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North Coast 500 Alternative - Epic Scotland Road Trip based on the NC500
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- čas přidán 6. 08. 2024
- Amazing journey through the West and North Coast of Scotland, by motorcycle, on a route based on the NC500. We camped the route aside from the first and last night, when we stayed in a hotel in Helensburgh near to Glasgow. It was a wet trip, but it was always going to be! The weather didn't spoil the trip though and we travelled through some spectacular landscapes.
To see the route I planned for this, see the link below.
docs.google.com/document/d/16...
Absolutely fantastic easily the best NC 500 video iv seen ,I’m going there 11th July this year,can’t wait,I’ll definitely give sky a miss, thanks for sharing mate stay safe 👍
Wife and I drove the 500 in '18. We were disappointed with the leg between Tongue and J.O.G, so I had planned that when we get time to do it again we would head south at Tongue and continue back to Inverness.
Thanks for sharing your video.
I do NC500 every year on a multistrada, always anti clockwise late May early June to avoid the worst of those midges, never enough time to take photos, beautiful truly beautiful.
I'll be doing the NC500 in 2023 and plan some detours off the official route. One is to cut south from the northern section to visit Forsinard Flows, one of the largest areas of blanket bog in Europe. Amazing plant life and landscape, I've been told. I also plan to do the Tounge loop south and back to enjoy an "Olovers Burger" from his van on the Tongue Causeway.
I do Apple cross pass every year and nc500 route. In 7 years Of doing it ,we have done it at end of May (bank holiday) or first week in June and in all that time only had one year with rain (2019) other than that always have very good weather and no mosses at all at that time of year. Best roads in the UK. Me and the wife rent a cottage on lochness and then go out each day and do 300 miles a day for 4 or 5 days. Love it.
Beautiful location, great video ✌️❤️
Thanks for your honest account regarding your trip, im doing the NC 500 in mid August, I was underwhelmed with Sky too on my last visit up there, great vid and advice “ take what you get on the day and enjoy it” 😊👍
Enjoy your trip Mark!
I was lucky enough to have the time to do an extended nc500 route with my daughter..... The views just make you thankful to be there to see it and amazed that there aren't more people there to see it!
A well put together video, going back next year for the 3rd time never get tired of it. 👍
What a good video. Really enjoyed watching every minute of it. I love Scotland and have been to most of them places. I keep going back. Thanks Steve.
Thanks Steve's days off!
Loved this video...photographs were great. The Applecross ride was great even though it was misty...which I love.
I was on Skye last September and was shocked to see how busy it was. It's a shame.
I've been going up for over thirty years and that was an excellent vid Mate. Skye is now somewhere I avoid like the plague, as beautiful as it is on my last visit in 2013 it was chocker with tourists and traffic. My stand out road has always been the Westeros route up the west coast to Tongue and back down to Ullapool via Loch Loyal. again a great vid and thank you for sharing.
Thankyou Russell Amazing journey,have done some of this many years ago,but not all of it,hope to maybe get up there later this year.Your filming was absolutey fantastic,loved it all.From an old biker,many thanks
Love that route and thanks for the amazing ride video
Thanks, glad you liked it!
Beautiful description. I thank the bikers for their efforts to make this video with all the risks. Safe ride
Well done Russell , with your video of the NC 500 .I wish i knew about that trip about 63 years ago, as me and my mate Richie, travelled for 2 weeks through the Highlands by push bike .Scenery will never change so beautiful , yes i can honestly say so magical , that i truly really fell in love with my Homeland .Duncan.
Thanks for your comments
I'm planning my NC500 in 2021 and amongst the many vids on tap, yours was by far the best vlog for me. Perfect from a plain and simple "this is what you get" perspective. I'll certainly use this again in my planning. Well done you, a very easy and enjoyable watch.
Thanks for the kind words, and good luck with your trip.
I really enjoyed watching! If I ever visit Scotland, I'd love to tour it on 2 wheels! 😎🤙🏼
It's not the definitive way to see it, but is hugely rewarding on two wheels!
Great video, Scotland is a fantastic location, as you say 'world class' only slightly soured by the dam midges !
Thanks M4. Even with the rain it's a fantastic adventure!
We did this last March in a campervan. Glorious sunny weather all week, little traffic and NO MIDGES! best done early or late season and avoid summer. Great video.
Best advice really. Let the tourists have their blue skies. Scotland looks so much better when it's raining 😎
Take what you are given on the day and enjoy it. Could not have put that better myself. Great video.
Thanks David.
Done the route .....Thanks for a good video ...ride safe !!!!!
You too, thanks for watching.
Awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing. I'm hoping to make this ride early next June 2019.
Hope you enjoy it and get better weather!
Very well put together mate 👏
Me and 5-9 other riders do a very similar route every year (4nights) at the end of may which we’ve found to be the best time of year ,
Good chance of keeping dry ..or even sunshine 🤩and the dreaded midges usually haven’t arrived .
Other than the alps nothing touches the west of Scotland ‘if’ it’s sunny
Great video. Have travelled many times on the A836 to Tongue to visit family. It's such an underrated and over looked road due to nc500. Perhaps its better to keep it to yourself 😉😉
Hi great video on NC500, travelled all those roads just not all at once. Skye is great but chocked with tourists. But as a tip Scotland has hundreds if islands, the Outer Hebrides are just as scenic, then there is Mull, Rum, Arran and Isla etc all of them have roads more suitable for bikes than anything else. The Outer Hebrides are over 100 miles long so plenty distance to make the journey interesting and worthwhile. Midges everywhere though. Even Orkney is worth visiting. Safe biking.
Thanks for watching!
Orkney is a damn sight more than just 'even' worth visiting. Heaps of interesting sights and great roads
@@grahamwishart4832 I have visited Orkney, amazing place especially the ancient sites like Skara Brae and Tomb of Eagles. Spectacular coastline, we saw Orca when entering Stromness harbour. Vibrant little place, not too keen on the far North East of Mainland Scotland though (I do love the Highlands especially the West coast), Thurso and Wick seem a little empty feeling and run down compared to the Orkadian neighbour.
done applecross pass over 10 times motor bike and car, a joy every time, might not try in december lol
It's memorable, even if you can't see a thing!
Thanks, very good video. Planning to take the truck over (from Ireland) as soon as it's usable.
Glad you enjoyed it.
I was up there from 13th to the 21st August last year. I agree with your sentiments re Skye and to make matters worse, the local council has penny pinched on roadworks. The minor road from Dunvegan out past the Skye silver centre and the road from Uig north through Kilmur are nothing short of dangerous for cars let alone bikes. They have sprayed tar on then shovelled huge piles of grit over it - and thats it, no repairs or rolling just huge mounds of lose gravel. I even pulled in and let cars get past me some of it was so bad! The best rounds are the far North west. Going again this year but my wife is pestering for me to take her in the car - BUGGER! Great video.
Thanks for your comments. If I were doing the trip again I'd make a few changes. I probably wouldn't do Skye at all unless really out of season - now where are my heated undergarments!
amazing video and i take my hat off to you as i could only dream of turning my footage into such a fantastic adventure.
Pleased you liked it. The challenge was having footage with no helmet narrative hence the voiceover. Oh and to let you in on a secret, I wrote and performed the music for day 4 :-)
One last comment. It's the Bealach Na Ba, not the Applecross Pass!😉
Nice video! Such a shame you never carried on along the top coast. Caithness and the north east has some phenomenal scenery and history. Next time you come up don't miss it. Also stay at Applecross and treat yourself to a meal in the Inn. You'll hopefully get a good sunset too.
Skye has always been heaving band it rains there loads too. Mull is the nicer option for the bike in my opinion. The Outer Hebrides are also very nice.
Quite possibly the best bike vlog on my beautiful country I've watched to date, narration was magnificent. Skye is a victim of it's own success unfortunately, when I did the Quiraing was equally busy when I did it in early May the other year.
Thanks so much for your comment, really appreciate it! The Kyle of Tongue causeway rainbow moment gives me goosebumps every time I watch it.
Blame that damn Outlander series.
You definitely made the right choice avoiding the boring east side and heading back south at Tongue. Best scenery. Made me smile when you said you were suffering from scenery overload at Kylesku. 😁
It's scenery overload anywhere north of Helensburgh in all honesty!
My home❤️❤️❤️❤️🏴
Bee-al-ach... na-ba.
Great video thank you.
Thanks. Cbr 600fs? I used to have one. Nice machine.
@@rjphotos hi it's the F model but yes great bike. My third!
really nice film, thanks, you should do more!
I have a new adventure hitting the screen in a week or so. Keep an eye out!
Oh, don't bother getting up too early either. The early birds all flock together. You'll have more success in the tourist heavy areas in the evenings.
Last went to Skye in 2014 and even the there were new build "Holiday homes" all over the place. We have often talked about going back but it would be very disappointing to spend the whole journey in queues. The standard advisory still stands, don't go unless you have somewhere booked to stay.
I have to fill up every 100 miles or so and have no problems with fuel stations. But I do fill up when ever I come to one even if I have only done 50 miles since the last fill up. You can not go wrong then. Lucky I know where all the stations are now. Also for those that do not know there is a self service fuel pump at the bottom of Apple cross pass. Just by the Apple cross inn ( card use)
Yep, saw that last year. Nice little community initiative.
Love the fog, overcast skies, and low hanging clouds. They seem to add to the natural beauty of Scotland.
I enjoyed your video. I’ve been trying to figure out how do a trip to Scotland combining a motorcycle trip with golf.
Thanks for alerting me to those wonderful midges!
I am wondering now if all the single tracks I have been looking at on maps are paved. I kind of thought they would be gravel like here.
I would be interesting to hear some commentary on your equipment especially the helmet and jacket and how they work in the rain also if you know anyone that might rent a motorcycle for the trip since I’m coming from the US. I enjoy touring backroads at slow speeds on my V-Star 250.
thanks for sharing
Hi Robert. Thanks for watching. If the roads are marked as A or B roads, then they will be tarmac. My helmet is a Nexx XD1, and served me well on that trip - no problems with water ingress and the visor was pinlocked so no issues with fogging. The jacket (and pants that you couldn't see on the video) were Revitt Poseidon GTX. Being Goretex they were fantastic. Either a Goretext (or similar) suit or an oversuit is a must on a trip in the highlands or Scotland as you'll be very lucky to avoid rain, even in summer.
Russell Jackson I appreciate the info.
Motorrad Edinburgh hire out BMWs. Don't know if they do the the 310 which would be the ideal BMW for this trip. A 1200 is overkill.
Thank you for the vid, made me realise how lucky we were first week of June 2019 with weather and midges. Had fantastic sunshine for all 9 days and virtually no midges and no rain at all. It is a truly awesome place. We used YHA's rather than camping for fear of being eaten alive, you must be made of more hardy stuff.
Midge nets came in very handy. Glad you liked the video!
that's amazing Nick, are you a Time Traveler?!? if so, let me know what the weather will be like in May 2019, we are doing the NC500 then.....:-)
@@ianbirnie2631 it would seem I got a bit ahead of myself there. It was June 2018 (-:
Fantastic footage Russ, I'm doing the 500 in 2 weeks time. I am starting in Erskine then onto Ullapool, inverness and finally Carlise. If you have any tips for me they would be appreciated.
My advice would be to take it easy on the ride, enjoy the roads and the scenery. The weather isn't something you can control. Also, check for a convoy system at Attadale. It may be clear now but there was a landslide and they were running the road traffic along a section of railway, and passage was dependent on the rail schedule. This was in effect in October last year.
I stumbled across that single track road too, but I was in my hire car rather on my bike, so it was less enjoyable.
It always makes me smile that many of those single track roads are A roads.
Hi Russell what's the music playing st 11:21 ish very relaxing, I live in the Isle of Man nowadays, but I'm from the Highlands , only reason I haven't done these routes. .. midges. ... just can't stand them and had my fill in the first 21 year's of my life.
Hi Steve. It's something from CZcams's audio library. I thought it fitted the mood and scenery of that day. The music for day 4 is something I put together myself. Thanks for watching. 👍
Just beautiful done it a few times and I keep going back for more.i have got to a stage in life that even though good weather is better the rain doesn't bother me now what so ever once you have good gear I just keep riding. What kinda helmet are you wearing looks pretty cool.thanks for this wonderful trip.
Hi Derrick. Thanks for watching and glad you enjoyed it. My helmet is a Nexx XD 1.
@@rjphotos is it comfortable because I like the look of it thanks
@@derrickmurphy9988 it is for me though I'd recommend trying one if possible.
@@rjphotos thanks
Scotland is just M A G I C A L!!!!
Certainly is, even when it's raining!
As for Skye, I lived in Skye for almost 3 years and left there in 2010. I went back last year and was shocked and dismayed at how it has suffered. Too many ways to list but I left again last December (2018) and have no desire to return. So sad. ☹️
what's wrong with it?
@@roadwarrior8560 Prices have gone through the roof on virtually everything. Far too many tourists in the summer and most of them have no clue how to navigate single track roads. Local people can no longer afford to drink in the pubs and bars because of profiteering owners. The Camanachd pub in Portree used to be a locals pub, now it's a sort of expensive wine bar. 7 out of 10 accents you hear are English and mainly from the home counties. It's more like an English island now rather than Scottish. Basically Skye people are disenfranchised and I feel for them.
@@alexhamilton4084 Sorry to hear that, suppose there isn't a lot you can do about it, I can't stand that bullshit either we get plenty of it here in western Ireland, bloody camper vans are everywhere too. You will hear the English usually before you see them.
Road Warrior haha 👍🏻😂
I'm off up there in may this year. Can't wait! Any tips?
Midge net! Also, there was major work by Attadale involving a diversion onto the train line due to a landslide. Passage was between scheduled rail services so delays of up to 4 hours. That was September last year but worth checking.
Great video thanks. Im doing this route in may 2021 and will be starting from Dunoon, can you tell me what sat nav you used please? Thanks
I used a cheap Android phone and Google maps - used the offline mode on maps. I think there's a link to my routes in the video description.
Hi Russel, I have enjoyed watching the video. Infact I am planning to go and explore this corner of the world very soon. Could you let me know about camping sides. Do they have proper toilets?
Most official camping sites have proper toilets.
1:40 Jimmy The Beast’s Hoose dead ahead!
Thanks you for video, i hope i can come in this country one day after this covidshit, is it expensive to sleep? ✌️
the road bridge at Skye is to blame for the riff raff, they should close it and re introduce the ferry crossing.
Hi Russell, what helmet have you got? How do you like it practically and noisewise?
Hi, it's a Nexx XD1. I get on well with it. It's not the quietest but is comfortable and has some good features such as built in GoPro mounts. Thanks for watching the video.
Really enjoyed your video shame about Skye, you were a little unlucky with the weather, I'm doing the NC at the end of May next year, according to goggle it never rains in May, really looking forward to it. Not doing Skye.
The weather didn't spoil the trip, it's part of it and if you plan for it there's no problem.
Wonderful. A couple of my friends and I are going to do it next year. What time of year did you do it ?
That was in mid August I believe.
@@rjphotos oh great thank you. Those midges looked pretty intense 🤔
@@SPd.Triple yeah, get a good Midge net if you are camping. Spray and smoke coil repellent may or may not work. The midges were brutal at little loch Broom.
@@rjphotos Midges love me too !
I notice you have a Camelbak or similar - did you find this useful? I've been considering one as i'm a bugger for not stopping as much as i should!
I found it a bit of a faff to be fair. Not that safe fiddling about with it on the move. Not comfortable to have the tube in your helmet either. I guess you can get dedicated systems though.
Can I ask, I push my luck going over 100 miles without filling up, any issues do you think with this route?
Hi
If you check in the video description you should find a route guide I put together with a list of fuel stations and the distances between.
what type of camera do you use? Greetings from Holland
For that I used a couple of old GoPro hero 3's. Worked a treat. Thanks for watching.
Can I ask what is the fantastic soundtrack?
The music on day 4 I wrote and performed. The rest of the music is from CZcams's audio library.
Is that a cbr650f? If so how does he rate it, I’m thinking of getting one
He loves it, and it did well on the tour.
Russell Jackson thanks for the reply, cracking video as well
"Contributing to the problem"? At least you were using a vehicle appropriate to the roads. Motorcyclists have been doing what amounts to the 500 for decades on empty roads and not holding up the locals on their day to day business. That seems to be finished now.
On the NC 500 do you have to use a map to know where to go or is it sighn posted?
It's not signposted, but route maps are available online. My route is different from tongue, going south rather than via the east coast.
@@rjphotos yeah ik I'm dont want to do east side as there are no mountains,is the route you did had s map online?
@@matthewboothman129 I planned the routes in Google maps. I'll see if I can post a link to the routes in the video description.
@@rjphotos thank you let me know if you can or not
@@matthewboothman129 See video description, I've added a link to the route with clickable maps, campsites and distances between fuel stops. I had the overview map pages in my tank bag clear lid for easy access to the route and fuel stations. I loaded the maps to google maps and used that as Sat Nav. Quite a lot of research went into this so should be a valuable resource and help you with your planning - enjoy your adventure, and don't forget the midge net if you are camping!
try hard-knock pass Cumbria it makes bealach-na- ba looks like a child's merry-go roung.
Would a 125 struggle with this journey ?
i have done some of the route on a 1957 lambretta model d 150 t0p speed 45mph if that helps
Edd March travels the world on a honda 90
I met an english lady who is a retired teacher riding her Honda C90 moped with "L" license on her solo tour of NC500.....gutsy and pleasant lady . Thus any motorcycle can do it not necessary too big a big as it will be a burden as one is riding to enjoy the route and not hastily racing through it notwithstanding some of the sections are single track. I opted to cycled them last summer but did not complete the entire NC500....only from Fort Williams to Potree via Mallaig and then using the bridge to Kyle of Lochlash thereatfer train to Inverness enroute to Thurso and cycled from there to Kyle of Tongue then back to John O Groats before heading to Wicks to train back to London via Inverness. It was a good ride indeed. Go for it even if you ride a 125 cc motorcycle
If you can do it on a bicycle, then you can do it on a 125!
As a scottish biker I use similar roads to those slated/feared here in this video on most journeys around my country
Dont fear them just respect them as they are very narrow in places with sometimes poor surfaces
My advice go enjoy them take them as a challenge which will eventually improve your riding skills Above all do not build them up in your mind as something beyond your capabilities The midges? Lol Get a grip they ain't gonna eat you alive are they ?
Midges aren't so bad so long as you take precautions. Of course they reserve their worst for the Intruders from the south!
13.10 what's the road name?
Pretty sure it's the A835 dropping back into Ullapool from Ardmair.
@@rjphotos thanks
Regarding the amount of traffic up north , some blame can be caused by Visit Scotland, as they have flogged the North West of Scotland, and have not done justice to the other areas of Scotland ,that deserve much much more knowledge about their beauty. Sloppy work by the C E O of Visit Scotland.
I'm very much a person that looks deeper into places I visit. Hidden gems are everywhere, but not everyone has the foresight to go looking. Even on Skye there are quiet places. Both good and bad to that approach. Some say it's selfish to keep such places secret.
The UK is a net contributor to EU coffers but has little to show for it. Imagine promoting tourism in the North West of Scotland where there are still single track roads. Either spend money on infrastructure or keep quiet about it.
Biking in Spain is a delight because of a) the weather, b) the scenery, and c) the fantastic modern road system. Spain, a net financial beneficiary from EU membership has spent big-time on road infrastructure.
Case in point. The Attadale landslide/road closure involved a potential wait of 4 hours OR a 130 mile diversion. Advice to foreign travellers; when arriving in Scotland, set your watch back 80 years.
Good video but let down by the editing. The music is far too loud in comparison to the voiceover. Spoilt it for me
Yep, I’d do it differently now. First video and all that.
Yep. You can bet your last penny on... a) bikers screaming at dumb speeds destroying the natural peace and b) motorhomes clogging up parking spaces and depositing their shit laden chemical toilets in the grass and c) bikers and motorhomers crying not us!
Yes it is you. Of course not all. But it happens and is a fact. We live here and witness it!
childish
Best you all stay away until you sort yourselves out. As groups you both know it happens and you both allow it to continue,
A resident
There's a bad side of every type of tourism of course whether that be coach tours, cars, bikes or campers. People who want to visit responsibly, who have great respect for the land and the communities, and who want to contribute by spending money there should not be demonised, but that is what's happening unfortunately.