An alternative is camping. My 4 day, 570 mile, camping motorcycle tour of the famous NC500 route around the north coast of Scotland. Or you can do what I did: download a map to my Garmin, pick a point to stop over night(s), book some accommodation and press ‘start’! I stopped in Inverness for some fuel and a quick bit to eat at Tiso’s cafe then headed over the Lecht Road to Braemar. If you’d like to read more motorcycle adventures from ride the miles follow us on Facebook or Instagram. No sarcastic tone or hidden joke here. After a long hot shower I headed to the restaurant & bar for some hot food and a well needed Guinness or two. For those who are not such a huge fan of the wild side of Scotland, we will also list the best NC500 campsites for motorhomes, caravans and tents in this article. Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. AM Explore the capital of the Highlands. Jan 20, 2020 - Explore Rob Riley's board "NC500" on Pinterest. See this NC500 camping itinerary for a suggested itinerary, camping advice, and list of campsites. If you have a choice, I’d advise the A1M simply because it’s broadly the case that the eastern side of the United Kingdom is drier. If you’re from the UK, you have certainly heard of the North Coast 500 by now. Scotland's North Coast 500 route is gaining a bit of a reputation for itself. Loop of northern Scotland offers breathtaking scenery and great riding. The route begins in Inverness, Capital City of the Highlands, and snakes along the rugged coastal edges of northern Scotland, taking in breath-taking castles, mesmerising mountain tops and glistening beaches. A cheeky 760 miles over 4 days riding in weather ranging from fantastic sunshine to seriously stormy. We experienced the NC500 route last summer (I wrote a daily diary and also about my top ten moments), and loved it so much we chose to go back this summer on the motorbikes.I love the freedom of motorcycle camping, and for that week up in the very north of mainland Great Britain I was as far away from anywhere as I could be, enjoying each moment, each … This took me on a road I’d never been on; the A835 to Lairg and it was fantastic. It’s not on the official NC500 route but going “off-piste“ is where the hidden gems are. The NC500 is not a single highway designed to move commerce between previously disparate communities; it is an arbitrary collection of previously existing roads (some dating back to Roman times) linked to encourage tourists. Many people make a detailed North Coast 500 itinerary and plan this in huge detail, mapping every stop, possible rest point and undulation. Even the dog hated it. The United Kingdom has 15 national parks and you’re pretty much guaranteed to hit at least two of them no matter where you’re riding from. For a look at even more distilleries along the route, check out this NC500 Itinerary. You really can’t do too … Unfortunately the sound appears to have gone Awol. Known alternatively as the Scottish Route 66, this heavenly drive has quickly become the face of Scottish road trips. You will find it difficult to come across standard Holiday Inn Express-type accommodation for anything less than £150 a night. Route at a Glance The North Coast 500 (NC500) was created in 2014 by the North Highland Initiative to highlight some of Scotland’s magnificence to the world. Motorcycle It’s all about the journey! Although the NC500 was the brainchild of the non-profit North Highland Initiative, North Coast 500 Ltd became a private company in April 2015. I took both panniers and packed the camping gear. 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