The best NC500 winter campsites
NC500 Campsites Open All Year
If you are up for a challenge and have decided to drive the NC500 in winter, you’ll need to find NC500 campsites open all year. We’ve put together a selection of gorgeous NC500 winter campsites, along the main NC500 route (driven clockwise from Inverness). Well, we’ve cheated a bit as one of them only has camping open to mid November, but it has two gorgeous seaview glamping cabins that stay open all year.
Be prepared for fewer facilities
Some NC500 winter campsites restrict their open hours or the types of vehicles allowed. For example some only allow self-contained campervans as they close toilet and shower facilities in the winter. You may need to book in advance out of season. So please do check first rather than just turn up at a campsite in the winter months.
The Big Sky Campers Guide to NC500 Campsites Open All Year
Scotland
This dog friendly North Coast 500 campsite is to the west of the town of Beauly and about 10 minutes from Inverness. Beauly Holiday Park offers hard standings with electric hook up and is open for some weeks during the winter months. For the 2024/25 season the campsite will be open until 31st October and between December 24th and the 4th January. Then they are closed until 15th March 2025 when they re-open for the season.
Located right at the start/finish of the NC500, the holiday park has a peaceful, woodland setting, right on the bank of the River Beauly. The park is within a 6 acre nature reserve criss-crossed with paths and home to its own bird hide.
The owners totally refurbished the facilities in 2022, so they are brand spanking new and disabled accessible. There’s an immaculate toilet and shower block, fridge freezer, laundry, baby changing station, charging station, pot wash area and even a pay as you go dishwasher! Freshwater is available at multiple points around the park. They sell Calor gas cylinders and can refill LPG. There is a small bar on site which has live music every Friday through the season.
This park-up/aire just off the NC500 at Auchtertyre is open all year round and a great stopping off point for anyone wanting to make a small detour to Skye. Please note: be aware that many of the facilities on Skye close for the off season. The park up is situated on a working farm which raises and trains native ponies but is also home to pigs, goats and poultry. The family who own the farm set up the park up as there was a lack of infrastructure in the area for the growing numbers of visitors. They have received hospitality on their various travels and want to offer travellers to Scotland the same hospitality.
Campers are welcome to arrive at any time that suits them and park up or just pop on to use our waste and water facilities. In the owner’s own words, “There’s no need to book ahead for anyone who is looking to park up, it’s just a case of rock up, park up then pop onto the website to pay or we have an honesty box on site for those who prefer to pay that way.”
With views over the loch and Shieldaig Island, family run Shieldaig Camping and Cabins is a little gem. This newly developed site, with purpose built (and heated!) facilities, is a 5 minute walk away from a historic fishing village. It’s a relaxed site with few rules and regulations, the main one being that the site is quiet after 10pm. You can spot sea eagles, otters, seals and dolphins from this waterside location.
If you want to camp here you’ll need to be quick as camping closes on the 8th November! However, their two luxury glamping cabins, with views over the Atlantic, are open all year round. You can book online via their website.
Badrallach campsite is a small, simple campsite near Ullapool. From the site, it’s just a short walk to the shores of Little Loch Broom. The campsite has just 12 grass pitches on a sloping site so it is not suitable for all vehicles and vehicles must be under 6m in length. There are 4 electric hook ups, but no grey or black water disposal facilities. There are toilets,showers and a games room on site. Filtered and sterilised mountain water is available. If you are staying in the winter, it pays to come prepared as it can sometimes freeze! The site is open all year round but you need to check conditions in the winter. Entrance to the site is via a single track road that can be difficult to negotiate in freezing conditions. There isn’t a reception on-site but there is usually an attendant around. On the odd occasion that the site is unattended, they operate an honesty box system.
The next stretch of the NC500 is worth taking your time to enjoy. As you pass through Dundonnell, Braemore and Ullapool you’ll find plenty of spots you’ll want to linger in. If you are after seclusion and views and have the time, take a detour off the main NC500 route at Drumrunie and head to Port a Bhaigh Campsite. It’s a stunning drive, the road twists and turns and skirts the shoreline of Lochs Lurgainn and Osgaig. Take it easy though, this is a single track road with passing places.
The campsite sits in the grounds of the former family croft of the owners, land passed down through generations. Nestled by the shoreline, the site overlooks the Summer Isles. In summer you can launch kayaks or small boats from its little port. Facilities are good, with laundry, toilet and showers. There is even a shop, bar and restaurant on site. Dogs are welcome at no extra charge. Hardstandings are available with or without an electric hook up. The site and shop are open all year round, but operate reduced hours (9-5) in the winter period.
Leaving Port a Bhaigh you can either head back to the main NC500 route to continue north or take the coastal road to reach Sango Sands Oasis right in the North West corner. From here it’s a three hour drive to the unofficial halfway point of the NC500.
This cliff top site overlooks the stunning white sand beach below. It’s worth a visit as there are stunning sea views and a chance of glimpsing whales, seals and bottlenose dolphins. In the winter, this is also a perfect spot to try for a sighting of the Northern Lights.
Winter facilities at Sango Sands
Sango Sands is understandably popular during the tourist season and you need to book well in advance. During the winter there are touring pitches for self-contained vans (toilet and shower facilities are closed). Pitches cost £17 a night and include water, electricity, waste and household refuse disposal. No booking is required. Winter touring pitches are available from 6th November until mid March when full site facilities open again. Booking for the 2024 season opens on their website on 1st November.
Durness Village, Scotland’s most north westerly community has facilities and accommodation available if you fancy a night indoors. Alternatively, you can press on a further 2 hours to the next stop on the NC500. If you are travelling in winter time, be aware that it can get dark up here as early as 3.30pm. Make sure you set off as soon as the sun rises if you are trying to make it all the way from Port Blaigh to the next stop in one day.
The North Coast Touring Park camping and glamping site is open until the week before Christmas and re-opens March 1st. If you arrive on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday you’ll be able to get cosy in the adjacent bar and restaurant, the Halladale Inn, after a long day on the road. Hot breakfasts (9-1030), lunches (11-2) and afternoon tea (2-4) are served every day. Roasts are available on a Sunday. There is also a shop and off licence which operates the same hours as the restaurant.
Just down the road, you can stay on a real working farm all year round. Kirkton Farm is a family-run hill farm with sheep and cows, including two Highland cows and other animal attractions. There are only two pitches, both with electric hook up, in a secluded spot with views over the valley. In the fishing season (March to October), trout fishing is available on request. They also offer buggy tours of the farm and surrounding countryside all year round but weather dependent. Water is available but there are no showers, toilets or waste disposal facilities. Waste disposal facilities are available for a fee at the North Coast Touring Park (see listing above).
You will receive a warm welcome at this family-run eco campsite between Thurso and John O’Groats and less than a mile from where you can catch the ferry to Orkney. The campsite, right on the NC500 is open all year round. Both hardstanding and grass pitches are available but caravans are not accepted. They also offer a ‘pit stop’ service if you want to just fill up or dispose of waste (please ring in advance and give at least 30 minutes notice).
The site has a heated toilet and shower block and laundry facilities (a small charge applies for the latter). Motorhome and campervan pitches are fenced and electric hook up is available. The site has lots of little extra touches such as the giant games like draughts and Jenga scattered around the site, as well as a communal games area and a communal fire pit. During the winter Mr. Eddy’s Pit Stop, which is in a converted bus, is open for breakfast between 8:30 and 10:30 and between 5 and 8pm for dinner. Pizzas are available every evening. Mr. Eddy’s is now fully licensed with a fabulous selection of local and Scottish beer, cider, wine & spirits. This is definitely not a site to miss out on.
In just over an hour (without stops!) along the rugged northern coastline road, and after your obligatory photo by the John O’Groats signpost, you will find the Sinclair Bay Camper and Caravan park up in the historic, picturesque fishing village of Keiss. There is no booking, you just turn up and pay at the hotel next door. Please note that there are no camping facilities here except water and electric hook up, but customers can use the toilet facilities at The Village Inn, next door.
Don’t miss the fish and chips
The food in the Village Inn is incredible, the haddock and chips being particularly good. The owners of the park up own the trawler “The Reaper” that catches the haddock and supply the Village Inn with only the freshest haddock. The Reaper lands fresh lobster and crab daily at the harbour and seafood lovers can purchase this directly at the harbourside. Open all year round and the maximum stay is two nights.
If you are looking for an NC500 campsite open all year with a few more facilities, 40 minutes down the road is the Inver Caravan Park. The park offers hard standings and electric hookups all year round. It has an underfloor heated facilities block, with private shower rooms and even a bathroom, also dishwashing and laundry. There is also a drying room where the boiler will get any wet clothes dry and toasty by the morning. Water and waste disposal are free if you stay. There is a modest £5 charge for these facilities if you are just passing through. A pub and a supermarket are nearby in Dunbeath.
Booking in advance on the Inver Caravan Park website is absolutely essential out of season.
For those interested in Scottish folk history, the harbourside village of Dunbeath has a heritage centre and croft museum. This pretty little village is an old crofting & fishing community and was the birthplace of famous Scottish writer Neil Gunn.
Driving the NC500 in winter
Why drive the NC500 in winter? No crowds, stunning winter landscapes, a chance to see the majestic winter wildlife of the Highlands, driving the NC500 in winter is a photographer’s dream. However, now you have overcome the challenge of where to stay and have found NC500 campsites open all year, you need to be prepared for some of the other challenges.
Come prepared for the weather
First of all, the weather. It will be chilly. Make sure you are travelling in a van that is insulated and heated and you have plenty of extra bedding for a cosy night’s sleep. Take plenty of changes of clothes as not all the NC500 winter campsites will have drying facilities. Weather conditions can change rapidly and some routes will be tricky with snow. So always come prepared and have a back up plan.
Secondly, the sun rises late and sets early in the Northern Highlands. This is great for a camper that loves a lie in but you do need to make sure that you leave plenty of time for each leg of your route. You don’t want to be trying to negotiate unfamiliar single track lanes in the dying light.
Plan Ahead
Be prepared that some things will be shut. Don’t assume that shops, pubs, restaurants and campsites will be open all year round. They may have restricted opening times.
So, do your research, plan your trip in a little more detail than you might do in the summer and be prepared. It’s wise to make sure that you keep your petrol and water topped up, and your fridge full, so if you need to make an impromptu stop in a remote area, or simply just fancy staying somewhere for a while, you aren’t going to run out of supplies. It might be worth taking a portaloo along for the ride too as not all the NC500 campsites open all year have toilet facilities.
Big Sky Campers Campervans for Hire
Scotland
All our campervans for hire come fully equipped with everything you will need for your NC500 winter road trip, with the exception of a portaloo that you can add to your booking at a small additional charge. Everything is included in the price, including extra sets of bedding if requested.
Got a question? Give us a call.
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