NC500 Scotland in June

mr805

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We plan to drive the NC500 in June with three friends/motorcycles. Is it necessary to reserve the b & b's and hotels in advance?
we are starting, leaving the ferry in Newcastle and planning 7 day, is this enough time?


thanx for responce:thumb2

Mark (NL)
 
Yes you should book hotels etc. Do so as soon as you can! The route can get VERY busy during high season. Next time, come in May or September. Seven days is sufficient, Scotland is not a huge country but you will not have the flexibility to see other areas and relax. You'll just have to come again!
 
Yes, book in advance, especially if you need singles or twin rooms. Seven days is plenty, and you could add on to the basic route easily in this time.

Always book direct, the OTAs take a commission from the accommodation provider and this is often (although not always) passed on to the punter.
 
I would like to think of a different answer but can't!

Yes.... book in advance...the book in the first post may help.....https://www.tarmap.co.uk

And I don't know what an OTA is either!;)

Google tells me it means Online Travel Agent.

But there again Over The Air, or Organised Team Activity or .....
I'll stop now otherwise it could get a bit tedious.
 
If you limit yourself to the NC500 you will miss many fantastic places that are close to the route. Take your time, be distracted by what else is there and don't be a slave to the route. Oh, and book in advance as accommodation can be booked solid. Booking.com will be a help in seeing what is available.
 
Mark.
A) Firstly, yes you will absolutely need to book.
B) 7 days is more than enough.
C) Don’t do it.

The NC500 was invented to encourage folk to visit a part of Scotland that didn’t get many visitors.
It didn’t get many visitors because there are far nicer areas to explore.
If you’re a long time visitor to Scotland and are bored with the other parts and just want to do the NC500, then fine, but if not, I strongly suggest you head to the West Coast instead.
 
Mark.
A) Firstly, yes you will absolutely need to book.
B) 7 days is more than enough.
C) Don’t do it.

The NC500 was invented to encourage folk to visit a part of Scotland that didn’t get many visitors.
It didn’t get many visitors because there are far nicer areas to explore.
If you’re a long time visitor to Scotland and are bored with the other parts and just want to do the NC500, then fine, but if not, I strongly suggest you head to the West Coast instead.

Eh? The only boring bit of the NC 500 is the run from Achnasheen to Garve.
 
We plan to drive the NC500 in June with three friends/motorcycles. Is it necessary to reserve the b & b's and hotels in advance?
we are starting, leaving the ferry in Newcastle and planning 7 day, is this enough time?


thanx for responce:thumb2

Mark (NL)
Depends which way your heading from Newcastle East or West, and how far you are wishing to ride on first day.

If you going East, I'd go up A1 aiming for Edinburgh for first overnight stop. Approx 140 miles. If speed/distance isn't needed then A68 from Newcastle to Edinburgh. Watch out for Mr Gatso !

Edinburgh is nice to visit, but motorcycle theft has been a problem find somewhere with secure storage, if you stay over.

From Edinburgh, over Forth Crossing towards Perth, then Blairgowrie, Braemar, Grantown on Spey (whisky distillery) Nairn, Inverness. You are now at beginning of NC 500.

If you were going west, it is harder to cut cross country and not hit Glasgow motorways.

Again if you take M90 exit J4 follow signs for Knockhill, A823 Auchterarder/Crieff.

Either turn right out of Crieff, then Left A822 Aberfeldy. Head West out of Aberfeldy A827 towards Killin (scenic water falls) towards Crianlarich A85.
Take A82 to Tyndrum choice of either A82 Glencoe or A85 to Oban watch out for speed camera vans !

If you go left out of Crieff, A85 towards Lochearnhead, turn right at end of village A85 towards Crianlarich then as above.

I reckon a day for Edinburgh/sight seeing.

A day up East coast to Inverness then NC500.

Slightly quicker West route maybe 4-6 hours including fuel stops/food.

Hope this helps.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk
 
Few of us going the end of June to do it. Ride’s NC600 route actually. Doing it in 6 days including riding up and back down to and from just North of London. We have accommodation all booked. Used booking.com. It was a bit of a pain in some places as they can be quite remote with not many options so I would get on it soon as poss.
 
Me and a mate are planning on going up second or third week in May, in between the two Bank Holidays - is there still a need to book accommodation well in advance? If the weather forecast is pants, we'd have a contingency plan to go east of the Cairngorms where I'm told by a friend who's lived up there that it's likely to be drier as the mountain range generally stops most of the shite weather coming eastwards. Is the riding still good over that way?
 
Me and a mate are planning on going up second or third week in May, in between the two Bank Holidays - is there still a need to book accommodation well in advance? If the weather forecast is pants, we'd have a contingency plan to go east of the Cairngorms where I'm told by a friend who's lived up there that it's likely to be drier as the mountain range generally stops most of the shite weather coming eastwards. Is the riding still good over that way?

Would always recommend pre-booking if doing the NC500...it's very popular.
As to the weather, the prevailing wind up here is generally westerly so the east coast is usually drier but can be colder.
But....we sometimes get bad weather from the East, North or South so no guarantees. All you can do is keep your eye on the forecast, but even if its raining - it rarely lasts long at that time of year. At least there's no midges and you'll get loads of daylight.
Bring full waterproofs and factor 50. You may need both. Possibly in the same day.

Yup. Plenty of good roads on the east. Not as dramatic as the west, but still plenty to keep you happy.
 
Thanks for the tips.
I normally pre-book on Booking.com with free cancellation up to 48hrs before arriving - there's less choice but a good insurance policy against having to endure a week of foul weather or face losing money. As the east coast and inland is less touristy I guess there's less of a requirement to pre book rooms, so we could book rooms for the NC500 and hope to go with that but bale out in the week leading up to the departure and find somewhere else that's drier. I don't mind riding in the rain but would like to be able to actually see some of the sights rather than have 7 days of mist and poor visibility!
 
I'm doing it at the end off may, have 6 days planned to do it but not booked anywhere as we plan to wild camp, I was told to do anti clockwise as it saves the best scenery till last,
 
Me and my partner did it in reverse, on a crf1000 and a cb500x in July 2017, it was really biz but with us going the other way traffic was lighter, good choice we made, I think,
Pre booked rooms just as well, stayed in b and b's with two hostels really enjoyed it
 
May can be a very good time.

I agree that anti clockwise is best.

I would still miss out the top right corner altogether, but I've been there, and I suppose if you haven't.....you will!

Do call in to the Castle of Mey....the large bearded kilted guide has a 1200GS..... Good soup in the refreshment room as well!
 


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