Plan your itinerary along Scotland's North Coast 500 with this guide

Despite the plunging glens and mirrored lochs on all sides, Scotland’s scenic drives have never achieved quite the same celebrity status as legendary road trips such as America’s Route 66 or Italy’s Amalfi Coast – at least, not until now.

Following a network of A- and B-roads through some of the most spectacular scenery in the Scottish Highlands, the North Coast 500 (NC500) route has elevated Scotland to the top tier of road trip destinations. Starting from Inverness, you’ll weave past time-scarred castles and lonely lochs and drop in and out of lonely glens and rocky coves, where seals loll on unexpected white-sand beaches hemmed by wildflower-filled machair meadows.

Whether you commit to the whole 516-mile route or sample just a section, this epic Scottish road trip promises a breathtaking odyssey through the untamed beauty of Scotland’s northern Highlands. From the rollercoaster ride down the Berriedale Braes to the white-knuckle hairpins of the Bealach na Bà pass, this is a drive that will inspire and linger long in the memory.

Here’s our guide to driving a route that is fast earning a reputation as Scotland’s Route 66 – welcome to the North Coast 500.

Inverness Castle on the bank of the River Ness. — Inverness Castle on the banks of the River Ness. northlightimages/Getty Images

Where to start: Inverness

Whether you follow the NC500 route in an anticlockwise direction – the most common choice – or begin in the west and go north then east, you’ll start in Inverness, the self-styled capital of the Highlands. Famed as the gateway to Loch Ness, this lively city has plenty to see and do, from a famous castle to dolphin-spotting boat trips, and it’s easy to get here by road, rail and air.

Inverness’ small airport receives flights from London, Manchester and Belfast, plus a handful of other destinations around Scotland and Europe. However, it may be cheaper to fly into Edinburgh or Glasgow and take the train; Scotrail has regular services to Inverness, with easy connections on to other parts of the UK.

Coming by road, follow the A9 through dramatic Highlands scenery from Edinburgh. However you get here, you’ll want a car (easily hired in Inverness) to get the most out of this epic Scottish road trip.

Mountains lightly dotted with snow around the Allt Chranaidh Waterfall on the NC500 driving route in Scotland. — Wintery scenery on the NC500 driving route. Robert Ormerod for Lonely Planet

When should I drive the North Coast 500?

The best time to drive the NC500 matches the best time to visit the rest of Scotland. Summers are warm and dry but crowded and sometimes blighted by midges (biting flies), so many visitors prefer the mild and relatively bug-free spring and fall.

Summer: The driest and warmest months are from June to August, when the long days are ideal for exploring, but sights and accommodation can be busy with tourists, and this is also the peak season for the dreaded midge. During the season, bug repellent company Smidge produces a helpful midge forecast so you can keep abreast of the midge situation.
Spring and fall: While conditions are damper than in summer, there are still plenty of dry days, midges are less common, and it’s plenty warm enough for hiking (and camping, with a sleeping bag). Spring transforms the coastal machair into a riot of wildflowers, while fall paints the Highlands with vivid red and yellow foliage.
Winter: The weather can be harsh in the Highlands from November to February, and rain, ice and snow can bring treacherous driving conditions to minor roads, but the route is still possible. High passes such as the 626m-high Bealach na Bà are sometimes off-limits when it snows, and some places to stay as well as restaurants close for the winter.

A hiker on Ben Alligin Ridge in the Torridon Mountains in the Scottish Highlands. — A hiker in the Torridon Mountains on the west coast of Scotland. Duncan Andison/Shutterstock

The top things to do on your North Coast 500 road trip itinerary

While the simple act of driving is a pleasure in the uplifting scenery of the Scottish Highlands, there’s plenty to tempt you out of your car along the route, including some of Scotland’s best hikes.

1. Hike the Scottish hills

It would be impossible to tour the NC500 without stopping to hike up – or at least admire – the shapely peaks that adorn almost every view. There are all sorts of hills and mountains to climb along the route, from small hummocks to exposed summits, and trails range from easy rambles from roadside car parks to challenging all-day hikes.

Tackling some of Scotland’s Munros – mountains measuring over 3000ft in height – is the most popular challenge. Must-climb peaks include challenging Beinn Eighe (3310ft) on the west coast and Ben Hope (3041ft) on the north coast, with its sweeping views inland and out across the sea towards Orkney. Then there’s exposed Stac Pollaidh (2008ft), reached via a well-maintained path from Loch Lurgainn, which offers wraparound vistas of misty lochs and barren, jagged peaks.

2. Discover crofting culture

Up until the 19th century, thousands of Highlanders lived in settlements known as bailes, farming land granted to them by the local chieftain in return for military service and a portion of the harvest. Tragically, 19th-century landowners such as the Duke of Sutherland saw sheep farming as a more profitable investment, and cleared their lands of tenants, forcing thousands to relocate to cities or emigrate from their homeland.

Those who stayed struggled on, working small plots of land known as crofts, and supplementing their meager income by fishing and kelp harvesting. Many of the tiny crofters’ cottages that once housed whole families can be seen along the route of the NC500. Learn more about their tough lives at the Ullapool Museum and in the reconstructed crofters’ dwellings at the Gairloch Museum and Strathnaver Museum.

A view of Ardvreck Castle on Loch Assynt in Scotland. — Ardvreck Castle reflected in Loch Assynt in Scotland. Robert Ormerod for Lonely Planet

3. Visit wildly romantic Highland castles

The history of the Highlands from the 12th to the 16th centuries was volatile and violent, with regular battles between the Highland clans and against the British and their agents in the Scottish nobility. This explains all the castles – both ruined and intact – that litter the route of the NC500.

The most notorious feud took place between the 14th and 17th centuries, pitting the Mackays from the north coast against the Sutherlands of the east coast. You can see Mackay and Sutherland memorabilia at Strathnaver Museum and Dunrobin Castle, respectively, both with stories inextricably tied to the Highland Clearances.

Other impressive castles to explore include the elegant Victorian pile of Inverness Castle, the clifftop ruin of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe near Wick, the Clan MacLeod stronghold of Ardvreck Castle overlooking Loch Assynt, and lonely Castle Varrich – a Clan Mackay holdout gazing over the Kyle of Tongue.

4. Eat and drink like a Scot

Forget what you may have heard about deep-fried “everything” – Scottish cuisine is much more sophisticated than that. Seafood, especially shellfish, is the standout food experience on the NC500, from breakfast kippers, cullen skink soup and smoked salmon suppers to scallops and creel-caught lobsters, langoustines and crabs, all washed down with locally produced whiskies and beers.

Standout places to dine on seafood include the Captain’s Galley in Scrabster, the Shieldaig Bar & Coastal Kitchen on Loch Torridon, Scourie’s simple Crofter’s Kitchen and Tarbet’s Shorehouse – serving crab and langoustines from its own boat. Oh, and fish and chips can be found everywhere, with cod or haddock delivered fresh off the fishing boats.

If you’re fond of a dram, many of the region’s whiskey distilleries offer tours that delve deep into the whiskey-making process – the malting and mashing of the barley, fermentation, distillation, and the maturing of the whisky in casks – followed by a tasting session. Top distilleries to tour include Glenmorangie near Tain, 8 Doors near John O’Groats and Old Pulteney near Wick.

Grassy dunes at Clachtoll Beach at sunset on the NC500 driving route in Scotland. — A remote Scottish beach on the west coast at sunset. Robert Ormerod for Lonely Planet

5. Get an epic sea view

The NC500 passes some of the most humbling coastal scenery in Scotland. The route winds past photogenic sandy beaches with turquoise waters that wouldn’t look out of place in the Caribbean, sandstone crags crowned with crumbling castles, rocky islands crammed with thousands of nesting seabirds, and the highest vertical sea cliffs in Britain.

The character of the coastline changes as you circle the NC500. The east coast is mainly low-lying and sandy, but it gives way in the north to natural arches and sea stacks and spectacular stratified cliffs – most famously at the Duncansby Stacks and the towering, Atlantic-smashed headland at Cape Wrath.

Sheltered by the Outer Hebrides and dissected by glacier-gouged fjords, the west coast mixes crags of tortured gneiss with sparkling golden beaches that see more seals and seabirds than people. Dream spots for a stroll (or even a swim) include Torrisdale Bay near Bettyhill, the family-friendly beach at Durness, the drifting dunes of Achnahaird Bay near Coigach, and wild and remote Sandwood Bay reached by a 4-mile hike from Kinlochbervie.

Eriboll Church near Loch Eriboil on the NC500 driving route in the Scottish Highlands. — A lonely church beside the NC500 route. Robert Ormerod for Lonely Planet

The best North Coast 500 itineraries

How long you spend driving the NC500 will depend on how much of the route you plan to drive, and how many hikes and detours you plan to fit in along the way. Here are some of the best options.

However long you drive for, be sure to tackle the route responsibly, driving and parking carefully and taking care to avoid damaging nature. Make appropriate toilet stops, and dispose of your garbage in the proper place (or carry it away with you).

The Classic North Coast 500

Best for: Taking in the highlights at an easy pace
Time: 8 days

This itinerary heads anticlockwise around the northern Highlands – the most popular direction to drive – saving the stunning west coast till last. The time frame means you’ll have fairly short driving days, covering around 65 miles per day, with the opportunity for plenty of stops to enjoy the NC500’s beaches, villages, lochs and mountains. There'll also be time for side hikes such as the cliff walk at Cape Wrath and the ascent of Stac Pollaidh.

Overnight stops: Starting on the east coast, you’ll want to break the trip for the night at Dornoch, John O’Groats, Kyle of Tongue, Durness, Clachtoll, Ullapool, Gairloch and Shieldaig.

A short trip along the NC500

Best for: The time-poor who still want a proper NC500 experience
Time: 4 days

This is about the fastest you can do the NC500 and still come away with rewarding memories. Days on the road will be long (120 miles plus), and you won’t be able to linger at every stop or make many hikes along the way, but you’ll get to see those fabulous landscapes unfurl through your windscreen. And there’ll still be time to visit the sights that impress the most and be safely back in Inverness after a thrill-packed long weekend.

Overnight stops: Follow the NC500 anticlockwise, sticking to the main roads and pausing for the night at Lybster, Bettyhill, Ullapool and Applecross.

Waves break on Durness Beach on the north coast of Scotland. — Durness Beach on the north coast section of the NC500. Robert Ormerod for Lonely Planet

The NC500 by bike

Best for: Outdoor lovers with thighs of steel
Time: 9 days

This 40- to 65-míle-a-day itinerary is probably the shortest satisfying cycling option, and it includes plenty of level sections as well as challenging climbs and freewheeling descents into beach-filled coves. The A9 from Inverness north to Wick and Thurso is a busy main road, so consider leaving the main NC500 route at Evanton and heading cross-country on minor roads via Lairg and Strathnaver to Bettyhill on the north coast. This means missing out on John O’Groats, but it includes the wild and desolate landscapes around Loch Naver. Agencies such as Wilderness Scotland offer escorted cycle tours if you’d rather have some support along the route.

Overnight stops: Over nine stamina-testing days, you’ll make overnight stops at Lairg, Bettyhill, Durness, Achmelvich, Ullapool, Gairloch, Shieldaig and Lochcarron, before rolling back into Inverness.

A sustainable trip along the NC500

Best for: Environmentally aware travelers
Time: 2 weeks

With careful planning, it is possible to cover most of the NC500 on public transport, at least in summer. Currently, the only gap is between Scourie and Inchnadamph, which you can walk over two days, with a stop in Kylesku. However, in winter, some bus timetables drop to just a few services per day, or even one bus per week. The website Traveline Scotland can help with route planning and bus timetables. As an alternative environmental strategy, consider driving the NC500 in an electric vehicle; the biggest gap between charging points is no more than 40 miles.

Overnight stops: If you’re relying on public transport or electric car charging points, it’s best to stick to larger overnight stops such as Thurso, Durness, Torridon and Ullapool.

The Bealach na Bà, a winding, single-track road in the Scottish Highlands that passes through the Applecross peninsula on the NC500 route. — Dramatic winter scenery on the Bealach na Bà pass. Robert Ormerod for Lonely Planet

Driving the NC500 in winter

Best for: Lovers of slow travel
Time: 12 days

While a bit of planning is needed, a winter tour is perfectly feasible, and you’ll have the route almost to yourself. Plenty of hotels, hostels and campsites stay open; the main drawback is shorter hours of daylight and the possibility of snow and ice creating hazardous driving conditions. On the flipside, the landscape looks simply magnificent when dusted with snow. Take your time and be flexible, and carry blankets, water and food in your vehicle in case you get stuck out overnight.

Overnight stops: As accommodations in smaller villages may be closed for the season, plan your trip around major stops such as Thurso, Durness, Torridon and Ullapool.

Going clockwise around the NC500

Best for: Contrarians and traffic dodgers
Time: As long as you like

Most drivers tackle the NC500 in an anticlockwise direction to save the best scenery for last, but some folks just love doing things differently. The traffic can be lighter moving from west to east, and if you time it right, you can be heading out of Durness as dawn breaks over the Kyle of Tongue. While the east coast is arguably less scenic as a final leg, it is an easier ride if tempers are fraying at trip’s end.

Overnight stops: Starting on the west coast, it makes sense to stop in Shieldaig, Gairloch, Ullapool, Lochinver, Durness, Wick and Tain before you cruise back into Inverness.

A view of Stoer Lighthouse and surrounds on the NC500 driving route in Scotland. — Views of Stoer Lighthouse and surrounds on the NC500 driving route in Scotland.

First-time tips for driving the NC500

Whether this is your first time in Scotland or you’re a regular visitor, there are a few things to know before you set off on the road.

Visas

Since April 2025, everyone wishing to travel to Scotland and the rest of the UK – except British and Irish citizens – needs an electronic travel authorization (ETA) or visa. The ETA costs £10 and it permits multiple journeys to the UK for stays of up to six months over a two-year period. Apply online or via the UK ETA app. If a visa is required for your nationality, read up on the requirements and apply in good time.

Health insurance

For necessary medical treatment, citizens of the EU, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein receive free or reduced-cost, state-provided healthcare coverage with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued by your home country. Everyone else is advised to obtain travel insurance with health cover before traveling.

Language

The Scottish Highlands is the traditional realm of Gaelic speakers, but English is universally spoken. Learning the meanings of historical Gaelic place names will add to your understanding of the landscape – and they’re a fixture on road signs and at many sights.

Phones and wi-fi

The phone signal is good in some spots, patchy in others, due to the rippling landscape of hills and heathlands. Often, you’ll have a good enough signal for calls, but 5G and 4G data connections can be intermittent, and there are spots where making calls and getting online is impossible. Reliable wi-fi can be found at many hotels, guesthouses, hostels, cafes and restaurants along the NC500 route.

A view over Loch Assynt on the NC500 driving route in the Scottish Highlands. — A waterlogged landscape at Loch Assynt. Robert Ormerod for Lonely Planet

Other practical tips

Fuel up when you get the chance; most petrol stations are in larger villages and many keep short hours – you never know if the next petrol station will be open.
Drive cautiously and let faster vehicles pass; remember, you’re here to enjoy the scenery.
When driving on single-lane roads, pull over where you can to let approaching vehicles pass.
Bring your home driving license to hire a vehicle; you also need to have been driving for at least 12 months.
Carry a paper map or road atlas to back up your phone or GPS (and download the relevant Google map to use offline).
Beware of animals on the roads, particularly deer, sheep and birdlife.
Travel with a simple kit for emergencies – a phone and a powerbank to charge it, food and water, and blankets in case you have to spend a night in your car.
Drunk driving is taken seriously in Scotland – don’t do it.
Heed the speed limit – cameras and speed traps are common.
Make sure you have breakdown coverage, and keep the emergency phone number handy.
Bring waterproof and windproof layers for outdoor activities, and warm layers for the evenings, plus waterproof footwear for hiking.

The Applecross Inn, a cozy pub and hotel on the NC500 driving route in the Scottish Highlands. — A cozy hotel on the NC500 driving route. Robert Ormerod for Lonely Planet

Where should I stay on the North Coast 500?

There can be plenty of competition for rooms during the busy summer season, and even in spring and fall. Travel in the quieter season (November to February) or stick to the biggest towns for the widest selection of accommodation options and the most competitive prices.

Camping

As well as organized campsites, wild camping is permitted along the NC500, so long as you follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. This only covers camping in tents; caravans and motorhomes will need to use designated campsites, but there are plenty to choose from. Expect to pay anything between £12 and £30 for a campsite, including water, electricity, waste and refuse disposal.

Hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs

There are hotels, pubs with rooms, guesthouses and B&Bs all along the route, covering every price point. Larger settlements such as Thurso, Durness, Ullapool, Applecross and Torridon have the best range of accommodations. Plan your overnight stops ahead and make bookings well in advance, particularly in summer or over bank holiday weekends in spring and fall.

Farm stays, cabins-for-rent and glamping pods

The latest trend on the NC500 is staying on farms, often in pricey glamping cabins or pods in the unlikeliest of locations. Many farm stays are tagged as “luxury” accommodations, but frequently the only luxury is the location, and living spaces are simple but comfortable and wonderfully peaceful.

Hostels

Hostels and bunkhouses are sparse on the NC500, but those that do exist provide the best-value accommodation on the coast. Offering inexpensive dorms and shared kitchens, they’re money-savers by nature, and they’re also often community-led. Find hostels via sites such as Hostelling Scotland.

Bothies

Often encountered when hiking off the main NC500 route, the bothy is a uniquely Scottish form of free-to-use, rustic, shelter-style accommodation. Many of these basic huts are off-grid in remote areas, requiring long walks or bike rides to reach their locations. The Mountain Bothies Association manages nearly 20 bothies along the NC500 route between Thurso and Inverness.

A traveler having a meal at the Applecross Inn on the NC500 driving route in Scotland. — A cozy pub dinner on the NC500 driving route. Robert Ormerod for Lonely Planet

Budget

The NC500’s popularity has led to a surge in pricing in recent years. There are still options for all budgets, but factor in the remoteness of the destination, the cost of transporting products to restaurants and pubs, and the limited availability of accommodations. In some locations, hotel stays and meals can cost more than in Edinburgh or Glasgow. A budget of about £300 per day for two people is a good starting point.