Day 7 - North Coast 500…….Tick

I woke up before 6am and booked a hostel back in Drumnadrochit next to Loch Ness. At 8am, I was tucking into the free breakfast of 4 well done, not burnt, slices of toast, corn flakes, coffee and orange juice.

At 9.45am, I climbed aboard my motorcycle to complete the final leg of the North Coast 500. It was raining, so I put on my waterproof trousers, only for the sun to immediately come out. I couldn’t be arsed to take them off again.

I headed south on the A837 and A835 for 24 miles on lovely wide sweeping roads that had views of mountains all around. In Ullapool, the north-west’s principal town, the ferry to Stornaway on Lewis had just arrived and a queue vehicles were disembarking. I filled up with fuel and continued south until I turned right at Corrieshalloch Gorge, where coach loads were entering the visitors centre. I couldn’t afford the time to stop, because I knew I had a long ride ahead of me if I was to fully complete the NC500.

I followed the A832 coastal road towards Poolewe. It was a great drive along a road that tracked high above Little Loch Broom with gorgeous views to the mountains opposite. For me this was the most spectacular scenery that I had seen on this trip. The occasional downpour and constant battering by the winds off the sea didn’t temper my enjoyment. I stopped for numerous photographs and finally realised that if I put my bike in gear when I stop it acts as a handbrake. Better late than never!!

At Poolewe at the southern end of Loch Ewe, I stopped for a wee in the many free WCs along the route. I read that Loch Ewe is a deep-water loch and remains one of only three berths for nuclear submarines. I didn’t see any.

I continued onwards to Gairloch, described as a low-key holiday resort with several sandy beaches for the bucket and spade brigade. The clouds in Gairloch made it seem a bit miserable. I couldn’t resist topping up the fuel tank, whilst I was there.

Next the A832 route took me alongside Loch Maree, apparently one of the area’s scenic highlights. It is dotted with Caledonian-pine-covered islands and sheer mountains opposite, but unfortunately the view from the road was masked by a barrier of pine trees and there weren’t suitable places to stop to admire its alleged beauty.

At the end of Loch Maree, I reached the village of Kinlochewe and turned onto the A896 to Torridon, then Shieldaig. The road was again beautifully surrounded by mountains and lochs.

Shortly after Shieldaig, I took the scenic coastal road around the Applecross Peninsula to Applecross. It was pouring with rain at this time and it was tempting to skip this section of the route, but I’d only be cheating myself!

For the first few miles, I was regretting my decision because the road was a tree covered tight single track up and down steep gradients and sharp bends. The traffic was quite heavy and it was very slow going. Eventually the road opened up to provide a moody barren landscape and then views across the sparkling Inner Sound to the Isle of Skye and the isles in front of it.

After arriving at Applecross, I thought it would be a short dash back to Inverness to complete the NC500. How wrong could I be? The SatNav said that I still had more than 75 miles to go, still it would be a fast wide road. How wrong could I be?

As I left Applecross, I climbed and climbed up to Bealach na Ba Pas. The road was extremely steep and narrow with sheer drops either side of the road. This was the most nerve wracking road that I had ever ridden on, particularly when occasionally I had to squeeze past on coming traffic that had failed to stop in a designated passing place. Upon reaching the top it was a still steep but a slightly easier road down. It was an amazingly exhilarating ride but I was glad when I returned to flatter roads.

I rode through Lochcarron, with a cute looking golf course, then along the A890 which ran through a gorge before opening up into a valley. About fifteen miles outside of Inverness and just as I thought I was touching distance of the end of the route, the NC500 had one final surprise, taking me off the now fast ‘A’ road and down a windy little country road. It took me past the Glen Ord Distillery, where the pungent smell of whiskey hung in the air and then through the centre of Beauly. I stopped at a petrol station, then at a Co-op store to use the loo. I accidentally bought too many sweets and chocolate!

I rode into Inverness, where I discovered there was no official actual start and end point for the NC500, just ‘Inverness’. They need a sign like they have in John O’Groats.

Satisfied that I had ridden every inch of the NC500, I headed back to Drumnadrochit on Loch Ness. I stopped at the Loch Ness Centre to buy Jackie a souvenir birthday present, then I head to the Loch Ness Backpackers hostel arriving around 6.30pm.

After checking in, I popped out for a Chinese takeaway, then returned to the hostel to eat my delicious crispy shredded chilli beef and plain chow mein. I then showered and wrote this blog before going to bed with my alarm set for 5.15am.

This stunning scenery between Corrieshalloch Gorge and Lochcarron had made this my favourite leg of the NC500 route.

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