What wheels are they? Look a bit Porche to me….
Mazda RX7 FD 16x8
Nice old school look👍
That cemetery looks beautifully maintained! 
That is totally disgusting in every sense of the word! Why do people do that! 
Arrogance and ignorance! They don’t deserve to be in such a beautiful place.
I think you timed it about right. Before the motorhomes appear in earnest. I live on the Northeast 250 which is not as busy as the NC500 but we’ve started to notice more motorhomes and caravans appearing.
Absolutely!
Day 7 of the NC500 involved a huge breakfast at our B&B including haggis again. We stayed in Murkle , just outside Thurso.
Once packed , we headed to John O’Groats for the infamous pole for a photo. We got there early to avoid the camper vans that were increasing on every corner we turned.
We then drove to Duncansby Lighthouse and saw the Sea Stacks from the coast, which looked amazing.
We were supposedly ending up in Wick today, but when we drove through, decided it was a dive. So, we headed around the airfield and housing estate to Sinclair’s Castle. Bit of a stroll but worth it.
We then decided to head down the A9 and passed Dunrobin Castle. Apparently the gardens were free to visit but not now, as part of the house pass at £34. Bit steep, so we used the loo, no one was there to make tea and left.
We then ended up at the mermaid of the north.
We cancelled Wick and end up in Invagordon. The view of oil rigs out the front of a shonky pub is something to be desired, but Scotland does close for Sundays and staying at a pub means we get food and drinks.
Can’t remember the mileage today but we are at 1350 miles for the trip so far. We did have the hood up for 20 miles , as a confession, today, but was more pleasant than the hail bouncing off the inside of the car.
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Regular monthly meet of BVAC today at Milestone Garden Centre in the Scottish Borders. A wide selection of cars on show as is normally the case. Note there is the Kelso show at Springwood Showground on Sunday 18th May - Always a good turnout of cars at this even though it’s run by BVAA (Borders Vintage Agricultural Association).
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It’s was well kept. They seem to have cemeteries including servicemen on areas near the coastline but this has a small church but most are just the cemetery. It was fresh mowed and just such a lovely last place to be buried. Some have newer areas in other parts , like this did, but some newer burials 2022 etc were also in the old part. Probably family areas.
I’m disturbed at the lack of baked beans in that magnificent breakfast. If it’s an anti-trump gesture, I’m ok with that 
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The ‘trump’ issue was the Indian we had in Thurso last night, which the wife told me it was so loud the home owners must have heard it… Probably too much information. 
That’s 2 breakfast I have eaten and beans werent on the list. I will see what tomorrow brings and report back…
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Left home in brilliant sunshine, no clouds visible, but lid up because of the forecast 45% rain.
10 miles later on M25 it tipped down. RainX is wonderful for keeping windows crystal clear.
Another 10 miles later I parked at Hemel Snow Dome, and dug out the magical tiny big brolly, but by the time I walked inside, the heavy rain had stopped.
If I had been fifteen minutes later the car might have stayed dry.
Saw an immaculate white '14 NC when going in, but not there when leaving so no photos.
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Day 8 and we leave Invergordon, intact. I do believe there is a respect to people’s property here. This was the first place we stayed that had a door key. Nervousness of parking where we did was unfounded. I guess that’s living in the south of England that makes that.
Breakfast was a full Scottish, but they gave me beans and no haggis. Absolutely filled me, so didn’t need lunch.
We then proceeded to Chanory Point with the hope of seeing dolphins. We saw none or seals but was a pleasant relaxed place.
We headed off to Inverness to say goodbye to the NC500.
Then after discussions on the forum, we headed south of Loch Ness for the B852 to go to Fort Augustus. What a great road, although blighted by a moron in a Saab at breakneck speed coming towards us.
We then did boat things on Loch Ness for an alternative form of ICE .
Then headed to Urquhart Castle. Very much overpriced and too touristy for us.
We end our day in Drumnadrochit for the night before the long run down to Kirkcaldy tomorrow.
Was caught up with an mx5 owner at Fort Augustus, so he may well come here to see my journey as just starting his NC in a camper.
Mileage about 130.
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Sinclair & Girnigoe Castle - once you could explore all the nooks and crannies but a lot of it is now closed off due to risk of falling masonry (after watching a recent visit by a YouTuber).
George Sinclair, Earl of Caithness, imprisoned his own son in the castle dungeon when he suspected him of trying to overthrow him. He fed him a diet of salted beef so that he eventually died from thirst and insanity!!
There was a time when you’d get chased off the John O’Groats signpost as some local in a hut seemed to have the rights for photos taken with the sign!!
Wick used to be a nice town ( I lived there for a good part of my youth) but is has gone downhill in recent years. I blame part of it on the rerouting of the A9 to Thurso from Latheron which basically cut Wick off from tourists driving north. Most traffic wanting to go to Orkney is pushed to the Scrabster terminal for the ferry now, again reducing through traffic in Wick. You’d only drive through Wick now if you were taking the Gill’s Bay ferry to St. Margaret’s Hope crossing. That being said, I’ve just put in a route to Gill’s Bay in Google Maps and the satnav route would take you towards Thurso then across to the ferry.
No wonder Wick is dying…
At least there is still a decent whisky distillery in town - “Old Pulteney”.
I can recommend a visit to Orkney if you ever feel the urge to go north again!!!
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Day 9 of the Nowhere Near NC500.
We had the most horrible night at Loc Ness Lodge Hotel, Drumnadrochit It was beyond words or beyond it’s 3 stars on the door. So, we got up, left unwashed, no breakfast and out the door driving to Inverness by 7:15.
We decided to get some miles of the A9 under our belt and head south. We rolled into Pitlochry at 10, feeling a bit grumpy, hungry and caffeine depleted. Had the most amazing breakfast which meant no need for lunch. Heavy on the haggis and black pudding, which was awesome , oh and beans… Not so awesome, apparently.
I text Mike to find his location as we were meeting up near Kirkcaldy. He was at his newly obtained house in Ceres, which was near St Andrews, he said he was gardening. We said were 20 miles away. Then we had a text saying hurry up, I am having heart problems. When we arrived, the ambulance had him inside. His poor mother was in shock.
The journey may change now, as we need to ship him and his car home. As to how, well I can drive it , but we might not see the In Laws.
While he was carted off to Hospital, we went to St Andrews and with minds working overtime, sat at the harbour. We then decided to visit Knockhill race circuit and were shown around and bought some nice hats for the Scottish summer.
We think it was over 240 miles today. Bit of a blur, but was over half a tank as brimmed as we left Drumnadrochit.
We are on 1660 miles so far and I estimated about 1800 miles, so think we will be nearer 2100 by Thursday, whichever way it ends up.
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Day 10 and holiday of completion. We had to cut short the planned route to get Mike home. We stayed at a pub in Upper Largo last night which has the world’s most comfy bed. We both slept like nothing else. The morning was met by the wife proclaiming to be a ‘new woman’. Sadly it wasn’t, just the same wife of many years. She devoured a man size portion of porridge followed by a bacon roll the size of a small plate.
We then packed bags and headed to Mike’s house to nab his car. To make a convoy home.
Then to his mother’s to collect the Muppet, who now knows with his health to stop doing stupid things. I then had 7 hours of discussing this. I hope it sinks in.
The journey was 450 miles including car collection. A very long day of me in a Skoda and Karen in the Mazda. The M6 toll was comedy watching Karen trying to blip her card to get through. Birmingham was a pit and perhaps Putin ought to be told that Ukraine ministers are having a meeting there and do us a favour and remove the place from the map.
Her driving was so impressive.
So the picture shows the end mileage and the convoy.
We had an awesome holiday, with not knowing what the next day brought us. Mike will get better and although it cut a day from the trip, friends and family first and lucky we were there.
So glad for a decent cup of tea too !!
On a footnote, the car was fantastic. It’s damn dirty now but does tell the tale. We had torrential rain at the borders on the journey and even with rain X and new Bosch wiper blades the wife said it was impossible to see. The car used no oil and still looks clean. Shell Helix is good stuff and with an engine which is clean inside , doesn’t have long interval changes, all is fine fettled.
It will get some clean love tomorrow as dead on our feet , but the adventure was amazing. Go do it if you have the chance.
Oh and I am trying to get the drone things up. It’s being awkward for a non savvy. Will sort tomorrow.
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Is your ND Artic or Snowflake White?
