Day 2: Delnies Woods to Applecross 90 Miles Total 90 Miles
500 miles to go! Our route will take us across the country to Applecross, then up the west coast until we hit the Pentland Firth at Durness, turning east to John o’ Groats, then back south through Caithness, Sutherland, Easter Ross, back to our starting point at Delnies Woods.
After a quick visit to Tescos at Inverness to top up with fuel and a few bits and pieces from the shop, our road trip proper began.
The Kessock Bridge looked lovely in the sunshine as we drove along the A96. When we crossed the bridge ourselves, we admired the Inverness Caley Thistle football stadium and thought of Lochlann and his interest in football. He would have loved to see this.
It was hard not to turn right off the A9 to the Black Isle as we have done so often before, but our noses were pointing to the west on the Wester Ross Coastal Route, so the road signs informed us.
With the weather fair and sunny we saw the Highlands at their glorious best as we followed the railway line making its way to Kyle of Lochalsh.
“Are you taking the van over the Bealachg na Ba?” so texted Donald, our son.
“What’s the Bealach na Ba?” we texted back.
We soon found out! I must admit to not having looked carefully at a map before we set off. I had focussed on where the campsites were located. Donald sent us a picture of the narrow twisty road making its way over the mountains to Applecross. Gulp! There was even a road sign at the turn off, warning that this road was not suitable for inexperienced drivers.
But we made it, even managing to find a wide enough spot to stop and admire the view over Loch Kishorn far below. The van seemed to relish the hairpins and the steep gradient. I have since read that this road, whose name translates from the Gaelic, as the Pass of the Cattle was originally a drove road, and atg one time the only land access to Applecross. It is one of the highest roads in the UK and is the longest ascent – 2,054 feet. We definitely need the teeshirt!
At first sight the campsite was a bit of a disappointment – not much of a view – it is on high ground just above the Applecross Inn. it was busy too, with a line of motorhomes making good use of the limited hard standing. The rest of the field was grass, some of it showing sings of cars having been stuck in the mud.
But we settled in, and by the evening of day three we came to quite like it. Very different to the usual caravan sites we have visited before. It’s not a place where caravans venture. Here there were tents a plenty and motorcyclists who clearly were keen to experience the drive over the mountains.
There are more pictures of our road trip along the NC 500 on my Flickr page