Cycling The North Coast 500

[AndyCr15]

Has anyone done this? Can anyone offer any advice?

I mentioned it to my mother recently and she's up for coming along. She would occupy herself during the day, but would drive to each destination each day so I can leave all my gear with her, so I don't need a tour company.

A quick google shows this site - https://www.northcoast500.com/itinerary/cycling/

It looks really handy with the trip planned out over 8 days, but you need to pay £15 to see it. I'm not against that, but wonder if something is available for free? Or, if it's actually any good?

Maybe all I really need is the Strava route for it and I can decide distances each day and then pick out my own hotels/B&B's?

 

[xdcx]

I live on the "NC500" and I supported my mate attempting the record on it last year so have decent knowledge of the thing.
When are you planning to do it, month wise?

8 days is a long time but it all depends on what you want to achieve from it. Do you really want to take your time, spend more time off the bike in places etc? Or do you want to get big mileage days in and do the thing quicker?

I can certainly help you break it down into days/mileage per day and where that will get you to and best places to stay overnight etc. But you need to determine some of the stuff I ask above first yourself. I personally wouldn't pay £15 to become a member of that site just for that. Seems ridiculously excessive to me, a fiver would be OK to save you heaps of Googling, but £15.... sheesh.

 

[Martynt74]

I live on the "NC500" and I supported my mate attempting the record on it last year so have decent knowledge of the thing.
When are you planning to do it, month wise?

8 days is a long time but it all depends on what you want to achieve from it. Do you really want to take your time, spend more time off the bike in places etc? Or do you want to get big mileage days in and do the thing quicker?

I can certainly help you break it down into days/mileage per day and where that will get you to and best places to stay overnight etc. But you need to determine some of the stuff I ask above first yourself. I personally wouldn't pay £15 to become a member of that site just for that. Seems ridiculously excessive to me, a fiver would be OK to save you heaps of Googling, but £15.... sheesh.

Agreed it seems expensive, you'd hope they'd maybe have ties with hotels etc and therefore offer preferential rates to help it be worth peoples while, but i didn't see that advertised anywhere.

The planning is half the fun with stuff like this!

 

[Lethal`]

I did it a month ago with wild camping. I've yet to write it up properly but for the moment you can peruse my strava activities as I put some descriptions/photos in there.

FWIW @xdcx I do feel bad for flying by your jurisdiction and not mentioning it! Timings ended up pretty tight and we weren't even sure we'd make it up there until ~4 weeks before. Originally hoped to get a sleeper train up and back down but it was fully booked out for bike spaces for an entire week on the return journey.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5982081805
https://www.strava.com/activities/5965678718
https://www.strava.com/activities/5971380390
https://www.strava.com/activities/5980439297
https://www.strava.com/activities/5980443099

As general tips/advice:

• We opted for the GCN route. Watch their video on it too. While I haven't done the official route which does all the main roads and includes JOG I have to say I'm glad we did this route. We did 3 miles of the A9 and while it had a lot less traffic than my normal local rides it was still busy and less pleasant. I wouldn't have enjoyed doing many miles of it from JOG. I rode round the Black Isle as part of the GCN route before hitting Inverness. Also, I think if I recall correctly the official NC500 doesn't take in some singletrack from just north of Ullapool to Lochinver. That was probably one of the most scenic parts of the trip so I'd definitely recommend it.
• Campsites and hotels will likely be booked up, you won't get on-the-day bookings. We were wildcamping so less fussed besides one night where we tried to use a campsite following a very wet day and a strong feeling of CBA.. they were fully booked and wouldn't even accommodate us with bivvies.
• Grocery stores/convenience stores might close as early as 5:30pm even in relatively busy areas. We almost got caught out for getting food provisions with in Durness one night.
• You'll be riding likely slower than your normal rides, though without bags maybe not so much. I think me and my mate underestimated this. We knew we weren't going to smash out 18-21mph 100 milers day after day but we didn't quite expect to be touching average speeds of 13mph. This meant we had very little "free time" at the end of the day. It was basically ride, eat, work out where to sleep, then sleep.
• The headwinds can be brutal. Day 4 we rode into a strong headwind on a single track road with a relatively rough surface for 35+ miles. Before we joined the 35 mile road it said "Road Closed" and "Expect long delays" - which is it? We saw a tar lorry turning into it and I flagged him down to ask if it's possible to pass as we didn't fancy going Thurso/JOG. He said "I got tar for the road!!!". I asked "OK, but can we pass by as pedestrian/cyclists?"... "I got tar for the road!!!". Fortunately, then a resident driving by asked if we needed help and she said it will be fine for us to get past as there was a diversion.
• I think if I did it again I'd opt for more than 5 days, especially if wild camping, to give a bit more time to explore. I'd imagine 7 is about the sweet spot.

I could probably state a whole lot more. That's a quick brain dump while I have a work break. I'll update more some time later if things come to mind.

 

[xdcx]

@Lethal` is spot on here regards the route. The GCN one is way better for on the bike the the "official NC500" route.
Purely for that top right section of the map to be honest. Thurso>JoG>Berriedale area.
I've ridden and time trialled on the A9 plenty of times and it is something I would absolutely not recommend for anyone on a bike. It is horrendous..... it shouldn't be, because it is a big wide road. But do not underestimate the sheer backward-ness and incompetence of drivers up here. Your eyes are going to be opened!

The Black Isle loop is a nice touch. That literally is my training ground. But they should come back around via Beauly around the moray firth at the end rather than down the cycle path and across the bridge into Inverness. That's the only thing I would change about the GCN route and it's basically the last 1 hour of riding is all.

If your mum is keen to come and drive around and do this with you then it may come down to where she is happy with staying overnight also. You're going to struggle for nice hotels every night and tying that up with the mileages. So will she be alright with hostel type places? Or if she will be happy tenting it then you are sorted. Tent and all the gear in the car and camp most nights and get a few hotels in the bigger places around the route. Would be perfect.

 

[Nursie]

Another recommendation for the Ullapool - Lochinver route via Inverkirkaig. Not ridden it but have driven it a few times and the scenery is stunning and seems to change fairly sometimes round every corner, plus as it's not on the "official" route it's much quieter. Other than the Bealach na Ba and the Applecross coast road to Shieldaig it's the only part I want to ride.

You'll need to book very early for hotels or BnB's and some places don't cater for one night stays.

 

[AndyCr15]

Thanks guys, some great info. Let me see if I can pick a few questions out...

8 days is a long time but it all depends on what you want to achieve from it.

There's certainly no hurry, that's for sure. I wont be working by this time, so no need to rush. I don't think I would cope with more than 80 miles on lots of consecutive days, with lots of climbing.

We opted for the GCN route. Watch their video on it too. While I haven't done the official route which does all the main roads and includes JOG I have to say I'm glad we did this route.

That's interesting, thanks. It looks like they slice a whole load of coastal riding off the North East part of the official route. This is more scenic though?

you won't get on-the-day bookings.

I definitely wouldn't be leaving without having each stop already booked. I'm not the kind of person who says 'I'm sure it'll be fine... it'll work itself out' or any of that cr*p. I want it all planned and booked before I go

You're going to struggle for nice hotels every night and tying that up with the mileages. So will she be alright with hostel type places?

Quite honestly I don't know even I'll be alright with hostel types I guess I envisaged B&B types with nice comfy beds of an evening? Again, if I'm booking months in advance, are they at least available?

 

[Lethal`]

The Black Isle loop is a nice touch. That literally is my training ground. But they should come back around via Beauly around the moray firth at the end rather than down the cycle path and across the bridge into Inverness. That's the only thing I would change about the GCN route and it's basically the last 1 hour of riding is all.

That was an eye opening experience. Cruising down a nice single track road and then suddenly I'm on a slip road onto the A9 to cross the bridge

I had a decent tailwind but I decided against dicing with traffic over a bridge I was unfamiliar with and left the dual carriageway just before the bridge to use the cycle path. Then I got a little lost in some industrial estates as the route seemed a bit messed up there.

Quite honestly I don't know even I'll be alright with hostel types I guess I envisaged B&B types with nice comfy beds of an evening? Again, if I'm booking months in advance, are they at least available?

Likely will be something but I'd book as early as you can. A relative runs a self-catering cottage just off the route and they said it was crazy this year. No gaps between bookings at all and booked very far in advance.

 

[xdcx]

Oh book hugely in advance.
I live in a bungalow in a little quiet cul de suc in a small village on the NC500.... next door is a boggo bungalow in the street and it is booked solid on Air BnB even right now up until end of year. It's £600 for 5 nights in the thing and it's booked solid... makes me question my life choices!

That was an eye opening experience. Cruising down a nice single track road and then suddenly I'm on a slip road onto the A9 to cross the bridge

I had a decent tailwind but I decided against dicing with traffic over a bridge I was unfamiliar with and left the dual carriageway just before the bridge to use the cycle path. Then I got a little lost in some industrial estates as the route seemed a bit messed up there.

Holy moly you must have ridden on the A9 from Munlochy down to near the bridge. I dunno how you didn't die
Locals get so riled about cyclists on roads like that (although they are perfectly entitled to!) and I always try to remember them that we live in a beautiful area that A LOT of people want to visit. They are not all from the area and do not know what roads are/are not absolutely lethal. Humans just need to chill and be more accepting/tolerant of others and we will all be happier......

 

[AndyCr15]

When would you say is the ideal time of year to ride it? I can do anything from mid April? Good weather, but not too busy?

 

[Lethal`]

Oh book hugely in advance.
Holy moly you must have ridden on the A9 from Munlochy down to near the bridge. I dunno how you didn't die
Locals get so riled about cyclists on roads like that (although they are perfectly entitled to!) and I always try to remember them that we live in a beautiful area that A LOT of people want to visit. They are not all from the area and do not know what roads are/are not absolutely lethal. Humans just need to chill and be more accepting/tolerant of others and we will all be happier......

https://www.strava.com/activities/5980443099/analysis/21521/21678 Not sure if quite the road you mean but looks like the most minimal piece I could ride. It was fine for a Saturday afternoon but I felt like crossing the bridge on the dual carriageway was probably tempting fate

I've heard the West bound Loch Ness road is horrible with traffic attitudes usually... was good to do it as part of the Etape Loch Ness with the roads closed.

 

[touch]

Not sure if quite the road you mean but looks like the most minimal piece I could ride. It was fine for a Saturday afternoon but I felt like crossing the bridge on the dual carriageway was probably tempting fate

You missed a right turn just before you joined the A9 which takes you under the A9 onto the cycle path on the other side. It's still not that easy to follow around the industrial estate once you get over the bridge on that side either though.

 

[Lethal`]

Ah. That explains it! Looking at the GCN route they appear to have attempted to plot it to go that way but didn't quite make it.

Spoiler

There were a couple of other little errors in the route now that I think about it.

This one took us up a road that was real steep little 150m before a farm gate and a sign saying "wait for me to put the dogs away"
The road started with a cattle grid which isn't exactly ideal start to a steep climb from near standstill. Got to the top and the woman with the dogs said she'll put them away but we enquired about the actual path. She said it's a sheep track and not ideal surface. We figured it must have been an error and went back to the main road.

Spoiler

Then there was this piece on the Black Isle. I didn't pay much attention as I was aware the road continued round but from what I could tell it looked like a gate to a bridleway.

Spoiler

 

[xdcx]

Yeah that Black Isle one is silly, dunno how they managed that.
There is a road linkup to be had there (we have a road race on a circuit on that very bit of road). It tried to make you turn right off the main road too late at "Newhall Mains" there. You'd have passed two right hand junctions before the one on the route there that would have been fine and took you down to the road I am on about. The way you went and followed main road is nicer anyways

 

[Lethal`]

I was also enjoying the tailwind into Cromarty At this point I was unfortunately solo so I was just trying to get the whole thing over and done with before a 12 hour drive home (as a passenger!).

 

[AndyCr15]

So any recommendations on when to go, or maybe more importantly, when not to go? With my summer filling up, I'm thinking May?

 

[Nursie]

May should be a good time to do it. Less traffic and visitors than later in the year, just keep your fingers crossed for good weather.

 

[xdcx]

May will be as fine a time as any. It's not AS busy, but we really don't have seasons up here now and it's mobbed with muppets all the time clogging up the roads. I had to pass 9 campervans coming north last night on the A9 as well as multiple caravanists.

Avoid school holidays at all costs.