NC 500 SCOTLAND

Hi has anyone completed the NC 500 in an Symbol are the roads, lanes to narrow or was it driveable cheers

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We did it in a Nuevo, 5.4 MTRS long and a bit wider than a Symbol, no problems but we didn't do Applecross.

Have done most of the route several times in 7.5 m coachbuilts. Only did the Applecross section once we had a AS Fairford PVC ( 6.36m). Some of the Applecross locals have had enough of the tourists and that was before covid 19. It's a good route if driven with consideration for driver's who know the road better than tourists. On a personal note, I would give it a miss this year due to the shear numbers of visitors and the destruction to the environment  by wild campers.

I agree. The NC500 seems to be on everyone's agenda this year.

This pic shows our Suffolk at Durness. Note the caravans and bigger motorhome which all seemed to get around the roads OK.[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Why bother? We’ve been up there as part of a general tour of Scotland.
The roads in the north and west are in an abysmal state of disrepair. The locals are hostile and facilities are inadequate. Caithness is made up of a ruined landscape covered in dispersed shanty towns. In the north west coastal region at least some of the population have discovered building maintenance and are less inclined to litter their properties with the scrap vehicles that proliferate in Caithness.
The locals are prone to dangerous driving, perhaps because they are not used to meeting other user of the public highways. When not driving dangerously they are discourteous. Being local affords no more priority in the use of the public highway. 
The NC500 is a marketing stunt that the locals do not want. There are almost no businesses up there to benefit from the tourists so why should they. That said, the lack of enterprise displayed is astonishing. With all those tourists you would have expected the growth of businesses to exploited them. But no, in Caithness and Sutherland they have their heads firmly is in the midden. Perhaps they have nothing to invest. I could not see what they spend their money on though, certainly not maintenance or dealing with their rubbish. We sat and watched a local fly-tipping by a lay-by just outside John o Groats. A  day later we found a load of dumped tyres on Dunnet Head. FFS as the kids say. 
They seem to whinge a lot about campervans but just look at the disregard the locals exhibit for their environment. At least the council are providing public facilities and waste bins which is more than can be said for many regions of England.

Oh, we went to Thurso for some shopping. Thurso must be the second most grim place we had ever seen. Stranraer is the most grim in case you are wondering.

Well there you go, we are all different aren’t we. I absolutely loved my trip round the NC500 and didn’t witness any of the abject misery you describe. 
The locals couldn’t have been nicer and I can’t wait to head back.

I like Stranraer too, far nicer than than many English places I’ve visited

I'm with you, Kingham, but each to their own. 

Not a mention of the stunning scenery, the abundant wildlife and the warm welcome when visiting cafes, pubs and the like on your trip.

Which NC500 was that then?

Not the one we visited, for sure!! 

We found the locals a bit of a nuisance . . . because they were too courteous!! On the single track roads they would pull in two or three laybyes ahead and flash us on, when it was clearly our responsibility to pull in for them.

Pity we can't say the same for the hordes of hired motorhomes, many of which were driven by pig ignorant idiots!!

Local drivers are probably working people, remote communities have health professionals who need to get from A to B quickly and not have to slow down or stop for some visitors on holiday.
In A& B local drivers have to catch ferries to get to their place of work, I had to catch 2 most mornings, you will find also the lots of properties have been taken over by none locals who have moved up from south of the border, holiday homes , or try their luck in a small holding, some don't fit in with the community ??
Since relocating down here,I've seen far worse parts of the U.K.
Agreed some properties could do with a lick of paint and a garden tidy up.
It's a beautiful part of the world, as many forum members will endorse,as to convoys of hired motorhomes,we encountered three convoys of Dutch Hymers north of Scourie with no intention of giving way.
We have done the 500 twice in 40 years,most recently back in 2017, it was busy then, resent reports from family members confirm its very busy on all highland roads.
Have a nice day.

Hi , did an extended NC500 in 1997 when there was no NC500! Lovely ,quiet roads, didnt book a single site ,no Dutch/Germans/Italians, and no racers trying to do it in record time! Have done it 4or5 times since ,it is lovely still, but its got increasingly busier each time ,and have come accross quite a few idiots who really shouldnt be  driving in this beautiful part of the country!  Regards     Paul

We did this a couple of years ago with a kemerton XL.
We also went off the route on some minor roads without any issue.
The pass of the catle near Applecross is a must it is spectacular and was easy with the van.

paul bullock wrote:Hi , did an extended NC500 in 1997 when there was no NC500! Lovely ,quiet roads, didnt book a single site ,no Dutch/Germans/Italians, and no racers trying to do it in record time! Have done it 4or5 times since ,it is lovely still, but its got increasingly busier each time ,and have come accross quite a few idiots who really shouldnt be  driving in this beautiful part of the country!  Regards     Paul

Thanks Paul, my like button doesn't work on safari.  
Boaby

paul bullock wrote:Hi , did an extended NC500 in 1997 when there was no NC500! Lovely ,quiet roads, didnt book a single site ,no Dutch/Germans/Italians, and no racers trying to do it in record time! Have done it 4or5 times since ,it is lovely still, but its got increasingly busier each time ,and have come accross quite a few idiots who really shouldnt be  driving in this beautiful part of the country!  Regards     Paul

We did an extended NC500 (extended before and after, left out the cross-country bit from Inverness and didn't do Applecross) in 2017, only booked 3 popular sites out of 14 we stayed on. Always made welcome. There aren't that many shops/cafes along the route itself, you sometimes have to make a detour and then get back on track. The roads weren't busy either, mind you we did it mid-April to mid-May. Wouldn't go near the area between late May and September.

Hi , the last time we did it was 2017. early June, started at Elie then made our way anti clockwise around the coast, Stoneavon,Portsoy,Culloden,Rosemarkie,Brora (where we met Frederick) ,Dunnet bay,Sango sands,Ullapool, skye,kinlochewe,Arisaig,Bunree,over to Braemar,Newtonmore,Oban,Loch Lomond,then down to Ayr , first time doing it Anti Clockwise ,no real reason but I prefer it clockwise! Most stange group seen travelling the route was approx 30/40 Honda 50s all together!! Lovely route ,hope to go back soon,we did the Wild Atlantic Way in 2018 but although good still prefer Scotland!!    Regards  Paul

We did it clockwise starting Culzean, Loch Lomond, Bunrae, Skye, Inverewe, Sango, Dunnet Bay, Brora, Rosemarie, Runnock Forest, Balbernie, Melrose..
We've also done extended SW300, different scenery but well worth doing. Had intended to do West to East Borders and Lowland tour last year but got postponed to this year which of course has been postponed again.

He visited forum this afternoon but hasn't posted since starting thread.

Paulmold wrote:He visited forum this afternoon but hasn't posted since starting thread.

Shame he didn't pop in a quick "Thanks" after so many members have tried to help. 

well it's a thanks from me anyway as I've spent the day route planning a NC500 trip when lockdown eases.  Cheers.... :-)

We're booked for June - 4 weeks including Applecross and the pass which can't be worse than the pass from Serre Poncon to Annoy which we drove over a few years ago. Just very sad that we've had to book all our sites

inspiredron wrote:We're booked for June - 4 weeks including Applecross and the pass which can't be worse than the pass from Serre Poncon to Annoy which we drove over a few years ago. Just very sad that we've had to book all our sites

Don't forget your midge spray Ron and your face mask.    Enjoy the scenery and have a wee half 
Boaby