Next weekend me and the wife are spending 5 days doing the very far north of Scotland. Drive up to Ullapool and then 4 nights along the coast to Inverness. Looks like there are so many places to see and visit so just wondering if any BMers have done it and can recommend any great beaches, castles, walks, seafood restaurants they visited.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
NC500 - Scotland road trip
- Thread starter willipp
- Start date
blueparrot
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 7 Jun 2012
- Messages
- 29,457
Havent done it but would recommend having accommodations pre booked if you are planning to do the 500. I’m hearing its very popular and busy. If you can watch the Grand Tour on Amazon they did a Scotland episode and did an alternative North Scotland route , can’t remember which road but it avoided the 500 roads and was much quieter and just as scenic if not more so.Next weekend me and the wife are spending 5 days doing the very far north of Scotland. Drive up to Ullapool and then 4 nights along the coast to Inverness. Looks like there are so many places to see and visit so just wondering if any BMers have done it and can recommend any great beaches, castles, walks, seafood restaurants they visited.
Booked a couple of places and was planning on booking the others based on our finalized route. Will have a look on amazon tv for that one cheers.Havent done it but would recommend having accommodations pre booked if you are planning to do the 500. I’m hearing its very popular and busy. If you can watch the Grand Tour on Amazon they did a Scotland episode and did an alternative North Scotland route , can’t remember which road but it avoided the 500 roads and was much quieter and just as scenic if not more so.
blueparrot
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 7 Jun 2012
- Messages
- 29,457
Just make sure you watch it through the first part is purposely making it look grim as a joke , the second part shows it in all its glory.Booked a couple of places and was planning on booking the others based on our finalized route. Will have a look on amazon tv for that one cheers.
flook
Well-Known Member
I'm very jealous
Beach, Achmelvich Bay, Mellon Udrigle isn't bad either, haven't been to the top but I believe you're spoilt for choice along the very north coast
fish restaurant, not so much a restaurant but a shack in Ullapool, closes when it runs out of fresh catch of the day https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Resta...ack-Ullapool_Scottish_Highlands_Scotland.html
things to do, bit sparse I think on the NC500, but a distillery tour and tasting is always a good bet, smoky/peat flavours on that coast
be careful walking in the mountains, they kill people
Beach, Achmelvich Bay, Mellon Udrigle isn't bad either, haven't been to the top but I believe you're spoilt for choice along the very north coast
fish restaurant, not so much a restaurant but a shack in Ullapool, closes when it runs out of fresh catch of the day https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Resta...ack-Ullapool_Scottish_Highlands_Scotland.html
things to do, bit sparse I think on the NC500, but a distillery tour and tasting is always a good bet, smoky/peat flavours on that coast
be careful walking in the mountains, they kill people
You’re the second person that’s mentioned the fish shack in Ullapool so that’s defo on the list cheers.I'm very jealous
Beach, Achmelvich Bay, Mellon Udrigle isn't bad either, haven't been to the top but I believe you're spoilt for choice along the very north coast
fish restaurant, not so much a restaurant but a shack in Ullapool, closes when it runs out of fresh catch of the day https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Resta...ack-Ullapool_Scottish_Highlands_Scotland.html
things to do, bit sparse I think on the NC500, but a distillery tour and tasting is always a good bet, smoky/peat flavours on that coast
be careful walking in the mountains, they kill people
Trevor Morley's Tache
Well-Known Member
If you can stretch it out on the way back, pop across the A96 when you get to Inverness.
Stops at Nairn, Forres, Findhorn Forest and beach with WWII bunkers, then on to Lossiemouth (long sandy beaches and RAF station if you are into aircraft spotting) and maybe do Buckie, Cullen (Cullen Skink if you like your smoked fish) and Portsoy before doubling back to Fochabers (the Baxters factory is worth a visit), and Spey Bay for a bit of dolphin and osprey spotting (https://dolphincentre.whales.org/).
Follow the A96 until you get to Keith, and then on to the A95 and follow the Whiskey trail until you hit the A9 just beyond Grantown on Spey. Just beyond Grantown is Aviemore which is another good place to stop, then it's A9 until you get to Perth (Dunkeld is a good stop on the way), and work your way back from there.
Stops at Nairn, Forres, Findhorn Forest and beach with WWII bunkers, then on to Lossiemouth (long sandy beaches and RAF station if you are into aircraft spotting) and maybe do Buckie, Cullen (Cullen Skink if you like your smoked fish) and Portsoy before doubling back to Fochabers (the Baxters factory is worth a visit), and Spey Bay for a bit of dolphin and osprey spotting (https://dolphincentre.whales.org/).
Follow the A96 until you get to Keith, and then on to the A95 and follow the Whiskey trail until you hit the A9 just beyond Grantown on Spey. Just beyond Grantown is Aviemore which is another good place to stop, then it's A9 until you get to Perth (Dunkeld is a good stop on the way), and work your way back from there.
Last edited:
flook
Well-Known Member
Follow the A96 until you get to Keith, and then on to the A95 and follow the Whiskey trail until you hit the A9 just beyond Grantown on Spey. Just beyond Grantown is Aviemore which is another good place to stop, then it's A9 until you get to Perth (Dunkeld is a good stop on the way), and work your way back from there.
if you go this side, then lots of speyside distilleries, and the speyside cooperage at Aberlour is interesting too
Djibrilshairdo
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 11 May 2018
- Messages
- 2,903
Take the Pass of the Cattle and spend a night in Applecross (if camping) nice pub with good food too.
JOGAMIGMOG
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- 6 Jun 2006
- Messages
- 6,581
- Location
- Round at Kate Winslet's
- Team supported
- Manchester City, England and Levante Union Deportiva
I did it before it was rebranded as the NC500. Done a lot of it on bicycle as well. Off up to Inverness in a couple of weeks to cycle the Caledonia Way. The thing with road trips such as this is you're doing it to experience your own trip and take things from it you will enjoy, not to do/see things that others think are worth seeing. You're going to see all these places as you pass through. My only recommendation: Get yourself some Avon Skin So Soft and rub it in - keeps the midges away. Enjoy.