mikeroch
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I live next to one of the two single-lane sections of the NC500 just north of Lochinver in Sutherland, the other being on Applecross a little to the south. The road network in the far north reflects the local population density and historic traffic flow, and has served us well. I'm sure that everyone has experienced a 'pulsing' effect in traffic flow on major roads when the weight of vehicles exceeds a certain level, such an effect builds slowly but eventually decays reverting to normal flow once traffic density eases. Now imagine imposing a sudden increase in traffic many times the norm onto a road designed only for light traffic ... the outcome is inevitable.
Camper van hire companies have proliferated on the back of NC500, with many hiring out large vans to absolute novices. Being inexperienced and largely unprepared for the extingencies of van travel in a sensitive environment, add an almost complete absence of public toilets and disposal points and you'll soon find cassette contents dumped inappropriately and drivers afraid to manoeuvre in tight spots locked rigid with fear of damaging their hired van.
For many years adventurous motorhome travellers have quietly driven and enjoyed these roads, parking up overnight in wild places and moving on next day leaving no trace. Proper 'Wild Camping' by experienced hikers camped deep in the landscape In little tents or in bothies similarly ... no harm done. The real harm is being caused not by motorhomes, even those carrying clueless beginners, but by insensitive and sometimes obnoxious tent campers often travelling in a convoy of vehicles camping up 'festival fashion' right by the roadside and leaving their detritus behind before blitzing off in a cloud of dust next day. Don't overlook the fact that such groups also rotate around the route in opposing directions, which adds enormously to the excitement. Watching, as I do with great pleasure, two such groups trying to resolve how to pass each other on the B869 with just one small passing bay is really entertaining!
The few hundred souls that live on the 25 mile Lochinver to Kylesku B869 loop are hugely affected however, many who have lived their whole lives quietly and happily there have reluctantly sold up and moved away because a 20 minute drive to the village involves a hazardous 3 hour game of dodgems during The Season. A visit to the Doctor becomes a major undertaking requiring military planning.
Doctor, ambulance, bin lorry, courier vans, postman, police, coastguard and increasingly vehicle recovery trucks intent on picking up crashed or bogged NC500 drivers, all have to go about their business in the midst of the mayhem. It's great for the village shops and the accommodation providers, far less so for everyone else.
Visitors have always been welcome up here, but in the past they did so in a steady fashion, however sadly with the vastly increased traffic flow, the infrastructure cannot cope. We are rather hoping that once Covid fades and air travel resumes that the lunatic fringe will revert to their natural habitat in The Med. Problem is, you cannot un-shoot an arrow or un-ring a bell. The NC500 is here to stay
Well, enough of this, I have to get down the village and buy a newspaper, it's about a mile ... so let me see, check-list: watch, wallet, spectacles, testicles, emergency rations, sleeping bag, mobile phone. Yes I think that does it. I'm just going outside ... I might be some time.
Camper van hire companies have proliferated on the back of NC500, with many hiring out large vans to absolute novices. Being inexperienced and largely unprepared for the extingencies of van travel in a sensitive environment, add an almost complete absence of public toilets and disposal points and you'll soon find cassette contents dumped inappropriately and drivers afraid to manoeuvre in tight spots locked rigid with fear of damaging their hired van.
For many years adventurous motorhome travellers have quietly driven and enjoyed these roads, parking up overnight in wild places and moving on next day leaving no trace. Proper 'Wild Camping' by experienced hikers camped deep in the landscape In little tents or in bothies similarly ... no harm done. The real harm is being caused not by motorhomes, even those carrying clueless beginners, but by insensitive and sometimes obnoxious tent campers often travelling in a convoy of vehicles camping up 'festival fashion' right by the roadside and leaving their detritus behind before blitzing off in a cloud of dust next day. Don't overlook the fact that such groups also rotate around the route in opposing directions, which adds enormously to the excitement. Watching, as I do with great pleasure, two such groups trying to resolve how to pass each other on the B869 with just one small passing bay is really entertaining!
The few hundred souls that live on the 25 mile Lochinver to Kylesku B869 loop are hugely affected however, many who have lived their whole lives quietly and happily there have reluctantly sold up and moved away because a 20 minute drive to the village involves a hazardous 3 hour game of dodgems during The Season. A visit to the Doctor becomes a major undertaking requiring military planning.
Doctor, ambulance, bin lorry, courier vans, postman, police, coastguard and increasingly vehicle recovery trucks intent on picking up crashed or bogged NC500 drivers, all have to go about their business in the midst of the mayhem. It's great for the village shops and the accommodation providers, far less so for everyone else.
Visitors have always been welcome up here, but in the past they did so in a steady fashion, however sadly with the vastly increased traffic flow, the infrastructure cannot cope. We are rather hoping that once Covid fades and air travel resumes that the lunatic fringe will revert to their natural habitat in The Med. Problem is, you cannot un-shoot an arrow or un-ring a bell. The NC500 is here to stay
Well, enough of this, I have to get down the village and buy a newspaper, it's about a mile ... so let me see, check-list: watch, wallet, spectacles, testicles, emergency rations, sleeping bag, mobile phone. Yes I think that does it. I'm just going outside ... I might be some time.