Full fat NC500 trip 2nd October - 5th October 2024

[B21]

This a clockwise trip from Inverness on the 2nd October to Ullapool on day 1,

Day 1.jpg (100.59 KiB) Viewed 388 times

then Ullapool to Thurso on day 2 and

Day 2.jpg (77.13 KiB) Viewed 388 times

Thurso to Fort Augustus on day 3.

Day 3.jpg (94.96 KiB) Viewed 388 times

It follows the full NC500 route clockwise apart from a bit of the tedious A9 road down to Inverness where we'll go through some of the amazing hinterland.

Its 3 days of fairly consistent driving..around 5 hours a day plus stops.

Hotels have been booked in Inverness , Ullapool, Thurso and Fort Augustus..average price for the the four are around £500 depending on occupancy.

I've reserved 6 places at the hotels...

[B21]

Going

[RAYK47]

I am thinking of doing this this year on my motorcycle (irrelevant i know) but was thinking of doing anticlockwise to get the best views and roads towards the end of the trip. However you seem to have made a couple of tweaks so i will keep an eye on this and may steal the route

[B21]

I am thinking of doing this this year on my motorcycle (irrelevant i know) but was thinking of doing anticlockwise to get the best views and roads towards the end of the trip. However you seem to have made a couple of tweaks so i will keep an eye on this and may steal the route

I’ve done it now 9 times in various combinations…predominantly anti-clockwise ish..variety is good so belatedly I’ll do the clockwise full edition..not sure there’s really that much difference in quality of views..going anti-clockwise tends to build the drama of approaching some of the epic north west sections…however we’re avoiding the tedium of the A9 by going inland..why they didn’t go there in the first place I don’t know..apart from the fact it’s the NC600+

[coldel]

Great route, I have done it twice in either direction - Ullapool to Thurso took us something like 8-9 hours once we factored in stopping for lunch, breaks, beaches along the north coast, photo opps etc. Fair play for smashing it all in 3 days!

[B21]

Great route, I have done it twice in either direction - Ullapool to Thurso took us something like 8-9 hours once we factored in stopping for lunch, breaks, beaches along the north coast, photo opps etc. Fair play for smashing it all in 3 days!

It’s always a trade off when it comes to time spent on pics / stops etc ..this will be a relatively tight trip as I suspect a few of those who may attend will already have filled their disk space with yet another set of gob smacking shots etc

Newbies tend to underestimate the average journey times..especially when the grockles and big camper vans hit the route…

[coldel]

We got stuck at the top of a foggy incline when a camper van the size of a battleship decided it could negotiate the 300 degree bends, cant believe the muppets that drive those things in the small highlands roads.

[RAYK47]

hoping the motorcycle will be able to navigate the traffic a lot better so not too many hold ups. I know there will be some but hopefully not too bad.

[B21]

We got stuck at the top of a foggy incline when a camper van the size of a battleship decided it could negotiate the 300 degree bends, cant believe the muppets that drive those things in the small highlands roads.

Yes you see it all…one year for different reasons saw two of the buggars on their sides..

Another we had one snaking across a two lane section for around 10 miles to stop us getting past..

Heh ho.

Generally this last couple of years it doesn’t seem to be that bad..unlike Skye..

[B21]

hoping the motorcycle will be able to navigate the traffic a lot better so not too many hold ups. I know there will be some but hopefully not too bad.

Not sure it makes any difference…I can’t recollect a motorcycle ever passing us (apart from when parked up)…

The loose surfaces can be more problematic for the 2 wheelers..

Roads even on the hinterland have been extensively resurfaced..

[kammy1975]

Whats the weather like at that time of year ? Surely it wont be top down weather ? I would have assumed rain at least ?

[B21]

Whats the weather like at that time of year ? Surely it wont be top down weather ? I would have assumed rain at least ?

Well I guess it depends how you define or utilise top down…

If you’re expecting south of France type weather then only a few days a year qualify for that criteria…

Early October will be typically very similar to April / early May…rain will be typically 50% higher than on the summer months..sunshine about 50% lower..

The other factors are weather systems tend to rattle through that area quickly…so both rain and sun tend to come and go quickly..

Given that this will be my 10 th trip I’m looking to avoid the school holiday driven times..and I’ve not done October ..but have done mid September..

We are booking on a late cancellation option so it it looks really bad then we can kick it into touch and re-frag for 2025!

[kammy1975]

Whats the weather like at that time of year ? Surely it wont be top down weather ? I would have assumed rain at least ?

Well I guess it depends how you define or utilise top down…

If you’re expecting south of France type weather then only a few days a year qualify for that criteria…

Early October will be typically very similar to April / early May…rain will be typically 50% higher than on the summer months..sunshine about 50% lower..

The other factors are weather systems tend to rattle through that area quickly…so both rain and sun tend to come and go quickly..

Given that this will be my 10 th trip I’m looking to avoid the school holiday driven times..and I’ve not done October ..but have done mid September..

We are booking on a late cancellation option so it it looks really bad then we can kick it into touch and re-frag for 2025!

Thanks for the response! Wasn't expecting south of France weather, and happy to get roof down for most occasions, as it just allows you to take in more as a driver. But does sound tempting, especially as it could mean it's quieter. And the cancellation option is handy to know. Let me see what work commitments look like.

[Bombardino]

I’ve just returned from working in Scotland and essentially did the NC500, having experienced the north coast between Thurso and Durness I wouldn’t take my car anywhere near it. Single lane roads are fine as long as there are pot hole free passing places to pull in to allow traffic through, a large section of the road is in a very poor state of repair.

[B21]

I’ve just returned from working in Scotland and essentially did the NC500, having experienced the north coast between Thurso and Durness I wouldn’t take my car anywhere near it. Single lane roads are fine as long as there are pot hole free passing places to pull in to allow traffic through, a large section of the road is in a very poor state of repair.

Part of the ‘charm’ of the NC500 is the variety of roads..if your car is a garage queen it’s not for you….

Each year bits go into further disrepair whilst bits get resurfaced,,my trip this month found most roads had been considerably upgraded compared to a few years ago..