Why we will never do NC500
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- čas přidán 22. 07. 2024
- We love to get you all talking and debating, our CaMC videos have really set off a lot of interest.
So, heres another one, its a hot topic
The NC500!
should you or shouldn't you?
If you promise not to wee all over scotland will they let you in?
Are you a monster behind the wheel of a motorhome?
Are you a poor local who has just about had enough?
watch the video, have a little think, then dive into the comments.
Be nice
We have our personal feeling that its not for us...but are we wrong?
Tell us! you usually do!
I totally agree with you guys. We now go to France and Spain. We used to use campsites in Britain but they are far to expensive now. In France you feel welcome and they lay on facilities all over the place for campers. We in turn spend our money in their towns and villages. In the UK we are constantly charged ridiculous prices for parking and no camping over night signs are every where. The whole idea of what we do when we invest a heck of a lot of money in a motorhome or camper van is the freedom it gives us. So its Europe for us. Love your channel keep up the good work x
Aww thanks for the lovely comment x, very much appreciated, Europe is certainly way more accommodating than the uk, hence all of our European travel vlogs ! 🙂 , the uk has a lot to offer but it’s not as readily accessible as Europe ❤️
I agree so much so that the good old motorhome and the wife and I now live in France full time. I would never go back to the UK in our van, ferry cost and camp site fees and a general feeling that at every turn you have to pay for something means it has little to zero attraction for us.
It’s not a cheap travel anymore is it , staying in France is a win win ! ❤️
What a great analysis! Objective, measured and on point. My take on the “wild camping” rules: once you’re in a vehicle there is absolutely no difference between the rules in Scotland and those in the rest of the UK. So, if you understand the rules in England or Wales then you understand them in Scotland. The unique Scottish legislation (The Land Reform aCt 2003) and the associated Outdoor Access Code relate purely to non-vehicle travel such as hiking, cycling or kayaking.
The problem on the NC500 (and, I dare say, elsewhere) is the size of the vehicles. Motorhomes that occupy more than a standard car parking bay become disruptive in large numbers. They quickly fill up car parks at beauty spots or attractions. I think this is a bigger problem than the congestion on the actual roads. “Back in the day”, folks would tow a caravan, park it up in a campsite and visit local attractions in their car. Now the “two bedroom house on wheels” follows them everywhere.
I’m a NC500 resident and I know that, if you pick the right spot, you could base yourself at a really nice holiday cottage and reach every point on the NC500 in comfortable day trips with the car. IMHO this is a better, and less invasive, way to visit the delights of this part of the world.
Good morning Mark ! 💖🏴👌 Thankyou for watching and commenting, and giving the perspective of a resident, makes complete sense , we are currently touring Scotland and loving every minute , currently on the Islands , and it’s amazing, we’ve stayed at a local farm for 6 nights at toured from there , we decided to keep our van on the smaller side ( 6.3 m ) to access the rural areas , some of the larger units would struggle .. many of the islanders offer park ups for a modest fee , and the shops are so welcoming , it really is a pleasure . The NC route is saturated , and we understand the frustration, for us we probably skirt the route , drive a bit, but it’s a huge beautiful country with so much to see , we’ve done just that , so hopefully you may take some time to see our current vlogs as we travel this lovely Country 💖🏴👍
The midges have always put me off Scotland,camping wise.
They are a problem aren’t they , you see lots of midge deterrents , the body net is a personal favourite 😬🤣
This is an extremely well presented vlog which covers all the major critical points from all angles. Nice one, Thank you
Aww thank you very much ❤️
This was really interesting. We don't own a motorhome but subscribe to you as like your content. Thanks for the information. Very thought provoking.
Aww Thankyou, really appreciate your subscribing and lovely comments ❤️
We did it in a hire campervan a few years ago and loved it we did it end of September beginning October and would definitely recommend it. Can’t wait to do bits of it again, but the whole of Scotland is a great place for campervans.
Hi there ! Thanks for sharing your experience, it certainly is amazing in Scotland and doing bits of it gives you a lovely insight , we enjoy the lochs and countryside too , thanks so much for sharing x
Perfectly right in your views.
Thankyou, yes it’s as we said our personal view, having never experienced it, we hope it will draw out some discussion and comments , it’s having a bit of a bashing from both sides and we are genuinely interested in peoples thoughts , much appreciated ❤️
We really enjoyed this look at the NC500, love the video work, graphics, humour and common sense. We found ourselves completely understanding your perspective, we haven't done the NC500 but my sons have cycled it and loved it. We may do it but like you guys we prefer to get the best out of our budget. Great video guys, loving the UK content. Lots of love Julia and Gary 💕❤
Morning guys ! Hope Gary is is feeling normal after his challenge 🐮🐮🤣 , thanks for commenting and supporting as ever 🙂🙂, I’m sure cycling it was amazing, but we still remain unconvinced , but there are a lot of positive comments coming in too , it’s nice to hear the first hand experiences ❤️ … stay safe out there , hope you are on the mend , look forward to the next vlog xx
@@redsgotravels Gary is back to eating as normal... can't believe it...utter beast of a man 😂 feeling better be each day, thanks for the well wishes, love to you both 💕❤️
Thank you for this video. I love Scotland, and have travelled to Fort William in the past, which was stunning. It was something of an inspiration, and was considering a trip further into the northern parts. Unfortunately, there seems to be so much negative local reaction to motorhomers; that I for one, will not risk the financial cost and potential threats. If we are not welcomed, I'd rather head for somwhere that appreciates & welcomes new visitors without the fear of discrimination.
We are set to travel to Scotland next week to continue our travels 🙂 we will still avoid the Nc500 as it continues to be over saturated, plenty more to see and enjoy 👌❤️
Great video 👏.... We're in the same frame of mind as you are 👍
Hi guys ! X hope you are keeping well, yes it’s a emotive subject but interesting to hear people’s views, we understand both sides , but will as mentioned stay away for now ❤️
Did the NC500 in Easter 2022 absolutely loved it - was made to feel welcome by the locals and good conversations - main thing is we did not wild camp we stayed on local sites and went out into the local community and had coffees, hot chocolate, food etc and gave back. Planning on doing it again next year with friends.
Good morning ! Thanks for leaving us a comment and sharing your experience, Scotland is beautiful, glad you enjoyed the NC , it’ll be a interesting comparison when you do it next to see if it’s still as enjoyable ! Safe travels and Thankyou once again x
I totally agree with you, we bought our first motorhome in 2022 and the NC500 is almost a right of passage, but looking into the routes and issues why would we want to go somewhere so busy, not welcome and difficult when the rest of Europe and other parts of the UK are there to discover - there are also some other amazing places to see in Scotland too, love watching your videos and travels - Stuart & Karen
Good morning Stuart and Karen ! Thanks for commenting, Scotland is amazing, we’ve done it a few times, but we seem to get pulled towards Europe 🙂 it’s so much more accessible and accommodating, we love the uk too and will continue to travel within it, but Europe remains a little higher up at the moment ❤️ thanks for sharing your thoughts xx
A great video and true,we did the NC500 in May and some of the campsites we stayed on were sadly lacking ie no toilet waste facilities, cold shower blocks ,and rip off prices ,yes it was scenic but so are the roads in northern Spain.NC500 we paid £20 for fish n chips,£8 a pint,and we were treated like cash cows!!. Sorry never again,if they could charge you to breath the air they would.France and Spain and further afield, cheaper food,cheaper drink,cheaper campsites with all amenities and above all,MADE TO FEEL WELCOME. Really enjoy your videos,keep em coming 😊
Hi and thanks for sharing your experience, it’s nice to hear things first hand, and this is certainly one reason that keeps us returning to Europe… we do love Scotland, but our European experiences are so much better, we will return to Scotland, but the NC just isn’t for us just yet ❤️ Thankyou so much x
New to watching this channel, great content and advice.
Thankyou very much , ❤️
We did it in September 2020. We was worried about all the negative posts on certain social media groups but found it was purely to put people off. Once up there everyone was lovely and welcoming. Lots of places to empty waste available. Regarding waste and litter it was remarkably clean totally different to what Facebook had told us. Although we did see near Glen Etive a couple of places where some filthy people had emptied waste 😡. But I’m afraid you can get this anywhere in the world.
Regarding traffic Cornwall, Devon, Lake District the list goes on , all gets horrendous traffic with people visiting beautiful areas and holiday destinations but we all still go.
We also now prefer Europe as we find it easier in now a larger Motorhome and the villages are more setup to cater for us.
A very interesting video to watch, happy travels.
Good morning, thanks so much for sharing your experience, the web / fb can be a mine of information and misinformation, and it’s nice to hear first hand experiences, the waste tipping is horrible isn’t it ? .. we avoid high season travels , and get away at quieter times, we too enjoy Europe, as you mention it’s very well set up to accommodate motorhome life compared to the uk.. really appreciate you taking time to comment , Thankyou ❤️
Thank you. It is very interesting re the costs vs European travel and the varied "welcome'. We first started visiting the area, while in Glasgow, in the 80's and still return every year for 4-6 weeks. There is a themed visit each year - whether that be seafood, culture, pottery, wildlife etc and as such we have varying routes that abut the route but not defined by it. There is so much to see and do. Always travel in the quieter times and always use sites not only to avoid any 'challenges' but as the dogs are on specific raw feed I want to ensure their food is secure. I tend when travelling to avoid school run/work times within the single track roads for both locals and myself - despite being more than happy to pull in when I see any vehicle coming up in front or behind. it is easy to accommodate those who need to travel faster. It certainly is not cheap but as the dogs do not fulfil a passport I shall continue to save up the extra and continue to explore.
Thankyou for such an informative comment, it’s lovely to think you’ve been enjoying Scotland all these years and continue to do so ❤️ we especially like the theme idea ! Quieter times is sensible, as is respect and courtesy to yourself and others , the roads are busier, we still visit as we love Scotland, one side of our immediate family are Scottish, so we have roots embedded , we wish you safe travels and Thankyou once again for such polite and respectful comments ❤️❤️
We hired a vw camper van and completed the nc500 in June this year. We did use campsites the whole trip and didn’t wild camp. The trip was fantastic and we didn’t feel unwelcome once. We did, however, respect other road users and pulled over to let people pass and the next passing place and mostly got a cheery wave as they passed ……. Or at the time we believed them to be cheery 🤔. On return, we placed an order for our very own van, which delivers next week, and would certainly do it again……… maybe not in peak holiday and midge season though.
Haha ! Yes I think you can assume it was a cheery wave 😬 congrats on getting a camper van , always worth trying before buying ! Respect and courtesy is the key , nice to hear you had a good experience ❤️ thanks for commenting and sharing x
Good morning fellow Welsh people, form Brecon but grew up in Bridgend where you're from I understand. Hope all is well and thanks for the vid. We certainly will not be doing it.
France is the place to go and try this: FRANCE PASSION which costs around 24 Euro for the year which translates into staying at over 2500 farms, vineyards galore and all for FREE, well its all in the ridiculous 24 Euro. Just turn up, ask where you should park and enjoy.Most of theses wonderful locations sell wine and have small shops although you are under no obligation to buy anything. Check it out. Have a nice time and stay happy and loved.. Lok forward to your next vid.
Jonathan / Margarita
Good morning Jonathan and Margarita ❤️ , we live in Brackla, 🏴 .. Brecon is a lovely part of the world isn’t it ! . We shall look up France Passion, as Europe really is our calling, we do love parts of the Uk , but it’s Europe that makes it so easy for us.. the NC still remains a thought , but it’ll probably stay that way for some time xx thanks for commenting , very much appreciated ❤️
Hi. A motorhomer for 20 plus years and living in the Scottish Borders, I completely agree with your evaluation. We have never, and never will do the NC500.
Thanks for vlogs. Currently at Zampetas Thessaloniki which started me off watching your travels! Cheers
Susan
Hi Susan , Thankyou ! 🥰 yes we won’t do it, and Greece is amazing, keep an eye for the town that never got built , some amazing spots to park up completely free ! Safe travels for 2024 🥰❤️🐩🐩🐾🐾
We have been to Scotland many times, our first ever motorhome trip was to Loch Ness. Never done the NC500 although certainly done many bits of it over time. But I don’t see a need to follow the route and there are a lot of negative stories now. But I still get Facebook ads to go there all the time.
Hi there ! Thanks for commenting, yes there do seem to be a lot of fb ads , and indeed fb groups.., the lochs are lovely aren’t they ? That’s where we tend to visit ❤️
The first thing that i would say is that a motorhome is the wrong vehicle for doing the NC500. Although there is less room in a transporter sized campervan, short or long wheelbase, it is absolutely the perfect vehicle, for touring and more importantly parking at attractions along the way and negotiating those tricky single track roads. Another thing i would say, is stay away from the summer periods, with may and october being reasonable weather still, less of those pesky midge and quieter roads. You are not going there for a sun tan, so why bother going at the busiest time ? We have done the NC500 3 times now, in a campervan, every time it has been a beautiful experience. Also, we always stay on proper camp sites and don't cheap out at the side of the road. Oh and do it anti- clockwise from Inverness, saving the most beautiful scenery for last.
Some very valid points there for sure , yes we too avoid busy times, and agree a compact or smaller van is probably more suited to negotiate and allow passage of other road users, ours is 6.3 m long, so I don’t think we’d have an issue ? But I don’t think we will be finding out for a while , really appreciate your comments and sharing your experience, Thankyou ❤️
We did 12 nights in 2018 but used campsites didn’t have any problems on the roads or locals
Hi there ! Thanks so much for your comment and positive feedback, i think post lockdown saw a boom in escaping to the countryside, and the trend has sky rocketed, I wonder what it would be like if you did it today , how much has changed ? Thanks again for sharing, much appreciated ❤️
We haven't actually completed the entire route but we did do in April/May of this year 38 nights a large part of the NC500. We stayed only at CAMH & CACC sites apart from Broomfield holiday park & one cl site as we couldn't get in Sango sands. We consider ourselves to be responsible adults & courteous drivers. Where ever possible I slowed right down & even stopped to let locals pass. I have to admit I feel a lot of sympathy for the local population as even at the early time of year that we went it was quite busy with motorhomes and campervans and the club sites were mostly full with no vacancies. We witnessed two bad occasions one from a very large motorhome overtook us going very fast & roared off into the distance, approximately ten minutes later we passed that very motorhome parked on the side of the road. We reached Ardmair point campsite booked in & set up etc, electricity & filled with water etc & about half hour later that same motorhome came in and set up behind us. We couldn't see the point of it at all? The other occasion was above Kylesku bridge at the vantage point, we drove in forwards & immediately encountered a problem, in the turning bay was a red campervan & family of four, obviously been there several nights wild camping, awning out etc & no intention of moving to help us! Luckily we our unit is only 7 metres and after a lot of backwards and forwards movements I was able to turn & reverse in for a brief 20 min stop to stretch our legs & let our Archie have a break. As I said we only use official sites & pre-book to avoid the hassle, we use local shops rather than supermarkets & we use local pubs & restaurants for a treat. We have booked for next year again early to avoid the midges. Mostly everyone is friendly. There is lots of wartime history for those that are interested, Poole house is lovely with some wartime photographs as it was the officers mess. The refreshments were terrific & not overly expensive. I'm hoping on a personal level to visit the Artic convey memorial next year from the club site about 16 miles cycle ride round trip. I must admit considering how the NC 500 is promoted & we are encouraged to visit the road in places is shocking with massive potholes! Really something needs to be done to rectify asap.
Wow ! Thankyou so much for such a comprehensive spot on reply, you did everything respectfully and as you say there are the odd ones who cause the negative views.. it’s a journey you don’t want to rush, but the roads are getting a bashing by the seems , as you mentioned the sites get full early on, and we do share the same sympathy with the locals , I realise it’s a source of income for some and a pain for others, it’s a fine balance… and to be fair your description of it sounds wonderful, in particular the history , so much to be seen , and the cycling element sounds wonderful ! Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to share this ❤️
We did the NC500 in between lockdowns in September/October 2020, the scenery was amazing, and the locals I spoke to were friendly. OK in one spot there was a house with signs saying “tourists go home” so I presume they aren’t fans of the NC500! The roads were busy with a lot of motorhomes, I consider myself to be very considerate, if a vehicle came up behind me I let them pass at the first available opportunity. If I saw a vehicle coming the other way I’d pull into the first available passing place and wait, not wait till I met the vehicle then have to sort things out. My view is I’m on holiday, I’ve got plenty of time, a local is going about their normal day they don’t want to be held up, most waved, flashed their lights or thanked me in various ways. Unfortunately I saw loads of times when other holiday makers just drove on oblivious of a local vehicle behind them, or more than one motorhome in a small convoy causing problems when they meet a vehicle and all try to squeeze into the same passing place. If I came up behind another motorhome I’d drop back so there’s at least one passing place between me and them, meaning that if a vehicle came the other way I had a passing place to go into. I find it very frustrating myself when I’m at home and a sightseer holds me up, so I sympathise. Unfortunately I did see evidence where someone used the hedge or bushes as a toilet, if they really really are that desperate why not at least dig a hole, or go further into the undergrowth? It was easy for us in our motorhome, we have our own facilities. We did “wild camp” a few times, and when we left where ever we’d been we only left some footprints and maybe a tyre track or two. There is no excuse for any sort of littering, it’s just anti social or downright disgusting.
The NC500 has always been there, it always will, but it’s now been over popularised by a commercial company. The local economy survived without the popularity of the NC500, but how much do they rely on it now. Sadly I imagine now some businesses such as campsites, hotels, B&B’s, cafes, restaurants and shops might not survive without the tourists.
Yes, we do think it’s over saturated now, and as you mentioned there is evidence of bad behaviour and conflict with residents, we wouldn’t want to antagonise them, but on the flip side it does create jobs and an income . It’s all about respect and courtesy , but that’s not the world we live in, some do spoil it . There are plenty of other places to visit in Scotland, and we have and will continue to do so, just not the NC , Thankyou so much for sharing your experience ❤️
Always fancied this route, probably do it out of the high season (May / October) - however, i think a 7M+ MH on those roads and at that time of year might not be my idea of fun (i want to feel relaxed not stressed) having looked into it a little, there are many other places in Scotland or the Isles to explore, to do NC500 justice probably need 2+ weeks which is a fair chunk of time if non retired. So yes fully understand your 'personal' decision. I am quite new to MH, just done 2wks in France and was blown away how easy and cheap it was to find places to park in great locations, our next is tour ITALY🙂 Keep up the great videos
Good morning and thanks for commenting ! ❤️ we agree with you, France and Italy ! Lovely places to visit and so accessible and accommodating, the NC sounds like it’s had a pounding and the roads need some love, and even though we have a 6.3 m compact motorhome, we are hesitant, we have travelled to the lochs and beyond , but Europe seems to be our calling with the affordability and ease ! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience, very much appreciated x
I’ve done it twice. Once in a car then in a motorhome a few months ago. We had an amazing time. The locals couldn’t have been more welcoming we had no trouble at all. We did a mixture of campsites and wild park ups. We left the place clean and tidy and let the locals overtake us asap. Many others did the same as us and whoever we spoke to who were in motorhome had no issues either. I’d gladly go again. Love it
.
Thanks for sharing your experience, it’s lovely to hear , Thankyou 🥰
Good morning, I hope this may be of use 🙂 www.visitscotland.com/accommodation/caravan-camping/wild-camping
I think this is a question for the author of the post above saying they had wild camped.
In our video we say we haven’t been to that area and we don’t plan to either.
Have a lovely day 😊
@@junehall2177wild park ups.. throughout Scotland there are car park,lay-bys and tarmac areas that allow you to stop for the night. Because they are open with no facilities and in the middle of nowhere they are “wild park ups” but not the same as wild camping.
I’m in Scotland and whilst the NC500 is a supposed amazing must do trip, we have no intention of doing it at the moment purely due to its popularity. It’s fallen down our to do list. But Instead of driving past ……. Come and visit SW Scotland, a forgotten area, we even have our own SW 300
Good morning! We do love Scotland, it’s so beautiful, SW sounds interesting.. , any areas in particular you would recommend? Thanks very much ❤️
We ‘did’ the NC500 in 2019. Probably before it got very busy (and expensive). We both thoroughly enjoyed it. Only ‘wilded’ one night and visited campsites the rest. We got the all important sticker 😂. Like yourselves, would not like to do it nowadays, with the locals animosity and the price increases. Europe every long trip now 👍🏼
Good morning ! You definitely picked the right time and had the best of it , it sure has got busy since then, the road conditions sound not so good, and with the calling of Europe and how accommodating it is , our next two trips are set ! ❤️ thanks for commenting, very much appreciated
Very thought-provoking and a difficult situation for all.I think I'm more inclined to do the coast of Eire or like yourselves Europe.If we did do it, it would certainly be out of season.
The coast of Eire is actually on our list ! We do like Europe too, but as we say.. one day we will get there 😂 thanks for commenting, very much appreciated ❤️
We loved the NC500 the parts we did but you can see it from both sides when people dump rubbish and shit then why wouldn’t they get angry, I know we would !! It’s once again the minority spoiling it for the majority 😭 we mostly stayed on campsites because we were two Motorhomes and didn’t want to risk getting somewhere and have nowhere to park x great video guys 🥰 that’s gonna spark some emotions 🫣 😂xxx
Hi guys ! Xx , yes certainly an emotive subject , but one we often get asked about , there is a lot of coverage about it, but it has been spoilt by the minority , it’s a shame , but so much more to see in beautiful Scotland xx
We haven’t done the nc500 for the reason you say but did in September go to Dumfries an mull of Galloway then up to Oban must say it was quite an very welcoming buy all we meet mull of Galloway was stunning ad a park up right on the beach in a stunning cove farmer charged us £2.50 a night crazy think most just get blinkered to goin nc500 so happy with that even went on temp site with Scottish group made very welcome will go back next year thanks for video 👍
Thanks so much for watching and cheering commenting ❤️ oh wow, £2.50 a night with the views and location, sounds amazing, Thankyou 🙂🙂👍
Your welcome was on park for night nr the light house
@gazwolves9489 Thankyou 🙂
We got our first MH in March 2023 and after doing various local trips and the lakes (Keswick), the Antrim Coastline in Northern Ireland (Giants Causeway etc) and then France/Germany/ Switzerland/ Lake Garda and the return trip over 3 weeks plus in July, we did the NC500 in late Sept/ early Oct this year over 10 nights……wow wow wow. It was unbelievable and a ‘must do’ in our view - yes, the weather was mixed and we had some rain (heavy at times) (not a single midge though!) and the weather could change suddenly, the locals were amazing and could not have been more welcoming!!! All very lovely. We did the route anti-clockwise as per the ‘Robbie Roams’ book, and stopped every night on sites listed in the book. All the sites were brilliant - not that busy and all really good value at about £25 on average- great showers and washers/ dryers and all dog friendly ….We cooked in the MH 5 nights (stuff prepared at home and then frozen in the freezer as we dont have a oven - ie chillis/ curry’s/ stew etc) and then the other 5 nights we ‘ate out’ such as fish and chips or pizzas or pub meals - all were VERY reasonably priced as were drinks etc. All places welcomed us with our dog. Where we could, we bought coffees and cakes on route,even if we had them in our MH - yes, we could have just made these in our MH, but wanted to put money into the local outlets where we could. I would absolutely recommend the NC500 - for the views, the quality of campsites, the cost and how very welcome we were made! We cannot fault it. Its a must do for sure. Stick to Robbie’s book…..all wonderful. ❤
Good morning Angela ! Thank you very much for such a comprehensive and positive post, we have heard of the book, so will have to give that a look up, and you’ve given so many great tips for when travelling the route , October is undoubtedly a better time to do it , quieter, no midges and access to services and campsites .. it sounds like you had an amazing trip, and some of the countries you went through also have amazing scenery ! ❤️
We lived on Skye (prior to moving to France) and there are huge problems with the volumes of tourists and infrastructure not being suitable. You summarise it well.
My recommendation is if you want to go to NW Scotland then go by car and stay in local B&B. You’ll have a much more enjoyable vacation and really be putting money into the economy. Let’s face it, whilst motorhomers might put some money into the economy it’s nowhere near that if you stay in local accommodation and eat out every day at restaurants.
The roads are doable in a motorhome but I wouldn’t want/enjoy doing them in our motorhome. In France you come across the occasional single track or narrow village but in NW Scotland there are a lot of them and most of the big tourist spots involve travelling along them. We lived on a single track road to one of the tourist spots on Skye - almost every day motorhomes would get stuck in ditches or cause massive queues or block the road.
It’s a shame as the scenery is breathtaking but best seen by car imho.
( also… the midges! 😬)
Summarised perfectly 👌 it is over saturated and not given the support it needs to accommodate the demand. We do visit but have and continue to avoid the route as it’s not for us, we do enjoy Europe as the uk is so behind with its infrastructure to encourage us to visit … some very valid points, thanks for taking the time to share, very much appreciated ❤️
in my opinion , the influx of people buying hiring motorhomes / campers after covid has caused all this grief , we have been every year from 2012 to 2019 , even when we had the beast from the east weather with 7ft high snow banks in aviemore, never had a problem , we always went in march & "wild camped" purley because there is so little open site wise in march. Whether i would go now , I'm not sure. on another topic , Im still waiting for the video on guitars & amps !!!!!!!!!!!!!! , 😃😃
Covid and staying in the uk certainly boosted the popularity of motorhomes, hence the price boom of motorhomes and site fees, we do enjoy Scotland, but plenty of other roads to travel through , the freedom to park is a bonus for sure … ! One of the guitars was on the wall during one of our chats , I don’t think anybody spotted it, but I’ll rotate them slowly 🎸🎸😂❤️ thanks for sharing your thoughts, much appreciated
Agee with you friend. Most of this has started after lock down.
Completely agree , prices have been on the up since and it certainly got congested , thanks for leaving a comment, very much appreciated ❤️
What your saying is so true
Good morning and thanks for watching and commenting ! ❤️
The vast increase in the number of vehicles travelling the NC500 has made it drop down the "go to" list in our household. Mainland Europe offers far more breathing space.
Good evening ! Thanks for leaving us a comment , very much appreciated, yes, Europe offers so much more than the uk at the moment doesn’t it ? We are set for a few trips abroad , do you have anything planned ? ❤️
Nothing planned right now. Ended up on the back of a breakdown lorry circumnavigating Spain on our last trip. Covered Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Italy and Luxemburg a few years back. So, if we head out after Christmas it will probably be Portugal. The Moselle is a river that rises in the Vosges mountains and flows through north-eastern France and Luxembourg to western Germany. It is a left bank tributary of the Rhine, which it joins at Koblenz...................well worth a trip !
That was a huge trip ! Hope the motorhome is all fixed and ready to go ! Portugal sounds pretty cool 👌 ❤️safe travels
Loving the channel. I do (ride) the NC500 every year usually in spring or as soon as there is a break in the weather. It can be a problem coming behind a motorhome, but because I'm on a motorbike most motorhomers wave me past when they hit a passing place. I would imagine being in a car behind a motorhome would be frustrating. I have also seen many signs in the houses, I pass, saying motorhomers go home☹So it does appear you guys are not welcome. It is a shame that the small minority spoil it for the rest of responsible motorhomers. We are looking to join the motorhome world in the near future, but like yourselves we will be heading to Europe. Keep up the good work.😃
Spot on ! Yes a motorhome is a fab way to enjoy the world, and the NC is lovely, but still not calling to us , courtesy and respect is key, but as you say some locals are clearly not happy ! Safe travels and thanks for watching and commenting, take care on the bike , we prefer 4 wheels 🙂❤️
Theres plenty of beautiful parts without going to the NC500. Try the Grampians or the borders. I also found that there was also more to do there than on the West/North coast
Completely agree, it’s a beautiful country and so much more to explore , thanks for sharing your thoughts ❤️
We did 2 weeks end of September/October
I have to say it was the best holiday I've been on not once did we feel unwelcome
The scenery is awesome and photos do it no justice
I certainly wouldn't listen to the scare mongers and would seriously recommend it
It’s nice to hear a positive , there is a lot of hype about the NC route , we’re still not convinced , but Thankyou so much for sharing this ❤️
@@redsgotravels definitely give it a go I think the time of year we did it was perfect not to busy
Also just pulling over when cars are behind you to let them pass
I've travelled all over the world with my previous job and the Scotland trip beat it hands down
Thanks for the reply, we are hearing more positives , it’s nice to see.. , fb and the web can be a minefield of misinformation x
we did that time of year 2 years ago,had no issues at all
To be honest we've do the nc500 3 time's doing a mix of camp site's and off grid,all ways leave as you find,any one we have come in to contact with have been nothing but friendly,yes there are some single track roads but lots of passing places ie making it very easy to do,it's in the end up you , but I do think it's something you should do at least once,and not worry about what social media says in my experience last time march this year it's worth it that my 10p worth
Thankyou for your comments and sharing your experience, it’s very much appreciated and it’s certainly a to do one day for sure, but at the moment we do enjoy Europe, and while we can it’ll definitely remain a favourite destination, Thankyou once again, we do value everyone’s input ❤️
I am from Norway and visited UK and drove NC500 this summer. I had no issues with angry locals, rubbish in the nature and black/grey waste water in ditches and lochs. If one act respectfully, it should be ok. BUT… the roads are horrendous. If Scotland wishes tourists welcome, the roads should be fixed so that everyone could enjoy the trip. I don´t mean two lane traffic, but at least decent road surfaces.
I maybe had too high expectations? But all sights and places was beautiful. The highlights was The Kelpies and later on the UK visit, Stonehenge.
Good morning, it’s so nice to hear you enjoyed the uk, in particular Scotland and Stonehenge, yes we hear the roads are poor, it is about respect for eachother and nature , but it does seem lacking, however it’s always good to hear a positive ! ❤️
We did Scotland a couple of years ago, you can have a good adventure in Scotland without doing the NC500, it was interesting though as part of our route took us on part of it , we could tell because the amount of hired motorhomes were ten fold while we got on part of the route. Scotland has so much more than the NC500, but I can see all sides to it. I think it's probably a very small number of inconsiderate travellers that give everyone a bad name with the press stirring it up. Here is a video of our said Scotland trip. czcams.com/video/DKfXHQUjHMo/video.htmlsi=IlL9PngQks8XNYbC
It has certainly become very popular and busy, we have been to Scotland many times, for travels, visiting relatives and leisure, it really is beautiful, but a lot of negativity about the route … thanks for the link we will have a look 👍❤️
We also have relatives in Scotland and try and see them as often as we can ( good excuse to visit) the road from Fort William to Malaig is probably the most scenic road I've ever driven on and we have done most of Europe in our van over the years.
Hello, I think you just said exactly what I thought about nc500 and i personally wouldn't be doing it any time soon as I've heard too much negative stuff about it rather than good, in my opinion I think it's simply being overwhelmed and that means you will always get those that really don't care about the environment and happy to ruin it for the ones that do, so I've stayed away from it and I enjoy my travels south of the border and there's so much to see and enjoy while the masses carry on with their journey up north that means they're not where I am and I,m happy with that, 😊
Hi ! To be fair we’ve had quite a lot of first hand positive comments, we still don’t think it’s completely ruled out, Scotland is lovely, but with so much more to see there, we shall continue on with both uk , but mainly Europe ! Thanks so much for commenting ❤️ much appreciated
There will always be right & wrong on NC500, but I can understand why the locals are not happy. I can see things getting worse up there. Just wish the minority who abuse the route to try & respect the route.
Spot on ! I think that sums up everything in one sentence ❤️ , respect and courtesy goes a long way 👍👍
We actually went on the NC500 a few years ago and stayed in B&Bs all the way round. So we put quite a bit back into the Tourist Industry that way. It was gorgeous all the way. We didn’t see any trouble anywhere. This year we went back up to go on the Jacobite Train in our first MH. Stayed at various sites by locks and stayed one night wild camping….Didn’t see anything untoward anywhere…People that abuse the countryside with their waste and litter do not deserve a MH. And they certainly do not deserve to go to Scotland….You are missing out if you don’t go. You are respectable people and would enjoy it so much….Do your own thing and map out your own trail…..😊😊 We think it’s the popularity just lately and the stay at home vacations that we’ve had since covid that has started all this commotion….If you want to be loud, drink till you stink, cause trouble everywhere then keep going to Benidorm…Scotlands not for you…❤
Good morning we do love Scotland and visit now and then with relatives up there , we’ve stayed on lochs, wild camped and thoroughly enjoyed it, there are the odd few who spoil it for many, maybe it’s calming down a little post covid ? Do you think the roads are up to it ? We don’t drink, and hopefully don’t stink ! 😂😂 but I get what you mean … thanks for commenting and sharing, much appreciated x
I am with you guys I have read too much negative stuff about the NC500. Why spend hard earned money in a place your not particularly welcome at. Unfortunately there are some filthy people in vans who do things they shouldn't and spoil it for the rest of us. Either way we won't be going your right much cheaper and better weather over in Europe. Rip of UK doesn't help itself. Looking forward to your big trip.
Thankyou ! Yes it’s a shame that the minority spoil it, and we do have every sympathy for the residents , it also provides an income too , it’s a balance 🙂 yes, not long till the big one now ❤️
We drove the NC500 in our motorhome (3.5tonne, 6.5mtr long) at the beginning of July this year. We stayed on a mix of independent, club owned, local community initiative aires and one carpark (at the Kelpies) All the locals we met were very friendly and welcoming, the scenery was stunning and we had an amazing time. It is true that some of the roads were in a bad condition but as I remember it, it was just part of the road from John O'Groats to Durness. The rest was fine. We did the Applecross Pass, starting from Applecross, it was fine, just remember to look several passing places ahead so you are well prepared to pull in before you even meet the oncoming vehicle. As for it being busy - not on our trip. The East coast was empty, the West coast was somewhat busier but not enough to call it 'rammed'. We loved every minute and plan going back to Scotland in the near future to explore other areas of this welcoming and stunningly beautiful country.
Thankyou very much for sharing your experience, we do love Scotland and visit a few times per year, with family up there , we do want to visit the kelpies , and it’s interesting to hear it wasn’t overly busy in July .. I wonder if it’s calming down a little ? It may offer some time for road repairs , and really nice to hear the locals were very friendly, the tourism trade does offer a lot, but also has an impact ! Thanks again, very much appreciated ❤️
Van life = Pollution life
Thanks for watching 👍
Love the balance and range in your video btw. Unfortunately, this part of Scotland has been marketed by a profit making organistaion as if it were part of a theme park. Many new visitors have the impression that you come for the thrills and unlike Alton Towers, you don't need a ticket and there are no rules of behaviour. There would still be problems if every visitor behaved impeccably though, because the increased volume has created stress to the fragile systems - economic, social and environmental. If you compare the physical size of NW Scotland with the continent it is easy to see why it is easier for countries over the Channel to accommodate travellers. Many call for facilities for toursits to be provided. Highland Council have just cancelled 10 school building projects! There are no good public transport systems for people who live and work in the area. This is why, to the locals, tourists demands are a long way down the list. It is beautiful part of the country and well worth the time to get to know it but with care and consideration on both sides. Thanks for a good thought provoking way of approaching the issues.
Thankyou for such a lovely reply, we do love Scotland, we visit relatives who live there, enjoy the beauty it has to offer and fully understand the impact of over saturation , there are those that spoil it, those that love it, we will continue to visit, but not the NC , the UK is the poor relative , and councils are struggling, it’s a spiral down at the moment … really appreciate you taking the time to comment and share, Thankyou ❤️
its a contentious one this, fair play if you have budgeted for three weeks in europe thats cheaper than scotland ,that is what all people should do .We are Scots we did spend a month on and off the nc500 on (mostly off because there are better parts of scotland too ) at the start of our round the world trip it was April may this year and we felt very much part of the problem so much so we cut our Scottish touring adventure short and headed over the water whilst we leave no trace and wild camp in safe sensible places.many do not, hire vans seemed to have their own rulebook and we got fed up with bad rubbish bad driving and bad people all over a beautiful country ,we will go back after our trip but there needs to be more done for campers and the people in them also its not going to go away so needs to be better catered . The money skye is raking in in parking charges alone is enough to upgrade every road on the island they need to step up and reinvest that money or close the island to vans completely and suffer the consequences because at the moment the vans are the problem but with no facilities or poor ones at best what do they expect people to do its a difficult subject did you know its owned by a billionare from Denmark i mean that a really bad situation to try and improve things from
Thankyou so much for your comments, we had no idea that it is owned by one person in Denmark, and as you say there’s not much chance of anything improving soon. Hire campers seem to be a trend, as does travelling this route, it’s a huge problem and we’ve heard directly from residents who have shared there experiences, and it certainly is being overused and underfunded, we have and will continue to travel to Scotland, but at select times and not this route, Europe is far more equipped than the UK, as you will no doubt have seen, aires with free electric, drinking water and waste … all free ! How is your trip going … where are you now ? … safe travels on your wonderful journey ❤️
@@redsgotravels hi thanks we are currently in Turkey on a site we don’t use them often but this time me is on a lake at £3.20 a night including hook up you guys would love it lol. We are coming back to the uk in January for mot and new tyres we will have been on the road for 10 months at that point and we are shipping to Canada early April hopefully if we can get it organised by then
@wedrivetheworld amazing ! And what a price 👌 and Canada on the horizon.. fantastic!! Safe travels ❤️
@@redsgotravelsIt’s Anders Povlsen, the founder of ASOS. He doesn’t own the road, only the NC500 company, website and intellectual property. The roads are all public highways adopted and maintained by the Highland Council. He does own an awful lot of land though!
Very interesting , thanks for the clarification, much appreciated ❤️🏴
Thankyou for this video. I am a local, I'm sorry you don't feel like you're welcome, thing is, you are. You seem like the responsible tourists that we wish always came here. Using the correct facilities and not dumping waste in our carpark drains or hanging your wet laundry on our memorials or burial sites. I think there's a huge culture difference between us locals and tourists...we aren't used to this level of tourism, we've always had visitors but not this level.. It seems to have happened overnight and nobody asked us our thoughts and views really.... we have many issues with Highland Council who baisicaly only invest in Inverness leaving Caithness and Sutherland to disintegrate and even our Emergency services are suffering ... did you know women cant give birth up here in Caithness or Sutherland? So we have our challenges and are forgotten part of the UK, unless folk want to come and go "wild camp" up here.... we need more infrastructure, but that comes at the expense of the locals, and to some its a slap in the face...we would rather fund a propper maternity ward, than pay for more hard standing and disposal sites for waste... but infrastructure is desperately needed...so bit of a touchy subject. I guess we just want people to learn and understand more about our way of life when they visit. I dont agree with all the tax etc... but energy up here is crazy expensive, so is goods and services when you factor in how much it costs for things to be trucked up here so I'm guessing maintenance costs of caravan sites increased a lot hence the cost of staying overnight. You'd think all that wind energy would make it cheap for us... it doesn't. Many of us don't have gas. Coal or oil... and its expensive. Just a wee insight as to why things are expensive up here...believe me, things aren't cheep lol. That being said, our country is beautiful and our history is amazing. If you get off the main route and explore you will see so much more. Talk to a local, go to a folk night in the local pub... we aren't pitchfork welding psychos..
We are just protective of our land and culture. There's no place like it in the UK... you should visit... and it all doesn't need to be done in one visit... just means you need to come back .... bring yer wellies. Xx
Hello and Thankyou for your lovely comments ❤️ the minority do spoil it and it’s very sad to see, we do enjoy Scotland, visiting now and then as one set of our parents are Scottish 🏴, I think you’ve summed up the struggles you face superbly, the NC has become a tourist haven through advertising, books, companies and more, and we acknowledge the lack of infrastructure, and the fact that you aren’t wielding those pitchforks, but simply frustrated by everything you mention, the lack of infrastructure is a big issue , the cost of the sites on the route and indeed throughout the UK is cost prohibitive , Europe has the infrastructure and support of the local government, providing sites with free electricity, water and waste disposal ! Imagine the abuse such facilities would have in our broken country ! We will continue to visit Scotland, but the NC route isn’t something that calls to us… we sincerely wish you and all the locals the very best and hope the NC route and it’s residents get the courtesy and respect you deserve ❤️
@@redsgotravels hopefully one day you will visit... lunch is on me when you do. I think people are starting to see the other side of this now thanks to social media and videos like yours... keep on travelling and stay safe 🙏 ❤
@rmac8737 aww, Thankyou so much ❤️❤️🏴
Let’s keep the economy in this country because this country has so many beautiful places all so it gives people employment
Valid point 👍
I'm one of "them"
Thankyou
I know this will sound a bit narrow minded and I except that, But having worked in Scotland for a Scottish company and been English (lucky me :-) after my contract had ended I was really happy to never go back to Scotland, So for that reason I would never go there in my motorhome now, That aside and now living in France my more sensible reasons would be distance, poor weather, local's who don't want you (but want your money) so unfriendly people and of course the explosion of motorhomes in the last 3 years which due to Brits having to spend at least 6 months in their own country means they will of course explore the UK and Scotland may offer what is normal ie free camping that we find in Europe. I would go as far as to say I would not go the NC500 or Scotland if I was paid to do it. But good luck to those who do and I hope they enjoy it.
Good afternoon! We do like Scotland and feel that we probably won’t do the NC , but the rest is beautiful, but as we’ve said, and of course most of our content is Europe , that’s where are calling is at the moment ! We see both sides, and as ever really appreciate your support and comments, much appreciated ❤️
We did the NC 500 this year 2023 at the start of September for 10 days. East coast first to John O'Groats the West coast. We went in our campervan and stayed at various authorised park ups every other day. We called into one leisure centre that advertised fresh water and somewhere to get rid of toilet waste and only £3, this was on one of those apps people get. We stayed in a farm shop carpark one evening and the owner came and had a chat with us, we only paid £5 to park up and get rid of the waste and he said we could help ourselves to the shower if we wanted, he also had a huge stack of fresh bottled water we could help ourselves to that the water authority had dropped of because they maybe turn the local water off for a few hours and just in case people needed it. He said if we wanted to go for a walk then we could head out across his farm. We went to stay one night at Durness where the local farmer had a park up and charged people, but he must of felt sorry for us as the weather that night was rough or he didn't fancy getting wet. Anyway, if everyone respects one another and the environment and take there rubbish away with them, then it's wonderful for everyone. We shopped and brought local and supported the UK economy so what couldn't be better. When we go back to Scotland we will mainly do the west cost as this is by far the best part of the Scottish highlands. ps. One night we stayed in a council run carpark on the side of Loch Lohman and it cost £4.
Wow, Thankyou for such a comprehensive and positive comment, it goes to show that if everyone had the courtesy and respect you displayed , it’s reciprocated back to you and you are made to feel welcome, as displayed by all the places you called into ! Good on you ❤️ Scotland does have a lot to offer, I am sure you will enjoy the west coast too ,
It’s the minority that spoil it, safe travels and once again, Thankyou for taking the time to watch and share your experience ❤️
Hi, we went round the NC 500 last year - we lived in Aberdeen for 13 years and my husband and both my children are Scottish (I’m English). We didn’t have any idea there was controversy about it! We had a lovely time and enjoyed every moment, totally unaware of the apparent issues 🙂. That was in a micro camper so I suppose we may have not been obvious. We were off grid the whole time. We now have a little Motorhome (5.88 m long) and will be back up next year, perhaps on parts of NC 500, but also revisiting other areas. I don’t believe in gatekeeping, including the countryside … some people aren’t fortunate enough to live somewhere beautiful everyday … I believe we all should be able to share in our beautiful land and not be forced abroad. Anyway, I don’t even own a passport 😂
Good morning ! Thanks for leaving a comment and sharing your experience, glad you enjoyed your time , Scotland is amazing, and a micro camper is a great way to enjoy the smaller roads and rural areas, it is there to be enjoyed by everyone ❤️ we also see the other side too, it’s got busier, the impact and frustration this can bring .. we do enjoy Scotland, but our calling is into Europe ( you can probably tell by the vlogs we’ve done in the past 😂 ) once again, Thankyou for taking the time to leave a comment , it’s much appreciated and safe travels ❤️
For me personally , unfortunately I will never go go to Scotland in mo ho, even though my sister lives In St Andrews we go in car , personally I find it the most unfriendly country to visit in Europe . even our Scandinavian friends will not visit . wake up Scotland you are missing an opportunity !!!!!
Thankyou for your comments 🙂
New about this route in at least 2005 its allways been a thing
Its now a tickbox for posers and people to brag about not a real motohome adventure.
Yes it’s been there for quite some time, just a name and sign added ! Thanks for commenting ❤️
midges
🙂
Hi cant find our original comment on here now, and I think you've probably had enough replies now to have an informed opinion but just to add, in our experience the roads were very good (much better in most places than here in Suffolk and Cambridgeshire - where I work) of course if you stray off the route as we did to explore you'll find narrow roads that ard not in 100% condition, but again yiull get this anywhere. I think the only part of the route that a motorhome maybe struggle with would be the Bealach na Ba as it has some tight hairpins in places, but even that isnt as bad as the Hardknott pass! However for us we'd only do it out of season as it was much quieter.....and no midges😁👍. Thats enough from us now. Colin & Carol. 👩🦲👩🦳🐕🚐🙂👍
Good morning Colin and Carol ! ❤️ thanks so much for commenting and sharing your thoughts, very much appreciated, we do enjoy Scotland and watch travel videos , we shall look up your suggestion , it is a beautiful place and first hand experiences are always the best, thanks again x
I don’t think I will ever do it road too small from what I’ve read. We seem very unwelcome where if you go over to France Roads larger, the infrastructure Is better suited more welcome even though we foreigners I don’t get England so expensive for campsites when you just have to have water and maybe electricity but you can get like £45 a night here doesn’t seem right but you can be on the coast in France for £11 a night
Good morning, thanks for sharing your thoughts, we too had read many comments about the NC and thought we would ask for first hand experience, the comments have been overwhelmingly positive, first hand experience painting a pleasant picture, but of course, as we’ve always said Europe is more set up to accommodate motorhomes than the uk , the prices, availability and freedom is second to none , that’s why most of our travels are in Europe ! Really appreciate you taking time to comment, much appreciated 🙂
@@redsgotravels