An advice post published on the North Coast 500 Facebook page has gone viral and attracted praise across the board.
Iain Christie’s post urging people to respect the people and the landscape of Highlands attracted thousands of views and a flood of supportive comments.
Mr Christie said he was compelled to write the advice after seeing some negative comments on the Facebook page.
He now wants fellow visitors to get the most out of their trips by also being well prepared.
Wise words
Mr Christie said he “loved every mile” of his NC500 visit over September and October.
“Doing what turned out to be a 2,000 mile trip in a 20-year-old Porsche with the better half was one of the best trips I have ever done,” he wrote.
“It exceeded all expectations and was very much a bucket list ‘tick’.”
The post has been so well received, it has even been endorsed by a Highland councillor.
Councillor Gordon Adam, chairman of the Highland Council’s tourism committee, felt the post hit exactly the right note.
“This is really brilliant – to the point, accurate and practical advice,” said Mr Adam.
“I hope all would-be NC500 travellers see this post and remember Iain Christie’s wise words.
“It was good to see that he had such a good time late in the season when most of the crowds have gone, and you can really appreciate the unique landscape to the full.”
Iain Christie’s NC500 advice in full
Here is Mr Christie’s post in full – reproduced, unedited – with kind permission.
1. Plan, plan, plan.
2. Book ahead. Well ahead. Months ahead if you want the most in demand accommodation.
3. Doing it in an open top car was fabulous. If it wasn’t raining (and sometimes even if it was) the roof was down and we were just totally immersed in the scenery.
4. Be self-sufficient. Make the car as reliable as you can. Make sure the tyres are very good as the roads are brutal. Carry a spare and know how to fit it.
5. Mix it up. Accommodation ranged from the Malmaison in Edinburgh to very basic pods. We even took a tent but drove on past the site due to the weather and got a B&B. Food ranged from really nice restaurants to a microwave curry in a pod.
6. Go anti-clockwise, and if time is short get up to John O’Groats in one. The jaw dropping west coast blows the admittedly very pretty east coast away totally.
7. It’s the UK’s last truly wild and extremely sparsely populated area. Don’t expect to turn up at accommodation or eateries and get in, or even find them open. Don’t expect WiFi, 4G (although it was generally very good), cash machines, fuel etc. Plan ahead, and if that’s not your thing, there’s always Center Parcs or Marbella.
8. The weather can be wild. Yes you will need walking boots/waterproofs/hat/gloves if you are planning on getting out of your car for a mooch around even in late summer. But that afternoon you might need factor 50 and Smidge!
9. Don’t be “that” person. Take your rubbish home. Don’t start fires. Don’t park like a muppet. Let faster traffic through. Respect the locals.
Laws in Scotland on drink driving and mask wearing are different to England. Respect the rules around the roads/mohos over the BNB pass etc. Respect the rules around overnight off grid Moho parking (no, it’s not “wild camping”, that involves a tent and a mountain top usually!) Bear in mind that you will constantly see the same cars and people at every tourist spot for days on end and hundreds of miles so be courteous!
10. Don’t underestimate the time it takes to cover distance, especially on the west coast. Your average speed and mpg will be way down compared to normal driving.
11. Support the local economy where you can. Carry change for all of the loo honesty boxes etc.
12. Bear in mind the perfect storm of basic infrastructure, huge increase in staycationers, a local workforce in hospitality hammered by a combination of Brexit, the pandemic/pingdemic, supply chain challenges and seasonal demand/bad weather…it is not a “city break” experience. Refer to point one!
13. Always have a contingency plan. Always have food and water. Have a charged phone, first aid kit, a way of keeping warm in a broken down car etc.
14. Buy a guide book. The Rough Guide is brilliant.
15. Just go… do it and prepare to be blown away. It’s such an amazing experience in such a stunning part of the world and I for one will definitely be back!