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    Bikepacking the North Coast 500 Alone | Cycling the NC500


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    I went bikepacking in Scotland following the North Coast 500 alone. It’s a world-renowned route with incredible scenery and breathtaking landscapes.

    Feel free to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Strava.

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cycling366
    Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/3702013
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cycling366/

    What gear do I use?:

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    Routes here:
    Day 1:
    Day 2:
    Day 3:
    Day 4:
    Day 5:
    Day 6:

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    #bikepacking​ #northcoast500 #nc500

    Time stamps:

    0:00 – Intro
    0:45 – Day 1 – Inverness to Applecross over the Bealach Na Ba
    2:31 – Applecross Camping Hut
    3:15 – Day 2 – Applecross to Laide
    4:15 – Gruinard Bay Caravan Park
    5:12 – Day 3 – Laide to Lochinver
    6:06 – The Hideaway
    6:44 – Day 4 – Lochinver to Tongue
    8:04 – Kyle of Tongue Hostel
    8:35 – Day 5 – Tongue to Bonar Bridge
    9:32 – Wild Camping in Bonar Bridge
    10:42 – Day 6 – Bonar Bridge to Inverness
    11:32 – BTS and Route Summary

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    View 42 Comments

    42 Comments

    1. Cycling366 on

      Thanks very much for watching my film! I was SO lucky with the weather on this epic trip – Help me reach 10,000 subscribers by year end! Please LIKE, COMMENT and SUBSCRIBE 🚴🏕

    3. Phantom Racer on

      Brilliant video as always. The drone shots look stunning, especially with the sun out. You really pulled it off with the weather! Totally agree with you about missing out the section of the A9 on the East coast. The road down the middle is so much nicer to ride on a bike 🙂

    6. Ken on

      Well done for editing out all the traffic! Was you not tempted to stay at the Crask Inn on your way down to lairg?

    8. Iain Moore on

      Well, you were lucky with the weather and the light. In my opinion some of the shots, from the first couple or three days at least, are right up there! Sure the scenery lends a hand, but the composition is all yours and you should be chuffed with those results.

    10. Chris Bee on

      Fabulous video. Did it in early May and it was amazing if a little wetter than your experience 🌧️. You must have had some low gearing on the steed to make those hills look so easy. Applecross is hard enough but the remaining peninsula is brutal. Well done.

    14. b r on

      Quality production!

      And while I live in Scotland we missed the stunning weather as we’d gone to France on our hols.

    18. Kevin Dean on

      What a great video ,When I did from. Betty Hill to John o Groates I didn't enjoy that section either it was a lot hillier coming out of Betty Hill than I expected .I was loo6 at doing the Mark Beaumont nc500 version ,But yours is also a good option ,Im 60 this year so ill take quite a bit longer 😉 .

    19. Andrew Goodberry on

      Glad you had awesome weather. I've motorbiked those roads many times and concur, it is absolutely stunning scenery and avoiding JoG and the A9 is excellent advice!

    20. Swampy Duck Rides Again on

      You were very lucky it not being too busy as many places were fully booked up on the route this year. I was lucky enough to be somewhere on the route as a child every weekend with my parents that was there escape long before anyone whispered NC500. I agree if you can avoid the A9 it’s for the best just a pity they wouldn’t run a path along it above Inverness.
      It’s not common knowledge but the last few years the first few weeks in June have been the best weather in Scotland ideal for long distance routes.

    21. Christopher Jordan on

      I did the full route in a hired motor home in September 5 years ago, it was so busy with vehicles not like when you did it. You did some big mileage on some epic climbs, well done. Best video I’ve seen of the route, fantastic pictures/videos and did it on the best transport option. Well done Tom.

    23. craig davidson on

      Great video, glad I stumbled across it. I'm planning this next May and you have given me food for thought on a few things. Was planning to camp all the way but as you say might be best to get at least 1 night under a roof. Thanks 👍

    30. Michael Burke on

      You are spot on with your suggestion to take the Altanarra rd – absolutely stunning. Thanks for a great video it brought back memories from 3 years ago when I did it. A beautiful Country it certainly is. Cheers, Mike

    35. Onemorecyclist on

      Really nice video and like the way you've mixed the drone footage (wow!) into the edit – reminds me of some of the Matthew Norway videos. I think I pitched my tent in the exact same spot in Gruinard Bay when we did the route in 2021. We also amended the last bit and went from Thurso directly to Wick and jumped on the train back to Inverness, having done the A9 bit a couple of years earlier on JOGLE (once is enough!). Agree it's got to be up there with some of the best cycling routes in the world. Happy cycling!

    37. Andy Golborne on

      Great film(ing) – lucky you with the weather. Wester Ross is stunning but yup – missing out Easter Ross and the A9 is a good shout. Down from Tongue is a great option. Train back from Lairg is also an option if you are time constrained – and also out to Glen Carron from Inverness at the start.

    38. Colin Payne on

      I enjoyed the video and having done the nc500 I couldn’t work out where you carried your bike up some steps. Then realised where it is after your commentary. I thought it was familiar as I went the opposite way up to Lairg from Inverness and eventually onto Cape Wrath where I stayed a night at the lighthouse. What an adventure and would recommend going onto Cape Wrath but with off road tyres.

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