Herb Riddle's photos

Back to our Spring Scottish holiday we see here another rendition from this lovely bay. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the day! Best full screen

Well after journeying probably a little more than 516 miles we arrive back at our departure point of Inverness. As I stand here on the banks of the River Ness I can now look back on the many splendid highlights of this Grand Tour. I would like to thank our Ipernity friend Roger for making this virtual tour possible via his NC500 group. I have enjoyed the memories of our mini trips that we have made over the last approx 30 years and made my contributions here possible. As Roger is meeting me here too today in Inverness there is just time to have a wee dram as we consider our next Scottish holidays. CHEERS to our NC500 viewers and thanks for your company! The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Just a short time back, we took a trip to a Yorkshire Dales town called Leyburn. Only yards from its town centre was the start of a delightful walk called ‘The Shawl walk’. So called because near the far end of it, sits an impressive castle that once held Mary Queen of Scots prisoner. It is said that she made an escape attempt along the shawls upper edge (The shawl being a long steep valley) and lost her shawl en-route leading to her re-capture. This carved bench was seen along the bottom path of our round walk here. PiP Enjoy full screen. HBM, enjoy the week.

A look at the The Cromarty Bridge, a road bridge carrying the A9 over the Cromarty Firth in Scotland. It was opened in 1976 and is 1464 metres (4803 ft) long. We are almost back in Inverness now having travelled almost the whole of the NC500 route clockwise. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

As we arrive back to the Firth of Cromarty we take a break and in doing so spot these Common Seals. They are always a delight to see and watch and no doubt they are keeping an eye on us too even though I am some distance away. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

The Inner harbour of Wick (One of three harbours) has a lot of marine activity. This timber being prepared for loading on the 'Scot Carrier' a specialist timber carrying vessel that takes timber to and from many other Scottish harbours. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems. Enjoy the weekend.

When shoals of herring moved away from the west coast, authorities turned toward Wick as a good prospect for the herring industry. Construction of Wick Harbour began in 1803 and was completed by 1811. Here we see The old Herring Mart, erected in 1890 on the site of an earlier fish market place. The Herring Mart, is thought to be the earliest purpose built fish market still standing in Scotland. The insert shows the extent of this industry at its peak around 1900 with its seasonal herring fishing, which peaked when some 1120 vessels were based here, and over two particularly busy days, landed fifty million fish! More info: www.wickheritage.org/herring.php The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

We have now turned south from John O'Groats towards the Caithness fishing town of Wick. It is now only a shadow of the great herring centre that it once was but for us it was still a most interesting place to visit. We see here the fish harbour. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

As we continue to walk along the top of these heady cliffs I glance down and see these Puffins. A long lens insures that they are not disturbed. According to the RSPB the Puffin is one of the world's favourite birds, it is certainly my favourite. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

The Duncansby Sea Stacks captured from the Duncansby Head cliff-top path. A contre-jour shot and so much of the detail has been lost but I think this photo still conveys much of the atmosphere of this remote headland at the very top NE corner of the UK mainland. There were many interesting stacks around here and many sea birds too. The Stacks of Duncansby are some of the finest in the British Isles. The Great Stack towers are 60m high. Best viewed full screen to see the diving birds. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

A very fine walk from John O'Groats brings us to Dunscaby Head and its famous sea stacks. As well as the incredible views you can enjoy seeing a varied amount of wildlife and seabirds including Fulmars, kittiewake, guiliemots, razorbills and the Skua and also a few puffins. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

As we enjoy the remoteness of this spot we are joined by a group of cyclist. I suspect that this scene is mirrored many times each week up here as the end point of such charity find-raising events. John o' Groats is a village 2.5 mi north-east of Canisbay, in the historic county of Caithness, Scotland. It lies on Scotland's north-eastern tip and is popular with tourists, as the most distant point on the mainland from Land's End in Cornwall, England, 876 mi to the south-west. Wikipedia The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Well we have made it this far. After many detours we have travelled roughly 400 miles since Inverness traveling clockwise. Only 120 or so more back to our start-point Inverness again. Phew! The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Welcome to Giles Bay on the Pentland Firth. We see here the Pentland Ferries craft that takes cars and passengers to St Margaret's Hope on the Orkney Island of Ronaldsay. Gills Bay, which is situated about 3 mi west of John o' Groats with the community of Gills close by, has one of the longest stretches of low-lying rock coast on the northern shores of Caithness. Its main features are a small harbour and the pier used as the mainland terminal for Pentland. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

As we continue east on this most north easterly point of the mainland we reach the Castle of Mey. The Castle of Mey was built between 1566 and 1572 and was used as an officers' rest home during the Second World War. In 1952, the estate was bought by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the widow of George VI. On 1 January 2019, stewardship of the Trust passed to The Prince's Foundation. The president of the Foundation is Charles III. During our visit inside the castle we were to see much memorabilia of that great lady. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

A place for the most dedicated UK explorer here. Just out of sight at the end of the headland of Dunnet Bay where we are based is this splendid lighthouse. Another built in 1831 by the renowned engineer Robert Stevenson. It is said that “Seal song” is often heard drifting up to the lighthouse from Brough Bay below. Certainly a great spot I can testify to. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Back from a week at Leyburn in North west Yorkshire we see here a scene from near The Shawl at Leyburn. A sign of things to come as this is barn and drystone wall country. A complete change for us is walking in summer outfits as it is hot and bright. Enjoy full screen.

This is the view almost from our caravan window each evening for six days. We are looking at Dunnet Head, a place we would explore in more detail soon. The house on the top is one which the late Queen Mother often visited to see friends. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.