North Coast 500
830 km of wild coast around Scotland's roof: Caribbean-looking beaches (minus the water temperature), alpine passes and fishing villages — the "Scottish Route 66" earns its legend.
Suggested stay — 5 to 8 days
From Inverness, the NC500 loops the northern Highlands via the shattered west coast (Applecross and its Bealach na Bà, Britain's most alpine pass; Torridon; Assynt and its sculpture-mountains like Suilven), the north-west cape (the white sands of Sandwood Bay and Achmelvich, Smoo Cave at Durness), then the north coast to John o'Groats before easing down the gentler east.
Allow 5 days minimum, 7-8 to enjoy it: the western half concentrates the wonders and the slowest single tracks. In a campervan the loop is bliss provided you play fair: use sites and designated overnight spots rather than the wild parking free-for-all that rightly irritates residents.
Don't miss
- The Bealach na Bà pass and the drop into Applecross (caravans prohibited, rightly)
- Assynt: Suilven, Achmelvich beach, the ruined Ardvreck Castle
- Durness: Smoo Cave, Balnakeil beach and the Cape Wrath minibus-ferry
- The east coast's harbours and Dunrobin Castle on the becalmed return
Our tips on the ground
- Anticlockwise recommended (east coast first) to finish in apotheosis with the west — or clockwise to keep the easy part for dessert: decide by the forecast.
- Book the key nights in summer (Ullapool, Durness, Applecross): the north-west's capacity is tiny.
- Fuel: fill at every town (Ullapool, Scourie, Durness, Thurso) — stations are scarce and close early.
On our publishing schedule
Coming soon“Scotland on your own”, the complete edition, is in preparation
Same method as our Namibia guide: day-by-day itineraries, driving, a costed budget and checklists. Leave us your address and you'll hear about the launch — at the launch price.
In the meantime, our reference
The “Namibia on your own” guide — €29
- The same method, already applied to Africa's easiest self-drive country
- 3 day-by-day itineraries, 4x4 insurance decoded, costed budget
- Instant download, 14-day guarantee — currently in French, English edition coming
Before you go
Readers' questions about North Coast 500
Is the NC500 doable in an ordinary car?
Perfectly: everything is tarred, including the Bealach na Bà (steep and narrow, but a city car passes in decent weather). The issue isn't the vehicle but the pace: the western single tracks impose 40 km/h averages — whoever plans 300 km a day turns the dream into a chore.
Campervan or hotels/B&Bs?
The van offers supreme freedom on this loop (waking to the sea, cooking aboard in drizzle) at the cost of more attentive single-track driving. By B&B, the NC500 becomes a tour of memorable Scottish breakfasts — but each summer night must be booked far ahead.