It’s one of the greatest driving routes on Earth and it’s on our doorstep. Jack McKeown gets behind the wheel for the North Coast 500.
AS a Fife-born Lowlander I’ve always maintained that Inverness is very far north. It isn’t really. I’m coming to this realisation three hours after leaving the Highland capital on the North Coast 500 when I still haven’t reached the top of Scotland.
I’m in no rush to reach Britain’s northern edge anytime soon, though. The roads, helped by copious EU grants, are in wonderful nick. I don’t see a pothole for three days – traffic is light, and the scenery is… well, breathtaking is too overused an adjective but it feels appropriate here.
It’s my first day of a four-day tour and I can’t stop smiling. Some of Scotland’s most outstanding coastline is laid out before me and a new discovery is waiting round every corner.
I’ve used my job as a motoring journalist to secure a luxury Bentley for the weekend. While having a car that matches the magnificence of the route is a bonus, what’s through the windscreen is so special it hardly matters if you’re in a Bentley or a banger.
Denne historien er fra July 2017-utgaven av The Scots Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 2017-utgaven av The Scots Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Bliss Of A Bothy
After a strenuous walk, a mountain shelter can offer all you need
The Long Way Round
When you can only just see the stepping stones under a river in spate, it's time to re-think the route, as two Highland adventurers found out
The New Oyster Cult
A community is helping to restore the once rich biodiversity of Loch Craignish, one species at a time
A Poet's Sanctuary
Hidden on a hilltop, writer Dominic Cooper is inspired by the wild, stormy winters of the Ardnamurchan peninsula
A Rural Housing Crisis
Across Scotland, locals are being priced out and crowded out - but communities are now working hard to address the issue
A Historic Centre
Glasgow's Mercat Cross may not be as old as it appears but it's still seen many changes, along with an ebb and flow in prosperity
A Bird With A Brain
Jim's encounters with the raven in several northern countries have only increased his respect for its intellect and ingenuity
The Warrior King
On the 750th anniversary of his birth, Robert The Bruce's legacy as cultural keystone and historical enigma continues to fascinate
All Going Swimmingly
From Tutti Frutti to Shetland, Monarch Of The Glen to Granite Harbour, Dawn Steele's heart will always be in Scotland - and the sea
Following The Coos
The latest charity art trail aims to a-moos-e and delight visitors to Perth and Kinross this summer