Back in the daylight and dry, with the tough stretch behind me, I drifted into the mental doldrums. This was a long way from my unsupported rides down Africa, the Americas and around the world. Stopping in the evening rain, I was immediately tortured by swarming midges. Learn more about our use of cookies: Cookie Policy, Tips For Cycling The North Coast 500 in Scotland. The North Scotland 500 is a cycle friendly route that closely follows Scotland's famous North Coast 500, starting from Inverness. Eager to free myself from them, I rushed the repair and sped on triumphantly. Seeing my heart rate soaring to 160bpm after 34 hours in the saddle was unwelcome. But as the magnificent, steep-terraced sides of the Torridon Hills came into view, bare sandstone crowned with white quartzite, the skies darkened and a light drizzle started. Those who cycle the North Coast 500 route are light travellers. This route has been recently branded the “North Coast 500” and has been a … 92.35 miles - 4196 ft - 4120 cal. The North Coast 500, often described as Scotland’s Route 66, take in some of Scotland’s most impressive wild places, from the mountains and lochs of Wester Ross … As our B&B owner proclaimed about a notoriously hilly and narrow section along the B869 from Lochinver to Kylesku, where you gain and lose close to 3000 feet of elevation in 24 miles, “It’s brutal. Make the most of your run or ride with Strava Routes. Covering close to 530 miles according to our GPS, the route naturally follows the main roads along the coastal edges of the North Highlands of Scotland, taking in the regions of Wester Ross, Sutherland, Caithness, Easter Ross, the Black Isle and Inverness-Shire. Alongside Lochcarron, the first of the sea lochs, a roadie sped towards me, swung around and fell alongside. Fully supported with experienced ride guide and support car - come join us on our next NC500 Cycling Challenge. There were moments when I cursed my laptop adding almost five pounds to my bike weight. There's nothing quite like the freedom of the long open road. Very quiet roads for most of the route, with some steep climbs on the west coast. For those considering a ride around the North Coast 500, and I think you should, here are some tips based on what we learned along the way. But the endless rollercoaster of egregiously steep hills that follow — thousands upon thousands of feet worth. Unless, like adventurer, broadcaster and Cycling UK member Mark Beaumont, you do it in 38 hours. The sea is rarely out of sight on this long leg south to Inverness. Travel our North Coast 500 cycling holiday to experience a satisfying active journey – swap four wheels for two! North of Lochinver, the road tapered once again to a narrow track and I faced some extraordinary terrain. Make the most of your run or ride with Strava Routes. You can also skip much of the A9 south of Tain and take the backroads into Inverness instead. That being said, the wind seemed to change on us on a daily basis and as you constantly wind in and out of the coast, you never remain in a single direction for long. But I reminded him straight away that today was not for any Strava KOMs, as I would still be on my bike the following evening. The NC500 has ever-changing scenery, and whilst the road down the east coast is bigger and relatively busier, it has its own beauty. The north feels like a place still waiting to be discovered, which makes for the perfect bike adventure. In May 2017 Mikaela Toczek cycled the North Coast 500, also known as Scotland's Route 66. And if you opt to camp, you can easily refrain from carrying days worth of food or even a stove unless you want it for coffee and tea in the morning. What a reception, not just at the finale, but also throughout. Similar to Scandinavia, you have the right to wild camp in Scotland as long as you do so responsibly by respecting people’s privacy, safety and livelihoods, and Scotland’s environment. Distance. Ride Type. The entire coastal route around Sutherland and Caithness is scattered with evidence of yesteryear, now mainly vast Highland estates. No mosquitoes, or midges as they call them in Scotland. I had kept my focus very short through the night, not looking beyond the next few hours at a time. The power of social media, and word of mouth out in Britain’s least populated corner, had turned this solo exploit into something brilliantly sociable. Copyright ©2019, TheGearCaster. The Auchmuty High School Strava Club are inviting you to take on the challenge of trying to get as far round the North Coast 500 Route as you can in the rest of January. I turned left, alone again, and climbed steadily up and over to Gairloch. Covering close to 530 miles according to our GPS, the route naturally follows the main roads along the coastal edges of the North Highlands of Scotland, taking in the regions of Wester Ross, Sutherland, Caithness, Easter Ross, the … Our Community About Strava Community Standards Careers Cycling UK is a trading name of Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) a company limited by guarantee, Men and women who embark on this epic journey will encounter towering redwood trees, quiet roads, switchback climbs, the tranquil coast, and the opportunity to stop at excellent coffee shops and eateries along the way. On the contrary, I reassured them, I wasn’t speeding anywhere, having already pedalled for 24 hours. Cycling the NC500 _____ There are several superb routes throughout the main NC500 route to explore and discover.. There is a 519 mile road route, running in a circular loop from Inverness in the east, cross country to the west, up the coast, across the northern highlands and back down the east coast from John O’Groats. The North Coast 500 (The NC500) is an official route created by the North Highland Initiative to “bring together the best of the north Highlands of Scotland in one iconic tour”. I stopped for 15 minutes, my longest stop yet. Sheets of rain fell from a slate-grey sky. I … The 7 Day “Tourer” challenge is suitable for sportive riders who want to challenge themselves over a 7 day cycling touring adventure around the stunning North Coast 500 route. There’s a feeling of strength, purpose and oneness I found whilst cycling the North Coast 500 that’s hard to come by in other parts of my life. Regardless, scrutinize the necessity of absolutely everything in your bike bags. Most of the 439 hours I spent pedalling through Africa were spent on the tri-bars, efficiently spinning along in the same gear. If you are camping, this is much easier. Having completed a number of 24-hour rides, but never over such tough terrain, I was now well into day two. They're community curated and backed by Strava activity data to help you choose the right roads and paths. It was then marketed to tourists. Twenty-seven years later, the North Highland Initiative created a 500-mile route around Scotland’s … Also, you always have the coast on your left instead of across the road (you ride on the left side in Scotland, obviously). At one point it’s a 20% gradient, but it isn’t as fierce as its reputation; taken steadily, it is a joy to ride. Best ridden in June or July to make the most of the long daylight hours. The Caledonian Sleeper gives an overnight connection from London King’s Cross. We ran into one gentleman who was doing just that — he would ride as far as he felt like it for the day and then camp. The mixture of Celtic and Viking heritage is evident in the mountains that I pedalled past, with names like Ben Loyal, Ben Hope, Stac Pollaidh and Suilven. I’ll have more details about all our gear in my post tomorrow, but in general, we could have gotten away with a lot less than we brought. The North East 250 explores everything for which Scotland is famous in a unique Scottish road trip taking you through the whisky distilleries of Speyside, the spectacular mountain passes of the Cairngorms National Park, the famous castles of Royal Deeside, the Granite City of Aberdeen, the rugged North Sea coastline to the east, and the picturesque seaside villages of the Moray Firth Coast. Loads of elevation gain with a fully loaded bike make for long days in the saddle, especially when you factor in weather and the rough state of the roads (apart from the EU sponsored sections, ironically). It is worth looking ahead and booking accommodation along the route, especially during peak holiday season, as there are some big gaps by bike if you turn up somewhere and there are no vacancies! Caithness Beautiful scenery with a hint of Royal Excellence Caithness is located on the most north eastern part of the North Coast 500, and serves as the most northern county in Britain to still claim royal connections. North Coast 500 Cycle Route Strava Routes. While we did experience a few days of rain, hail, and gaelforce wind, the rest of the trip remained cool but with plenty of sunny spells. Registered as a charity in England and Wales charity no: 1147607 and in Scotland The NC500 website recommends riding in a clockwise direction from Inverness. It was heartwarming stuff and made the daft mission all the more enjoyable. You might think that America’s Route 66 has existed for generations. John o’ Groats was where I set off on my first serious cycle ride – to Land’s End. On their blog, you’ll find a few posts from local cyclist Karen Newman with tips for cyclists on alternate roads and bike shops along the way. Up there, we were removed from all the tourists of Edinburgh (though tourism is growing fast) and golfers headed to St Andrews. Then I stared at the ceiling until 1am, terrified. I think this will be really useful for cyclists… Thank you. This is a fast but comfortable custom-built bike for ultra endurance miles. No doubt stunning by day, at 4am in the pouring rain this was the toughest section yet. Coronavirus: Advice and guidance for Cycling UK member and affiliate groups, How and why to put on bike rides aimed at women, How to organise a charity bike ride or sportive, Registration Office's/Membership Secretary's Toolkit, Design and create kit for your cycling club or group, Scottish Advisory Panel for Outdoor Education, Cycling UK member Mark Beaumont breaks the world record in 79 days, Mark Beaumont gears up for 132-year-old penny farthing record, Mark Beaumont’s 'Round the World in 80 Days' bike (which could be yours! Full Official North Coast 500 Route - 503.7 mi, +30443 ft. Bike ride in Inverness, Scotland We used the cycling itinerary from the North Coast 500 website as a guide to plan our route. Learn more. "Spare a thought for me," said Alex with a smile, as we reached the Kinlochewe T-junction in the now pouring rain. However, in the spring, the area usually experiences northerly or easterly winds so use the weather forecasts to help you choose the direction of your trip. It was not a promising start. Its name, meaning Southern Land, is a tad confusing. It took a few sleeps to feel recovered, and even longer before I could look at my bike again! This 500-mile loop around the North Highland coast is perfect cycling country. I’m used to multi-day, multi-week and multi-month rides. Explore opulent castles, sample a dram of whisky or take an exhilarating wildlife safari, enjoy a truly unique touring experience. Never-ending back roads, wide meandering country tracks and beautiful bends through some of Scotland's finest coastal scenery are just a few things you can expect along the North Coast 500.Strap yourself in for the road trip of a lifetime. Mark Beaumont's North Coast 500. Route: The route is either clockwise or anti-clockwise and takes in the entire north coast of Scotland, including Applecross, Ullapool, Durness, Thurso, John o’ Groats and Wick. North Coast 500. Plus you want to be able to stop to take photos, hike to a castle, enjoy a lovely lunch, taste some whisky, etc. Perfectly capturing all the elements that make the Bay Area unique, the Coast Loop should be on top of every cyclist’s to-do list. I was deeply grateful, but aware that my conversation was scarce. Most people from the previously populated north emigrated to the Antipodes, the Americas, and further south in Scotland to make way for lots of sheep. Reaching Durness, Scotland’s northwest corner, was a huge and long-awaited relief. Meet like-minded cyclists before you make your way along the North Coast 500! It wasn’t until mid-morning that I managed to shake the slump and pick my speed up again by focusing on the next milestone, John o’ Groats. Your plan may have to change to fit in with available accomodation if you don’t book early — we ended up having to do hours of extra miles on the bike some days just to reach a place that had an open bed. The North Coast 500 or NC500 was created in 2015 by North Highland Initiative in an effort to develop sustainable economic growth across the North Highlands. They offer a detailed cycling itinerary for you to work from and also a Rough Guide guidebook that we found came in handy for finding lunch spots and sights of interest along our route. Learn more. This 500-mile loop around the North Highland coast is perfect cycling country. Pockets of crofting – small-scale farming – remain, such as on the Assynt peninsula around the spectacular Summer Isles. The North Coast 500 is the new touring route covering the stunning coastal edges of … I was riding the same bike that I pedalled from Cairo to Cape Town earlier in the year, chosen ahead of my road bikes for its more comfortable geometry. Once you have a rough idea of how many days you would like to take, I highly recommend previewing your daily routes on Strava or Komoot to see the elevation gain as well as estimated ride time — again, keep in mind you will most likely be riding much slower than you do on a normal training ride at home. The drone wouldn’t fly for long as the weather started rolling in from the Atlantic. Further info: The North Coast 500 website. ‘GO MARK’ read the homemade signs. And a beautiful route at that. It’s simply magical. Getting to Inverness with a bike is easiest by train. Yet while the route from Chicago to California is indeed old, it only became ‘Historic Route 66’ after it was removed from the US Highway System in 1985. The Bealach Na Ba is the third highest road in Scotland, with a stunning Alpine-style switchback section. A week would be better. Hong Kong Cycling Routes ... From Strava: Head over the infamous 'Beast' pass for a roller coaster ride of constant ascending and descending, visiting a giant buddha, a stilted fishing village stuck in time, and the odd water buffalo or two! I was digging deep and riding into the unknown. Local endurance hard man Alex Glasgow holds the course record for the infamous Applecross Sportive (Bealach Mor) and was the first winner of the legendary Celtman triathlon. The film of endurance athlete Mark Beaumont's epic challenge of cycling the beautiful North Coast 500 route non-stop. In fact, the route remains hilly until Thurso. Within a mile, we all took a wrong turn. View Our NC500 Cycling Tours. It’s the third highest road in Scotland, with a stunning Alpine-style switchback section, accentuated by the singletrack road. Why did you decide to tackle Scotland's NC500 cycle route? I cycled on, glancing into windows of roadside cottages looking snug and warm. "I have 40 miles back to my car!". 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