Get your kicks from ‘Route 67’ poster
● View shown for publicity is not a stretch of North Coast 500
This view of Glen Docherty on the North Coast 500 publicity poster may be spectacular – but it is not actually on the route.
Motorists hoping to see the A832’s hairpin bends as it winds its way majestically though the glen will have to go several miles from the published 516-mile route around the north coast.
Visitscotland conceded that the picture showcases the type of scenery on the route but not the exact locations.
The poster is being displayed in tourist information centres to urge people to “Discover the North Coast 500, Scotland’s Route 66”.
One visitor was left wondering whether the panel’s designer had difficulty “discovering” the route themselves after noticing the image was not taken from the NC500, but instead at the famous viewpoint in Glen Docherty – several miles off the popular touring road.
Local councillor Ian Cockburn, who represents Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh, said that it was less like Scotland’s Route 66 and more like “Route 67”.
He said the blunder was perhaps understandable given the glen’s proximity to Kinlochewe and Achnasheen – both of which are on the route – but added that they “should be using an image that is completely within the North Coast 500, and there are plenty of them”.
He added: “It’s a bit unfortunate when there’s plenty of lovely views they could have used but I understand that it’s probably intended as a broad brush stroke of the Highlands”.
Fellow councillor Kate Stephen was also amused by the poster but added: “It’s really important that some of the areas off the route are promoted too, because there are a lot of really great visitor attractions around about and it would be a shame for them to miss out.
“There’s a whole pile of brilliant places off the route to explore, such as Strathpeffer.”
When the North Highland Initiative created the NC500 concept in 2015 it stressed that the route was intended as a guide and encouraged visitors to deviate from it and explore nearby attractions and communities.
A spokesman for Visitscotland highlighted this point in defence of the publicity poster.
He said: “This particular image is taken from the stunning Glen Docherty viewpoint just off the route but still showcases the amazing scenery of the NC500.
“This image has also been used by partner organisations and is currently on visitscotland.com on the ‘12 most iconic Scottish Views page’ (as an NC500 shot), as it clearly illustrates the type of stunning landscapes and breathtaking views that visitors can expect when driving the route and exploring the surrounding area.”
One local said: “I understand where they’re coming from, and can see why they chose Glen Docherty.
“It’s an iconic Ross-shire image, you can see Loch Maree in the far distance, which is on the route, and the winding road really helps to convey the joy of driving the area.
“But, then again, they could have conjured up the same effect by snapping the hairpins of the Bealach na Ba – with the happy bonus that it actually is on the NC500.”
0 The view of the A832’s hairpin bends is several miles from the actual route of the North Coast 500