North Coast 500 Itinerary
7-10 Days
7-10 Days
Here’s our go at an ideal North Coast 500 itinerary. The NC500 is an amazing 516 mile route around the North of Scotland that we have enjoyed many times, each time finding something new. Our North Coast 500 itinerary can be done in 6 days at a push. But if you have 7 days, or longer, it will give you the time to linger when you find a favourite spot.
Our North Coast 500 itinerary begins in Inverness and follows the route in an anti-clockwise direction. We have added a wee detour at the beginning to take in the Black Isle. Tourists often overlook this beautiful peninsular just north of Inverness. Allow yourself plenty of time to complete the circuit as you will undoubtedly find places where you will want to stop a while.
Head north from Inverness, cross the bridge over the Moray Firth and you are on the Black Isle. At Munlochy, it’s a short walk through ancient woodland to the mysterious Clootie Well a site of ancient Celtic healing rituals.
Then make your way to Chanory Point, a popular place for spotting bottle nose dolphins. Continue on to visit the historic town of Cromarty, which is full of charming shops and cafes. It also has a lovely beach. From here you can take a dolphin spotting boat trip.
From Cromarty you can take the narrow B9163 that follows the shoreline of the Cromarty Firth to rejoin the North Coast 500 route. You’ll then cross the Cromarty Firth and travel north up the east coast. We suggest a visit to the famous Glenmorangie Distillery at Tain. After Tain is the historic town of Dornoch, home to a majestic 13th Century cathedral and castle. The castle is now a hotel with a fine whisky bar and the Dornoch Distillery in its grounds.
If campervanning, Dornoch Caravan Park is just a short walk from the town and faces the award winning beaches of the Dornoch Firth.
The next stage of our NC500 route follows the East Coast northwards, passing John O’Groats, Scotland’s most northerly village on the mainland. It is not the most northerly point, however. Dunnet Head claims that honour. For an understanding of the history of this part of Scotland, try Neil M Gunn’s book, “The Silver Darlings”. The novel tells the tale of a family living in one of the herring fishing communities that grew up on the north eastern coast after the Highland Clearances.
You will pass through many of these old fishing villages as your travel up the coast. Each have their own charms, but Golspie is a good place to stop as the extraordinary Dunrobin Castle is nearby. However, you will need a bit of extra time as the tour and the falconry display will take the best part of the day. Helmsdale, once home to Europes largest herring fleet, is another old fishing town worth a visit.
Next, head towards Wick, where you can visit the Old Man of Wick, the castle ruins on the edge of high cliffs. There are many viewing points along this route to stop and take in the extraordinary and striking cliff top scenery. If you need some beach action then the white sands of Sinclair’s Bay are a good place for a walk and swim.
Carry on to John O’Groats, the most northerly point of the United Kingdom. You can catch the ferry to Orkney from here if you have time for a detour. There is not much to see at John O’Groats. So, after the obligatory photo with the sign, just carry on around the point to Dunnet Head. There is a lovely walk to the lighthouse with views across to Orkney. Or simply enjoy some peace and solitude at the RSPB reserve at Dunnet Head.
The Dunnet Bay Caravan Site is a great place to stay if you want to enjoy some time on this amazing part of the coast.
Stage three of our NC500 route will take you from Dunnet/Thurso to Durness – about 90 miles. You will pass a number of coves and sandy bays. If you want to stop for the night somewhere, we’d suggest a stay on the Kyle of Tongue. From here there are wonderful views of Ben Hope and Ben Loyal. This is a National Scenic Area, one of only 40 in Scotland considered absolutely exceptional.
Just before you reach Durness, stop off at the Smoo Cave, a natural sea cave one mile to the east of Durness village. If you have time, there is a magical boat trip that explores the cave. To visit Cape Wrath catch the ferry from Kyle of Durness and the bus will meet you there.
We recommend spending the night at Sango Sands campsite on the cliff tops above the beaches. There is a restaurant next to the campsite if you fancy a meal out.
The next stage of the trip is from Durness to Ullapool. This is 64 mile stretch of single track road, so be prepared to be patient in the busy summer months. Please be considerate of other drivers and don’t use passing places for a stop, however tempting.
There are lots of steep drops and rises on this section of the route. The change in scenery is fantastic. One place you should make time to stop off is at the viewpoint on the Drumbeg Loop.
Campsites along this part of the NC500 route include Scourie Campsite and Clachtoll Campsite, right next to the beach. If you stop off at Scourie, the local Scourie hotel is well known for wonderful food.
Ullapool is about an hour away, if you want to press on and spend the night there.
Ullapool is a sweet coastal town surrounded by breathtaking scenery. It’s a great base for numerous activities such as sea kayaking, fishing, biking and walking. From Ullapool it’s a two hour spectacular drive to Applecross. A good stop en route is Gruinard Bay, with its pink sand beaches and stunning views of the northern Highlands.
This is a challenging drive and not for the faint hearted. Before setting off please make sure you are confident reversing on a narrow road. Be prepared for the notorious old cattle pass of the Bealach na ba. This film of the route gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect.
Applecross has a great campsite to stay at and you’ll eat like at king with both locals and travellers at the Applecross Inn.
The return leg to Inverness from Applecross is around 80 miles. You will pass Lochcarron and Achnasheen en route. We suggest you take the route that takes in ancient Beauly Priory before you return to Inverness. Congratulations, you have now officially completed the NC500!
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