Scotland's far north has always been a place you had to work to reach — which is exactly why it stayed wild. Then someone drew a circle on a map around it: 516 miles of coastal road from Inverness up the east coast, across the top of the country and back down the west coast. They called it the North Coast 500, and the secret got out.
We've driven it twice — once in a campervan in July, once in a hire car in September — and it remains, in our biased opinion, the most dramatic drive in the UK.
The Route at a Glance
The NC500 is a loop beginning and ending in Inverness, the Highlands' only proper city. Going clockwise (the classic direction), you head north-east through the Black Isle — known for dolphin-watching and small excellent breweries — then cross to the east coast proper.
The route runs past the dramatic ruin of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe to John o' Groats, the mainland's northernmost village (the true northernmost point is nearby Dunnet Head — worth knowing for pub quizzes). It then turns west along the north coast through Tongue and Durness — home of Smoo Cave, where a river drops into a walk-in sea cave — before swinging south at Loch Eriboll.
The west side is the showstopper: Ullapool's seafront, the bare mountains of Assynt, and finally the Applecross Peninsula, crowned by the Bealach na Bà — one of Britain's steepest passes, climbing over 2,000 feet above the sea.
Five to Seven Days: Our Daily Itinerary
How long should you take? We've done four days (too fast) and eight (just right). Five to seven days is the sweet spot, and this is roughly how we'd spend them:
| Day | Route | Mileage | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inverness to Wick via the Black Isle | 90 | Dolphins at Chanonry Point, Cromarty, Dunrobin Castle |
| 2 | Wick to Thurso via John o' Groats | 45 | Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, the cliffs, the John o' Groats signpost |
| 3 | Thurso to Durness | 70 | Tongue, Kyle of Tongue views, Smoo Cave |
| 4 | Durness to Ullapool | 95 | Loch Eriboll, Altnaharra, lochs and falls, slow west coast miles |
| 5 | Ullapool to Applecross | 80 | Assynt peaks, Corrieshalloch Gorge, the Bealach na Bà |
| 6 | Applecross to Inverness, via Skye if time | 120 | Plockton, Eilean Donan Castle, or the Skye detour |
Those mileages look small, and that's the point: single-track roads mean 30 mph on a good day, and you'll stop constantly for views. Plan on four to five hours of driving per day at most, and keep evenings free for a pub dinner.
Driving Single-Track Roads
Most of the route beyond the east coast is single track: one lane with passing places. The etiquette is simple, and everyone up here abides by it:
- When two cars meet, the one nearest a passing place pulls in and lets the other pass. A quick flash of headlights means "thank you", not "my turn".
- If a queue builds behind you, pull in at the next passing place and let it pass — nothing annoys locals faster.
- Sheep, deer and the occasional stag treat the road as their own. They have right of way, always.
On the Bealach na Bà, don't feel obliged to drive fast. Taking the pass at 15 mph with your window down and the sea a thousand feet below is the whole point of the trip.
Midges, Weather and When to Go
Scotland's midges are tiny biting flies that swarm around dawn and dusk from late May through September, especially in warm, damp, still air. They're more annoying than dangerous, but they can genuinely spoil an evening.
We handle them three ways: cover up at midge hours, use a proper repellent (locals swear by Smidge), and pick September over July — golden light, quieter roads, far fewer midges. Rain will find you no matter when you go; waterproofs are the packing priority, and the light between showers makes the photographs.
Campervan, Car or a Mix
Both work, and both have trade-offs:
- Campervan: freedom to stop anywhere and no daily hotel hunting, within the camping rules below. The downside: you're driving a house — slow, nervous miles and fuel bills to match.
- Car and campsites: cheaper and easier to drive, but plan where you'll sleep — Highland summer campsites book out weeks ahead.
- Wild camping: Scotland's right-to-roam rules allow camping on unenclosed land if you leave no trace, stay away from houses and roads, and don't pitch on someone's farm. It's a privilege, so treat it like one.
Where You'll Sleep
Book ahead in summer, no exceptions. Campsites run £10–20 per pitch, bunkhouses and hostels £25–35, and the few hotels and B&Bs fill first. The famous seafood restaurants — the Oyster Shed in Lochcarron, the Seafood Shack in Ullapool — take reservations a day or two ahead; make them.
Fuel, Food and Money
Fuel is the big practical surprise: filling a campervan hurts, and prices climb the further north you go — a litre in Durness costs noticeably more than in Inverness. Budget around £60–90 a day for fuel, food and one paid sleep, and stock up on groceries before leaving. West-coast shops are small, expensive and close early.
Pub meals run £12–20, fish and chips £8–12, and whisky to toast the sunset costs whatever your budget allows. Bring cash for honesty-box farm stalls — the remote bits still like coins.
Worth the Detour: Skye and Beyond
The NC500 proper doesn't include the Isle of Skye, but the classic add-on is dropping south from Applecross, crossing the bridge and spending two days on Skye — the Cuillin mountains, the Old Man of Storr and the Fairy Pools. Add two days and a great trip becomes a legendary one.
Short on time? Walk up at Dunnet Head for the north coast's best view, or watch the salmon leap at the Falls of Shin. Small stops, no crowds, and they cost nothing but petrol.
Final Word
The North Coast 500 is a route that demands patience and rewards it with views that stay with you for years. Drive it slowly, stop at every lay-by that calls to you, respect the passing places and the midges, and you'll come home with stories people ask about for years.
