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Cycling the North Coast 500
A cyclist-friendly guide to Scotland's NC500
ISBN
9781786312198
Availability
Published
Published
29 Jan 2024
Edition
Second
Pages
200
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.25cm
Weight
220g
Delivery & Returns
Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
More information...
Guidebook to cycling the 528 mile NC500 circular cycle route around northern Scotland, starting and finishing in Inverness. Although the scenery is wild, the going is almost entirely on asphalt roads, many of which are quiet with little traffic and can comfortably be cycled within a fortnight.
Seasons
Best cycled between May and SeptemberCentres
A circular ride starting and ending in the highland capital Inverness. Small towns are passed at Ullapool, Thurso and TainDifficulty
A challenging cycle route due to frequent undulations, with ascent totalling nearly 8000m. Climbs vary from steady climbs over low mountain passes to short steep hills. The road surface is asphalt throughout, presenting no problem. Suitable for all types of bike with a wide range of gears and appropriate tyres. Lights and high-vis jackets essential due to the possibility of misty conditions on narrow roads.Must See
The beautiful and varied landscapes of the far north of Scotland. Major mountains are passed at Torridon, An Teallach and in Assynt. The route reaches both Durness and John o' Groats, near to the northwestern and northeastern extremities of Scotland.ISBN
9781786312198
Availability
Published
Published
29 Jan 2024
Edition
Second
Pages
200
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.25cm
Weight
220g
Delivery & Returns
Free Royal Mail 48 postage on UK orders. European postage is £3.50 per item. Worldwide postage is £5.50 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
More information...
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Overview
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A guidebook to the 850km (528 mile) NC500 cycle route around northern Scotland. This circular tour starting and finishing in Inverness and passing through Wester Ross, Sutherland, Caithness, Easter Ross and the Black Isle is suitable for all types of bikes, and cyclists with a good level of fitness. The NC500 can be cycled in 2 weeks.
- Presented in 16 stages between 24 and 89km (15-55 miles)
- Alternate routes are given to avoid the steep ascent of Bealach na Bà or the undulating Assynt peninsula
- The busy A9 east coast road is avoided, but is described as an alternative route
- Route passes Ullapool, Thurso and Tain
- 1:150,000 mapping and profiles are included for each route
- GPX files available to download
- Detailed information on accommodation, refreshments and facilities along the route
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Table of Contents
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Map key
Overview map
Route summary table
Suggested schedules
Introduction
Background
The route
Natural environment
Preparation
Getting there and back
Navigation and information
Accommodation
Food and drink
Amenities and services
What to take
Safety and emergencies
About this guide
The route
Stage 1 Inverness to Garve
Stage 2 Garve to Lochcarron
Stage 3 Lochcarron to Shieldaig (direct route)
Stage 3A Lochcarron to Shieldaig (via Applecross)
Stage 4 Shieldaig to Gairloch
Stage 5 Gairloch to Ullapool
Stage 6 Ullapool to Lochinver
Stage 7 Lochinver to Kylesku
Stage 8 Kylesku to Durness
Stage 9 Durness to Tongue
Stage 10 Tongue to Melvich
Stage 11 Melvich to John o' Groats (coastal route)
Stage 12 John o' Groats to Melvich (inland route)
Stage 13 Melvich to Altnaharra
Stage 14 Altnaharra to Tain
Stage 12A John o' Groats to Lybster
Stage 13A Lybster to Brora
Stage 14A Brora to Tain
Stage 15 Tain to Nigg (for Cromarty ferry)
Stage 16 Cromarty to Inverness
Stage 15A Tain to Dingwall
Stage 16A Dingwall to Inverness
Appendix A Facilities summary table
Appendix B Tourist information
Appendix C Hostels and bunkhouses
Appendix D Campsites
Appendix E Cycle shops and cycle hire
Appendix F Munros near route (mountains over 914m)
Appendix G Distilleries en route
Appendix H Useful contacts -
Updates
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We do not yet have any updates available for this book
We are always grateful to readers for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground. If you would like to send some information to us then please use our contact form. They will be published here following review by the author(s).
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By Mike Wells
After a career in marketing, culminating as marketing director of a leading supermarket group, Mike Wells started to write walking and cycling guides in his fifties. He has been a keen cyclist for over 25 years. After completing various UK Sustrans routes, such as Lôn Las Cymru in Wales and the C2C route across northern England, he then moved on to cycling long-distance routes in continental Europe and beyond. These include cycling both the Camino and Ruta de la Plata to Santiago de la Compostela, a traverse of Cuba from end to end, a circumnavigation of Iceland and a trip across Lapland to the North Cape. Even further afield he has ridden the Congo-Nile trail from the Congo basin to the source of the Nile in Rwanda's Nyungwe national park. On all these trips he was accompanied by his partner Christine, who sadly died in 2020.He has written 10 cycling guides for Cicerone, including a series following the great rivers of Europe. For a full list of Cicerone books and articles by Mike Wells, visit his author page.
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