North Coast 500 The Road Trip of a Lifetime – NC500 Guide Book by Robbie Roams

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if you want to rent a campervan for the drive, we recommend using Motorhome Republic, They compare prices across the major rental firms in the UK to find the best price for you. You can book your RV for the UK through them here. Boat trip out on Loch Ness to Urquhart Castle –The Loch Ness Monster is a national treasure – and don’t let anyone tell you she isn’t real. Take a leisurely boat trip out on Loch Ness* to the dramatic Urquhart Castle. Golfing.Scotland is the home of golf and attracts golfers from around the world who want to play some of Scotland’s best known courses. For golfers, I’d recommend driving the route between Inverness and Dornoch, and also detouring a bit from the NC500 to the Nairn area. The route is just over 500 miles and mainly hugs the northern coast of Scotland, hence the name. It was designed to showcase the natural beauty and local businesses in this part of Scotland which has previously received a relatively low level of tourism. It has become a major tourism success in Scotland with tens of thousands of people having already driven the route.

Buchollie Castle– access is across a walkway with sheer 100m drops on each side – don’t try and visit in bad weather!Visit the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve– explore the woodlands, home to 350-year-old Scots Pines remnant of the ancient Caledonian forest. Beinn Eighe is a Unesco Biosphere, covering 500,000ha meters of protected landscape. Waligoe Harbour– climb down 250 metres to the tiny Waligoe Harbour. Watch out for the weather – descending the 250 steps into sea haar can feel very spooky indeed. The North Coast 500 is often called “Scotland’s version of Route 66”, especially by mainstream media. In some ways they are similar in that they are great routes for a road trip and both offer some great scenery and attractions along the way. The NC500 route officially begins and ends in the city of Inverness at Inverness Castle, forming a loop. However, you can begin and end the route anywhere you choose although Inverness, as the largest city along the route, is a convenient place to start and stop. Inverness Castle How Do I Find and Stay on the North Coast 500 route? There are lovely views to be had on this stretch of the drive, with one of the more iconic North Coast 500 photos being Kylsesku bridge. There’s a parking area here just before the bridge with nice views of the surrounding landscape.

For accommodation, we have a guide to where to stay on the North Coast 500, which covers everything from luxury castle hotels to smaller guesthouses. We also have a list of our favourite B&Bs on the North Coast 500. Corrieshalloch Gorge– through which the River Droma falls through a series of waterfalls, including the huge 45 m Falls of Measach. Don’t be scared! This is a wonderful part of the world and we’d love for it to stay that way. If everyone does their bit, including things like being careful with litter, disposing of chemical toilets at official disposal points and driving carefully, it will hopefully remain wonderful for many generations to come.Your second day on the North Coast 500 will have you actually driving along Scotland’s northern coastline, and visiting the most northerly point in mainland Britain. Castle of Mey– Former home of the Queen Mother (Queen Elizabeth) and it has a farm animal petting/viewing area that might appeal to kids even if the castle doesn’t. John Lennon Memorial Garden – Durness was a favourite spot of John Lennon and there is a small memorial garden in Durness just past the Smoo Cave. Remember the route is not just for you to enjoy your holiday – people use the roads as part of their daily life, so let people past. The North Coast 500 brings together a route of more than 500 miles of stunning coastal scenery – 516 miles, to be exact. Not only is the NC500 one of the world’s best road trips, but it’s also one of the most beautiful. While the North Coast 500 is an experience in itself, you’ll also find plenty of adventures to be had along the way. We want everyone who visits the North Highlands to have the best time possible when driving the North Coast 500, so, in this article, we’ll bring you some top tips on how to make the very most of your trip.

Leaving the north coast of Scotland behind you reach Assynt and Coigach, one of my favourite parts of Scotland, and the most dramatic part of the North Coast 500 and the Scotland Route 66. Assynt is famous for its mountains – and Lochinver for its pies! Getting down to the cave is via a series of steps, and it will likely take you around ten minutes from the car park. You can explore the cave mouth area and visit the waterfall via a wooden walkway (be careful as it can be slippery). If you want to explore further, you can do so via a guided cave tour, with information on that available here.

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Hike the Golspie Big Burn to Ben Bhraggie– At Golspie make sure you visit the beautiful waterfalls at the Big Burn, and if you are feeling energetic there are mountain bike trailson Ben Bhraggie – or you could climb to the top for a view!

Loch Fleet – This national reserve is a nice spot and there are plenty of walking trails, many flat and easy. Good chance for spotting birds. The Skelbo Forest Walk is an easy and mostly shaded option and there are some woodcarved animals along the walk. Any detours you take, especially those on the west coast such as to the beautiful beaches of Achmelvich or Achiltibuie will also add time as these are slow roads.

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Bealach na Ba Viewpoint– drive this famous pass across the remote Applecross Peninsula. The road is utterly incredible, and definitely not for the faint of heart. I recommend that your stops are no more than 1-1.5 hours apart unless much of the journey is on a motorway or you know the rules of the road. 2 hours on mountain roads will exhaust even the most patient of drivers.