Description
Hire our car and plan your own North Coast 500 Tour, this is one for the bucket list.
The North Coast 500 (NC500) was created in 2014 by the North Highland Initiative.
It provides a 500 mile circular route of stunning coastal scenery. The route naturally follows the main roads across the coastal edges of the North Highlands taking in towns & villages, such as Ullapool, Durness, John O’Groats, Dornoch and Inverness.
The Official NC500 route begins and ends at Inverness Castle. This is a perfect starting point, as its location offers unparalleled views over this “capital city” of the Highlands.
Our tour is of (6) days duration, covering the circular route from & returning to, Inverness.
Day One
AM
Detour to Loch Ness
You can’t go to the Highlands without visiting Loch Ness,.
A chance to spot Nessie,(the Loch Ness Monster)?The loch is 23 miles long & located in the Great Glen. Its depth exceeds 750 ft in places & never freezes over. Dores Inn is a great stop for lunch, while taking in the Loch views.
PM
We head back towards Inverness and pick up the NC500.
We follow the B9163 along the coast of the Black Isle, past Culbokie and towards Cromarty. Great views here across to Aberdeenshire!
We continue along the coast on the A832 towards Fortrose. The Anderson provides our base for the night and is the perfect place for good food and company.. Drop off any bags here but don’t stay too long, as you have a tour at Black Isle Brewery, (in nearby Munlochy) to experience!
Day Two
AM
Up and at ‘em!
Fuel up on a full Scottish breakfast at the Fortrose Café before continuing our journey.
Rain or shine, the view on the east is unrivalled! Stop at The Storehouse of Foulis to spot seals and taste their famous Scottish “Tablet”.
We enjoy the drive north, soaking up the amazing coastal views on your right hand side. Golspie is the home of Dunrobin Castle – the seat of Clan Sutherland! Explore the amazing grounds and Falconry displays at this spectacular location!
Get ready for the steep gradient of Berriedale on our way back north! This is a great road for soaking up the coastal scenery on our right. There are frequent opportunities to pull in & capture memorable panoramic photos of the tour!
PM
We arrive in John O’Groats!
Did you know this is the most northerly village in mainland Britain? Time to explore & take photos, at the famous signpost!
The Seaview is a great spot for lunch. Try to sample locally made ice-cream at Flavours!
Time to check-in!
The Weigh Inn (Thurso) is just 15 minutes away.
Day Three
AM
Rise and shine!
Once you’ve refuelled both yourself and the Boxster (petrol station just 2 minutes away!) we get back on that road, heading west!
We will find ourselves passing through a string of beautiful, rural villages. Pull over in Strathy and find the walkway to the beach. A secluded spot with a small cave inlet – a great photo opportunity!
When we arrive in Tongue, we pull over for photos of the stunning Castle Varich perched on the hill crest. At the bridge, we make another small detour, to take in the stunning coastal scenery at Talmine!
PM
While we are here
A minor detour to The Craggan Hotel for lunch
Back on the NC500 route now, we are about to pass through the amazing scenery of Ben Loyal, Ben Hope and Loch Eriboll.
We stop at Smoo Caves in Durness – the largest sea cave in Britain! A chance to explore the nearby Sango Sands.
Back on the route & on to the accommodation – Kylesku Hotel has a reservation for us! They have a great bar and restaurant to relax in.
Day Four
AM
Good night sleep?
We hope sincerely hope so!
Fill up on a hearty breakfast at the hotel before setting off for the day
A photo of Kylesku bridge is almost obligatory on this tour – park up and capture the amazing views of this stunning bridge!
If you are a whisky connoisseur, then you must visit Drumbeg Stores in Drumbeg to purchase, (or even make a private bottling of,) limited edition Drumbeg Whisky – not available anywhere else! Drumbeg also offers a great selection of local produce, arts and crafts.
The scenery here just gets better and better! We enjoy a stop at Achmelvich and Clachtoll beaches – often said to be the best in the Highlands!
We make a slight diversion to the village of Lochinver! Spot the marvellous mountain of Suileven with its unique ‘police man’s helmet’ shape and Canisp, which forms the background to the village.
PM
You can’t leave Lochinver without a pie!
Lochinver is the home of the famous Lochinver Larder pies!
Back on the road – but not for long because Ardvreck Castle perched on Loch Assynt on our right hand side, is beckoning! This gorgeous castle is picture card perfect
Following the NC500, with even more stunning coastal scenery, we find ourselves at Ullapool, our home for the evening! We explore the area a little before checking in at The Ceilidh Place?
Day Five
AM
Good night?
Experience the fresh open air of the road past the picturesque Loch Broom and Gruinard Bay to Aultbea, a lovely fishing village perched on Loch Ewe. We usually stop at the Perfume Studio Café, for a mid-morning break.
PM
The NC500 will lead us through Poolewe (worth a stop) and Gairloch, where we stop, at Big Sands beach, to experience the views over to Skye and the Hebrides.
After all of that exploring, The Old Inn is a great lunch stop (specialising in seafood!)
Passing through picturesque spots in Torridon and Kinlochewe, we find ourselves approaching the infamous ‘Bealach Na Ba’, notorious for its steep gradients and bends! Savour this great driving experience!
Applecross Inn is our base for the night – this Inn is multi-award winning and it is not hard to see why! Relax on our final night of the tour, with a delicious menu of local produce and experience the friendly ‘craic’ with the locals.
Day Six
AM
Time to head home!
Follow the North Coast 500 back to Inverness and don’t forget to head back to the castle for our finishing photo!
Congratulations! – We have completed the North Coast 500!
What’s Included £2380:
Full guided tour for 6 days
6 Days Porsche Boxster Hire
6 Days Insurance
Dinner for 2
5 nights accommodation for 2
Breakfast for 2
What’s not Included
Fuel
Personal expenses
Motoring Tours
We hire one of the best performing sports cars in the world and a whole lot more:
For the average driver, daily driving is not the pleasure, it once was, however, for a classic UK, or Continental road touring holiday, the right combination of route, scenery, stop over facilities, weather (unfortunately out of our control,) meticulous planning & most importantly – the car, can provide a unique & memorable experience.
Many companies offer escorted tours, within the UK & Europe, but few also provide the ideal car to undertake them in. We have a small stable of iconic Porsche Boxsters, available to hire, either to undertake these tours, or to mark special occasions / celebrations / corporate events, etc. The cars are prepared & maintained to the highest standards by our auto sports division – MMG Performance.
What is an Escorted Tour?
An escorted tour, is a unique motoring experience, led by one of our experienced tour managers, for a small group of like minded people.We undertake all of the planning, in order to maximise your enjoyment lasting memories, of the tour.
This does not mean that our itineraries are rigid – quite the opposite – we are totally flexible, to the point that tours can be modified to meet specific detours for the group, or individuals can make personal detours, while staying in contact with the tour manager & meeting up with the main group, as & when.
Porsche Hire for Special Occasions
Available at a daily/ weekly hire rate for :Birthdays, Anniversaries, Proms, Weddings, Surprise Gift experience, as a Thank You, or to mark a Retirement, a day at the Races, or similar high profile event, (where travelling by Porsche could greatly enhance the experience & memory). Also, Car Club events, fun weekend, with a group of friends, Corporate Events, or just exploring the wealth of attractions & beautiful scenery, on our doorstep of the Peak District.
About Us
Peak Performance Hire, is a division of MMG Performance, a successful & innovative company providing bespoke tuning & performance modifications for road & track cars for enthusiasts, since 1995 We are centrally located in the historic Derbyshire market town of Ashbourne, famed for the annual medieval Shrovetide Football game, having more than 200 listed buildings & being the southern gateway to the Peak District national park- an area of varied natural beauty. MMG’s reputation has spread by both word of mouth & track results, with many Continental enthusiasts now seeking us out.
Why Peak Performance ?
Our primary objective is to become a leading performance touring experience provider, using our own small stable of Porsche Boxsters. Many companies offer similar touring experiences, either using your own car, or providing a hire car, from a third party, (which potentially complicates the commercial terms of the tour).
Our team has considerable experience (some, in excess of 20 years,) of planning & leading bespoke tours. This results in relaxed, smooth running, and optimised tours, through stunning scenery, on iconic routes. Our tour facilities providers, i.e. hotels, ferries, etc. (are all known / proven, being selected for their interesting location & quality.
Your enjoyment of the experience is our constant aim, so we undertake the navigating & keep in contact via 2-way radio. We plan comfort/refreshment breaks, photo opportunities & even fuel stops, such that you can concentrate on fully enjoying the scenery & driving experience. Each tour is exclusive, frequently limited to two or three cars, plus the Tour Manager, but never more than six cars. We are centrally located in the country, at the southern end of the Peak District national park, which itself offers spectacular driving opportunities.
Our Porsche Boxsters are the ideal roadster, in which to undertake our tours. We have manual & automatic versions available.As a bespoke tours provider, we can offer total flexibility, with regard to scope, route & itinerary, (e.g you may wish to separate from the group for a day to explore a place / area of particular interest to yourself & then meet up at the tour hotel, in the evening.)
Our secondary objective is to provide a premium Porsche Boxster hire service, on a daily or weekly basis.
All-Inclusive Escorted Tours
Include:
Porsche Boxster hire
An experienced Tour Manager for the duration of the tour
Accomodation
Breakfast, Lunch & Evening meal, (excluding alcoholic drinks)
Ferry fees (where appropriate)
Route planning
Car insurance
Specifically excluded are:
Passport or visas provision
General holiday & medical insurance
Fines resulting from violating motoring rules & regulations, (e.g.speeding)
Fuel
We also supply terms & conditions
Tour Start & Finish Point:
Most tours will start & finish at our Ashbourne (Derbyshire) base.
We are able to arrange pick up & drop off at:
East Midlands, Birmingham or Manchester Airports
Derby train station
Clubs & Groups
It may be possible to organise one of the listed tours, on a different date to the main events calendar, for your Club, or Group. We would be very pleased to discuss your requirements.
Porsche Boxster Hire
We have an automatic Boxster “S” available, as well as manual models.
There are many occasions, e.g. special events, anniversaries, celebrations, etc, that could be made even more memorable by hiring one of these great open top touring cars.
The Cars:
P300 EAK: PORSCHE BOXSTER:
Type: CONVERTIBLE (Electric folding roof)
Doors: 2 DOOR CONVERTIBLE
Colour: Metalic GREY
Engine size: 6 cylinder 2687cc
Transmission: 5 SPEED MANUAL PETROL
Fuel: PETROL
P400 EAK: PORSCHE BOXSTER S
Type: CONVERTIBLE (Electric folding roof)
Doors: 2 DOOR CONVERTIBLE
Colour: Blue
Engine size: 6 cylinder 3179cc
Transmission: 6 SPEED Tiptronic (auto)
Fuel: PETROL
P500 EAK: PORSCHE BOXSTER S
Type: CONVERTIBLE (Electric folding roof)
Doors: 2 DOOR CONVERTIBLE
Colour: Metalic GREY
Engine size: 6 cylinder 2687cc
Transmission: 5 SPEED MANUAL PETROL
Fuel: PETROL
Multi-Car Hire
Why not hire our cars out together to enjoy with your friends for a weekend?
Especially with having the great Peak District on our doorstep.
FAQs
Q: Can I join a tour driving my own car?
A: Yes, There will be a charge for this depending on which tour you decide to take. We do limit the cars taken to a total of six at any one time.
Q: Is there a minimum age to hire one of your Boxsters?
A: Yes, you must be over 25.
Q: Will my car be safe at your premises while I/we are away?
A: Yes, our premises has its own car park which is secured at night and we are happy to store your car inside the premises on request.
Q: Is my deposit safe?
A: Yes, your deposit is completely safe and we will return this to your account / card whilst you are here after inspecting the returned vehicle. This normally takes around 3 days to show in your account after we credit you.
Q: What happens if I am taken ill during a tour?
A: If you are taken ill during a tour, we will take all necessary steps to ensure you are taken care of and make any arrangements for you.
Q: What happens if my hire car breaks down?
A: If any of our cars breakdown we will make all the necessary arrangements to either provide you with a replacement car or get you and the car recovered. We will then arrange either another days hire for you or a refund.
Q: If I choose to travel to Ashbourne, by rail, or air – can you arrange pick up &
drop off at the nearest station / airport?
A:Yes, as long as we have some notice, all this can all be arranged from our end.
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