North Coast 500 run
Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2017 8:43 pm
>>> EDIT, 26 July 2017
This complete post - including missing photos - is available by clicking this link:
https://frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/view ... 35#p529764
Chris
Following some ideas and discussion on FCF, members there are planning a French Car re-run of the famous North 500 route around the Western Highlands and north coast (with a few tweaks), this September 2017.
The route starts with a meet-up and overnight in Fort William, and ends in Inverness. Driving will be about 70-100 miles a day (-ish), and overnight stops will be at B&B or affordable hotels. (The route precludes caravans: the Applecross climb, for example, was included by popular request!)
FCF David Mckay (from Macduff) and I are organising this, and we're happily extending an invitation to members here to join us on the seven-day run (or part of it).
If you're interested in coming, please post below, and we'll go from there. It should be quite something; seeing some of the best parts of Highland Scotland by XM is rather special, after all.
Our proposed route for North Coast 500 run
After a good bit of discussion with Davie, we have put together a route for our driving tour of north Scotland. Davie has volunteered himself to do an Advance Reccy, and to investigate B&B and affordable accommodation for our overnight stops. Exact details of the route could be tweaked, as needed. Mileages are approximate.
The route starts in Fort William on Sunday 3 September, and finishes in Inverness on Saturday 9.
On the way to Fort William, if you come up the A82 (from either the Stirling or Loch Lomond directions), you have the delightful option of crossing Rannoch Moor (careful, now!)...
and down through the hauntingly atmospheric Glencoe...
...and across the Ballachulish bridge over Loch Leven, before arriving in Fort William
Day 1 Sun 3 Sep
Meet up in Fort William, and overnight there.
Just 30mins' (17 mi) drive west of Fort William is Glenfinnan - famous viaduct, monument and loch. Optional jaunt there.
Day 2 Mon 4 Sep
Fort William to Applecross (100 mi)
with a visit to Aanoch Mor/Ben Nevis just outside Fort William (gondola cablecar)...
and a fabulous day's drive towards Applecross and over the Bealach na Ba (Pass of the Cattle)...
Day 3 Tue 5 Sep
Applecross to Ullapool (119 mi)
Highlights of this day include the Applecross 'new' northern coastal road (which replaced the original postal motorcycle tack) and though some once-deserted villages to...
Shieldaig village...
Glen Docherty, and the view down to Loch Maree...
Poolewe...
and onwards along the Atlantic coast via Laide, and the roadside Corrieshalloch Gorge (waterfalls), to the fishing and ferry town of Ullapool.
Day 4 Wed 6 Sep
Ullapool to Durness and the north coast (105 mi)
A swing inland first, then back out to the west coast at Lochinver...
and to the peninsula tip for The Old Man of Stoer...
Up through mountainous Sutherland, skirting the Summer Isles area...
and towards the very north coast at Durness.
Day 5 Thu 7 Sep
Durness to Thurso (70 mi)
Durness, and the Smoo Cave...
and Balnakeil Bay and old Radar Station (now craft village)...
... and along the topmost north coast to Tongue, Dounreay, and on to Thurso.
Day 6 Fri 8 Sep
Thurso to Helmsdale (75 mi)
taking in John O'Groats and Dunscansby Head...
and Helmsdale...
Day 7 Sat 9 Sep
Helmsdale to Inverness (78 mi)
At Dornoch, a swing west along the old A9 route, and via Bonar Bridge and the Millionaire's View...
At Inverness, our road tour ends, with options to head off south down the A9, or take a look at Loch Ness...
-----------------------
The complete FCF North Coast 500 thread appears here:
http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... &start=135
This complete post - including missing photos - is available by clicking this link:
https://frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/view ... 35#p529764
Chris
Following some ideas and discussion on FCF, members there are planning a French Car re-run of the famous North 500 route around the Western Highlands and north coast (with a few tweaks), this September 2017.
The route starts with a meet-up and overnight in Fort William, and ends in Inverness. Driving will be about 70-100 miles a day (-ish), and overnight stops will be at B&B or affordable hotels. (The route precludes caravans: the Applecross climb, for example, was included by popular request!)
FCF David Mckay (from Macduff) and I are organising this, and we're happily extending an invitation to members here to join us on the seven-day run (or part of it).
If you're interested in coming, please post below, and we'll go from there. It should be quite something; seeing some of the best parts of Highland Scotland by XM is rather special, after all.
Our proposed route for North Coast 500 run
After a good bit of discussion with Davie, we have put together a route for our driving tour of north Scotland. Davie has volunteered himself to do an Advance Reccy, and to investigate B&B and affordable accommodation for our overnight stops. Exact details of the route could be tweaked, as needed. Mileages are approximate.
The route starts in Fort William on Sunday 3 September, and finishes in Inverness on Saturday 9.
On the way to Fort William, if you come up the A82 (from either the Stirling or Loch Lomond directions), you have the delightful option of crossing Rannoch Moor (careful, now!)...
and down through the hauntingly atmospheric Glencoe...
...and across the Ballachulish bridge over Loch Leven, before arriving in Fort William
Day 1 Sun 3 Sep
Meet up in Fort William, and overnight there.
Just 30mins' (17 mi) drive west of Fort William is Glenfinnan - famous viaduct, monument and loch. Optional jaunt there.
Day 2 Mon 4 Sep
Fort William to Applecross (100 mi)
with a visit to Aanoch Mor/Ben Nevis just outside Fort William (gondola cablecar)...
and a fabulous day's drive towards Applecross and over the Bealach na Ba (Pass of the Cattle)...
Day 3 Tue 5 Sep
Applecross to Ullapool (119 mi)
Highlights of this day include the Applecross 'new' northern coastal road (which replaced the original postal motorcycle tack) and though some once-deserted villages to...
Shieldaig village...
Glen Docherty, and the view down to Loch Maree...
Poolewe...
and onwards along the Atlantic coast via Laide, and the roadside Corrieshalloch Gorge (waterfalls), to the fishing and ferry town of Ullapool.
Day 4 Wed 6 Sep
Ullapool to Durness and the north coast (105 mi)
A swing inland first, then back out to the west coast at Lochinver...
and to the peninsula tip for The Old Man of Stoer...
Up through mountainous Sutherland, skirting the Summer Isles area...
and towards the very north coast at Durness.
Day 5 Thu 7 Sep
Durness to Thurso (70 mi)
Durness, and the Smoo Cave...
and Balnakeil Bay and old Radar Station (now craft village)...
... and along the topmost north coast to Tongue, Dounreay, and on to Thurso.
Day 6 Fri 8 Sep
Thurso to Helmsdale (75 mi)
taking in John O'Groats and Dunscansby Head...
and Helmsdale...
Day 7 Sat 9 Sep
Helmsdale to Inverness (78 mi)
At Dornoch, a swing west along the old A9 route, and via Bonar Bridge and the Millionaire's View...
At Inverness, our road tour ends, with options to head off south down the A9, or take a look at Loch Ness...
-----------------------
The complete FCF North Coast 500 thread appears here:
http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... &start=135
We have quite a few friends up there and will be going again this year in June. 
which is one reason why we chose September (or it could have been June).