NC500 Has Saved Highland Tourism

[Wildfisher]

Hate to say it guys but that's how it's looking. We were wrong!

After years of decline it looks like  the NC500 is brining in visitors by the Porsche-full. Hotels that have been threatened with closure for years are now booming and able to charge realistic rates.

Angling really does seem to be in terminal decline with fishing guests only taking up a small % of beds in what were traditionally fishing hotels. Allegedly even famous waters like Loch Naver and Loch Hope which still get decent  sea trout runs are left with most beats unfished most days.

Were it not for the NC500 crowd it would be grim indeed.  What has gone wrong? Fish farming perhaps?

[burnie]

Fishing is a dying sport Fred, when did we last see a youngster fishing? I used to see kids on Arbroath pier, but not anymore, fishing banned on Keptie pond(although we both know it still happens at night lol). Not only are tackle shops struggling, fisheries struggle to let rods, some estates push up the prices to compensate and even fewer anglers go. We are I fear a breed that will be forced more and more to the edges, ironically in some countries where folk still eat fish that's not covered in batter, fishing is still big business.

[Bobfly]

There are lots of folk who divert from the perimeter route and dodge about. There is no doubt that the NC500 has brought in a lot of trade that has sustained businesses. Traditional fishing hotels would have had to shut their doors. Many cottage lets charge a three day minimum for single overnights.

[johnesmithson]

There are two ways of looking at this; mine is that there is still good wild fishing to be had by the enthusiast, and we are lucky not to have to wait for the dead men to step out of their shoes before we can go and fish Loch Hope and the like. On the other hand, I do find it dispiriting that fishing is slipping ever lower on society's radar, and like you I worry about the lack of engagement with the young. Take the Dartmoor National Park for instance. When you look at the activities listed on their website there are ten in all, including letterboxing, geocaching and drone flying. No mention of angling despite the fact that there are many miles of highly affordable and publicly available water (my trout season ticket cost £70). The upside is that I never see another rod all day on most occasions, even at weekends.

[Wildfisher]

Traditional fishing hotels would have had to shut their doors.

For sure. Fishing is dying in part I think it's down to the diabolical climate and poor value for money - add to that that the fishing is nothing special compared to what is globally available. That simple fact gets Scottish Nationalist hackles rising but just going abroad to fish a few times should clear that up even for those with saltire shaped blinkers. 

Many cottage lets charge a three day minimum for single overnights.

This something the NC500 has really changed. Previously it was next to impossible to get a cottage rental of less than 7 nights. Another sign that anglers are deserting the highlands?

Take a look at the tariffs page on hotel websites such as Scourie and the Altnaharra. The prices have gone through the roof in the past few years. Clearly moaning torn-arse trout fishers are not likely to pay these rates, so the clientele must have changed.

[Wildfisher]

Take the Dartmoor National Park for instance. When you look at the activities listed on their website there are ten in all, including letterboxing, geocaching and drone flying. No mention of angling despite the fact that there are many miles of highly affordable and publicly available water (my trout season ticket cost £70). The upside is that I never see another rod all day on most occasions, even at weekends.

It is odd especially given the climate there is vastly better than in the highlands. I enjoy Chris Matthews' videos from that area.

[Bobfly]

National Parks are big sized generalist honeypots and they self promote to a general public who are not supposed to fly drones in urban areas and think wilderness is a two mile view. Anglers know what they want and where to go and are specialists like landscape painters and folk who want a quiet spot. I'm all for that !
I was up at Scourie for a week a short while back sharing a rented house with a few pals and I saw one angler. I don't know who was at the hotel but the carpark was full of fancy motors so there was plenty trade, as also the campsite.