Tell me bout NC500

[redefined_cycles]

Hoping to get a little insight into this beautifully scenic (but possibly nasty/remote and killer) loop. Might have the opportunity to go ride it for my BAM August...

Random questions in no particular order, if anyone has any thoughts on the matter...

Will I end up walking up Belach Ne Baa or is it possible for a weak(ish) rider to ride it up all the way on a packed bike?

Do I need to pack for all eventualities like as if I'm going for some notorioua mtb loop... like full length waterproofs? Extra warm layers in my middle of summer heat??

Ia there plenty water taps along the way and is it reasonably easy to get reasomably priced good food in vege flavours by folks that wash their hands after the toilet (and take being vege serious enough that they don't cross-mix utensils)?

How many miles should I aim for daily... I wanna ride it fast as I can without killing myself, as I need to get back for work. For reference I did the 2019 BB200 loop in about 38 hours or less and the 2020 loop I packed in...

How would I charge my electronics if I'm going on a super tight budget. Only planning to stop at a hotel the once if miney allows to try n freshen up. But would rather this be at the end so I'm fresh for the ride home. Probably gonna be my biggest/hardest ride yet...

Am I gonna be afflicated with that drasted A9 that leads JoG...

Ta in advance.

[redefined_cycles]

Oh... The midges... are they gonna try n eat me alive when I stop for prayers or do they sometimes behave... Are they friendlier if one doesn't consume copious (like bringing it down to zero and no pop or Irn Bru) amounts of sugar.

[ScotRoutes]

First response..

If you want to ride in that area, take a holiday and take your time. It's a long way to travel to blast round some of the finest scenery you'll ever encounter.

I'll take a bit more time in a longer response but do you already have a train booked? If not your plan is likely moot anyway.

[ScotRoutes]

Will I end up walking up Belach Ne Baa or is it possible for a weak(ish) rider to ride it up all the way on a packed bike?

You should be fine, I managed. Anyway, the coast road from Applecross to Sheildaig is much tougher.

Do I need to pack for all eventualities like as if I'm going for some notorioua mtb loop... like full length waterproofs? Extra warm layers in my middle of summer heat??

Yes

Ia there plenty water taps along the way

At pubs, cafes etc. Possible that a campsite won't mind.

and is it reasonably easy to get reasomably priced good food in vege flavours

You should find a (limited) choice everywhere.

by folks that wash their hands after the toilet (and take being vege serious enough that they don't cross-mix utensils)?

I don't think that the hygiene standards of the Gealltachd are much different from elsewhere in the UK. How have you managed before?

How many miles should I aim for daily... I wanna ride it fast as I can without killing myself, as I need to get back for work. For reference I did the 2019 BB200 loop in about 38 hours or less and the 2020 loop I packed in...

I've really no idea on this one but I'd want at least 5 days, more like 8.

How would I charge my electronics if I'm going on a super tight budget.

Dynamo.

Am I gonna be afflicated with that drasted A9 that leads JoG...

It's actually not too bad between JoG and around Brora/Golspie. After that there are alternatives that take you off the A9.

Oh... The midges... are they gonna try n eat me alive when I stop for prayers or do they sometimes behave...

They don't fly when it's breezy. They don't like bright sunlight. Mostly they can be avoided by careful choice of stopping place. But take a head net and wear Smidge. That'll help with the Ticks too

Are they friendlier if one doesn't consume copious (like bringing it down to zero and no pop or Irn Bru) amounts of sugar.

I have no reason to believe that sugar consumption makes any difference at all to your attractiveness to the midge. They scent your pheromones and some folk are just afflicted more than others.

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks Colin... Tell me about that train ticket booking you mentioned. I should be able to book one asap...

[ScotRoutes]

https://www.scotrail.co.uk/

You might have to book the bike on each of the connecting services, depending on how many connections you'll have.

[redefined_cycles]

Since you say it's probably the most beautiful place aroumd the UK I think you're right. Best to take it easy and not rush it. Bealach na Baa can wait I suppose and I'm sure there will be other opportunities.

Might do the Yorkshire500 loop instead. Thanks (again) Colin

[ton]

Will I end up walking up Belach Ne Baa or is it possible for a weak(ish) rider to ride it up all the way on a packed bike?

you will piss it.
i know a fat bloke who rode up it on a 3'' tyred ecr. and no matter how packed your bike is, you wont ever be as heavy as him.

[Keith74]

For what it’s worth unless your dead set on the nc500 I would look somewhere else. It’s been mayhem the past few months with all this staycation carry on.

If you set on that route then the Belach na baa isn’t too bad to ride up there’s a lot worse climbs along the route. Most small villages will have water if you don’t mind asking or possibly buying a cuppa from a cafe in return for access to cold water.

If your going to hotel it I suggest booking ASAP as most are full or filling fast for this year.

[redefined_cycles]

Will I end up walking up Belach Ne Baa or is it possible for a weak(ish) rider to ride it up all the way on a packed bike?

you will piss it.
i know a fat bloke who rode up it on a 3'' tyred ecr. and no matter how packed your bike is, you wont ever be as heavy as him.

Haha... Thanks Ton. Wonder why on earth Simon Warren gave it the dreaded 11/10. Maybe he was on about how beautiful and enjoyable it is. Been waiting for this moment for a long time but will wait a little more (and go out with my posh mate Ibn who doesn't do anything less than 3 star hotels and tead with saucers )...

[redefined_cycles]

For what it’s worth unless your dead set on the nc500 I would look somewhere else. It’s been mayhem the past few months with all this staycation carry on.

If you set on that route then the Belach na baa isn’t too bad to ride up there’s a lot worse climbs along the route. Most small villages will have water if you don’t mind asking or possibly buying a cuppa from a cafe in return for access to cold water.

If your going to hotel it I suggest booking ASAP as most are full or filling fast for this year.

Thanks Kieth. I reckon that could be the message that seals the deal for me. Yorkshire500 it'll be ...

[fatbikephil]

Yup as Keith said. Don't bother.
Instead get yer 1:250k map out and check out some of the other roads - essentially do a 'not the NC500' route. NC500 is for vehicles not bicycles, it takes you back south via the A9 which is the worst road in the whole of the north of Scotland to ride. The single track A and B roads through the middle of the north are ace and empty. The hope road from the north to Alnaharra is fab. The Inverkirkaig Road south of Lochinver, also fab. Drumbeg road and Applecross roads are great (these are on the NC500 alas) but do them early morning or late evening to miss the campervan muppets. Campsites are few and far between off the NC500 and busy on it but bivvy spots abound. Some of the great north trail route sections in the north look really good too.

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks Phil. Had never really thought of that and don't understand why noone ever made an NC500 for cycling. I always assumed that since everyone loves it so much it must be rather enjoyable (thw riding as well as scenery)... we shall indeed make our own nc500

Hope my Yorkshire500 works well

[ScotRoutes]

There are so few roads that an alternative NC500 isn't possible without sharing with other vehicles.

[Borderer]

For what it’s worth unless your dead set on the nc500 I would look somewhere else. It’s been mayhem the past few months with all this staycation carry on.

This ^

[ScotRoutes]

It is probably worth saying that "busy" on the NC500 route needs to be taken in context

[JoseMcTavish]

That's very true! I'd imagine busy single track roads with impatient people ignoring the passing places would probably get old pretty quickly. Why not just commit to getting the train up to Thurso and then ride down through Scotland to return home from a station further south? You can see a wide range of landscapes that way. Possibilities are endless even if you stick to roads. A quickly thrown together example would be this:

https://www.strava.com/routes/2853276019652677144

This would take you down through the Flows up north and then on to the Cairngorms, climbing a couple of high passes at the ski centres before getting a train home from Pitlochry. With this approach, there's loads of alternative routes you could do, varying the station you are aiming for depending on how far you want to go or which side of the country you want to see the most. Taking a "gravel" bike would also open up a lot of interesting alternatives.

[redefined_cycles]

That's very true! I'd imagine busy single track roads with impatient people ignoring the passing places would probably get old pretty quickly. Why not just commit to getting the train up to Thurso and then ride down through Scotland to return home from a station further south?

Thats a good shout...

I don't actually have a gravel bike so that rules out the gravelling...

Now I hope noone laffs but all I really wanna ride is Belach na baa and the other 100 climbs (from the Simon Warren book) around them ends... I'd actually put the project on hold as Bealach was a bit too remote for me to comfortably go there alone. But recent turn of events meant an opportunity had opened up.

'would probably get old pretty quickly

I don't quite get that saying are you saying that singletrack roads and impatient folks don't mix well... and they don't come back

[Misterg]

I've just returned from that neck of the woods - We took the train to Thurso and rode out to Cape Wrath and down to Achnasheen over the course of a week.

Much of the route shared roads with the NC500. While the NC500 was (very) noticeably busier, the riding was always excellent, and didn't feel like riding in traffic. Drivers were generally very considerate and courteous (with two exceptions in a week - one of which swerved towards us, ran us off the road and call us **nkers). We tended to get 20 minutes of nothing, then about 10 vehicles at once. Sometimes, however, there was almost continuous engine noise echoing around the place from motorbikes & sports cars "making progress" somewhere in the vicinity.

What was an issue, however, is that everywhere on the NC500 was booked solid - food, campsites, accommodation, etc. The shelves of village shops were picked bare and patience seemed to be wearing thin.

We struggled to find decent bivvi spots - we had hoped to camp at the site in Scourie, but they don't take bookings, and when be arrived we took out place in a long line of people being told that they're full for tents and not to wild camp in the village. There are lots of NO CAMPING! signs. It seemed that anywhere a van could be parked was surrounded by weathering toilet paper. We ended up camping in rough heather and midge hell.

Big shout out to the service station in Laide - a proper oasis after ~30 miles+ of nothing.

It was a fantastic week though - the scenery is majestic and beautiful. Take your time.

[Escape Goat]

I cycled it in 2017. 6 days moving, one day off in smoo Cave. Wish I done it over 12 or 14 days.

I've just come back from the west coast nc in the van missing off the east coast. It had some traffic on, but I was brushing my teeth in the middle of the road in my boxer shorts whilst watching sheep frolic and didn't have to worry about any cars around 8 - 9pm.

I pulled over from time to time to have a chat with cyclists or let the odd motor home by. I was proud to slow down a decent number of vehicles because of my slower approach to driving.

Oh... The midges... are they gonna try n eat me alive when I stop for prayers or do they sometimes behave...
They don't fly when it's breezy. They don't like bright sunlight. Mostly they can be avoided by careful choice of stopping place. But take a head net and wear Smidge. That'll help with the Ticks too

-Rhiconich was the worst for me, each time I go up! In the first 10 minutes of being outside, I seen a tick on me, tried to stop the bugger, then he went in for the kill little bugger, watch out for them

Don't rush the West Coast, it's incredible.

[Bedmaker]

I was proud to slow down a decent number of vehicles because of my slower approach to driving.

As Jarvis Cocker once said, everbody hates a tourist...

[Escape Goat]

I don't drive fast anywhere :)

[summittoppler]

Rode up Belach back in 2012 before the days of NC500. It was the Applecross highland games that day but the road just had a few minibuses going up. What a great climb though!
1 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

[woodsmith]

I rode bits of it last year along with the Great North Trail and various other stuff. I drew this up last winter. There's a few sections I missed out on last year due to getting Giardia and spending 4 days in Durness.

Not the NC500 https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37052949

[redefined_cycles]

Rode up Belach back in 2012 before the days of NC500. It was the Applecross highland games that day but the road just had a few minibuses going up. What a great climb though!
1 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Glad you've just endorsed that summit for me there Jeff... as it's the Belach ne Baa that I'm primarily going for (plus a few climbs around the Cairgnorms that needs fetching)