North Coast 500 The Road Trip of a Lifetime – NC500 Guide Book by Robbie Roams

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Lastly, aside from the myriad of motorhomes, camper vans and caravans, motorcycle troops, bicycle groups and sports car convoys present on the roads here, always remember that these are country roads used by locals each and every day. Not all who live up here are happy about the route's recent success (increased tourist traffic and congestion on the roads being a big reason), and so visitors must go out of their way to be respectful and drive sensibly at all times. How many days does it take to drive the North Coast 500?' is a very different question to 'How many days should you spend on the North Coast 500?' Many visitors have complained that the infrastructure isn’t there to support the increased popularity the NC500 has experienced in recent years. When planning your NC500 routeor once you're on the road, don't look at the map and think 'we've only got 80 miles to drive today, we'll have loads of time'. Your mobile internet won’t always work! One of the things that surprised us the most was the internet coverage in Scotland. Although we like unplugging once in a while, not having internet (even on our UK phones) was a pain when you are trying to plan out your route.

Driving the North Coast 500 - ALONG DUSTY ROADS Our Tips for Driving the North Coast 500 - ALONG DUSTY ROADS

During our drive up the West Coast, the scenery was unreal and just really out of this world. But the closer we got to the north, we started seeing the sights that the United Kingdom is known for. So, don't be surprised if you are met with a blank faced look when you ask somebody for directions to Gairloch or if they know a good restaurant in Torridon - the likelihood is you're saying it all wrong. While this viewpoint isn’t usually a stop in most North Coast 500 itineraries, I recommend you make the detour up here as the views are INCREDIBLE. We drove up to Torridon and made our way up the single-pass road up to the Bealach na Gaoithe viewpoint in Diabaig.Driving for extended periods of time takes a lot of concentration and can make us tired, a state that could lead to an accident. Rotating with one or more drivers will ensure your concentration level remains high and you stay alert. Take regular breaks The North Coast 500 (also known as the NC500) offers everyone a taste of the 'tartan, bagpipes and shortbread' Scotland you've seen in the brochures but, importantly, has enough surprises over the five hundred plus miles stretch to make you think about the country in an entirely different way. Although every roadtripper or traveller will share a similar appreciation of stunning isolated landscapes and breathtakingly wild coastal scenes along the way, each will also be able to craft and curate their own version of the NC500 based on what they love the most.

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Inverness-Shire: Home of the route’s largest city – Inverness – this region is where your adventure begins and ends. With a mixture of ancient castles, highland scenery and near the infamous Loch Ness – there is so much to see! I'm not too fussed about it being rainy or cold, however it would be disappointing if early April was still considered out of season for a lot of the activities I would like to do. After all, you don't justwant to be looking at the coastal and mountain scenery from the car seat; you want to immerse yourself fully within it.One half of this blog, a proud Scotsman, knew very little of what lay north of Inverness given that 'travel' to him had always meant venturing to countries far from his homeland; but our own North Coast 500 trip changed all that, and developed a deep appreciation in both of us for what lay on our own doorsteps. This particular stop was one of our favorites as it was so unexpected. It had been raining all day and as soon as we arrived in the parking lot, the sun appeared which gave us a glimpse of powder-white sand and crystal blue waters. If you are looking at visiting the distilleries and breweries on the route, please be wary of drink driving limits in Scotland – as they are different from the rest of the UK. . What else does the North of Scotland have to offer drivers?