North Coast 500 – TIPS AND ITINERARY
I promised a while back that I’d make a post with the info listed on a couple films I made. So here we go…
BEFORE YOU GO – North Coast 500 – Road Trip Tips and Guide
I’m assuming you’re here because you already know what the North Coast 500 is, but if not, a quick wee summary: It’s a (roughly) 500 mile route around the North West of Scotland and it’s known to be one of the most B-E-A-UTIFUL road trips in the UK, if not the world. From a whole lotta mountains and castles to seeing the odd highland coo, this trip has got it all.
Before we begin, if you don’t fancy reading and would prefer watching some hella entertaining film about this instead, please do! It still covers everything you’ll read here, just video form:
If you’d prefer reading, fabulous. Do continue...
HOW LONG SHOULD I GO FOR?
In my opinion, you can fit a lot into 7 days. That’s a pretty good length.
Ideally 10 days if you wanna go off-route like we did, and be able to walk around everywhere.
But you can do the simplest route in 5 days – just don’t expect to see absolutely everything, and there’ll be a lot more driving fit in to your days.
WHICH WAY SHOULD YOU GO?
We decided that going EAST TO WEST would be the best option for us. Why?
The scenery on the west coast is A LOT prettier than the east coast, so if you don’t wanna be disappointed by the east coast (which is still really pretty) then I’d recommend going east to west. It’ll be like working your way up on the ‘pretty scale’, y’know?
WHEN? WHAT TIME OF YEAR?
We went end of May. Which was a pretty good time, because while *some* days were sunny, it wasn’t as busy as summer months. And one thing I should mention is that this route gets BI-ZAY. I’d also mention that while it’s more likely it’ll be sunnier in summer, because it’s Scotland, you never know. April might be better that if you went in August. Which leads on to…
WHAT’S THE WEATHER LIKE UP THERE?
Well, when we went, the weather was a wee bit pish (Adjective. pish (vulgar, colloquial, chiefly Scotland) Of poor quality; very bad.)
So another note here: This is definitely the kind of road trip where the weather is 50/50. If Scottish weather was a candy shop, it’d be the pick’n’mix aisle. Never know what you got get.
Scotland can be sunny in the morning, raining in the afternoon and snowing in the evening it’s so unpredictable. Just to warn you. THAT DOESN’T MEAN it’s not beaut all the time, you just gotta learn to love it.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
Did you not hear me? Sunny, rain and potentially snow clothes.
Be prepped for everything, but a rain coat is essential.
What else? WALKING BOOTS/SHOES. This is a massive trek destination, it’d be a crying shame if you weren’t do do any walking whatsoever. That being said, if you can’t walk/hate walking, it’s still beautiful to just drive around… but if you’re gonna walk, bring the right shoes. There were quite a few people going on walks in sandals and trainers and they looked GLUM.
As for in the car, a GPS or Google Maps is fab. Just make sure you put in the directions when you have wifi, as there ain’t always that sweet sweet 4G. If you like maps and a compass, there’s that too. I should say that the main NC500 route is pretty easy, because there’s really just one main route of roads that join from top to bottom, but if you wanna go off route, a map is essential..
Insect repellent… those midges are NASTY, and you will encounter them at some point, especially in summer months.
Finally, BRING A CAMERA. My good camera lens broke on the first day (which almost made me cry), but that didn’t stop me from snapping all the pics with my iPhone and GoPro. Buuuut to be honest, no picture will ever do justice of some of the sights you’ll see on this trip.
HOW HARD IS IT TO DRIVE?
…it’s the most technical driving I think I’ve ever done, but then again, I’m 23.
Basically, it’s practically all single lane roads with passing places, so I’d say be pretty advanced at driving before diving into it. If you have a TANK or similar, it’s going to be very tight, if not almost impossible…
Winnie is a wee camper van so she handled pretty well. There’s also a notoriously dangerous road on this route… The Bealach Na Ba. It’s actually advised that only smaller vehicles and capable drivers attempt it. I can confirm it was scary, but the fog and rain and, mildly broken van didn’t help… and it is SO satisfying when you finish it. Watch a bit of this video to see what I’m talking about…
WHERE CAN I SLEEP?
There are SO MANY campsites around. We selected a few to have in mind before going, and because it was just before high-season we easily just showed up and got a space. The majority of campsites we stayed in were great, because it literally was a kind of ‘find a space, go crazy’ kind of deal.
If you’re going June/July/August/early Sept, I’d book. Saves stress/disappointment. If you want the life of luxury, there’s, again, a lot of places. Not as many as campsites, so I’d definitely book those in advance.
FOOOOOOOD?
Finally, and I know it’s the only reason we’re all here… FOOD? Food. All the food. If you can, bring a wee budget for this trip. I didn’t and I mildly regret it… There was some well tidy scran on this route. (Noun: a Scottish word meaning provisions. Scran - food.) You really will get to experience some of the best scran Scotland has on offer, but do your research first.
We shall now move onto…
MUST SEE & DO – North Coast 500 – Road Trip Itinerary + Hidden Gems
Before we begin, if you don’t fancy reading and would prefer watching some hella entertaining film about this instead, please do! It still covers everything you’ll read here, just video form.
If you’d prefer reading, fabulous. Do continue.
A couple notes:
– So the best way for me to do this is to explain to you the itinerary that we did, and that should give you an idea of what kind of things you can get up to on the way. This is everything I Googled before going, wishing it was all laid out for me, just like it is here. You’re welcome.
– This itinerary starts in Inverness and goes East to West. As I said in the guide, IMO this is the best route, because the west coast is prettier than the east, so you’ll be working your way up the ‘pretty scale’ and there won’t be any disappointment with the east!
With those few bits in mind, let us begin!
DAY 1
1st stop – INVERNESS
Inverness is the cultural capital of the Scottish Highlands, and it’s an ideal place to start your NC500 trip. It’s not very big, so an ideal amount of time to have a good wee walk would be an afternoon or so. Inverness is primarily so popular because of how it is the starting point to so many beautiful locations, but Inverness itself is not so exciting… the NC500 is all about the mountains and nature, so try not to spend too long in this city or else you’ll miss out on some beaut sights!
We got there at about 4 o’clock and probably only spent a couple of hours here, but while you’re here there are a few things to check out such as Inverness Castle which has a nice viewpoint, the Cathedral next to the river, and it’s got some reasonably nice shops – you should definitely check out the Victorian Market when it’s open (check the times because it wasn’t when we went). TBH I found this to be more just a small city with not an enormous amount happening...
If you’re going to stay in Inverness, I’d recommend booking in advance all year round, to save any disappointment. It’s got quite a few places, but it’s popular all year because of how easy it is to take day trips.
2nd Stop – ROSEMARKIE & FORTROSE BAY
We first stopped off at the Fairy Glen near Rosemarkie. It’s a wee bit of a walk towards the waterfalls, but it’s worth it. You get there and LAWDY it’s pretty. Make sure you put a coin in the money tree – it’s a wee token of good luck and a gift for the fairies.
Fun fact: that is where the lens broke for my really good camera which is why all the photos I got were taken with my iPhone X and GoPro Hero 5. So after having a small memorial for my lens we moved on. Next to the river we found a HIDDEN GEM – a rope swing near the car park. When I tried it, it was completely safe (I can’t say it will be for you, but go for it if you want) and it was actually really fun. It went super high. The HIGHlight of my day (ba-dum-tsst).
We then went on towards Chanonry Point which is the spot where you can find the dolphins. Check online when the dolphins will be there or ask your accommodation nearby – it’s usually around 1 hour after low tide time.
We had to wait around for a while but we did manage to see some dolphins. I didn’t have a zoom lens so the footage I got was less than acceptable, cry. If you’re not interested in dolphins, go for the comedy – just watching every soul on that beach literally sprint towards where the dolphins are was classic. Like a scene out of Willy Wonka where people are grabbing them choc bars before they’re all gone.
We stayed at the Fortrose Bay Campsite. It was a wee place next to the beach, which I’d recommend booking because it had limited space and was fully booked when we arrived. That goes for the rest of this area as well – because of how close it is to Inverness it’s a prime getaway spot for the people of Inverness, so definitely book in advance!
DAY 2
3rd Stop – DUNROBIN CASTLE
It looks like something out of a fairytale. Unfortunately, it was closed when we got there. But we did get to see some of the gardens which are gorgeous. There’s also a wee croquet set at the bottom if you fancy a game.
4th Stop – WHALIGOE STEPS
This was one of my favourite stops of the whole trip, because when we went it was pouring with rain, windy and it looked EPIC. A solid stop to see your first bit of dramatic Scottish scenery. Whatever the weather, make this stop a MUST SEE.
5th Stop – JOHN O’GROATS & DUNCANSBY HEAD
The roads towards John O’Groats were kinda freaky because when we went, they were really quiet and there was a lot of abandoned looking castles and houses on the side of the road so for a moment, I could’ve sworn I was going to die (obviously didn’t though haha, just embrace the creepiness). You might even be able to check some of them out if you have time, like we did.
First, there’s a must-do photo opp: John O’Groats is known for it’s classic tip-top of the UK sign – it’s the highest point of the mainland. Make sure you get that classic pic. But there is quite a lot of tourists here even in May… so you might need to wait your turn unfortunately.
It’s also known for wee Orkney trips, Puffins, Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, Northern Lights if you’re super lucky, and Duncansby Head.
Duncansby Head is a MUST SEE. There is a wee car park next to the Lighthouse and then you need to walk for a little bit to get to the view of Duncansby head. We went there to see puffins… we didn’t see any… But sweet JAYZUS, is the view worth it.
If you can hack it, then there is a wee abseiling rope which leads down a reasonably steep hill to the beach. Me and Emma went down there and I got one of the best pictures of the entire trip. It really was a hidden gem. I essentially spotted a cave and thought to myself “I’m going to take a picture in that cave if it kills me”. Can confirm it almost did. I literally had to get on all four hands and knees.
But LOOK AT THAT PICTURE... mmmm.
Do follow the Wiildblooms Instagram page for more pictures that look so good you could eat 💕
We stayed at the classic John O’Groats campsite. It was a solid campsite because it was a ‘show up and park wherever’ kind of deal. This is a prime sleeping stop though, so maybe booking would be a good idea.
DAY 3
6th Stop – A836 ROAD STOPS
From John O’Groats we spent an afternoon driving and stopping along the A836. It’s the road along the north of Scotland, and it has a lot to see. So if you can, I’d recommend literally just spending the day driving and stopping as you go. There’s definitely a few hidden gems to find.
7th Stop – SANGO SANDS & SURROUNDING AREA
The area around here is perfect for some epic coastal views, caves, an artists village and hot chocolate to die for.
Let me write that last bit again. Hot chocolate to DIE FOR. One of the best hot chocolate’s you will ever have in your life, and that is at Cocoa Mountain in Balnakeil. Look at that hot chocolate.
Can confirm we felt rather ill after leaving that café. Theres also a wee artists village next to the café so if you have time, go and have a look around the galleries and support the locals like we did. Some of the shops you’ll go in really were hidden gems.
After that we drove back towards the Smoo Caves. This was the biggest cave that we went in on the trip and unfortunately because the river was too high we couldn’t go and have a tour of the rest of it, but it was still impressive to see!
A wee note for a hidden gem – If you continue to walk towards the coast from Smoo Caves there are some spectacular sights, so don’t let the caves be the end of that spot for you.
We stayed at the Sango Sands campsite. This was one of the most gawgiss campsites on the entire trip because we got a spot right overlooking the beach on the cliff. It also has one hell of a pub, and everyone is super friendly. Again, it was ‘park wherever there’s a space’, so in low-season I wouldn’t worry about booking.
DAY 4
8th Stop – SANDWOOD BAY
We parked up at the Blairmore car park, put our walking boots and set off on the 6 mile return hike to Sandwood Bay. Because of the walk, you could tell that it was one of the quietest beaches in the country... which is what made it so spectacular. So if you have the capabilities to walk to Sandwood Bay, it’s a long walk but it’s worth it.
9th Stop – KYLESKU BRIDGE TO ACHMELVICH
We drove past the magnificent Kylesku bridge, which I would definitely recommend for a PHOTO OP.
And then we came off route towards Achmelvich Beach. Our SatNav took us up the B869… which was probably one of the most difficult roads on the trip... In some cases the most difficult road because it was one lane and there are a lot of blind corners and blind hills so a wee warning: only do it if you’re up for the drive.
We stayed at the Achmelvich Beach Shore Caravan Site, and fun fact about this caravan site: they have some of the best fish and chips I’ve ever had in my entire life. Can’t guarantee that they’re gonna be the same for you, but the batter was so... crunchy. It was a stunning campsite, and also a ‘park wherever’ vibe, so there was plenty of space when we went. In high-season though, I would book.
DAY 5
10th Stop – ARDVECK CASTLE
An old castle ruin beside a beautiful loch. What more can you ask for?
11th Stop – ULLAPOOL
I loved Ullapool. It was such a beautiful town. I could have easily spent a night or two here, I mean, look at that view. There is also some really good seafood and cute wee cafés here. There’s a ferry port, in case you want to take a day trip to somewhere beaut. Also, quite a few places to stay, as well as a big caravan site… we didn’t stay there, and I can’t remember the name… but the dude that runs it is hilarious and has a GREAT time on his tractor mower.
12th Stop – BIG SAND
Sands Caravan Park at Big Sand. This campsite was the most advanced campsite I’ve ever seen. It was right next to the beach, they had a restaurant and café and food truck, there was a park for kids, a BMX Park and I think there’s a football pitch somewhere in there... basically, it’s perfect for a quality, chilling stopover. The beach is right there, and there’s plenty to keep you occupied. It was a ‘find a space and park’ kind of vibe, but they also have cabins etc. if you want a wee bit of luxury.
DAY 6
13th Stop – TORRIDON
We’d been on the road for a while, so decided to try and find a wee hike to stretch the legs. This began at the Torridon Inn, and if you walk alongside the inn then there’s a trail which goes towards a loch, some solid woodland, and there’s even the hidden gem of an old car wreck.
I’d recommend going into the Torridon Inn for a drink as well, or food. It’s got a really good vibe about it – cosy and friendly service. This place also has a bunch of outdoor sports you can do, like mountain biking, kayaking, sailing etc.
14th Stop – APPLECROSS
So, our intention was to stay in the Applecross campsite… but we got to Applecross and well... there wasn’t really that much... there. There is an inn, and a food truck, and a hella pretty view, but aye. So we decided to drive to Skye…
15th Stop – BEALACH NA BA
Not really a stop, but it deserves to be treated as a landmark. The Bealach Na Ba is notorious for being one of the most dangerous roads in Scotland. So dangerous in fact, there’s a sign telling you not to attempt it if you’re an incompetent driver, or in a big vehicle, such as a tank.
What sucked is that when we did it, it was foggy and raining. So even more dangerous, and we couldn’t see the views… but it was a FUN DRIVE! If that’s your kind of adrenaline rush, haha. Have a watch of this film to see what you’re in for – skip a wee bit in and I talk about it there.
DAY 7
16th Stop – SKYE
We continued on from the NC500 to Skye. I’m going to end this NC500 itinerary here, because Skye isn’t technically a part of it…
So aye pal, well done for doing all that reading.
You know what they say… ‘Today a reader, tomorrow a leader’. Hopefully that’s given you enough inspiration to take on the NC500.
Cheers!