NORTH COAST 500
The North Coast 500 from Edinburgh is a must-do when visiting Scotland. Described as ‘Scotland’s answer to Route 66’. The journey stretches along Scotland’s northern coastline and has been named ‘The Most Spectacular Drive in the UK’. The North Coast 500 (NC500) touring route promises to reward those who travel it with a fantastic Scottish experience. With towering Scottish mountains and vast Scottish lochs, to secret beaches and war-torn castles. Does this sound like the adventure you’ve been craving? Here’s the lowdown so you can start making your trip a reality,
NC500 MAP
So, before we start, we thought you would like an overview of the North Coast 500 drive. It’s called the NC500 because it’s 500 miles long and as you can see it’s a nice loop around the northern highlands of Scotland!
The Starting Point – Inverness
The 516-mile route begins officially at Inverness which is a 3-hour drive from Edinburgh. Inverness is often called the Capital of the Scottish Highlands, perfectly located to begin your road trip. Close by to Inverness you have Fortrose & Chanonry Point which are very popular spots due to the high chance of seeing our wild dolphins in their natural habitat. The magnificent Dunrobin Castle and Gardens makes a good stop, while the surrounding Sutherland coast has wide-open seascapes that you can see as you travel along the road. Rogie Falls is also relatively close by, which is a series of freshwater waterfalls. These waterfalls are beautiful to witness but also very popular with wild swimmers taking a refreshing, albeit chilly swim.
Mermaid of the North
The road heads north on the A862 through Dingwall and on to the Black Isle. Further North lies Tain, Brora and Lybster. The Mermaid of the North, Brora Beach and Whaligoe Steps are all worth a visit here. As are the Whisky Distilleries, Glenmorangie, Clynelish and Old Pulteney Distillery which are all relatively close by. In Caithness, close to the town of Wick, you can stop for photos of the dramatic clifftop ruins of Old Keiss Castle and Castle Sinclair Girnigoe.
JOHN O’GROATS
One of the most iconic stops during the North Coast 500 road trip is a picture by the famous John O’Groats signpost. There are several other places worth visiting here also, including Duncansby Head Lighthouse and Sinclairs Bay. A short walk along the cliffs at Duncansby Head Lighthouse rewards you with views of the jagged twin sea stacks known as Duncansby Stacks.
Thurso
From John O’Groats, the NC500 heads west, following the A836 road. It’s worth stopping at Dunnet Head, the northernmost point of the island of Great Britain, on a clear day you can have marvellous views right across to the Orkney Islands, including the famous Old Man of Hoy rock formation. If you have time for a detour, you can cross to the Orkneys from the ports of Gills Bay and Scrabster. On the other side of the town of Thurso, you can call in at Puffin Cove, where in 2019 the RSPB recorded 3500 pairs of puffins.
DURNESS
The lovely small village of Durness boasts several beauty spots along its wonderful coastline. Durness Beach, Sango Sands, Smoo Cave, once used by Vikings and whisky smugglers, it’s now a visitor attraction thanks to the waterfall within it. You really could spend a couple of days up in the Durness area.
Cape Wrath
The far northwest corner of Scotland is home to Cape Wrath, which you can only visit via an organised minibus tour and a ferry. Sandwood Bay is one of the UK’s most remote and arguably most beautiful beaches. It’s a few miles’ walk from the nearest car park, so it’s lovely, peaceful and very quiet.
ULLAPOOL
South of Durness lies Kylesku, Lochinver and Ullapool all of which are fantastically picturesque in their own right. Kylesku Bridge makes a lovely stop and you can also get a local boat tour from here that allows you to experience the landscape from a unique perspective. Achmelvich Beach is also relatively close by which is again another beautiful sandy beach in Scotland! We know, it’s hard to believe until you see it for yourself. Hikers can bag Munros including Ben More Assynt and Beinn Alligin, as well as smaller peaks like Stac Pollaidh and Canisp. On a clear day, the views from their summits of both the west coast and the islands beyond are incredible.
APPLECROSS
Applecross and the Belach na ba mark the turning point on your NC 500 road trip, if you are following the official route you will start heading east back towards Inverness after experiencing the infamous Belach na ba. The Road to Applecross (Belach na ba) is a mountain pass road with a steep incline and several hairpin bends on a single-track road. Arguably one of the most spectacular sections of road in the UK. The views from the car park at the top are awesome, while the final zig-zagging downhill section offers no less gorgeous scenery.
It’s then a 70-mile drive through beautiful highland scenery to Inverness, where you can explore the castle, the cathedral, and the Victorian Market, or continue to visit Nessie in Loch Ness, only a 20-minute drive south of the city.
HOW MANY DAYS DOES IT TAKE TO DRIVE THE NORTH COAST 500?
This depends on how much you want to drive and how many detours you plan to make. You could travel the entire route in a day if you don’t mind not sleeping or seeing anything along the way!
The North Coast 500 is designed for touring and sightseeing and taking things slowly. The minimum number of days we’d recommend to drive is 5 days, but 7 to 10 days would be ideal.
Those with more time can take some detours, visits to Loch Ness, Orkney Islands, Isle of Skye. If you love hiking, nature, and history You could fill up a week’s worth of stops and not run out of things to do.
Our campervans are fully equipped to give you the best camping in comfort experience while travelling in Scotland.
How long you choose to take is entirely up to you and how much time you have to dedicate to exploring this iconic route. Many people who do the NC500 over a weekend, but you can imagine that doing it in that amount of time would require a lot of sightseeing from the vehicle, rather than heading out and wandering around. We would recommend giving yourself at least 5 days as there are lots of places to visit and explore.
IS THE NORTH COAST 500 ACTUALLY 500 MILES?
Yes, The NC500 is slightly over 500 miles long full of beautiful coastal scenery. 516 miles to be exact, however, there are also some very popular diversions along the route which you won’t want to miss either. So, leaving from Scotland’s capital – Edinburgh, where we are based you would expect to do at least 800 miles from start to finish, taking into consideration some must-see diversions along the way.
IS THE NORTH COAST 500 SUITABLE FOR MOTORHOMES AND CAMPERVANS?
Yes, it was actually designed to encourage visiting commerce. The beautiful winding roads of the NC500 can be narrow at points but with sensible driving, even the largest of Motorhomes should have no problem.
There are many ‘Passing Places’ dispersed throughout the route, if you see an oncoming vehicle in the distance you should look to stop at your side of the next ‘Passing Place’ you encounter. Additionally, if you are taking it slow and enjoying the beautiful scenery from your window (who would blame you!) Look to stop at ‘Passing Places’ and allow vehicles behind to overtake you as some may be local residents who are not as lucky to be on holiday and trying to get on with their daily tasks.
So, Aye! The North Coast 500 road trip is suitable for campervans and motorhomes.
IS THE NORTH COAST 500 SIGNPOSTED?
There are Brown ‘NC500’ signs located all around the route, Brown signs are coloured for Tourist Information so keep your eyes peeled for them while driving as they will generally point you to some well-known Castles, Beaches and other well-visited sites you may have otherwise missed.
Local towns and villages will also be signposted, so if you know where you are planning on stopping next for the evening you will be able to follow the signposts for that particular town or village.
ARE THERE SHOPS AND PETROL STATIONS ALONG THE NORTH COAST 500?
Yes, the route goes through many small towns and villages and most of them have Shops and Petrol Stations. Some of the smaller villages may only have a small village shop but neighbouring towns will have larger Shops with petrol Stations so there is no shortage of fuel for yourself or your vehicle while traversing around the NC500.
Is the Isle of Skye on the NC500?
No, the official North Coast 500 route does not include the Isle of Skye, however, we recommend visiting the Isle of Skye if you have the time. Our alternative NC500 route includes Skye, so is worth checking out if you would like to incorporate this into your road trip.
SHOULD I DRIVE THE NORTH COAST 500 CLOCKWISE OR COUNTERCLOCKWISE?
Honestly, it does not matter a whole lot, we prefer going anti-clockwise and will detail our reasoning behind this.
If you were to go clockwise around the NC500 then you will arrive at the Road to Applecross within the first 70 miles of your official start point of Inverness. The Road to Applecross (Belach ne ba) is a mountain pass road with a steep incline and several hairpin bends on a single-track road. Now our preference is to leave this section until towards the end of our trip, so you are most comfortable with your vehicle as arguably this is one of the most challenging roads to drive during your North Coast 500 trip. We recommend including this on your trip as the views are absolutely spectacular but be cautious, especially attempting to tackle this on a vehicle you may not be fully familiar with.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO DRIVE THE NC500 ROAD TRIP?
The NC500 can be driven all year round, each season has both positives and negatives which we will detail below. Our picks are the months of March, April, and October.
SUMMER
This is the peak season for the North Coast 500. June, July, and August will be the busiest the NC500 will get. The sun will be shining, the popular stops will be busy, and you will have a good chance of meeting some friendly campers along the way to share your experiences with. The downside is that you will need to plan and book your campsites in advance as they can become full. Pubs and Restaurants may also be near capacity at peak times. Midges can also become a nuisance in some locations during the Summer.
AUTUMN
This will be quieter, and you should have no problems getting parked up close to some iconic beauty spots. The Autumnal colours are also a big plus, another big plus for travelling during the Autumn is the chance of experiencing the Northern Lights. You are most likely to see the Northern Lights Aurora in Scotland between September and March. However, the weather will be cooler with more chance of rain and wind. Also, some visitor attractions which are staffed will close outside of the peak months.
WINTER
North Scotland can become a haven for Snowboarders and Skiers during the winter as it can get a lot of snowfall during the winter months. These conditions are certainly not for everyone and can also make driving more treacherous. The weather will be cold, icy with a good chance of a dusting of snow. Seeing the mountains white with snow is amazing, however, winter is not a good choice if you are planning on whizzing around the NC500 in a few days. If you do not mind the cold and are prepared for taking things a little slower, you will most definitely get a cheaper getaway as the rates for campervan rentals and other activities will be reduced.
SPRING
One of our preferred seasons to go, the weather is more pleasant, the midges are not out, there is still a good chance of viewing the Northern Lights at night. The roads will be generally quieter as many wait until the start of the Summer Holidays, so you can get some fantastic trips in before it becomes busy.
Our favourite Road Trip – NC500
The NC500 is one of our favourite routes, the variety of scenery and activities on offer makes this route so special for us. One side of the road are dramatic war torn castles, rocky cliffs and beaches that wouldn’t look out of place in the Caribbean, while on the other are misty mountains, vast lochs, and wooded glens where wild deer roam. Once you’ve completed a road trip around Scotland’s wild and remote North Coast 500, you’ll realise you wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Activities on the NC500
Whether it’s paddle boarding, kayaking, boat trips, hiking, munro bagging, cycling, golf, fishing, stargazing, horse riding, and even the occasional ceilidh you’re after, you’ll find plenty of activities along the way. Many of the Highland Games take place throughout the areas of the North Coast 500, as well as rugby, football and shinty. You can also enjoy all the local food and drink, including whisky distilleries and seafood smokehouses, plus there are many lovely pubs, restaurants, and cafés to stop off at.
Is the North Coast 500 worth it?
Yes, we definitely think so. It really does seem to have it all. The North Coast 500 (NC500) touring route promises to reward those who travel it with a fantastic Scottish experience. With towering Scottish Mountain’s (Munro’s) and vast Scottish lochs, to secret beaches and war torn castles. The North Coast 500 is worth visiting, a truly unforgettable trip which we are sure you will look back on fondly.
Where does the North Coast 500 Start and End?
The route Begins and Ends officially at Inverness Castle, this really does make for a perfect starting point. The picturesque surroundings of Inverness Castle, which sits on a cliff dramatically overlooking the tumbling River Ness. You will be able to mark the start of your adventure with a fantastic photo of this historic castle.
Is their phone signal on the NC500?
Yes, we have not encountered many problems with our phone signal. However, do not expect to be streaming YouTube or Netflix on your 4G connection every night either. There are some locations which you just cannot seem to get a good signal, surrounded by forests, mountains or tucked away down a secluded glen. Sometimes that can be a good thing, right? Take some photos, you can share your experiences another time. If you do require to have a signal for any reason, just move onwards to the next town where there will most definitely be a phone signal.
Are there midges in the North Coast 500?
Yes, midges can be about during your NC500 trip, they are mostly around in the summer months, between May to September. They tend to be most prevalent during warm days with little wind, as they struggle to fly in windy conditions. Midges do you no harm, however, more irritating than anything else. Using insect repellent can be effective, or a wee dram of Scottish Whisky helps once you are parked up safely for the night.
Getting to Inverness
Inverness, the official start point of the North Coast 500 is 165 miles from Alba Campers – Edinburgh which would be just shy of 3 hours’ drive. Be mindful that some of the smaller roads along the NC500 can be difficult to negotiate in larger motorhomes, so consider this when hiring a vehicle. Bigger is not always better but this will depend on your individual requirements. If you are not sure what would be best for you, feel free to contact us and we will do our best to help.
Is the NC500 Single Track roads?
Yes, the vast majority of the North Coast 500 is single track roads. However, don’t be put off, these beautiful, narrow, winding roads give it character. Just be mindful to take your time and enjoy yourself. There are many ‘Passing Places’ dispersed throughout the route, if you see an oncoming vehicle in the distance you should look to stop at your side of the next ‘Passing Place’ you encounter.
Who set up the North Coast 500?
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales. Prince Charles set up the NC500 with the aim of promoting tourism to some of Britain’s most beautiful and remote locations. The North Coast 500 project which he founded has done that and has been a great success bringing many visitors to places that otherwise may have been missed.
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