North Coast 500 - no fun anymore?

Hit the nail on the head. :slightly_smiling_face:

Came here to say this. Just returned from Scotland and while we noticed the increase in hired RVs etc, had no real problem.

Iā€™m sure Iā€™ve done all the NC500 over the years as Iā€™ve driven/ridden extensively in Scotland for 30+ years, but I really canā€™t see the point of the NC500 as a box-ticking exercise - like motorised Monro-bagging - just drive, explore and enjoy ALL that Scotland has to offer.

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Just to echo some of the previous contributors, yes the NC500 is a lovely drive if you take your time and preferably do it off-peak, but there are plenty roads in Scotland just as scenic, quieter and probably more suited to enthusiastic MX5 driving. Try the Borders or Galloway (just avoid the A75).

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Just to clarify, when I said the NC500 was nothing special, I wasnā€™t poo pooing the roads, some are simply stunning (and Iā€™ve been about a bit). What I meant was that there are plenty other awesome roads up here; so donā€™t slavishly follow my leader round the NC500 if it is packed, find your own corner of heaven.

And just to show off, here is a picture just taken from my b&b room in Spean Bridge (only booked last night - so not everythingis sold out up here) so we can climb Ben Nevis tomorrow.

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Unfortunately I just did it and have to agree Only saw one other 5 which was also following a Z4

We have friends in that part of Scotland and tell us that you can not move for camper vans.



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Stunning!

Once did the Gairloch Rd in April, snow to the edge of the road - but a lovely grippy surface and brilliant sunshine - 5 Munros in sight and no campers to be seen.

It was a privilege to be riding that day - I was on my BMW K1200RS

One of the best parts of the NC500 is the scenery you will be driving through. I did it in May and if we came up behind a camper we would just pull over, take in our surroundings while letting the camper get ahead then carry on enjoying the roads.

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I got stuck behind 3 campervans for 8 miles on a single-track road, theyā€™d pull into the passing places and let oncoming traffic past, could obviously see me in their big mirrors but no amount of flashing or horn blowing got them to pull in for those 8 miles. When the end one eventually pulled in I got past it, the other two in front pulled in at the first places to allow me to pass, so I guess it was really the idiot at the end that caused the problems! I even saw one that was the size of a bus when passing through Inverness - shouldnā€™t be allowed on the roads in Scotland - full stop!

Iā€™m up near Wick next week on a work trip and I have no doubt Iā€™ll be cursing and swearing as Iā€™m stuck behind yet more caravans/motorhomes/camper vans - I get it all the time where I stay near Loch Lomond - Iā€™d ban these monstrosities from the road or at least force anyone who drives them to take some sort of test, that contained a lot of ā€œdriver courtesyā€ and ā€œroad senseā€ within it!

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I learnt very quickly to give way to what seems local traffic, farm vehicles, delivery vans definitely trucks of any size. Even around my local area here in South Derbyshire I do similar if the need arises, weā€™ve got some pretty narrow roads.
Certain types of driver though havenā€™t got time to give way to you, Iā€™ll not start a discussion on that one. I just class them as ignorant and they drive all types of vehicle.

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A mate has this behemoth and I honestly think itā€™s ridiculously largeā€¦thereā€™s smaller buses on the road. He was talking about visiting Devon/Cornwall, NC500 etc. I think heā€™ll end up getting stuck, hitting it, causing mayhem at some point. But heā€™s one of those ā€˜bigger is bestā€™ type and says once used to driving it, itā€™s quite easy. Heā€™s even offered it to me to take on holiday and although Iā€™ve driven up to a four toner Army vehicle, the flying brick (as we call it) doesnā€™t interest me in the slightest.

At the risk of being controversial, there are plenty of people who would complain at large convoys of MX5s filling up the roads. Iā€™ve had various filthy looks and comments as groups on organised runs have gone through towns and villages, so just remember the old adage about people throwing stones in glasshousesā€¦

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Not too bad, the bin lorry is bigger and gets to all those places!

And as has been said many times, it is often not the lorry/bus/rv/tractor that is the problem, usually it is the driver right behind who wonā€™t overtake yet wonā€™t leave enough room for others to overtake them.

As for convoys of mx5s - fair comment. We all need to be considerate and think how our actions affect others.

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I hate driving in convoy, and I was trained too. More than three MX5ā€™s and I lose interest.

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I sometimes wonder what our wumminā€™ folk think of us.
Are they using their time to a more fruitfull advantage?

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Iā€™ve just come back from driving the NC500 this past week. Yes, thereā€™s lots of motorhomes but most are parked up. The roads were pretty empty and driving them was an absolute joy. If you can get up there soon, go for it, you wonā€™t regret it. Thereā€™s still plenty of accommodation - I was booking each day as I went along. And I strongly recommend spending a day driving the ā€˜snow roadsā€™ in Cairngorms National Park. Theyā€™re fabulous.

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Thanks for sharing and thatā€™s interesting feedback, we were up north a few weeks ago and one of the accommodation businesses said they hadnā€™t seen a massive jump in pre-bookings for the summer which was partly expected given the overseas travel limitations.