Adventure Bike Rider Forum

Hello there,

Firstly please be gentle with me, been a member on the site for a good while but not really contributed as I should, however due to life's changes I am now a free bird and able to do whatever I wish.

So to the point of this post, I have booked a week off in August for my first trip anywhere on the bike.

My first trip will be the North Coast route in Scotland and at first I did think about camping but I am now thinking more along the lines of B&B's so I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of places to stay that aren't mega bucks but are comfy and most importantly do a cracking breakfast, or where the best place to start looking online is as I have tried doing some research and I haven't got a clue where to start to be honest.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated as I really cant emphasize how wet behind the ears I am on this type of thing.

Cheers,

Anthony

No idea of accomodation of the sort your looking to use, as I camp when I pop up that way, but I would say that at that time of the year you will absolutly need to book well in advance.

Go north and enjoy.

Steve T

I would work out your daily ride, then google for accommodation in the area where you expect to end up each night. It's a difficult one to call because people ride differently. We took 8 hours or so a day to do 150 miles, but we were bimbling along and stopping for photos/tea fairly often. Other riders we saw were clearly making faster progress!

We stayed here (there were 2 of us, so had the advantage of sharing the costs):

The Invernairne Hotel (expensive, but nice).
Thurlow Road
Nairn
IV12 4EZ
01667 452039

Wick Bay Guest House (cheap, but a bit of a hole)
26 Smith Terrace
Wick
KW1 5HD
01955 602002

Smoo Cave Hotel (average, nice food) (go and visit the Smoo Cave - we didn't, but it looks good)
Durness
Sutherland
IV27 4QB
01971 511227

Tamarin Lodge (expensive-ish, but nice)
9 Braes
Ullapool
IV26 2SZ
01854 612667

Ferroch Self Catering B&B (average, nice, lovely setting)
Annat
Torridon
Wester Ross
IV22 2EU
01241 830258

All of the hosts were lovely, exceptionally friendly and accommodating.

Oh, and the roads on the west coat are much more intesting than the east coast, so we did it anti-clockwise.

Anthony, Steve T nailed it.
August is busy, busy, busy. You may find that getting bookings for single nights is difficult.

Again, I concur re estimating your daily mileage and identifying accomodation near to the end point to seek availability - now !

Having to use a rigid schedule is obviously not ideal --- but it's the only way you will not be bedless !

Oh, take note that place names on the map do not actually mean centres of population.
Enjoy the Planning !

I forgot to add that whilst you might find BnB accomodation it might easily be 10miles to a hostelry and food
So if you prefer to have a beer or two with your evening meal ,--- double check the options.

Hello there

I'm no expert on the subject, but we toured up yonder back in April 2017 and going back again early May 2019. What I can say is do your route and accommodation research by using something along the lines of Google maps and Booking dotcom. Book early and expect to pay a little more than average (accommodation in demand and all that) like others have said check local amenities around the accommodation you intend to book first or it could be a lonely night. We are basing ourselves in Ullapool for a couple of nights this time. Plenty of places for food and beverages.

Not everyone's cup of tea but I have done lots of touring around the NC500 over the years and use hostels. Lots of them have breakfasts and lots sell alcohol now so you can have a drink at night. If you choose the remote ones off the transport links they tend to be quieter.
Another option if you are going with someone else is to use the Bus company hotels, great big barns of places that never get filled, run by Loch & Glens and Shearings. Check out Bay Hotels for locations usually get dinner bed and breakfast deals for 60/70 quid a night

I have used Strathpeffer, Dornoch and Gairloch as a touring/ NC500 base.


https://independenthostels.co.uk/scotla ... s-bothies/
https://www.hostellingscotland.org.uk/

I usually camp so can't help with offering locations, just want to give an example of why you need to book way way in advance.

About 8 years ago, walking & car camping with the then Mrs, wet & miserable for days, her back was hurting so we gave up with the West Coast & headed to Inverness to get a room somewhere.

Nothing, nada, zilch, everything was booked out in a 50 mile radius (b&b, hotels, hostels), we ended up sleeping in a car park somewhere down the east coast

I've travelled a lot in hostels & prefer them to a b&b, many have single rooms

Hi mate
Y not look at booking pods save camping and not a much as b&q s there are lots of places to stop for breakfast in Scotland I’m up with a few lads in May and booked in to Ben Nevis campsite in there 6 bearth caravan s cost £550 for a week for 4of us so about £138 each think they have pods as well

And have a great time m8
Tefflon

And you are only up the m66 from us in Oldham lol