Adventure Bike Rider Forum

Hi all, just decided last night to do the NC500 in June. I'm sure that there is a thread on here about it somewhere but any advice on camp sites,pubs B&B's things to do etc will be much appreciated. I hear that wild camping can be done in some places but not others? Cheers.

Me and a few friends did it in April.
We stayed at Lochinver on the coast camping, I think it was called Mount view and the next night stayed at Sunart campsite in Strontian. We actually got a wooden chalet for the night which was cheap as chips between the 4 of us.
Be sure to factor in for petrol ststions as the bike I had at the time had a reasonably small range compared to my GSA and I nearly ran out of fuel once.

Lochinver - pick up some pies from "Lochinver Larder" [Bistro] on the right as you come into the village. Great selection to choose from. Then head out of the village take a left for Clachtoll - six miles to one of the best beaches to enjoy your pie picnic. Chactoll has a very good campsite just a few metres from the beach.

www.clachtollbeachcampsite.co.uk

This might help:

http://www.northcoast500.com/

In June you might want to view where you'll meet our midges whose sole purpose is to make anything bigger than them's life a misery:

https://www.smidgeup.com/midge-forecast/

I'd recommend doing it anti-clockwise and not slavishly follow the A9 up the east coast. Though this bit of the A9 is a totally different road compared to the Dunblane to Inverness section.

Cheers guys, anti clockwise, I'm all for going against the flow, do most do it clockwise? I'm also told Avon do a moisturiser that the little buggers don't like? Looked at the camp sites thanks, keep em coming.

skinny wrote:Cheers guys, anti clockwise, I'm all for going against the flow, do most do it clockwise? I'm also told Avon do a moisturiser that the little buggers don't like? Looked at the camp sites thanks, keep em coming.

Avon Skin So Soft (thumbs)

Take the A93 and A939 from Perth to Inverness as the A9 is a horrible road with average speed cameras along its full length. On the way back stick to the coast road as far as Kyle of Lochalsh and then take the sublime A87 back to Spean Bridge. Having said that, the traffic on the A82 down to Fort William was horrendous due to roadworks the last time I was there in 2014, so the ferry from Armadale to Mallaig might be a good alternative

For camping and midges I always travel with citronella candles. Especially if you use a tarp as they will gather under it. A few of these candles upwind side of you will keep the buggers away nicely as the fragrance will drift down over you.

You get a 3 pack of Zip outdoor ones and bring them with you. Leave the ones not being used open inside the tent flysheet and keep your mesh door closed and you will enjoy midge free camping. You also get small nightlight sized ones and they will work fine but for a nice outdoor camp the Zip ones are the business. I never travel without them and hate the midges too, just never let them put you off.

Also midges love moisture so don't go tossing out water unused beer or coffee or most especially anything sugary or stuff like that anywhere near your camp unless you want to attract them. If it has been damp or recently raining double up on the citronella.

skinny wrote:Cheers guys, anti clockwise, I'm all for going against the flow, do most do it clockwise?

Anti-clockwise you have the relatively flat east coast building up to the more mountainous west coast which I find is more interesting. Loads of community fuel stations nowadays so as long as they're working then there shouldn't be a problem with fuel.

Most of the roads are very quiet and you're unlikely to see any plod let alone speed cameras outwith Inverness, apart from around Achnasheen

I'd personally avoid like the plague going up Loch Ness on the A82 unless you want to go to Castle Urquhart, much nicer to make use of one of General Wades roads on the east side of the Loch between Fort Augustus and Inverness

Thanks for the tips guys, had a Google up and looking good, exceptional wild camping spots anyone?

The bay just north of Applecross is a nice spot