I'm writing a series on the amazing North-Coast 500 that I drove with my boyfriend in August and September of 2017. To get a general idea and a lot of practical tips: read the intro post here. This post will get into more detail on the first leg of our road trip: from Inverness to Lochcarron.
First leg: Inverness to Lochcarron
Our first leg on the North-Coast 500 went from Inverness, which is considered the starting point for all North-Coast 500 travelers, to Lochcarron. We had booked one of the few available hotels in Lochcarron, and since this would be our first leg of the trip, we had decided in advance to not drive too long or too far.
However, the road from Inverness would in hindsight be one of the better roads of our trip, and we had a lot of fun driving while admiring the views along the route. We discovered Scots must either be very focused on tourists or just plainly love the country a lot themselves because literally every part of the road that seduced you to stop and take a picture was provided with a Parking.
[Great roads in Scotland means: have 2 lanes and still some room to the left and right to pass other cars without having to be afraid for your car's mirror.]
And then, after a lot of "Whoaaa this country is SOOO beautiful!" we had already arrived at Lochcarron! Which is a lovely little village near a gorgeous Loch.
I told my boyfriend "I've heard a lot of great things about Applecross, maybe you want to do that little detour?" - And my boyfriend, who was driving, said: "Yeah, let's do it"!
Driving Baleach Na Bà
Little did we know: this is a famous pass, Baleach Na Bà - and a huge challenge to drive by car!
Very very small single-track (!) roads, stone walls on the side, sharp hairpin roads, and people driving it both ways, so that meant a lot of stopping at passing places... But HELP, where is the next passing place and are we not going to slip on this no-so-well-maintained road? And... I have to drive uphill, but I can't see more than 10 meters ahead of me! What if I push the gas now and suddenly a car appears?
[A snapshot on the Bealach Na Bà road]
[A couple enjoying what must be an amazing view]
The Applecross Peninsula
After some sweating, cursing at dangerous bicycle drivers and an amazing stop at the top of the pass, we were driving down the pass all the way to Applecross - which is basically an Inn next to a beach, and all the motor and car drivers who just survived the Bealach Na Bà pass gather here to drink some coffee or a hot chocolate before either driving the pass or circle the Applecross Peninsula. Really: a beach, some adventurers, and an Inn. That sums up Applecross perfectly.
[Applecross beach]
After a hot chocolate milk calmed us down from the exciting trip through the pass, we drove the small roads on the Applecross Peninsula, all the way round back to Lochcarron again. And it was a blast! After doing the pass these roads were easy :-) Even the sheep who crossed 'our' roads didn't really bother us - we had already conquered something way more difficult that day! The views from this Peninsula are really breathtaking and still very sharp on my mind - the Hebrides are visible from this road and I couldn't believe what a lovely landscape we were driving through.
[Whoa. I want to live here!]
When looking back on this day I loved everything we did. It really was doable in time to go from Inverness to Applecross and take the whole Peninsula road back to Lochcarron. On the other hand: a little bit more breathing time or preparation for the pass wouldn't have hurt us. All in all it really was a breathtaking trip and one of my best memories of our month in Scotland.
[Looking back at our trip]
All pictures on steemit.com/@soyrosa are created and edited by me, Rosanne Dubbeld, 2005-2018. Contact me if you want to discuss licensing or collaborations on creative projects :-)
Seems like you guys had a really exciting time there. I feel its important to take impromptu trips when we get chances like this. Plus your pictures make the place feel really worthwhile. Thanks for sharing this.. would be lookin forward to more like this.
I'll be posting more stories like this the coming days! Thanks a lot for your nice words @thejotographer! :-)
I have never been to Scotland but the place came alive for me while reading the post. You've described your trip very well with enough images!
I will make sure that I read your other post related to the trip too.
Thanks! That's a great compliment! It's so hard to describe a trip well - it never matches enough with the way it made you feel. But I'm trying :D
We have few of those narrow nasty roads here too, in some of Portugal's rural areas. Feel free to visit us, now that you already got some experience driving on them :D
Ah! I visited Portugal three times now (for a LOT of Lisbon pics scroll back a bit on my feed :D), but I have not yet had the chance to do some serious road tripping there :-) Would love to do so! :D
Very cool and interesting! You took some great pictures. The Bealach Na Ba road reminds me of a road near a little town I lived by in Weitchpec, Ca. Dangerous! But beautiful, LOL. 😉
Well, I'll have to put that one on my list of 'roads to drive' as well then! ;-)
Just gorgeous! I really want to drive Baleach Na Bà now!
Ok, not really. I want to ride while somebody else drives :)
LOL! It's just as dangerous but the responsibility at least would not be in your hands ;-)
LOL, I can look more and worry less :)
Excellent views! You find all sorts interesting to shoot on the moors especially in the areas where there's cattle (bones etc.)
Ah, yes! Great tip for next time :D
I'm hoping to do that on my bicycle soon. Looking forward to Baleach Na Bà. Its apparently the hardest hill climb on a bike in the UK.
Yes! It was quite heavy for the brave ones on a bike indeed! You're brave for trying, but you'll be super proud of yourself if you succeed :D Is biking your favourite way of traveling?
Yeah, im quite a bit of a long distance cyclist :)
That's great! You live in a great country for doing this, I was so impressed by the many lovely views you find while on the road... Bicycling is nice because you travel a bit slower than by car :-)
This is amazing! I literally feel I've been transported to another time...Ahhh So very refreshing from the hustle and bustle of Miami.
Those are two very different worlds indeed! :D
This landscape is very beautiful and the route reminds me of a town in Venezuela called Mérida that has a cold and mountainous environment with lagoons and peaks where you feel in another world. The photos are beautiful.
Cool, I will have to look that town up someday!
Fabulous
I want to be in the place
Heya, just swinging by to let you know you're being featured in our Daily Travel Digest!
Scotland is so beautiful, It is quite a few years since I went but I do remember it's wild beauty. That photo of the Bealach Na Ba road is so stunning, the mist really adds to the beauty. Thanks for sharing @soyrosa
Glad you were able to see it's beauty too @trucklife-family! Yes, mist is really lovely for picture taking!
I really enjoyed this trip. Scotland is beautiful. The view with the Hebrides is incredible.
Thank you! I'm glad you wanted to take this trip with me :D
Looks like a lovely drive. Teeny tiny little roads :)
What is smaller than teeny tiny? :D
Collabing on creative projects sounds fun! :) Haha chocolate milk is definitely ALWAYS the way to calm down lol. Glad I'm not the only adult who's freaking in love with it.
Loved both of your posts about your travels here! Followed and upvoted :)
Yes! If you ever want to do a collaborative something you can contact me! It would be so much fun!
And who are those adults who DON'T love chocolate milk?!
Thanks for commenting and upvoting! :D
Haha I have a video of me playing with chocolate milk on an airplane. So not only am I an adult drinking chocolate milk, but I'm also playing with my food haha
I absolutely know this problems with the tiny streets =)
But in my experience you get used to more and more to drive this routes 😉
I told you already in your last post about Scotland, that it is on my bucket list... and more and more =)
You and your rooftop tent will love it!
I never drove on the wrong side... hope I will love this, too =)
amazing to be on the road! with excellent photographs, it was a great trip! thank you for this :)
The landscapes are very attractive I really like the first and the last two photos. Plus I did not expect something like that not well maintained road in any part of Scotland. It looks a great trip!
No, I did not expect that either! But there are some really sharp edges and some locals are affraid accidents will happen as the roads get busier with tourists and there is no-one fixing the roads...
It should be very challenging and a bit adventurous to drive in that road. So it is comprehensible that even locals are afraid of accidents.
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really nice post :)
Thank you :-)
These photos are breathtaking. That last one just stole my heart! Thanks for making such high quality content, I'm happy I just found you!
I love your posts :-) nice reading ...