this is the best NC500 trip I've seen. Loved the rain, the deer and sheep, forgotten matches, dropped camera, all so human and real, fabulous scenery. Good interesting commentary, lovely music. thank you.
Absolutely beautiful country and I found many places to build my cottage ❤️. I love how you brought your cooking gear to Sandwood beach and no matches 😂. The sheep who stopped by on your way out from Sandwood beach to say hello or bye was precious. Yes the small view of the castle was beautiful as well as the whole trip. Thank you 🤗
I have done it many times on a motorbike, I have even taken in the Orkneys. I must confess this trip has taken me to a few places I haven't been. Time to go again. Scotland loving englishman
Thanks for the great video! We spent a week in Scotland last May and were blessed with beautiful weather. Having said that, even when it's raining, the scenery is always spectacular.
@@andrewccochrane8052I’m sure he does. But sugar is not a natural food for any wild animal so being fed sugar multiple times a day by well meaning travellers has apparently had a detrimental effect on his teeth already. Please be sensible about this.
I just booked a 3 week trip to Scootland :) in August. I hope Covid has f'd off by then, because my friend there suggested this. I have been all over the world, but this trip has me excited like no other.
@SteveMarsh As a Bostonian who spent his formative years on a 90-acre farm near coastal Maine, many of the little Scottish coastal villages in your video were similar to a number of small Maine coastal villages. With neither areas being confused for the Caribbean, both Maine and Scotland nonetheless have a stark beauty, with a very comforting, soothing feel to both. Also, it was good to see that parts of Scotland are still WIIIIIIIDE open, which is important, because once too much human/industrial overrunning takes away those vast open areas, you can never get them back. I don't think a lot of people on either side of the Atlantic give the aforementioned loss of open space dilemma much of a thought, but then as their lives become more and more urbanized/industrialized, that's when more and more people will yearn for more open spaces to visit and relax in...only to find fewer choices. Hope that doesn't happen too much in Scotland's future.
Cheers Mike! Couldn’t agree more, the problem with Scotland is that so much of the land is owned by very few people, like 6 or something, but the good thing is they are so wealthy they are not tempted to sell for development so it stays nice and open. For now! Complacency would be the worst thing! Oh Boston and Maine - 2 places I know in my heart I’ll love but shamefully I haven’t been a visitor to either yet...
Great movie mate. As a Kiwi with old Scottish blood I did it a couple of years ago. You reminded of what an amazing place it is and how much I would like to do it all again. Thanks!
Delighted to see you back fighting fit after the lockdown. I actually did the same trip sometime around 1995 (?). Anyway the best summer Scotland had ever seen.
I've had a couple of long weekends in Scotland, 2 in Edinburgh and 1 in Inverness. The North Coast 500 is number 1 on my bucket list. Me and my wife are definitely doing this next year. Love Scotland.
Below John O Groats is Keiss and Haven of Cletts. Magic. Oh...my heart has almost stopped so many times! Applecross to Kyle Lochalsh to Storr??? Damn! I missed my trip back this past April. Thank You for this video. Tears and gratitude here.
Hello from just across the border in Northumberland. Loved the video...done this trip up a couple of times and Glen Coe for me is a wonder of the world. All the best👍
Absolutely brilliant video, took me back to the best holiday of my childhood when we spent a week at the Applecross Inn n visited Ullapool, drove through Glen Coe etc
Brilliant film footage Steve. Scotland has such stunning scenery. Watching these videos from my home in north east Somerset, I sometimes find it difficult to realise we're living on the same island.
Good trip I remember it always rains on the west coast ,old jimmy now living in west Australia ,the last 45 years ,but still miss Scotland some times ,we get back there a few times over the years ,cheers pal for the video
Looks great. I am walking Lands end to John O Groats and have reached Helmsdale. Only 3 days left for May next year! Walked the Great glen way to Inverness and passed Dunrobin castle. Previously cycled Lands end to John O Groats. Saw a Golden eagle near Helmsdale.
Wow! That is awesome! Well done to you Sir, I am in awe! Remember seeing a cyclist on the last few miles into John O’Groats and thinking even THAT would be a struggle, never mind the rest of it! Super impressed! Cheers for watching and good luck to you in the future.
I so enjoyed watching that Steve ! People so often criticise the music that`s been chose to accompany videos but I think you nailed it. Thank you and well done.
Sandwood bay is a must for me every year ...we used to camp in it for a week at a time . Every night we heard the ghost piper 🤷♂️👍 It’s a very special spot indeed .
This was wonderful and a lot of fun to watch! You definitely know how to produce a travel video so I am hoping that you will do more of them? Big round of applause for your first road trip production!
Jim Smith thanks so much for the feedback :) yeah, I guess I was kinda forced into this one, but it was fun to make! I’ve been keeping an eye on flights but nothing I fancy yet, so maybe another travel one next, I’d like to include a ferry crossing somewhere :) cheers Jim!
Hi there folks 🤗🥰! Great travel documentary, love it to bits! And there’s even some „Sheep comedy“ included, absolutely hilarious 😂🤣🥳! „Oh, come on Buster“ right as I’m writing these lines 🫣😬😆!
Daniel Walsh cheers Daniel! All the best getting prepped - not having to find hotels or pitch tents was a great bonus, especially with how busy it gets. Thanks for watching!
Daniel Walsh This is my first van, but I can’t see myself going back to a car, in fact I’m now thinking of upsizing! Sure it’s a bit more expensive but just so convenient. I enjoy going abroad but must admit there are a lot of places I still need to explore closer to home!
@@steve-marsh I will be keeping my car as its a lot of fun, but just not comfortable enough for a massive journey like that. Plus you definitely can't sleep or cook in it haha. I think I'll be going down the VW T4 route personally
We did a version of this April 2023 , having done East Coast several times on our way to Orkney we drove straight to Tongue before taking our time to drive the rest of the North and West coast. We took several detours including Skye. Ending up with Glen Coe, Rannoch Moor on our way to Glasgow then Manchester.The weather was very kind to us, blue seas and white sands!
Definitely on my bucket list. Would probably use B&B,s or guesthouses. Been a dream of mine for years. Lovely video. Looking forward to catching up on your channel.
Great and very nostalgic for me. Was a Merchant Navy Radio Officer back through the 1960s. In the Spring of 1967 I came home from a hard Winter at sea and hired a VW Caravette in Manchester and did the route clockwise. Not the best of weather and much of the single track road surfaces across the top had been scraped off while they were widening them. It was like driving over mile after mile of stream beds. A memory to keep for a lifetime.
To all watching this. Please learn how to use single track roads and appreciate the fact that locals use these roads all the time so don’t try any tell us how to use them, PULL OVER into passing places to let faster traffic pass you. Do not use a passing place on your right hand side this is a very dangerous and increasingly common practice of tourists, KEEP LEFT at all times. Thank you.
This got on my wick when we did the 500. Campers and even slow locals not letting quicker cars like us past. :D We weren't being illegal with it, but were there to have safe fun and enjoy our cars :)
@@DGT73 I do have a Fabia yes, but its not a vRS - Its an early 2001 undergoing a complete 1.8 petrol turbo conversion from TDI. I did the NC500 in my BMW 335D though. Comfy, fast, reliable. :)
Amazing & beautiful 👍🇬🇧⛺️ I was up Applecross about 4 years ago & as I unzipped the tent door a huge deer was outside. Great memories from a great trip.
Lovely! Great way to spend part of my Sunday morning here in hot humid Cartagena Colombia, The 500 is on my todo list which is why I’m watching, I was at Glencoe with the Navy way back in the day, love Scotland, thanks for taking the time to post and have to say you have a great attitude 👌🏻
This is a video that deserves to be viewed again (and again, and again, ...). There is so much to see on the North Coast 500 that a longer video seems a worthy project for future consideration. I took the A9 all the way to Thurso and after a side trip to John O'Groats continued on the coast road via Ullapool, Gairloch, Kinlochewe, Sheildaig, Lochcarron, Kyle of Lochalsh, ferry to Skye, ferry to Mallaig, and on to Edinburgh via Fort William.
Despite the rain I loved this trip and definitely want to do this one day. The sheep were so cute and what a surprise to see the deer in the car park. I was so sad you forgot your matches 🥲 that was a very late breakie 🥰 Thanks Steve for this one
GRAND SPLENDID GRANDIOSO. Glad you drove!!! The islandof Skye has always remained as a project in my life! may be one day if I were to understand the accent of the Scotts!!!!!THANK YOU AGAIN
I was first time in Scotland this year, driving all the way from Maidstone, Kent to Isle of Skye, around Loch Ness, John O'Groats, Falkirk Wheel and Balmoral in a 6 days trio (1960 miles) and I've fall in love with Isle of Skye, such a beautiful place.... so I have decided to drive there back in July and I am going to spend there about 11 days , walking, taking photos, enjoying.....weather. Thanks for that film, I have learned that north west part of Scotland is much more exciting and have much more to offer.
Seen many of the places shown here over the last 50 odd years or so of holidays, but never seen them like this in one road trip, awesome. Thanks for the memories.
The first time I did this was when there was still a ferry at Kylesku and very narrow roads beyond that. They were starting to build the bridge, I had my father and mother with me and he refused to cross in the ferry. He was told there was no choice, so he sat in the van all the time in the ferry. The road beyond the ferry going north was so narrow that the buses I was meeting (trying to catch the ferry before it crossed again) was hiking on and when you met one both
Great to watch, In spite of the weather! Just a good feeling to get out & about after lockdown, I expect. I first learnt of the "500" when watching a two-part programme on BBC Alba a couple of years ago. Though I knew of Cape Wrath from magazine articles in my cycling days when it was a "rough stuff" challenge to make it to the lighthouse. I go back to 1963, and my first visit to the beauties of Northern Scotland as a young teenager with my parents. We drove from London, 3 of us in the front cab of an original split-windscreen VW van - sitting Germanically bolt upright on very little upholstery all the way, nothing like as comfortable as you've made your van!. We overnighted in Edinburgh on our way to Strathpeffer - not much Motorway back then to speed journey times - and were amazed at just how much more of scenic Scotland we had to traverse to get there the next day! Most of our holiday was spent walking, but I remember a coach trip across to the West Coast at Ullapool which was a bit of an adventure on the roads of the day. Dad drove us to Applecross, and said driving over the pass took him back to his time in Italy during the War. On our return journey we left at first light to get as far South as possible on our first day on the road, and I remember the grey rippling expanse of Loch Ness as we looked down on it from the road. No sign of Nessie, though! Thanks for sharing another memorable trip.
Wow thanks for the message, your descriptive writing is fantastic to read, especially from the VW camper :) I can picture it! Thanks so much for watching and for the wonderful message!
@@steve-marsh Thanks for rekindling those family memories with your post. Cine cameras were the preserve of the enthusiast or the better-off in those days, and still cameras gave only a limited number of (b/w) shots, so maybe we committed more of our experiences to memory back then!
Hi time I complemented you on your cinematography and editing. On point 👌 The NC500 is a beautiful drive and yes, well worth diverting to find endless hidden gems. Thank you for taking us along with you. Brought back so many memories of our own visit. 👏👏👍😎
We enjoyed the video immensely, especially as we had the good luck to drive round this route in July 19 in beautiful sunshine !!! Were we lucky ! You had some good suggestions for our next time round. Thank you !
My wife and I did that trip (clockwise) in 1985 before it was known as the NC500. It was magical then and we cannot wait to do it again in our new camper!
Amazing Stephen! But just be ready for it to be a bit more busy this time round! I always like to go up there around April/May when the light goes on forever and it's not too busy. But as you'll know, there's plenty room up there to get lost and have the place all to yourself off the main route. All the best! :)
Oh nice! I remember a cool wee harbour there? Been a while! Thanks so much for watching and for the kind comments! A day without rain in Scotland is always a lucky day :)
From dry and hot New Mexico, USA this video brings back so many wonderful memories of times in Scotland. Never did the NC500 but it's now on my bucket list. Thanks for a great video.
Great video! I really love the scotish nature. Weather is very similar to a Norwegian summer :-) I have not been that far north in Scotland, but I spend a week at the Orkney island 2 years ago, in may.
Wonderful! I was going to do this trip (a bucket-list wish, of course), but then the lockdown hit us. But one day soon, I hope! Keep posting these gorgeous videos!!
Drove some of that in winter once, in a poxy little 3-cylinder Corsa. Many, many squeaky-bum moments on that single-track road, including coming round a corner and finding a 50-seater Citylink bus bearing down on us... but wow, what scenery.
YAYYYY!!!! i love this, i love your editing and music! 24 minutes and 57 seconds of amazing content :D Also, the sound of the rain under the tarp would put me to sleep so fast! Your videos make me proud to be Scottish :)
Have to agree. I know you said in a previous video you are new to this but you really have some natural talent here. So well made. One of the few creators where I watch all the way thru. And your background music was perfectly done. Right tempo, right style and you know how exactly what volume level to do at the right time. Seriously man, well done. Other would-be creators should learn from you.
Just found your channel Steve, love it mate. We're coming back to Scotland from Tasmania to do this trip....but we are planning on taking weeks, not days to do it. great tips on driving out of Lochinver, we will be in a bigger van, but somewhat smaller than the roadtrains I am used to driving. Weather there is just like home.... if you don't like it...come back in half an hour...4 seasons in one day. Great stuff mate, looking forward to seeing much more..Dennis
We had three weeks of sunny weather on our trip to Applecross, Edinburgh and the isle of Harris. I was prepared for rain, but happy that we had none. Thanks for the memories.
Even in poor weather Scotchland is Amazing......I have travelled to 33 Countries on 4 Continents, when asked my favourite place I always answer without hesitation UK.... In good weather it is as Beautiful as anywhere else on the Planet.... Even when the weather is poor it still beats most places on Earth... :-))) (Even Glasgeee)
Haha I have to agree, Scotland suits bad weather (just as well!) some of the colours are so unique in the craggy landscape. Thanks so much for watching!
We are taking the van up here in the summer! Thanks for sharing. Can't tell you how much we have missed Scotland 😊 We won't be doing the exact route either at points!
Thanks so much for watching and all the best with your return to Scotland! :) Yeah, the best thing is taking little diversions and finding new adventures :)
