Saturday, 29 September 2018

Community Mural

Community Mural 


In looking for an activity for both residents, staff and families to take part in on Family Day at Milton Community, Arbuthnott, Everyone added their 'mark' by way of their finger prints!









Saturday, 6 January 2018

NORTH COAST 500 
The North Coast 500 has been called Scotland’s answer to America’s Route 66. It’s a newly established tourist route that circles the top coast of Scotland taking in the sights and sounds of the Scottish Highlands and it does not disappoint! The East coast is possibly best explored from sea but the North and West Coast are spectacular to drive through. My favourite spot was Durness at the North West because of its beautiful beaches and the entrance into the GeoPark as well as being where our visit to Sandwood Bay was. 
Dunrobin Castle 

Sandwood Bay is only accessible on foot. We parked at Kinlochbervie before bike-packing with our tents and kit half way along the track and setting up by a loch for the night. We continued on in the morning to the beach where we got the stove going and has some tea and porridge. 




One of the best things about the road trip was the commradry of all the other travellers doing the same route. We came across cyclists doing the 500 miles, camper vans, motor bikes and cars and every now and again we’d spot a familiar vehicle from the day before at our new campsite.

As a member of the North Coat 500 club I was able to plan my route with preciseness thanks to the fold out map and online itineraries available to members. Below is the draft we took with us on our trip although it changed slightly en route. Our final hit points were as such:

Total - 5 nights, 7 days 

- Inverness
- The Black Isle and the Clootie Well
- Easter Ross
- Sutherland and Golspie for one night 
- Dunrobin Castle and Brora 
- Caithness and Wick Heritage Centre 
- John O Groats for the night 
- Thurso and Strathy Point 
- Sutherland and Durness
- Smoo Cave
- Kinlochbervie and Sandwood Bay for the night
- Achmelvich 
- Lochinver for the night 
- Ardvreck Castle and Loch Assynt 
- Ullapool
- Wester Ross - Corrieshalloch Gorge 
- Ault Bea and Gairloch for the night 
- Badachro then through Beinn Eight
- Through Torridon to Applecross
Back across to Inverness 





Clootie Well





North Coast 500

Day 1 - Thursday 10th 
Time we arrive in location 
Name of location
Time to leave location 
Travel Time to Next Location

Inverness
Velocity Bicycle Cafe ;)
9am
16 minutes 
9.16am
Clootie Well - Black Isle
10am
11 mins
10.11am
Fortrose - Fairy Glen, have lunch

12pm
26 mins
12.26pm
Hike Fyrish Monument 
3pm 
36 mins
3.36pm



Durnoch - Tarbat Discovery Centre on the Picts
OR
Dunrobin Castle (last entry 4.30pm) opens at 10.30am ext day 
OR
Mountain Biking at Wildcat Trail in Golspie. No hire available 

36 mins


+22 mins


Same as Dunrobin




DINNER
Dinner 10% at Trawler Restaurant in gossip
Or Sutherland Inn


SLEEP
Golspie 
Wild Camp at ….
Greenpark Caravan park in Brora- 01408621513 no pitches though 
Booked at Brora Caravan Club Site one ten £19.60 on arrival Baxter 5pm estimate arrival 
01408621479




Day 2 - Friday 11th 
Time we arrive in location
Name of location
Time to leave location 
Travel Time to next location

Golspie or Brora
Tent Breakfast
9am
1 hr 3 mins
10am
Wick - See Wick Castle and Heritage Centre 
12pm
11 mins
12.11pm
Grinigoe Castle
1.30pm
33 mins
2pm
John o Groats - 20%~cabin at John o Groats, 10% Caithness Horizons, Stacks Cafe 
3pm
38mins
3.38pm
Thurso - see Strathnaver Museum 



Dinner at Caravan park Diner


SLEEP
Thurso Bay Caravan and Camping Park  - 01847892244
£15
No need to book 





Day 3 - Saturday 12th 
Time we arrive in location
Name of location
Time to leave location 
Travel Time to next location

Thurso - surf todayTempest cafe 9am open or the Diner open?
12pm
1 hr 9mins
1.30pm 
Tongue - get lunch?
10%off 3 course meal a Tongue Hotel
2.30pm
1 hr
3.30pm
Smoo Cave 



Durness to Cocoa Mountain 
Get Dinner - pick up something
4pm
45mins
Plus 4 mile walk =
WILD CAMP
Park at Blairmore near Kinlochbervie 







Day 4 - Sunday 13th
Time we arrive in location
Name of location
Time to leave location 
Travel Time to next location

Sandwood bay
Tent breakfast
8am
Incl 4 mile walk at 2 hr = 2hr 45mins
10.45am
Scourie
11.30am 
1hr 20 coastal past the geopark at Unapool
1pm
Achmelvich
1.30pm
13 mins
2pm 
Lochinver 
Lunch and 
Mountain Bike (there is hire)
Info centre also
5pm 

DINNER
Lochinver Bunkhouse or in town


SLEEP
Lochinver Bunkhouse breakfast included - 01571844598







Day 5 - Monday 14th
Time we arrive in location
Name of location
Time to leave location 
Travel Time to next location

Lochinver 
Breakfast at Bunkhouse
8am
30 mins to Elphin
8.30
Bones Cave - park between Elphin and Inchnadamph. Can cycle this
Takes 1 hour to walk to caves. 
11am 
12pm
Ullapool - lunch 
1pm 
18mins
1.18pm
Braemore - Corrieshalloch Gorge and Falls of Measach 
Park on Dundonnell Road at the named car park.https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ullapool/corrieshalloch.shtml
takes one hour it says 
3pmish
1 hr 5 mins
4.15pm
Gairloch (Heritage Museum) closes 5pm . Discount - free guide book 
5pm

SLEEP
Gairloch Sands Youth Hostel - 01445712219
Or wigwams at Gairloch Sands Caravan and Camping Site  01445712152
BOOKED TENT PITCH AT SANDS GAIRLOCH £19 total paid already 



Day 6 Tuesday 15th
Time we arrive in location
Name of location
Time to leave location 
Travel Time to next location

Gairloch 
Breakfast - The Mountain Coffee Company and Hillbillies Bookshop 
Or The Barn Cafe on the caravan site 
9am
52 mins
9.52am 
Torridon

1 hr
11am 
Applecross

2 hr 6 mins
1.30pm 

Inverness

3 hr 17mins 
6pm 
Arbroath 






Tent breakfast - 2

Dinner - 1