Contin, Strathpeffer IV14 9ES, United Kingdom
My pitch at the campsite
The beautiful Contin Village Store
Starting the NC500 in Inverness
This campsite was the first stop for me on the North Coast 500. After a very late start in Inverness and some excellent fish and chips at Redshank (just before the Kessock Bridge), I arrived pretty late at the campground in Contin. But summer nights in Scotland are short, so I had plenty of light to set up the tent. And the owner had sent me beforehand a mail with all the information I would need.
Contin, Strathpeffer IV14 9ES, United Kingdom
My pitch at the campsite
The beautiful Contin Village Store
Starting the NC500 in Inverness
To have a little bit of a framework to evaluate campsites for bike travelers, I wrote my criteria down in another post. The review is based on these criteria.
I arrived in the evening, due to a late start in Inverness, and a little stop at a local deli in Strathpfeffer. I had booked beforehand and was therefore not worried that I would be able to pitch my tent. Rightfully so, on the entrance was a little note which pointed me to my space. I had received as well earlier a friendly mail from the owner with the access code for the lock. When I was setting up the tent, the owner came and welcomed me and gave me a bit of an introduction.
The campsite is pretty small and in the area, I've been there were no cars, but some RVs were on the other corner. Good enough!
There was a little picnic bench on my pitch, plus a fence, where I could lock my bike.
I'm frankly not sure, as I didn't need to charge my battery packs. But even if not, the owners live on the premises and were very friendly. I'm pretty sure they would help you.
There's a dry room, but no common room.
There was none of that on the premises. But just right out the gate is the Contin Village Store. The staff is super friendly and they had everything that I would need. Plus it looked so cute! One of my favorite general shops on my travels.
Absolutely! It's right on the North Coast 500 and could be considered the real starting point. Parts of the stretch from Inverness to Strathpfeffer are along a pretty busy road and not yet super scenic. When I started in the morning there were lots of cyclists grouping before the general store to start their tours.
It's hard to not find a beautiful location along the NC500. The campsite is no exception. It is directly located at Black Water and has access to the river.
A very good start for the NC500. Well located, with friendly owners and clean facilities. I would definitely visit again.
