RESEARCH, RESEARCH & MORE RESEARCH... is the key!
The NC500, 500 miles around the 'North Coast' of Scotland is a well travelled and well documented route. There is an official NC500 website which offers a wealth of information on.
Themed route planning
Sites of historical interest
Action and adventure
Stunning white sand beaches
Wildlife
Places to stay
Places to eat & drink
Superb highland sights
Arts and crafts
All this for just £15 membership fee. You won't regret signing up, it's very useful.
Or, of course, you could always just drive up and wing it, talking to fellow road trippers along the way and gleaning information as you go. Your decision! Remember though, if you want to get the most out of your trip, research really is key. I personally don't think you have to have a STRICT plan in place (we certainly didn't) but I do think it's important to know what's out there to put on your wish list.
I joined a facebook group called NC500 where people can post about their journey and their experiences of the route. It's a really useful way to get an idea of what others have discovered and gauge what you may want to include on your trip and if nothing else...the photo's will inspire you.
We are lucky enough to have friends who had recently travelled the route and were more than happy to rave about their trip. They were able to offer invaluable first hand knowledge and recommendations for every leg of the journey. Thank you Lisa & Andy, you little gems...sharing your experiences with us really enthused us to push on with the preparation.
Here are important considerations and questions to be asked while planning your trip.
QUESTIONS | MY ANSWERS |
How long do you have? How many days? | We have 12 days. I have read that it can be done in between 5 & 7 days but we want to add an overnight stay in Edinburgh and a Ben Nevis climb (well, if we've travelled that far it would be rude not to!). |
What are your priorities? What do you want to see and do? | As much as we POSSIBLY can. |
What is your budget? | I'm working on £80 a day for 3 of us. To include: fuel, food, campsites etc. The intention is to save money where possible by wild camping and wining & dining us all in the van, then blow out on campsites and meals out when we choose to. |
How far (miles) are you comfortable travelling each day? | The intention is to begin with the long drive from home (south west England) up to Edinburgh in one day. Thereafter I estimate shorter journeys daily with lots of sight seeing stops on route. So I suppose the answer is...It depends on what we all want to see. |
What experience are you looking for? Campsites, EHU, Wild camping? | We intend to book a campsite with EHU in Edinburgh, then drive on up to Inverness where another campsite will have been pre-booked (by Chris...he's the planner) before the start of the actual NC500. Thereafter, we plan to wild camp as much as possible to enable us to really embrace the experience...also, a good test of the leisure battery. |
Which direction will you choose to travel? Clockwise - west to east or anti clockwise - east to west? | We have chosen to mix things up a little bit, go against the grain and do the route in an anti clockwise direction. Why? firstly, to avoid queueing traffic...I've heard it can get busy following the clockwise. secondly and most importantly, we want to finish with the lasting memory of the spectacular highlands. |
Do you intend to travel every day or base yourself somewhere for a couple of days at a time? | Truth is...we just don't know. We're guessing that with 12 days we'll have enough time for a couple of 2 night stays if we choose to. We'll play it by ear, go where the road takes us and rest if and when we need to...and that's the beauty of not booking the whole route beforehand. |
What time of year do you intend to travel? (midges are out from mid May to early September) | Last week of June/first week of July because that's when we're all available...oh and also because I just can't wait any longer to get Little Blue out on her first long road trip. In preparation for the midges, we're taking a net for the van door to help keep them at bay...fingers crossed! |
PREPARATION IS PART OF THE JOURNEY!
DON'T miss the next blog... NC500 - DAY 1
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