How many days does it take to ride the NC500, starting from Fort Augustus and heading for Inverness and going clockwise? The official guides say five days by car but that seems to bit slow. Always wanted to ride it but finding accommodation later in the season is very difficult. Early June I might stand a chance so its something to bear in mind.
Just found this, cool site: https://www.motorcyclescotland.com/routes/north-coast-500/ Two night stops, two and a half leisurely days riding. I'd be up for that.
i dont live in oban jv, i'm several miles south of ballachulish bridge on the oban rd. the NW takes a day if you can be arsed, even starting from here which adds another 80mls, tho two days would be better,clocking up 400mls is easy on a lot of the roads, tho twisty they are quick, and light till late around june mind. taking in edinbro for a day or two would be a good move. i'm just back and i love it. . everywhere from campbelltown to john o'groats and back is possible in a day from fort Augustus. i think you would need to be off yer trolley to miss the kintyre section out, everybody does, which is good tbh, the roads are the best, the scenery is amazing and the roads are quiet. the campsite i was gonna recommend and central for every run i would recommend. https://www.achindarrochtp.co.uk/
I did think motorcycle Scotland's 150 mile days seemed a bit unambitious but if you've never seen it before you're going to be stopping a lot. I did 300 miles most days this year when I went away, Its no hardship on the 1190 though on the SMT it felt more of a slog. I thought the west coast section in particular of the NC was more or less single track roads. I've whiled whole days away in Wales many times in second and third gear on little mountain roads like that without going 70 miles from where I started. I'm always up for very early starts before everyone else gets out. And as you say @finm there's stacks of daylight up there in June. Nice looking campsite by there way. That one's been bookmarked.
When we did it for a few years we would do between 200 and 350 miles a day. Mainly riding around like it was a racetrack but occasionally taking in the sights.
Last time I was up there, last summer with the motorhome not the bike, we dropped into http://www.castleofmey.org.uk/index.cfm which was surprisingly interesting. Unless you are unlucky with the weather you really can't go wrong.
If you are interested in the geology, fauna and flora of Scotland I can recommend this book. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hostile-Habitats-Scotlands-Environment-Hillwalkers/dp/0907521932
