Tag: Scotland

NC500 Day 7 – Itinerary

Hi there, welcome back to the Scotland series. I hope these have been of some help so far and thanks for returning! It has been 121 days since we set off on our huge Scotland road trip. The NC500 route around Scotland is, as you may have guessed, approximately 500 miles. From our starting point in Essex, up to the route, around the Isle of Skye and back home via the Lake District we covered 2800 miles. This journey will see you cover many many miles and have your eyes peeled back as far as they will naturally go. It is a joy to travel this route and explore every corner. 

121 days ago we loaded up our car with as much long life food as possible, A LOT of wet weather gear and what we like to think were sensible purchases to make our experience in the wilds of the Scottish highlands as comfortable and safe as possible. There are other blogs on my page about our purchases and how we also kept the budget down. Keep tuned in for other tips and itinerary hacks. 

The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below. 

This is the itinerary for Day 7 of our NC500 road trip. 

After staying in Lochbroom or Ullapool for the night your journey to Clashnessie Falls will take approximately 1 hour 10 minutes.

Clashnessie falls is a site dependent on the right weather conditions for two reasons. Should it rain before your visit the falls will be at their most dramatic and beautiful. However the route to the falls will be, as we found, extremely boggy and unstable. Alternatively if there has been a dry spell, of which is uncommon in the western highlands, you will find the route easier to tackle and yet be greeted upon a fine mist of a waterfall at the end of your walk. The car park can be found using the what 3 words instructions on the itinerary below. The walk from the car park to the beginning of the waterfall route is very simple. From the car park opposite the beach turn left and walk back up the road. You will pass a red phone box on your left. Keep going up the small hill and you will come to a sign post indicating where the walk to the falls begins. It is down a track and when you get to the Falls Cottage you can choose to go either across the stream using the stepping stones or to the right along the fence. Both lead you to a good view of the falls. The route from the car park to the falls should take no longer than 20-25 minutes on a good day, however considerably longer should the ground become boggy in bad weather. I would definitely plan accordingly.

The timing of this day will depend on the weather and how much you care about soggy feet, coats and bodies. Saying that, regardless of the weather the next stop is an absolutely must do. Achmelvich Bay was an absolute pleasure to visit and I’ll post the link soon to why it was my highlight of Day 7. Out of all the places we went to along the route I can hands down, without any hesitation say for both myself and Mr W that we would return to this beautiful slice of paradise. The car park is situated next to the Shore Caravan site and I suggest using (again) the what 3 words app to get you to the exact spot you need to be. The car park does have a charge, although like other sites, it is more of an invitation to pay rather than a demand. There is a single large toilet cubicle on site, which would be great should you wish to change out of swimming gear and such like. This again is chargeable, however the pay machine was broken on our arrival and we were still able to use the facilities. Out of all the activities today, should you be a brave traveller and like to swim, I would bank on spending a lot of your time here and plan your day around this particular site. There is a small cafe which sells fish and chips. Honestly, you can’t go wrong!

From here, you can pretty enjoy the route while you scope out more food to recharge your batteries. Lochinver Larder is highly rated among the NC500 enthusiasts. They will heat the pies should you desire and although pricey (£14 for two pies) they are very filled and tasty. There is nearby free parking. Next, treat yourself to a hot drink at Sovi’s Coffee. The car park is a sharp left turn en route to Ullapool and I suggest slowing down as you approach. The parking is used by hikers to the Bone Caves which takes between 30-60 minutes depending on your fitness level. Although we didn’t do this particular walk, we saw a few people coming and going which leads me to believe it is a popular spot. I have read that the route can be quite uneven and the final climb to the caves is steep. I advise some further research before planning this into your day. 

After your pause for drinks, head onto Ullapool for a real treat. For the first time on your route, you will find a beautiful town with lots of shops and places to eat and explore. We ate at the Seafood Shack, and despite my hesitation with fish, I enjoyed my food immensely. The town has wide avenues and although nothing like the size of Inverness or Edinburgh it had the bustle of a small town that feels very warm in its invite. We found street parking plentiful and were lucky to park a stone throw from the Seafood Shack itself. 

After you have reacquainted yourself with the familiar sights and sounds of buildings and signposted streets you will notice the return of road markings and busier roads on your journey to the Corrieshalloch Gorge National Nature Reserve. 

With its utterly mesmerising view of the gorge and path-making waterfall, this is an absolute must do for any visitors to the Ullapool area. Although a quick visit at just 40 minutes, its effortless snaking paths and views are the best way to end day 7. Parking was plentiful.

Finish your day by making the stunning drive to Aultbea for your overnight accommodation. The drive itself took on the coastal roads which gave dramatic views out to the Summer Isles and the dark navy waters of . On a clear day you may see the island of Lewis and Harris, an island in the Outer Hebrides.

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/10/16/nc500-day-6-itinerary/
https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2023/01/17/highlight-seven-of-the-nc500-paradise/

NC500 Day 7: Clashnessie Falls, Achmelvich Bay and Corrieshalloch Gorge
Highlight six of the NC500 – The weakness in me

NC500 Day 6 – Itinerary

Hi there, welcome back to the Scotland series. I hope these have been of some help so far and thanks for returning!

The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below. 

This is the itinerary for Day 6 of our NC500 road trip. 

Smoo cave must be seen to be believed. With its green algae painted walls and beautiful waterfall this is a highlight on everyone’s NC500 itinerary. Entrance to the cave is free and is reached via some steps that lead you down the cliff face from the free car park. There are also some not too shabby free toilets in the car park which I have come to love in Scotland. There are so many facilities everywhere you go! There is also a little honesty box that the neighbouring house has set up. I bought a knitted green hat for £4 and there were other items that were of equally good value. 

I liked getting here early to beat the crowds and have the cave almost to ourselves. Even though it was early enough and the cave was quiet, the car park was full. Much like other sites in Scotland, parking space was taken up by the odd RV and it was quite small anyway. To save you time and frustration, start your day early! Close by is a food van that sells Cheese toasties, unlucky for us, we didn’t see it on our visit, but I have heard wonderful things and I spoke to the guys over on their Instagram page and they seemed real friendly. 

From here we originally planned to head to the Sango Sands viewpoint which is only a 4 minute drive away. Sango Sands is a big complex with facilities for Rvs and campers and is well known on this route. The viewpoint is reached through the complex and gives you a view down to the water and its neighbouring coast. As you may have come to expect after reading these blogs, there was only a brief description alongside a postcode for this stop and we found ourselves pulling up at another beach entirely. Durness beach is very close to Sango Sands, from the hill above the beach you can actually see the viewpoint to the west. This is going to divide opinion on which view is best. But in my very honest opinion. I did like seeing the view from Durness. You are above the beach and see its white sands in full. If you are at the Sango Sands view point, you are looking at it side on and personally I don’t think it is as beautiful or captivating. There is also the chance to traverse the sandy slope here and go wild swimming in the turquoise waters. Can’t go wrong with that can you? There is a small, well maintained car park that you do need to pay for. This will be the deciding factor for you on how long the day will be as to how you spend your time at this beach. Pack a wetsuit and jump in.  

When you decide to warm your bones by moving on, head to Kylesku bridge. There are car parks at either end of the bridge however I had given directions to just one as it gives a better view of this concrete monolith and also has a food truck offering a posh fish menu. The views here are amazing and you will be here longer than you anticipate. There are benches but no toilets. 

From here keep journeying south to one of Scotland’s hidden gems. You can view Wailing Widow Falls from the riverbed it cascades into and from Loch Gainmhich that feeds it from above. Please take extreme care when walking along the river bank to the waterfall. I have covered our experience in my ‘Highlight’ blog from this day and linked it below. The riverbank walk itself is extremely difficult for those not used to very muddy and unstable paths. The walk above next to the loch is much easier but you need to be very careful at the edge of the loch when looking down to the waterfall. The whole area surrounding the loch and waterfall is very boggy and unsteady. Walking boots are absolutely necessary and it would be wise to take extreme caution. There are two laybys for these walks, the first for the waterfall is more like a grassy layby that has been formed overtime by visitors. The ‘What 3 words’ app is very useful for these two visits. 

From here make the very short drive to Ardvreck Castle where there is ample layby parking on either side of the road. It is quite boggy here in places but the easiest of all walks today. On one side of the road is the Castle and on the other is Ardvreck waterfall which is a small yet powerful beauty. It is quite clear in certain places of Scotland that some visits are not advertised by the Scottish tourist board and because of this certain walks have not been made safe for visitors. It is also apparent when wire fences have been trampled over in order to reach a river as is the case in Ardvreck. It definitely makes you feel as though Scotland is a new world only just coming to light.

Staying in Lochbroom or Ullapool will suit tomorrow’s itinerary best.  

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/10/14/nc500-day-5-itinerary/

NC500 Day 6 – Smoo Cave, Wailing Widow Falls and Ardvrech Castle
Highlight six of the NC500 – The weakness in me

Highlight five of the NC500 – Our wee cabin

This is my highlight from Day 5 of our recent trip to Scotland to drive the NC500 route. 

The links for the itinerary and recap of this day are below. I hope one day you experience this magical route for yourself. 

Turning up at the cabin nestled in the grasses and ferns of the Skail area of Scotland, the River Naver flowing steadily a short walk away, was definitely a break from the accommodation we had so far stayed in on this trip. The pod built by the owners shares the space with three others along with an honesty caravan and firepit area. On the inside varnished wooden planks curved over us in the arched ceiling and the bed greeted us at the opposite end of the space. 

In a small fridge Mr W found two tupperwares of breakfast ingredients along with pots of butter and marmalade. In a cardboard egg box were nestled further treats as well as hash browns in the small ice box and tinned beans thrown in for good measure. The small but brilliant kitchen was met with gusto by Mr W as he set about cooking the food to be boxed up for our journey on Day 6. As he cooked and swigged his cup of tea, the rain fell outside and I prepared ham and cheese filled rolls also for the next day’s journey. 

As I sat on the bed, the owner’s dog Cap came to greet us at the open front door. It felt good to have the comforts of home around us again. The collie-dog being the biggest one we have missed in the last 3 years. As the cooking progressed and the rolls were packaged away, I sat on the bed writing the blog about ‘Day 5’ (link below) as I occasionally glanced at the rain splashing against the doors panes of glass. 

This was the most remote part of Scotland we had stayed in. One single road ran past the complex outside running north/south and it was exceptionally quiet. Every so often you would hear the crunch of loose stones underfoot as the owner Kevin went about his business or other people arrived. 

It was here that I felt most at home on this trip, we felt like us again. Working together like we do at home to get organised. It wasn’t that the trip hadn’t succeeded so far in making us happy or that it lacked excitement. There was just something about the space that defined the word ‘home’. Often when Mr W and I go camping, one will raise the fire while the other chops various vegetables with a crude knife and adds it to the meat in the pot for dinner. 

It felt very similar although this type of camping was a far cry from the tent we are used to. Next to the bed hangs a curtain to act as a doorway to the bathroom. As people who play the radio or sit on the balcony as the other spends more than a penny, it became obvious very quickly one would either need to sit with headphones on or out in the rain. We’ve been in a similar situation once before in Iceland where a glass walled bathroom gave us a view of each other we certainly did not expect. It is funny but after all these years it is something we both prefer to keep a mystery. Noises and all!

There were ingenious touches around the pod which we found amusing. As people who upcycle and attend to our own DIY home projects it’s always a big pleasure to see it in other peoples homes. As the walls of the pod were curved, owing to the arched structure, the shaving mirror in the bathroom was held in place when not in use by a small chain. Small lengths of thin rope acted as curtain ties and the traditional kitchen oven had been replaced by a portable stove. Which Mr W loved. The whistling kettle took us back to our first year of being homeowners and reminded us of the worth of patience when it comes to a good cup of tea and the very idea of taking something slow for the sake of it. 

As I continued to sit and sip my tea, I watched the rain come down in its never ending capacity and marvelled at the simplicity and rawness of the Wee Hoose Glamping site. This place is incredibly simple but effective and yet complex in its re-introduction to what we take for granted and the joy of returning to patience and unpretentiousness. 

NC500 Day 5 – John O’Groats, Duncansby Stacks and Dunnet Head
NC500 Day 5 – Itinerary

NC500 Day 5 – Itinerary

Hi there, welcome back to the Scotland series. I hope these have been of some help so far and thanks for returning!

The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below. 

This will ultimately be one of those days that you can cut bits out should you wish to longer swimming at Dunnet beach and perusing the shops at John O’Groats. You may find you do not want to go to the Gin Distillery and this will give you an extra 90 minutes in this itinerary. 

In my opinion I found the distillery tour too long which is unfortunate because before it started to feel like it was dragging on it really was interesting. It is also good for those who don’t particularly like Whiskey. Tours must be booked in advance and are specifically run 1 – 2 days a week. Please plan accordingly. 

This is the itinerary for Day 5 of our NC500 road trip. 

We got up with the sun and drove to John O’Groats. On arrival we were the only ones in the car park and were grateful for the toilets nearby. There is usually a charge to use these facilities, but the turnstiles were broken. The car park is £3 and is valid all day. By getting here early you have avoided the queues to take the obligatory photos at the famous signpost. There are about 5 eateries here that serve hot drinks, these open at 9am. 

I advise heading to the Duncansby’s car park just a few minutes drive away and coming back to this little hub after your walk. Duncansby stacks are just a short 20-30 minute walk from the free car park which you will find right next to the lighthouse. The ground is easy underfoot and much less muddy than other areas of the Highlands. Watch out for the sheep poop! It is exceptionally windy here but the view is absolutely brilliant of the stacks and coastline. We had the entire space to ourselves and waited for the light to change as the sun rose in the sky. We met no one else on the road as we drove back to John O’Groats which tells me this is a quiet place in the early mornings. 

On our arrival back to John O’Groats we found a lot more cars and RV’s parked up and the cafe’s were open. Strangely enough the main eatery was closed and our dreams of bacon baps were dashed. After trying two of the other foodie spots and being told they started savoury food at 12pm, we left dejected and with hungry bellies. There are some souvenir shops here to satisfy out of towners who would like a trinket to remember their time at this famous place in Scotland. Save your money allocated for food for the next destination on this itinerary. 

Annie’s bakery is open Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10am at the time of writing this blog. Keep an eye out on their website to be sure you don’t miss out. Not only is the food and drink here cheaper than down the road, but the whole atmosphere is bright and inviting. Check out my thoughts on Annie’s in my recap of the day in the link below. Stock up on those sweet treats and hit the road. The day has only just begun!

The next stop relies on whether you like smoked food. Namely fish and cheese. Should you have the facilities in your accommodation head to the Caithness Smokehouse and talk to the friendly owner about the produce you can buy on the day. Don’t be put off by the directions and where you end up. This is a cottage industry business and you will definitely feel like you are trespassing in someone’s front garden. Produce on the day is not guaranteed but I implore you to try the smoked cheddar. It is absolutely delicious. 

The next stop’s selling point is the fact that it, rather than John O’Groats, is the ACTUAL most northerly point in the United Kingdom. There is just a car park at the site but in my opinion gives a much better outlook in relation to sea and cliffs than its counterpart does to the east. The parking is £1 for 2 hours. And I recommend staying for a minimum of 30 minutes. There is not much to do here except a nature walk laid out by the RSPB. Should you be visiting in Spring and Summer you may find yourself gazing down at the puffins that call this place home. Otherwise there is a small stone bench at the viewpoint from which you can sit and stare out at the cold ocean below. Take your binoculars and some patience. Who knows what you may see!

As we didn’t stay at Dunnet head as long as originally planned we drove up the coast to Dunnet beach and enjoyed an hour’s walk along the beach. The car park is of a good size and although there is a small scramble down the large pebbled slope the water seemed shallow enough for a dip and the beach is enormous. It is crescent in shape and I believe is a hidden gem on the NC500 route. 

We then head to our tour of the Gin Distillery. If you’ve not been on a tour before, I would recommend it so you can judge it for yourself. Initially there was a brief introduction to how the distillery was started with a yummy gin and tonic to start. Then you are shown the actual distillery and it is explained in detail about the stills, the process and even the bottling. It was very interesting, as I have said, but it went on for at least 40 minutes and the room was exceptionally hot with no seating. This was quite hard for me to deal with and ultimately I started to feel the need to leave. I think if I had been less tired and not been nursing a back problem I would have been fine. As I said, try it once because you never know. The tasting afterwards was enjoyed by Mr W and he could detect all the hidden flavours in the booze and their accompanying drinks. I on the other hand was more than useless and should have taken the tasters home. Which is an option should you be driving etc. The tour is £15 per person which I think is really reasonable for a 90 minute tour, 1 drink and 3 tastings! I used this link to book: https://www.dunnetbaydistillers.co.uk/shop/distillery-tour/

As our tour guide led us round the rain fell from the sky and we knew our next stop was going to be missed. Puffin Cove is not far from the distillery and brings you further along the northern coast of Scotland and the NC500. I have left the information on the itinerary for you so you can make an informed decision on whether you make the short walk down to the cove. Again, the puffins here are mostly seen in the Spring and Summer. Wear your waterproof boots and clothes and go and have a gander! 

Accommodation in Bettyhill or Thurso will work best for tomorrow’s itinerary. Our recommendation for accommodations on this trip will soon be available for you to read in a link below. 

The rest of the evening is yours. You are in a very remote part of the NC500 which on a rainy day can seem very bleak. Remind yourself that this is all part of the journey and that the landscape will change from day to day. 

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/10/12/nc500-day-4-itinerary/

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/09/21/nc500-day-5-john-ogroats-duncansby-stacks-and-dunnet-head/

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/10/15/highlight-five-of-the-nc500-our-wee-cabin/

Highlight four of the NC500 – My husband, the rally driver!

This is my highlight from Day 4 of our recent trip to Scotland to drive the NC500 route. 

The links for the itinerary and recap of this day are below. I hope one day you experience this magical route for yourself. 

This particular highlight will remind you that planning for every eventuality cannot truly happen. 

2 motorbikes crashed in Broar on the A9. Not only did they crash badly enough to be airlifted to the hospital but they crashed on the small bridge crossing the river Brora which runs off of Brora Loch to the west. This slicing piece of water divides Scotland in the east all the way to Lairg. It’s not something you need to know until the bridge is blocked. And here it was, blocked. I have tried since then to find out how the rivers are without any further news found. At our accommodation in Wick we met several people who were caught in the aftermath of traffic and we found out the two involved were American tourists. It is certainly not something you want to happen on your travels and I hope they are okay. 

Man and woman air-lifted to hospital after motorbike crash on A9 in Highlands

Now I mentioned our accommodation in Wick. From Brora it is an hour’s drive via a small stop off at the Whaligoe steps. We were making good time on our Day four itinerary (see link below) and were due to arrive early at our accommodation for 5pm (ish). And yet our detour from the crash was over 115 miles long! We left Broar at 3:45pm and arrived at our accommodation at 7:10pm. Now if you are a regular reader you may take an educated guess at my mood at the very beginning of this little problem. 

This meant missing the Whaligoe Steps, one of the big highlights of the NC500, and potentially missing our check in at our accommodation. A night in the car was not something I was looking forward to. As we took the Sat Nav’s advice, we came upon a ford. No not a car, a river ford, with very visible wheel tracks leading into the water. Now Mr W isn’t particularly precious over his car, but upon my closer inspection from the suspension footbridge, I couldn’t see the riverbed and just could not risk it. Not only did we have Marv the drone in the car but my laptop, a lot of camera equipment, luggage and food. Oh and ourselves! We retrace the road back to the A9 and Mr W set about finding a new route to Wick. The Sat Nav presented us with a 3 hour detour and honestly my heart sank. A quick look at the news told us that the road had been closed since 11am and we made up our minds to take the detour. 

We headed west from the A9 towards Lairg and joined the A836. Quickly the road became single track and the most difficult we’d faced under the tyres so far. Most of it was loose shingle and even though we had started the NC500 on that same morning, we had been blessed with normal roads so far. This introduction, although early, most definitely gave us an insight into what was ahead in our trip. The road itself cut through flat heathlands which were sparse albeit with the occasional swampy looking river. There was just nothing there. No cattle. No houses. Nothing. It was us and the four cars in front of us. It became clear very quickly at how the crash on the A9 was affecting the eastside of Scotland as traffic built up ahead and behind us.  

The four cars in front of us became our ‘team’ as Mr W put it. The front car set the pace and to stop any delays in having to pull over in a layby for oncoming traffic we were all in this together. Occasionally one of the ‘team’ would pull over to give themselves from the twisting turning roads and Mr W would shout out ‘come on, team’ as we sped away. Despite the dodgy roads and the fear of actually crashing I could not stop laughing at his finding joy in the moment. My husband, the rally driver, was pumped up and exhilarated from the change in circumstances. His inner comedian bounded out with every bump in the road and I could not help but grin. 

After a while with the time of arrival on the sat nav having changed dramatically and it becoming clear we would indeed make our check in time, we both started to relax. The roads became narrower, with blind bends as we turned onto the B873. On one side were the slopes of the mountains around us and on the other the road made way for steep drops the Loch Naver below. The waters were as black as night and yet as an Asda home delivery truck pulled around the corner I could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. If he was all the way out here, we would be fine. As people joined and left our team as we whizzed around the road Mr W whooped and cheered us all on our merry way. 

We saw images of Scotland that we did not see for the rest of our trip. Men dressed in waders out in the rivers fly fishing. A lonely single Inn watching the road bursting into new life. Rain clouds passing over Loch Naver deciding on whether to meet its surface. We also whipped past our accommodation for the next night and I realised that we would be tracing some of this detour again in the morning. From Bettyhill right round to Thurso we found the double track roads had returned and the car glided onto our final destination as Mr W bade goodbye to our ‘team-mates’ as they went on to fulfil their day’s plans. 

The relief was palpable as we reached our hotel and yet despite the interlude of doubt, worry and racing, I found myself in absolute awe of my husband. He had not panicked like I initially did. He took it for what it was. He took it in his stride and laughed at every challenge. 

I am grateful for him. I am grateful for having seen a much more rural piece of Scotland than we had planned to see. I am grateful we didn’t attempt the ford crossing and stayed dry in our car. 

This also means we have unfinished business in Scotland. Oh no! We shall have to return. 

NC500 Day 4: Tarbat Ness Lighthouse, Dornoch Beach and Big Burns Falls
NC500 Day 4 – Itinerary

NC500 Day 4 – Itinerary

Hi there, welcome back to the Scotland series. 

I hope these have been of some help so far and thanks for returning!

The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below. 

Day 4 of our trip was heavily altered due to things out of our control. There was a big motorbike crash up in the town Brora, on a bridge no less, and it completely cut us off from reaching the Whaligoe Steps and Wick via the A9. I go into more detail about this detour in my ‘Highlight of the day’ blog which is linked below. As for the Whaligoe Steps, we sadly never reached them, but I’m sure with roads being clear you will find this itinerary well timed and suiting your explorer needs. Enjoy! 

Start out from your accommodation in the Inverness area to Tarbat Ness Lighthouse. The drive in is lovely and open and although the car park is rather small, making this your first stop of the day means you shouldn’t have any difficulties in parking. There was a car parking fee, but the machine was broken. Before you head over to the lighthouse itself, it is worth taking the short walk to the cliffs at the end of the car park. There are beautiful views of the cliffs and even a bench from which you can admire the lighthouse. Retrace your steps back to the car park and head up the lighthouse’s drive to give you a gradual introduction to the stripey building from afar. We spent over an hour here as we had a tinker with our drone, but I recommend anywhere between 20-40 minutes should you just be here to look around and stretch your legs. 

From here make your way to Dornoch, and if you’re feeling in the mood for something sweet, head to Cocoa Mountain on the high street. Don’t do what we did and sit inside, take your order to go and walk around the village. It really was beautiful and I wish we had done that instead. The shop is nice enough, the hot chocolate is okay, but the patrons had lots of dogs so it was nice to have a ‘ooo and ahhh’ over those furry friendlies. The service is rather slow which is surprising considering this is one of social media’s top highlights of the NC500. We found street parking only 3 minutes from the shops itself which is really useful. This is Scotland remember. London’s speeds are far far away. 

From here, follow the ‘what 3 words’ navigation to Dornoch Beaches car park below. We followed the Sat Nav and ended up driving through a golf course. And yes there were signs saying to look out for flying balls! It is said you can see seals at this beach and although we didn’t, we spent an enjoyable hour or so walking in the shallow surf and sand. You can swim here so add time to your schedule and take a load off. You have officially started the NC500! Enjoy it all. 

From here we took the journey to Big Burns Falls, which has the tiniest car park signpost you are likely to see. Again, the instructions are below for you, if you notice the Golspie Inn on the approach, turn left immediately after and you are there. Another small car park awaits you, but it is a relatively quiet place and it is not to be missed. Read my blog (linked below) on Day 4 to find out why! The walk itself is really quite humid as you find yourself between wet rocks and foliage for a majority of the time. This isn’t unpleasant and you will see for yourself why. I am so excited for you to do this walk in particular. 

From here the plan, I hope for you, works out. Drive up the east coast towards the Whaligoe Steps. There are 365 steps here, so take your time especially on the way up and remember you set your pace. I have put in the nearest navigation instructions I can find. It is likely to be busy but the car park looks big enough for short term visitors. I wish I could give more advice. But life happens in mysterious ways and we could not make it on this trip. 

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/10/10/nc500-day-3-itinerary/

NC500 Day 4: Tarbat Ness Lighthouse, Dornoch Beach and Big Burns Falls
Highlight four of the NC500 – My husband, the rally driver!

Highlight three of the NC500 – The journey upstream

This is my highlight from Day 3 of our recent trip to Scotland to drive the NC500 route.

The links for the itinerary and recap of this day are below. I hope one day you experience this magical route for yourself.

I will never forget sitting at Chanonry Point with my binoculars in hand awaiting a dolphin sighting while I occasionally glanced at the live stream of our Queens funeral on my phone. Having paid my respects at Balmoral a day or two before, I felt especially blessed again to be joining the millions around the UK and indeed the globe who had tuned in to say their final goodbyes. Having not known what the signal would be like on our route it was a guessing game at what would happen. And yet there we were participating. I don’t think it would feel right to call it the highlight of the day. However the word privilege seems apt and I include it here to remind myself that in no way did I think I would be sat on a Scottish beach watching our Queen’s funeral on my phone and yet it is a part of my story now. It’s unusual. It’s definitely one of a kind. And yet it felt peaceful and personal. In a way, it’s how a funeral should be. Each ‘attendee’ finds their own moment to remember and reflect.

Later that day we arrived at Rogie Falls. It is a vast series of waterfalls on the Black Water, a river in Ross-Shire. You are given the ultimate front and centre view from the suspension bridge that crosses the wide gorge.

The bridge jumps up and down as people walk across it and I felt the weight go into my legs to steady myself. I remember thinking that my legs would feel the pain of this later. It is similar to when you keep yourself upright on a boat that is rolling over the incoming waves. Your muscles tense and it is as if your brainpower is reserved just for that very need.

I am now only realising how patient I can be. That is when I know a reward is quite likely. At Chanonry Point, there have been many, many dolphin sightings. It is famous for them. And yet on our visit there were none. It is a shame but nature requires patience and understanding. Sometimes these things differ in their quantities based on focus and time allowances. If the opportunity arises again for us to be back in that part of the world maybe I will allow us more time to sit and watch the waters for those beautiful fins. Who knows.

At Rogie Falls however my patience was rewarded tenfold. In the space of 90 minutes we saw over 10 salmon leaping out of the bubbling water trying to head upstream. Each fish that appeared was met with gasps, smiles, whoops and ‘ooo’s’. It was sheer fascination that kept my legs fixed into place while my eyes darted between each cascading column of water to spy the next attempt-ee. The very fact is, the distance from the surface of the pools the salmon were jumping from to the top of the waterfall was at least 10 foot. Mr W and I, and everyone around us, knew that those little salmon would never make it to the waters above and yet there they were. Jumping, leaping, swimming as fast as they could just to try, try, try again!

Just below the suspension (literal in two ways) bridge there is something called a man-made salmon ladder. It is a series of very short waterfalls that curve their way upstream in a much easier and salmon friendlier way. Several people next to me were watching fish attempt this way up stream with much better success. And yet my eyes were transfixed on the harder route. I couldn’t help but think about their motives and why they weren’t using the ladder. Did they not know? How long would they keep trying? How does the instinct to do this just ‘happen’?

It makes me think about their journey and how fraught with danger and stress it is. Yet they continue on. It’s something to take on board, don’t you think?

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/10/10/nc500-day-3-itinerary/

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/09/19/nc500-day-three-reelig-glen-chanonry-point-and-rogie-falls/

NC500 Day 3 – Itinerary

Hello and welcome back to the Scotland itinerary series. 

The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below. 

Day 3 of our trip was altered slightly due to the reshuffle of our Loch Ness Cruise due to the Queens funeral. Instead of tucking something else into the itinerary we gave ourselves more time in each place and set pace for a leisurely day. It meant we got back to our accommodation in Strathpeffer much earlier than intended and definitely helped ease us into this mammoth trip. This little day can be as long or short as you want it to be. 

Reelig Glen is a quaint little space with easy walks to boot. We did the tall trees trail which takes you close to the river which ultimately is where our interests lie. It is a simple root with unbroken ground and slightly steep hills. Going in the morning means you get the place almost to yourself. When we arrived at the car park there was only one other vehicle to keep us company and it was the same story as when we left. There is no charge for the car park and there is a board with the two trails mapped out clearly upon it. 

As we soon noticed on our journey through Scotland, online advice often points you to an address simply by postcode. This obviously covers a large area of space and with instructions such as ‘halfways between this town and that’ can often be quite foreign to a city dweller. As in previous itineraries I am including the ‘what three words’ pinpoints to as many car parks and locations on this trip as possible. I downloaded the app before heading to Scotland and found it very user friendly. We found this app extremely valuable throughout this trip. You do not need to have a phone signal to use this method however we found we had great signals wherever we went. We were incredibly lucky in terms of signal. If mine would cut out Mr W’s was fine and vice versa. In light of this I would look into how you can use what three words app offline and then you are absolutely covered. 

Back to the itinerary. 

Head to Chanonry point if you have plenty of patience. This is a fantastic place to sit and look out. The waters here are popular for dolphin sightings and proof enough are the carvings of these beautiful creatures in the benches dotted along the beach. There is ample parking which costs £1 an hour. This is a popular place with Rv’s and I suggest you get there before midday to beat the amount of people who come here to sit, eat and watch the waters. There are bins on site too. Open to the water this site is unprotected from the wind, evident by the benches bending ever so slightly out of shape. Take a flask, sandwich and a pair of binoculars. We spent two hours here and although we didn’t see any dolphins we did see several sightings of seals which was just fantastic. If you want to make the chances of sightings more favourable, you can visit when the tides turn. There is advice that suggests the dolphins will chase the plentiful fish on a rising tide. Which is usually 1 hour after low tide. 

A very nearby visit will get your cold limbs working again with a short walk to Fairy Glen Falls in Rosemarkie. Should you find the ‘official’ car park full, don’t be deterred, there is another car park right next to the community run toilets. Both car parks at the time of our visit were free. The toilets too are free, however as they are community run, a donation is as you can imagine quite welcome. The walk to the waterfalls themselves is relatively easy and you return on the same path as you enter by. This is not one of the most remarkable waterfalls on this trip but undoubtedly has its merits and a beautiful walk on which to stretch your legs. It was particularly busy as we left as there is a caravan park between here and Chanonry Point. There were families heading to the falls on a leisurely afternoon stroll. I would say that children would have little trouble navigating this route, although those with pushchairs may struggle. 

Now, if you look at this day as a build up to the big kahuna. Rogie falls is the ONE that you’ll have been waiting for. The car park jumps out of nowhere so use the what three words app if you can. It is a big and free car park and again has public toilets. A godsend on long days like these!

The walk is very short but has some steep up and down sections. But believe me it is entirely worth it. There is a small stone wall with display boards as you reach the ledge of the gorge. You can pause here to see down into the aggressive waters below. The action however can only truly be enjoyed from the suspension bridge that crosses the river just a short walk away. I advise a phone lanyard so you do not drop your phone. Because you will need it. This place is absolutely stunning. Mr W and I both said that if we didn’t know any better we would have thought we were in Canada. To find out about our experience check out the links below. My advice is, wrap up warm, keep that camera/phone battery exceptionally high and give yourself more time than you think you need. On my last video my phone battery ran out and THAT is the only reason we left when we did. There are two trails here and naturally we took the shortest one as this is the reason we came to Rogie Falls in the first place. To see the spectacle here, it is advised to come in August and September. Please try to. It was amazing. I practically skipped back to the car in delight. 

There are no benches here but I found I could sit up on the stone ledge just to the side of the river and sat for as long as I could put up with the cold on my legs. Otherwise patience and grit will serve you wonders at this place. Focus on the very top pools of the waterfalls and try not to blink. 

Return to your accommodation for your second night in the area. Tomorrow. The true beginning of the NC500 begins!

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/10/08/nc500-day-2-itinerary/
https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/10/11/highlight-three-of-the-nc500-the-journey-upstream/

NC500 Day 3 – Reelig Glen, Chanonry Point and Rogie Falls

NC500 Day 2 – Itinerary

Hello and welcome back to the Scotland itinerary series. 

The most I can hope from these blogs is to help you have the most fantastic experience in Scotland and on the NC500 route. These blogs try to give you the much needed information for your trip without too many of my feelings and thoughts on each experience. Should you be needing more of a push to try these itineraries, the links to each day’s blogs will be linked below. 

As you may have seen from the itinerary from Day 1 (link below) we started our trip on the eastside of Scotland which is quite unusual as it approaches the NC500 in an anticlockwise manner. Most tips tell you to combat the route in a clockwise form, however as we had plans in Edinburgh and we had plans to finish in the Lake District this worked better for us. Mr W had also heard a tidbit about travelling anti-clockwise too. In all honesty, everything I heard prior to our trip suggested that the east coast of Scotland is vastly different to the western side. In a way I would agree, they are very different. However, in the opinions I read it became quite obvious that people favour the west coast of the Highlands which is a shame. The east has so much to offer and I found it was just the best build up to the rest of the journey. It gradually envelops you into the route. The villages are pretty and the coastline is easier to navigate on foot. 

So without much ado, let’s continue with the itinerary. This was one of the easiest days in terms of navigation.

Day 2 was such a beautiful day filled with wonderful activities to help you stretch those legs as you introduce yourself to Scotland.

We ate in our hotel room in order to save time and money. We used our pre-packed oats and our hotel had a kettle so this really helped us. 

Start your day as early as sunlight allows. The Old PackHorse Bridge needs at least the beginnings of sunlight to fully appreciate. We made sure to get here mega early so we were alone and there was just one other vehicle in the car park when we arrived. The walk to the bridge is along the main road in the town of Carrbridge. It was very easy and yet packed a punch for those early morning thrills. To get the best view of the bridge itself there is a wooden staircase just a few metres off of the current bridge. Please take care using these stairs, they can be extremely wet. 

From here we journeyed to the House of Bruar which stands in front of the pathway to the Falls of Bruar. Parking is free. There is much advice online to use the toilets in this establishment as they are rumoured to be the ‘poshest’ toilets in the highlands. I cannot confirm or deny this fact as we were quick to leave after spending a lot more time on the hike than we originally planned. There is advice online about the walk itself. It says to turn left as you approach the first bridge on this walk. One thing I can advise to the unsteady on their feet is to cross the bridge and take the walk up the hill on the right hand side of the river. It is a steep walk which I for one could only tackle uphill. If I were presented with that steepness on the descent I would not have been happy. We did the loop walk anticlockwise in its entirety and still got to see everything. The descent on the left hand side had long stretches of large rocks embedded in dryer earth to walk down. This is something for you to consider as you approach this walk. 

Something I do wish we had done is visit the House of Bruar which is a huge complex of shops with clothing, trinkets and even plants. It looked so decadent and by the time we had returned from the falls it was really filling up. Maybe add an hour onto your day and take time to look around? I also spied a coffee area which would be a welcome treat after your walk!

Having spent so long at the falls, we head straight to Clansman Harbour, Inverness for our Loch Ness Cruise. Our cruise time was at 2pm. There are other times for the cruises so you could potentially get a cruise at 4pm if this suits you better. We went with the 50 minute Clansman cruise which was perfect for us. If we had had the time, we would have approached Inverness via Fort Augustus to give us the perfect introduction to Loch Ness. By doing this you will drive from Fort Augustus up the left hand side of the Loch to Canmans Harbour and be able to peek out at the water as you go. 

Not usually one to jump on the typical tourism bandwagon the cruise was a welcome relief from walking and driving. When you think of Inverness and Scotland in particular you, or maybe just I, always think of Nessie. So I just had to include this on our trip. It was relatively cheap and, as expected, packed with tourists. We had no trouble getting a seat. The only trouble was the grey sky and the condensation on the inside of the windows. It meant we didn’t see much of the Loch itself and as it is a looping cruise, you see the same bits out and inwards. Would I do it again? No. Am I glad we did it? Yes. It feels like a rite of passage for sure. I have linked the website below for you to book your tickets. The car park for the harbour is located across the road so don’t let the location fool you. Try and arrive ahead of your journey time as there aren’t many car park spaces and there are lots of people arriving by coach. There is a walkway that gives you safe passage under the busy road to the harbour. This is conveniently located next to a large ‘Nessie’ statue at the far end of the car park. A large gift shop can also be found at this location. 

Be aware, there are not very many gift shops on the route and therefore you should buy any desired trinkets when you see them. Prices remained similar in the few shops I did see. For example, magnets were generally £2.50-3.99.

After our brief cruise we made our way to Plodda Falls, which was well signposted on the approach. There is a charge for the car park which is very reasonable. We found there were quite a few midges here so grab those midge nets or deet sprays. We didn’t fare too badly on this entire trip but it is always good to be prepared. The waterfall here is exceptional and the observation deck is NOT to be missed. There are two trails you can try. The white marked Plodda Falls Trail and the green marked Tweedmouth Trail. Somehow we started on the white trail and finished on the green trail. I know I know, we did not start very strong on our trial following. But there are no complaints about doing it this way. If you have time constraints, definitely do the first trail and if unsure, just retrace your steps. 

A perfect end to a fantastic day! We stayed in Strathpeffer and booked in for two nights for the next few days’ activities. (Review to be linked below soon!)

Oh and your car will be absolutely filthy from the dusty, single track road to Plodda. Sorry about that! The Scottish rain will soon sort it right out.

https://www.jacobite.co.uk/tours

https://frameworktravel.home.blog/2022/10/09/highlight-two-of-the-nc500-a-tall-observation/

NC500 Day 2 – Bruar, Loch Ness and Plodda Falls
NC500 Day 1 – Itinerary

Highlight one of the NC500 – A royal goodbye

If you’ve been reading along for the last 6 months or so you’ll be very well aware of our trip to Scotland and the NC500. Now that we are back, and after sharing my daily thoughts on our day to day activities, I am editing my original itineraries (if needed) and sharing the logistics of this trip with you in a special Scotland series of blogs. In addition to those I will be doing a highlight series too. Which means I will be picking out one particular point or experience of each of the days spent in Scotland that really stood out for me on this trip. 

This is my highlight from Day 1. 

I wish, with all of my travellers heart and soul I could say that the Cairngorms with their cacophony of colours and textures had won me over on this day. Winding rivers dominate the landscape and I am so fond of how Scottish rivers bubble through the valleys despite being on a rather flat piece of land. As you drive through the snow roads you have such a feeling of remoteness and being alone that it somehow introduces you for the first time to the Highlands and what the NC500 route will entail. Like I said, I wish this was the highlight, but it just wasn’t. 

Just two days before the Queen’s funeral in London, we arrived at Balmoral. Unsure of whether our plan to hike to Prince Albert’s Cairn would proceed it was always our intention to try. It was very obvious on our arrival at the car park that the hikes surrounding the Balmoral Estate were all closed and yet my usual disappointed feeling was lost in the fray of grief and arriving cars. 

The area was silent except for the wind rushing through the trees and the ferocious River Dee below a beautiful green arched bridge. You felt the grief in the air, shall we say. Unbeknownst to us whether we would even get into the car park, we didn’t buy flowers, and made our way up from Edinburgh. Much of this day was unsure due to recent events. 

When the death of our Queen was announced, and with our trip so close, tensions were high in not knowing just how to grieve. When the funeral was announced we found out that we would not be at home. Of course, with modern technology you can record such events, but something just wasn’t sitting right with me. WIth such a momentous time in history it felt strange to go about our trip and not do something. It was also one of those moments in time which felt so serendipitous. Having never been north of Edinburgh before and now facing a visit to the Balmoral Estate just 9 days after our monarch’s death was utterly bizarre. It was as if it was meant to be. 

And there they were. The black gates with the gold lettering. The world’s press had been on these pavements just a few days before. She had been here just a few days before. Now there were just a handful of people with hundreds of bouquets resting quietly in place before the stone walls. The space was silent. It was as if everyone’s grief had come to rest here. And for the first time since her death my mind cleared. It was as if I had found the outlet I needed. 

I took the time to look at the thick carpet of flowers. Red roses. Purple irises. White lilies. Sunny sunflowers. Something to show love and adoration. Symbols of thanks, grief and sorrow. Cards and notes. Drawings and photos. The outpouring of love and sadness was thick in the air. It was palpable. 

One might find it strange that in a travel blog you have found yourself reading about death and grief. And yet the more time I spent at those gates, by those flowers, in silence, the more sense it made. This was my time to grieve on a personal level. Having not made it into London was hard and my physical ability and mental capacity at the time had a huge impact on my choice on whether to go. But there I was, at the scene of the biggest loss in this country’s most recent history and it was as if the itinerary I wrote all those months ago had put me exactly where I needed to be. Travel does that. It puts you right where you need to be.

Mr W wandered around the space while I took the time to reach a mental space that I felt happy with. I said goodbye to our Queen Eilzabeth with a much clearer mind and conscience. Later on in the trip we managed to pause our day’s plans and watch the funeral online. We joined the rest of the world as she made her final journey and it was unbelievably beautiful. 

However, I will never forget the time I stood before her Scottish home and said my own personal goodbyes. Just us. 

Our constant. Our Queen.
NC500 Day 1- Edinburgh and the Cairngorms.
NC500 Day 1 – Itinerary