Driving the scariest road in Scotland. In a motorhome...
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- Опубликовано: 29 авг 2024
- Every now and then, I get a crazy idea. Usually while motorhoming on my own- that's the beauty of solo vanlife- you can do whatever you like without needing anyone else to agree with your craziness!
This time, I decide to drive Bealach na Ba- the Applecross Pass and one of Scotland's most dangerous and scary roads.
In a motorhome. On my own. In a rain storm!
If you've ever debated driving Applecross Pass in a motorhome, this is for you!
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Thanks for watching!
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Thank you so much for posting this video - we are planning to drive the NC500 (including the Beleach Na Ba!) in our LEB Vw Crafter conversion between Christmas and New Year this year and this is the bit I’m worried about most. Seeing you do it has really put my mind at ease x
You’re very brave not only to drive up there but to do it alone - fair play to you xx
Absolutely superb… well done you, I can’t wait to do it 🙏
Fantastic thanks for sharing I’ve got to do this one day 👍👍👏
My motorhome stalled near the top….when my pal wanted to stop for photos….I was having problems with the starter motor at the time….reverse bump start just after a hairpin …in a mobile home…on the applecross pass…oh yeah…it gets the heart pumping
😳😳😳😳 I’m glad that didn’t happen to me!
Sitting on Orkney in 55 mph winds atm, I thought that was a good idea at the time then I booked a ferry to Shetland 🤦🏼♂️ I love a challenge!!!! You go girl !!!! 😂❤
My goodness those three hairpins! You were very brave! But looks like it was Worth the view though! Great video. 👍😃
Yeah- that last one was a little tight. But couldn’t exactly turn around 😂 And the lorries do it ok
Go for it Girl, never forget that anybody coming in the opposite direction is just as petrified! Great views up there.
On our 8 week tour of Scotland last year the Bealach Na Ba was on my to do list and absolutely loved it. Travelling down from Applecross is amazing and something you never forget. Mind you we were in a V-Line (6.3m) but anything over 7m may have issues, especially if it’s busy X
As we in Scotland would say, Your no right hen, lol that laugh. But i admire your courage and your love for the country, loved the video.
That parking space at the top of applecross pass is where a stag made itself known to CJ from project amber plus a few of his travel companions
Yep did it about 5 years ago, great view, our mh is same length as yours also use to have a boat and sailed round sky and stayed over night in Plockton lovely place!
YOLO! Thanks for the chuckles!
I did this road earlier this year. Beautiful trip and lovely road, easy drive, but wouldn't fancy it in the dark.. Great video, great energy. Thanks x
As I was watching this I thought you were driving way to fast for the road, then I realised I had my video speed set to 1.5x :D
Great drive. One for my bucket list. Thanks for video.
Another great video, It’s lovely watching your vids knowing where your going and what’s near by and around every corner etc your so fun Gorgeous kat. X
Great video lass, I used to drive this road in a truck 3 times a week for work, summer and winter, winter is much scarier, should be on everyones bucket list . good job of driving the bealach, slow and carefull gets you there with no dramas😆
We did it a few years ago in the early autumn. The weather was pretty similar to what you experienced. I remember having to reverse, downhill, for a motorcyclist who wouldn’t give way despite it being easier for him.
My partner told me that the views were spectacular.
Wow. KAT. You have balls of Titanium to do that. Tash & Jon. May attempt even though I think they are to big. I'm sure many adventures are still out there For yourself, and your wee doggo 🐶.
Best of luck.
Ha! Brave or stupid… 😬😬🫣
Oh that takes me back, great fun and fantastic views. When coming back over, I had the fun of meeting a massive fire engine thundering down towards me in full blues & twos. Somehow we managed to pass without him slowing down. Change of pants required!
😱😱😱 that would have scared me too!
One of these days I will have to drive up there, thanks for sharing the video and the drive. 👍😊
A lot more passing points than Cornwall!
Its a great road. Driven it many times and cycled it once in terrible weather. Great video.
Brings more meaning to the phrase 'Wandering Bird' going solo for a change.Very ballsey indeed!
Well done you!!!!! it's a lot different in the Summer 🙂 We always stay in Gairloch but just up the road in big sands the View is amazing going back in April when they re-open
Great Video. I’ve driven it too in a similar sized MH. Loved it. Stunning scenery.
Keep them coming. 😁
Super, thanks, 😊
Have cycled it but not putting the Benimar through it!!! Interesting
It a great road to drive I did it in a 7 meter motel home i really enjoyed but my partner keep saying how much longer lol what a fun road to drive,
Hi. Just came across your channel recently well done you. Great little video. Would love to do this 👏👏👏
I have done this and the Applecross road many times with family who live in Lochcarron but always in a car
and I recommend it.Both roads have great views but the Applecross road is spectacular. just remember
to keep your speed down.The road is high up the mountains and the best views,probably,in the UK. Enjoy.
Wow! You are one brave cookie! I would be too scared to drive that myself but even worse as a passenger, so I'll settle for just watching your video and stick to easy roads. Those views though... it is tempting...
You're also have to watch out for Arctic is coming the other way especially the local artist was the drive really quickly but they know the road unfortunately tourists not so look after yourself and take it easy
Well done for doing it in 6.8m van. I did it in my sub 5m van last summer, it was a lot busier then. For another scary (in a different way) but intersting route try the Drumbeg loop NW of Lochinver.
I did that road in Iveco daily long wheelbase van and it's magic I hope you enjoy yourself girl keep on trucking you are great right to see you do some more as well okay take it easy
Just a road, have confidence.
I've enjoyed that route several times. Once going that way I turned a sharp corner after the car park at the top to see Jock in his lorry on my side of the road going home too fast on my side of the road. I realised he'd drive over the corner at his speed and took a right to let him pass on my left. I got a brief glimpse of a very shocked face and a nod as he raced past on a Friday at about 4 pm; be careful of Jock. Another trip coming the other way it was a much denser cloud/fog. Visibility was about 25 yards, and we met a townee in a huge car full of passengers. He couldn't reverse, gesturing with his hands, so using my win mirrors I reversed over 100 yards praying that no one was coming up behind me, to let him past. I'd noticed a rock on the side of the road when we met him, and he'd only have had to reverse 30 yards-eejit. [I'm from Ireland].
Great challenging and enjoyable drive, thanks for posting it. I love roads like this ! It has been on my "to do" list for a while. This summer I did the Hardknott & Wrynose passes in The Lake District for the second time. I filmed it using both the front and rear cameras and will post it when I finally get around to editing it. Love to know people's thoughts on how the two drives compare from those that have done both. I think Bealach na Ba is a little narrower, with added roadside protection and fewer bends, but there is little between them. I drive a converted 1991 Toyota HiAce (SWB). Worst problem I had was not using enough cadence breaking to ensure I cold still stop securely at the bottom of the descents. Can't wait for a crack at this.
I rode it on my bike last year. It was awful in the mist/low cloud and rain. Locals don't care. I was forced off the road by an inconsiderate truck driver who himself was also off the road.
it looks almost as bad as when I did it in the video, but I had it from the campsite in Applecross to the main road A896. I hated every second.
Hats off to you, I think you're mad!
Oh dear- sorry to hear that. There were loads of bikers coming up while I was at the top- they seemed to have enjoyed it. I probably am mad though 😝
Beautifull drive but next time try it in summer. On a nice day the scenry is unbelievable.I am lucky to have family in the nearby area and we do this brilliant trip when I visit,
Not sure I’d want to do it in summer. Too busy!
Good on you. I you enjoy a challenge try to drive the Old Military Road that goes thru the Cairngorms. I drive a high top Vauxhall movano conversion mwb. All I can say is it was an adventure but wouldn’t really want to repeat it.
Mate, you had it easy! We took the pass on thick dark fog and rain, coming from the other direction. Met many other vehicles, including lorries. Luckily our van is a little Peugeot Mezan Autosleeper, so same width as a Peugeot van. But still one of the hairiest drives of my life!
Well done Kat, great job there. I too would think it a scary idea. And then you see that 8 or 9 metre lorry!!😲. Good job you didn't meet him. Thought I was already subscribed. Am now 😁. Take care, Martin
We went down there in our 8.1m MoHo, we had to use ALL the road on one of the hairpins to get round in one sweep, but apart from having to wait in passing places a few times for other vehicles it was ok. We were lucky and had a nice sunny day so the views coming down looking out over the loch were stunning.
Driving the Applecross side was easy I thought, it’s not as steep or bendy, the only slightly dodgy bit was the narrow section with a drop both sides of the road.
I take it the camera shots while driving were done by Mac, of course you wouldn’t use a hand held device while driving!!!
Have fun, enjoy yourself and take care.
Go pro 🙃
Nope .. not a chance I'd have tackled that, I would have read the sign and gone the other way .. even if I was only in a small car! :D
Nice dog.
Wow! Awesome views but scary roads to get there. Wouldn't want to do it on my own 😬
Impressive. 🎉
I tried this road a couple of years ago in my campervan in quite wild weather but had to turn back as the road became blocked with deep snow and impassible. It’s surprising how many so many vehicles are using the route
So glad you did that and on your own. I’ve done it several times in a car as a Scot by birth. My dream is to have a « camping car » and return to do all these amazing routes. We live in France and I’m due for a hip replacement revision next month (possibly as a result of forgetting I’d ever had surgery!)
We bought our last caravan on the Black Isle which involved several kms of single track road and i gratefully accepted the seller’s offer of driving the rig to the nearest village with a « proper » road😊
Brilliant esp the sounds of stuff loose in the back when you go over a bump!
Don't want to put a downer on it, but not something to attempt in summer the traffic is nose to tail. Great in the rain though well done. ,( We were chicken and took the car.)
Yeah, wouldn’t want to do it in summer. Too busy
They did widen the narrow parts a few years back.
Is this the road film in the James Bond film Skyfall??
For me it's not so much the road and the corners....it's coming across somebody else going in the opposite direction!!!
Go fot it.Lots of passing places to give way to oncoming vehicles and remember to keep speed down.
Well worth it,especially the Aplecross road. You will not regret it.
The scariest road in Scotland is the A82 Loch Lomond side !
we did it pre covid, some huge woman in a VW bounced off the side of our camper and drove off, by the time we could turn she was long gone, be careful of other drivers.
😱 oh no!
Did the route just after lockdown, and a guy drove a massive motorhome over the pass with no issues and then crashed into the campsite gate post.
His wife wasn't very understanding. She was moaning, you've lost us the deposit.
Uh oh!
Just discovered your fab site and of course I subscribed :) well done for driving a decent sized van on that road you did great, we were just thinking about planning to do the nc500 in March but I have read so many disturbing articles and videos saying how aggressive the locals are towards people using the roads and I don't want my tyres slashing or van being damaged so I think we might give it a miss :(
I heard the same, but the people were mostly incredibly friendly. I chose to stay on campsites for that reason though. It is beautiful if you choose to go
Hi. It would be a good idea to fit all terrain tyres . The wilds of Scotland this time of year is prone to snow. No place to get stranded. All terrains do make a difference. Regards Dave
Very true. But I did this in September 🙃
Shame you had bad weather as the views are great
Once you've done this pimped up farmers track it's really quite enjoyable to drive ,and my wife calls the place applecross (angry fruit)
So Beautiful 🌈🌞 1 LOVE 🌈🌙💚🙏
They're making these vehicles bigger every year, totally not suitable for single track roads in the Highlands
Well done driving up the AppleCross pass. Shame it was misty. It’s very very steep !!
If you would like to know more roads and spots to camp. Let us know 🏴🙌
Always! Feel free to share any you think are unmissable 🙃
Enjoyed the drive and your commentary. Good (quiet) time of year to do it. Must be a nightmare in high summer - when weather can be just as fine! Enjoy your trip.
Yeah- I wouldn’t want to do it in summer
I drove it the opposite way and it really was a white knuckle ride down hill but the views (as far as I could look, because like you, I was solo driving) were out of this world. Unfortunately any video footage does not do it justice, it is a lot steeper than it appears on film.
Time stamp 3:28 ... still not seeing scary ... Tourist at 5:37 ... correct etiquette at a passing place is if it's on your side of the road you pull in and if it's on the oncoming traffic side you wait before it for them to pull in ... 8:17 - well done you! ... maybe it is scary in a motorhome ... Campbeltown to Caradale had several hairpins and a legendary 1:1 hairpin ... just gone to google maps and would you believe it they've widened it ... I grew up on these roads ... it's weird people seeing the novelty ... you've had quite nice weather really ... I do hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip and look forward to the next installment
No it’s whoever gets there first pull in ,it’s not etiquette it’s common sense
You Missed Applecross Inn fish and chips - Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Great video, what is the length of your van please? Rgds Gary
You answered my question a minute after I posted my question ha ha.
6.8m
Hi Kat, love watching your videos ,one thing i've always wondered is how do you change a tyre when in a remote area , if the motorhome is 3 ton, do you have a jack big enough ?
God no! I’m not changing a tyre on that thing. For a start, I don’t have a spare, only that tyre weld stuff, so anything bad is a job for my breakdown company.
Brave girl and you enjoyed yourself, are you able to stop overnight on the carpark? bet the night sky must be awesome..Take care...
You sure are!
Awesome video, I think the steepness was a lot more than came across in the video. for a lady, you've got big balls if you parden the expression.
😂😂 thanks
What time was it when you started
Just after full daylight. About 8am ish. Prob 8.30 on the actual road.
I thought that you girls would be used to dealing with hairpins…
😂😂
' Modorhome' ?
Is that not how you say it? 🙈 Don’t be lisp-ist 🙃
Just a road, I've driven on worst tbh
ffs girls, you are driving at 30mph, how scary can that be lol
It’s not about the speed. It’s what you do with it…
Women are women, but then us guys, have more guts, to take on anything, and anyone maybe women hate or never like to reverse.
Useful minor training course for the Pyrenees.............
They’re on my list 🙃
Did that in ours last year. Watch out for cyclists😮
Luckily, the bad weather put them off!
can i just say you have beautiful lips happy camping
Thanks. I grew them all by myself 😉