the tourist trail/agenda...the broch our side of the loch (opposite to Eilean Donan) and the 2 brochs in Glenelg would be heaving if they were on the main routes but as it is there's rarely another soul at them.
The quality of food has been transformed in the past 20 years...and not just because of the introduction of my son's chocolate business!
Even if you (good forum members) aren't staying with us, do pop in for coffee/choc/dram if you are passing by. Black 05 TDV6 HSE Auto
Grey 05 TDV6 HSE Auto (Gone)
54 TDV6 SE Man (killed by me )
Last edited by highlands on 7th Dec 2020 12:19 am. Edited 1 time in total
6th Dec 2020 10:02 pm
galwaygreen
Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: plymouth
Posts: 6525
what a kind offer from highlander.....
jimmy mack cycled it in 33 hours for charity close to him ..non stop...no mean feat
6th Dec 2020 11:53 pm
Brian_DL13
Member Since: 25 Aug 2013
Location: Teesdale
Posts: 1418
As said, May / early June is best for a) avoiding midges b) best chance of good weather and c) avoiding camper vans full of Italians clogging the road . But, above all, go prepared for any type of weather - there's simply no way you can rely on it.
7th Dec 2020 9:55 am
Davethegeo
Member Since: 01 Oct 2015
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 919
highlands wrote:
The quality of food has been transformed in the past 20 years...and not just because of the introduction of my son's chocolate business!
I can vouch for the quality of the chocolate. Superb! Highlands was kind enough to give me a wee box when he picked up some stuff I was getting rid of.
There is much excellent food in the Highlands. The NC500 barely scrapes the surface of what is available although it does have the advantage of keeping the super cars and camper vans on one route!D1 300Tdi - gone
D2 Td5 ES (Alive remapped...mmm) - sadly gone
D4 2012 SDV6 XS - Stolen
D4 2014 SDV6 HSE - Shiny
7th Dec 2020 10:00 am
Grandadrob
Member Since: 21 Dec 2017
Location: Leominster
Posts: 279
The trip sounds great, but not this year. I planned my route including all the good bits. When I tried to book accommodation it all went south. I was told time and again that they were fully booked because of honouring all of the covid-cancelled 2020 bookings. This led me to believe that it was going to be very busy, which I would hate. So we called it off altogether.1955 SWB Series 1 86 inch
1960 SWB Series 2 88 inch
2009 Discovery 3 HSE Bournville Pearl
28th Dec 2020 4:09 pm
NC500
Member Since: 18 Sep 2017
Location: On the NC500
Posts: 549
I live on the NC500 and run guided tours in my LR. Any questions about the trip, just ask!!
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