2019-07-01_RiDE

Best place to stay
Plenty of hotels and B&Bs dotted along
the route. The Applecross Inn is a
favourite but with only seven rooms it’s
always busy, so get booking (Judith and
her staff run a fantastic menu, too). The
Strathcarron Hotel (slightly off route) is
also recommended, and bike friendly.
Morag at Morven B&B in Durness is a
comfy place to rest the night or the
Tongue Hotel is always welcoming. The

recently renovated Natural Retreats flats

and lodges at John o’Groats are great.

Best place to head to

The NC500 is normally a clockwise loop.

It’s best to ride anti-clockwise though so

you can take in the sunrise over the

North Sea as you thread north along the

coast towards John o’ Groats, then have

the sun setting over the islands along the

west coast on the way back.

‘I’VEBEENTHERE!’

'The weather was

great and we took our

time; but we did a bit

of zig-zagging too!'

Stephen and Lisa Wilkinson,

Triumph Tiger 1200 XRx

“This is the first time I’ve done the

NC500. I ride round Scotland regularly,

but usually only as far as Inverness — never right to the top. I did the route clockwise, taking

my time over about 10 days, altogether; basically, I planned it a year in advance because I

knew booking accommodation would be a challenge — it’s so remote up there. And I like doing

the research before a big ride. I wanted B&Bs, not camping — I’m a bit too old for all that!”

“My friends, who go on European tours with me every year, decided they didn’t want to do

the NC500, so my wife Lisa came instead. Riding over the Bealach na Bà (Scotland's steepest

road) was a challenge two-up, especially as it was the only day it was foggy! The rest of the

time the weather was good — we went in September, when the midges had gone.”

“We’re going back this year but anti-clockwise, to see things from a different perspective.”

KAWASAKI

fowlersparts.co.uk

EUROPE’S LARGEST

GENUINE

PARTS STOCKIST

17

977 0466

[email protected]

SPARES

Same Day

atch!

Nowdeliveriesarefullytracked

with timeslots and regular updates!!

Easy to use

Online parts catalogue

or

speak to an expert call

AlltheRiderNeeds

SPORTS

TOURING

SPECIAL

Looking down from the

Bealach na Bà, with its

own micro-climate