Quote: Originally posted by thebiz on 16/6/2020
I’m looking for a holiday cottage in August and was keen on visiting Orkney. However, there’s a chicken and egg situation, there are suitable cottages available but I can’t guarantee being able to book a ferry.
The Orkney ferries will be the same as Calmac and operating at a much reduced capacity to allow for social distancing . So, I’m afraid Orkney will have to wait for another year
We had a cottage booked for the last week of August in Shetland but that was cancelled weeks ago
Luckily we were able to get a refund for the ferry with no problems as we'd booked it before the lockdown.
Hopefully others booked for late July and August will be able to travel.
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Scotland is off my list for this year.
It will be one slow procession of motorhomes ticking off the NC500 so they can say they've "done" it.
Where's the pleasure in that?
Quote: Originally posted by alan29 on 20/6/2020
Scotland is off my list for this year.
It will be one slow procession of motorhomes ticking off the NC500 so they can say they've "done" it.
Where's the pleasure in that?
There's plenty of places in Scotland where you can get away from the crowds. We discovered Dumfries and Galloway a couple of years ago (we were guilty of always heading straight through to the Highlands). It's lovely (and a lot closer!) and I've heard the east coast is lovely too.
Quote: Originally posted by alan29 on 20/6/2020
Scotland is off my list for this year.
It will be one slow procession of motorhomes ticking off the NC500 so they can say they've "done" it.
Where's the pleasure in that?
There's plenty of places in Scotland where you can get away from the crowds. We discovered Dumfries and Galloway a couple of years ago (we were guilty of always heading straight through to the Highlands). It's lovely (and a lot closer!) and I've heard the east coast is lovely too.
Agreed, idetika, but alan's point is very valid about "tick box" tourism. In normal years, I'm journeying - not holidaying - on the roads serving the Highlands and it's far from the romanticised picture that's often painted!
------------- " When I die I don`t want my life to flash before me in an instant, I want it to be a 3 hour epic !"
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
Just had a look at what CAMC sites will be open in Scotland. Most will be open, but 3 of the west sites - Morvich, Kinlochewe and Altnahara will remain closed.
Idetika, yes the East is well worth a visit. Forfar Lochside is useful for visiting Dundee which has some fantastic museums (forget the V&A).
I recommend Royal Deeside and Speyside. Not the same rugged scenery as the west, but more castles, distilleries, golf courses and quiet beaches than you can shake a stick at. The Black Isle is famous for dolphin and whale watching.
------------- Two drifters off to see the world.
I'm tired of reality, so I'm off to look for a good fantasy.
Dumfries & Galloway is our nearest go-to area because there’s so much to do & see and so few crowds. But I do love west coast scenery of the NC500 because its mountains are isolated from each other and each is unique - I can draw each from memory. And I especially love the quality of light far north in midsummer when it doesn’t get dark & stays twilight. NC500 seems to be a victim of its own success but no different from the Lake District or Cornwall in that respect. Plenty of other places to explore!
Quote: Originally posted by ficklejade on 20/6/2020
Quote: Originally posted by idetika on 20/6/2020
Quote: Originally posted by alan29 on 20/6/2020
Scotland is off my list for this year.
It will be one slow procession of motorhomes ticking off the NC500 so they can say they've "done" it.
Where's the pleasure in that?
There's plenty of places in Scotland where you can get away from the crowds. We discovered Dumfries and Galloway a couple of years ago (we were guilty of always heading straight through to the Highlands). It's lovely (and a lot closer!) and I've heard the east coast is lovely too.
Agreed, idetika, but alan's point is very valid about "tick box" tourism. In normal years, I'm journeying - not holidaying - on the roads serving the Highlands and it's far from the romanticised picture that's often painted!
Bikers forums are ALL NC500. Even Practical Caravan has a feature on it this month!
Don't forget to leave a review of the campsites you have visited this year or last!
You can do NC500 virtually to see if it’s what you’d like to do or not - its dedicated website www.northcoast500.com is jam packed full of photos & an interactive map & lots of information for motorhomes etc. And YouTube has videos aplenty too. The advice it gives for single track roads, for example, applies equally to Mull, rural Argyllshire etc.