[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by Pobsey

I did it in 2016 in the first week of October, amazing scenery and was very little traffic. Think you’d need to avoid summer holidays and peak times to actually enjoy the trip.

First week in October might be a good option for us too.... certainly wont be earlier than the 20th Sept.... How were the midges

[Pond]

Apparently there is now a Welsh alternative. Central and Northern Wales has some spectacular scenery and pretty good roads IIRC.

I must admit that John O' Groats was extremely underwhelming for me. But that was 35 years ago before the NC500 'marketing machine' had been thought of.

[Armaan]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

I'm thinking from what people are saying that maybe skipping the Jo'G to Inverness bit is maybe one option, and sticking around the nicer bits around Inverness and the west coast and then doubling back and heading down the bits north of Glasgow and Edinburgh....

Loch Lomond, Fort William and the few parts around there were quite pleasant on the way back, especially if you get good weather.

If you can, a day or two on the Isle of Skye - very scenic and quite a few places to see. There’s even a boat tour from there for half a day - whales are popular in the area.

A

[Pobsey]

Originally Posted by isleaiw1

First week in October might be a good option for us too.... certainly wont be earlier than the 20th Sept.... How were the midges

They weren’t too bad, we also did a shortened version of the western side up the A836 the year after and went over the Skye. Need to do it again

[DB118D]

There are a lot of alternatives sticking to the west coast

Glasgow(ish) > Loch Lomond > Glencoe/Fort William> Glenfinnan/Mallaig > Oban > Tarbert > Machrihanish/Campbeltown > Tarbert (take the ferry to Portavadie and stay there) > Arrochar > Glasgow

No idea how long all that would take, and I've left Skye off the list because in October everything is usually closed!

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by DB118D

There are a lot of alternatives sticking to the west coast

Glasgow(ish) > Loch Lomond > Glencoe/Fort William> Glenfinnan/Mallaig > Oban > Tarbert > Machrihanish/Campbeltown > Tarbert (take the ferry to Portavadie and stay there) > Arrochar > Glasgow

No idea how long all that would take, and I've left Skye off the list because in October everything is usually closed!

That sounds promising - it doesnt have to be the NC500 and I dont have to do jO'G, same as I do cornwall and dont bother with lands end!

[G50]

I did the west coast of Scotland from Glasgow to Glencoe, to Skye for one night then up to Durness following the west side of the Nc500 route in Oct 2020 in a T6 camper. Was quiet but close to lockdowns so probably why. Was really good, amazing scenery.

Did a Scottish road trip in the car in August 2021, stopping in Fort William, Inverness, Oban and island of Barra in the outer Hebrides. We had a day out to Durness from Inverness, and I couldn't wait to get off the NC500 single track roads up there. It's not just getting stuck behind camper vans, it's having to stop every 500m to let one past coming the other way, it quickly grates and I can't imagine living up there and having to deal with that every time you go to the shop/work/anywhere. For that reason I won't go up that far again using the Nc500 roads, I don't want to be part of the problem.

I'd agree with D118D above, the best enjoyed parts of Scotland are Glen Coe, Fort William to Mallaig area(steam train trip over Glenfinnan is definitely worth it), Cambeltown peninsula area, Skye (take the boat trip from Elgol for some of the best views in Scotland in my opinion) and the west side of the Nc500 up to Kylesku Bridge - it goes single track after that and becomes painful.

Some of my favourite pics from the many times I've been up there, all these are without going up to the single track road areas.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by G50

I did the west coast of Scotland from Glasgow to Glencoe, to Skye for one night then up to Durness following the west side of the Nc500 route in Oct 2020 in a T6 camper. Was quiet but close to lockdowns so probably why. Was really good, amazing scenery.

Did a Scottish road trip in the car in August 2021, stopping in Fort William, Inverness, Oban and island of Barra in the outer Hebrides. We had a day out to Durness from Inverness, and I couldn't wait to get off the NC500 single track roads up there. It's not just getting stuck behind camper vans, it's having to stop every 500m to let one past coming the other way, it quickly grates and I can't imagine living up there and having to deal with that every time you go to the shop/work/anywhere. For that reason I won't go up that far again using the Nc500 roads, I don't want to be part of the problem.

I'd agree with D118D above, the best enjoyed parts of Scotland are Glen Coe, Fort William to Mallaig area(steam train trip over Glenfinnan is definitely worth it), Cambeltown peninsula area, Skye (take the boat trip from Elgol for some of the best views in Scotland in my opinion) and the west side of the Nc500 up to Kylesku Bridge - it goes single track after that and becomes painful.

Some of my favourite pics from the many times I've been up there, all these are without going up to the single track road areas.

Great insight thanks, I feel a plan is coming together...