10 outandaboutlive.co.ukSeptember 2019
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Scotland’s NC 500 tips
We have recently do ne the west section
of Scotland’s NC500route, travelling
fromOban toDurness, then back down
across country to Dingwall.
It is a splendid route an d t here is
plenty of info about it. But these tips
might be of use.
The route is busy, but inJune not
uncomfortablyso. It’s very popular with
motorcyclists, andther e arenow many
rental firms for motorhomes.
So, you canfind inexperienced
drivers tackling things in a waymore
experienced people would not.
We also met a large number of
people fromEuropean countries.
Local people were surprised about
how manypeople in total arenow
visiting Scotland.
There are long stretches of si ngle-
track road; many of these are absolutel y
fine for motorhomes as you can see
well ahead and there are masses of
passing places.
The route do wn fro m Durness t o
Laxford Bridge, the n left towards Lairg,
is particular ly st unning.There are areas it is unwise for
motorhomers to go.The ad vice is firmly
against goingonto the Applecross
peninsula and you canget to the
highly recommended site at Clacktoll
(a stunningly beaut iful coast site,
surrou nded by sheep, no shops or
pubs anywhere), but are warned not
to take a ’van further on than that
as the switch back effect apparently
gets worse.
There arevery few shops.We
foundwe could go aweek without
seei ng a useful food shop. The re were
supermarkets (not verybig ones, but
adequate) at Oban andUllapo ol, then
nowhere to stock up until you get to
Durness where ther e is a Spar, again
not huge. Fresh fruitand veg are in
rathershort supply.
There was also an exce llent, but
pricey, shop at the Sandy Bay campsite,
two miles west of Gairloch. The site
has access to a superb beach with
views ov er to Skye and the Outer
Hebrides andit has awonderfulcafé,so
popular with locals you need tobookfor evenings. Havingsaid all that I did
manage to buy apaper most days.
WiFi internet connectiontends to be
all or nothing.
If you are looking forlunchin Oban
with your dog,Roxy’s is good and there
is a stunning andvery economical fresh
seaf ood shack on the quayside at the
ferry terminal.
You docome across pubs and cafés
but, the furthernorth you get, the
more you feel as though you areback
in the 1980s.If and when you pass a
filling stationuse it, ther e arenot a lot
around. However, incongruously, the
cheapest f uel we found was right up
in Durness.
As for midges , we went armed with
Skin So Soft, while a lady on a bu s
advised us to get Smidge. It appears
thatsome work on some people, an d
not on others so some strong anti-bite
stuff is a must in midge se ason. We got
through a whole tube of it.
Overal l it is a stunning route t o
drive, the landscape isunrivalled.
Lesley HaigYurleters
To p
Pitch