A scenic 516-mile (830km) route around the north coast of Scotland beginning and ending at Inverness Castle, often refereed to as the NC500, was created to bring together the best of the North Highlands in one iconic touring route and it certainly delivers. Considered by many to be Scotland's answer to Route 66 it has won many plaudits and has been ranked among the top five touring routes in the world.
It would be impossible to do it all justice in one circuit or take in all it has to offer. My interest was firmly biased towards the wilderness, so there will be little or no description of the towns on route. What follows is a brief journal of what interested me, a unique and individual take on the NC500.
I'd arrived in Inverness the previous day just as the first major Shinty final of the season was reaching its climax. Arriving at the campsite opposite the ground with a pipe band in full swing, it felt like I was being piped onto the campsite. Shinty is is a team game played with sticks and a ball, unique to the Scottish highlands, that should not be confused with hockey.
NC500 Day 1 – Inverness to Applecross
This was a much shorter drive at 89 miles, and at times a much more challenging one despite the short distance compared to the previous two days, when I'd driven 530 miles just to reach the start of the route. Sadly there was no pipe band this particular morning to see me off and pipe me on my way.
Rogie Falls
The first stop on day one of the NC500 after leaving Inverness was Rogie Falls. A series of beautiful waterfalls a few miles from Inverness on the Black Water in Ross-shire. Its a famous spot for viewing salmon coming to spawn and a salmon ladder runs up one side of the falls. A new suspension bridge has been built across the Black Water to give the public the best possible view of salmon leaping the falls. Although if you want to see the salmon leaping you'll need to visit between August and September.
A leisurely drive along the increasingly scenic A832, A890, and A896, dotted with idyllic lay-bys will eventually bring you to a small cafe at Tornapress where you can top up on caffeine to steel your nerves before tackling one of the highlights of the NC500 or by-pass it altogether. The Bealach na Ba or Pass of the Cattle.
Bealach na Ba
An historic pass through the mountains of the Applecross peninsula, the single track road (thankfully with passing places) winds in true alpine style through some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in Wester Ross. Climbing ever upwards through a series of breathtaking hairpin bends, with gradients approaching 20%, to a viewpoint at its summit, some 626 metres (2,054ft) above sea level.
I'd hoped to capture the ascent on my dashcam unfortunately the file got corrupted. However you can find plent of video's on youtube. Here's a video of someone making a much faster ascent than me in a Caterham R500.
On a clear day it offers superb views across to Skye and the Outer Hebrides - Skye, Rum, Raasay, Rona, Harris, and Lewis all stretched out before you. Then, after catching your breath, another section of single track road winds down towards the idyllic settlement of Applecross complete with campsite and Inn.
Applecross
A small settlement set on Applecross Bay was only accessible by boat until the early 20th century when the the Bealach na Ba built. A second single track coastal road was added later. The area around Applecross is believed to be one of the earliest settled parts of Scotland. Its charming campsite is set atop the hills over looking the bay, beneath which sits the one and only street in which can be found Applecross Inn. There can be few pleasures in life greater than sitting on the edge of the bay, with a beer, watch fish leap out of water as still and as smooth as glass on a summer evening.
Behind the campsite is a 2,000 year old Broch, a type of Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure found only in Scotland. Originally excavated by the TV show Time Team in 2006. The Applecross Archaeological Society continues to excavate the site. Nearby two restored, very rare, listed Hebridean barns can also be found. Their unique construction was designed to maximise air movement from the direction of the prevailing wind, for the purpose of threshing corn and drying hay. There is also a reconstruction of a Roundhouse that's believed to have stood on the site prior to the Broch being built.
So that's day 1 of the NC500, a waterfall; a stunning mountain pass; an ancient settlement; and a campsite surrounded by archaeology. Can it get any better? I guess we'll find out when I get around to blogging about day 2 of the NC500.
Skippy goes to Scotland Index
Part 1 Getting there
Part 2 North Coast 500 Inverness to Applecross
Part 3 North Coast 500 Applecross to Ullapool
Part 4 North Coast 500 Ullapool to Lochinver
Part 5 North Coast 500 Lochinver to Durness
Part 6 North Coast 500 Durness to John O'Groats
Part 7 North Coast 500 John O'Groats to Inverness
Part 8 The Jounrey Home (Samye Ling Monastery)
Postscript