North Coast 500 Itinerary: Your Ultimate Road Trip

The Major Sights To See Along The North Coast 500

If you enjoy an adventurous road trip, then the North Coast 500 route is definitely worth considering if you are visiting the Northern Highlands of Scotland. How much time you spend in this area is completely dependent on the number of days you can spare for exploring. Some people spend 5 to 7 days driving through this scenic region, but we didn’t have that much time to spare. 

We spent 4 full days in early October and covered a good section of the NC500 route. It made for a couple of long days of driving, but we thought it was worth it. So if you are looking for a shorter North Coast 500 itinerary, then read on for our suggestion of what not to miss along this coast of Scotland.

Highlights Of The North Coast

✅ This is a perfect 3-day tour that covers much of what is highlighted in this article. The tour operator is one that we have used in Scotland and highly recommend. It is perfect if you don’t want to drive yourself, and you can enjoy the company of a small group.

Inverness

This quaint town is the perfect location to start your trip from. We spent two nights in Inverness and explored the town, plus some of the surrounding region.

Located on the River Ness, there are plenty of walking trails along the water’s edge, a cathedral to visit and a castle sitting on top of the hill with a fabulous overlook. The famous suspension bridges, while functional pedestrian walkways, are also very pretty and provide a scenic backdrop.

Victoria Market and High Street offer great shopping, and the town boasts some wonderful restaurants and pubs that cater to a variety of food types. We found Inverness to be a good spot for relaxing and enjoying some downtime before we started our days with a significant amount of driving ahead.

Ullapool

Approximately 90 km or 1 1/2 hours from Inverness is the small village of Ullapool. As you drive out of the town of Inverness and start the trek up the west side of the peninsula, you begin to get a peek at what this incredible area will offer with respect to the scenery, and it is awesome.

Ullapool is a fishing village and the home to only 1500 people. Located on Loch Broom, it boasts beautiful landscapes where mountains and water converge in a small bay. There are plenty of services available, including a Tesco, where we stopped to get our SIM card sorted. 

If you are including a trip to Stornoway in the Western Isles, the ferry is located here. And should you prefer a smaller place to start your drive, Ullapool has several hotels and restaurants that offer plenty of Scottish hospitality. They even have a golf course here if you have time to fit in a round.

Achmelvich Bay

As you continue to work your way up the coast, you will see many ruins of castles along the way. They really provide some dramatic images for stunning pictures in the area. 

Continuing up the coast approximately 60 km, and after a tricky drive along a single-track road and a walk through the dunes and grasses, you will come to the gorgeous Achmelvich Bay. We were pleasantly surprised by this white sand beach, one of the nicest beaches on the north coast, since we had no idea that Scotland even had such lovely beaches!

In the summer months, this location is very busy with people enjoying water sports including kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkelling. But we visited in early October and found it virtually deserted. The rock formations around the side of the bay are impressive and provide a distinctive contrast to the blue water. Be sure to take the side trip off the main road to see this beautiful spot.

Strathy Bay

Leaving the beach, we marvelled at the gorgeous scenery of this area called Assynt.

It became increasingly rugged as we drove through the mountains, often with single-track roads and many sheep ambling along the narrow lanes.

As we continued up the coast, our initial idea had been to stop and visit the Smoo Cave. You can visit their website in the morning to see if the weather and tide are cooperating so you can take the boat tour. Unfortunately, on the day of our visit, the boat trip was cancelled.

Our final stop of the day was at Strathy Bay. This is another beautiful beach nestled in a bay surrounded by green hills that slope down to the rugged rocks below. This stretch of the coastline is breathtaking, and when visited, it was very quiet and serene.

There is a small Inn at this spot, but not much else, so we carried on a little further to spend the night in Thurso. We had covered 350 km and had a good night’s rest at our hotel.

Dunnet Head

Our first activity for the day was to visit the most northern point of mainland Britain. We arrived and went for a walk amongst the sheep. It was very windy there, but the sweeping views of the sheer cliffs reaching 90 metres high are worth braving the wind. This area is a protected nature reserve, so don’t be surprised if you see many birds such as puffins, razorbills and guillemots.

There is a lighthouse here from the 1830s that was built by Robert Stevenson, who designed most of Scotland’s lighthouses.

We love checking out these rugged, remote locations. Gazing out over the North Atlantic Ocean with nothing on the horizon is pretty spectacular.

Dunnet Bay Distillery

After our chilly walk, we visited the Dunnet Bay Distillery. This was a must-see location for us, as I enjoy a good gin. We were a little early in the day for the official distillery tour, but they were kind enough to provide a mini tour so we could hear about their extensive botanical garden, where they grow the majority of the botanicals used in their production. And we enjoyed a taste of their most popular gin, Rock Rose, which has several different flavour combinations.

We were impressed by their sustainability practices, including offering refill packs so you can reuse your bottle rather than purchasing a new one. This small, locally run distillery is a fabulous place to visit – make sure you stop and check it out.

John O’Groats

Making our way along the coastal road to the north-eastern tip of Scotland, we visited the tiny village of John O’Groats. While Dunnet Head is the most northern point, John O’Groats has the distinction of being the most northern town.

Here you can see the colourful buildings of the John O’Groats House Hotel. And they have a fun signpost showing how far north you are from several other major cities. It is a popular place for pictures.

There is a small spot called Cafe Groat where you can have a bite to eat and warm up after your walk.

Caithness Seacoast

One of the highlights of this area is the coastal region of Caithness. If you are there in the season (we just barely squeezed in before the end of it), then make sure to take the boat ride to see this awesome area. We have done a similar trip while in Tasmania, and seeing the cliffs from the water is an amazing perspective.

After being suited up by the crew in a thermal warm suit, we began our 3-hour tour along the coast, where we saw rugged bluffs, sea caves, basalt columns with bridges, and waterfalls. The entire area is magnificent. 

We even saw families of seals bobbing around in the water. It was an amazing trip and highly recommended for those who enjoy raw, natural terrain.

Dornoch

Our base for the next couple of days was Dornoch since it is well located between several notable sights. This quaint town is very picturesque with many shops and pubs lining the main road. There are lots of nooks and crannies to explore, including the Dornoch Cathedral that dates to the 12th century.

If you enjoy a good hot chocolate, make sure to visit Cocoa Mountain. They have superb handmade chocolates that you can enjoy with your warm drink. 

The primary purpose for staying here was for Denis to golf at the highly rated Royal Dornoch Golf Course. While he had golfed at several courses in Ireland, this spot won out as his favourite of the trip.

Touted as being the 3rd oldest golf course in the world, Royal Dornoch is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 courses in the world.  The seaside layout offered spectacular views along the coast, and the greens were immaculate.  But what topped it all off for Denis, was how friendly and accommodating the staff were, from the golf shop receptionist to the starter and the caddy.

And it was really special that they flew flags from the nationalities that are playing each day. It was awesome to see the Canadian flag waving in the wind!

Our stay at the Dornoch Castle Hotel, a 500 year old castle that has been converted to a hotel, also turned out to be a treat and an exploration in whisky since they make their own. The whisky bar with its roaring fire was a wonderful place to enjoy a drink and perhaps try a shot or two.

Dunrobin Castle

From Dornoch, it is an easy trip to visit Dunrobin Castle. This exquisite property dates to the 1200s and is quite the sight to see. Originally a fort sitting high on the hill overlooking the water, it was extended and renovated several times and even survived a devastating fire. The existing building, which looks like a French chateau, has 189 rooms, and the gardens are modelled after Versailles.

Visitors can enjoy several rooms, including the dining room, sitting rooms, library and bedrooms. All of it is beautifully decorated, and it is evidence of the wealth of the Sutherland family, who owned it. 

We were very impressed by the beauty of the gardens that were originally constructed in 1850. We love to visit authentic Victorian gardens, and while this one, with its pools and fountains, is certainly similar to Versailles, it also reminded us of the elaborate garden at Kylemore Abbey.

It is surprising to see so many plants thriving this far north, but it is apparently because of its sheltered position and the warm air brought by the Gulf Stream. We were there when the dahlias were in bloom, and it inspired us to add some varieties to our own garden at home.

✅ If you are short on time, you can enjoy the east side of the NC500 on this tour. It takes in the lovely town of Dornoch, visits Dunrobin Castle, and takes you to some amazing viewpoints to admire the Scottish Highlands.

Glenmorangie Distillery

While the visit to Dunnet Head Distillery was for me, our next point of interest was definitely for Denis. We toured the Glenmorangie Distillery in Tain. This was a fascinating look into the history and craft of this distillery that dates to the 1840s. 

Our tour took us through the plant and thoroughly explained the process and evolution of the whisky that they make onsite. Unfortunately, there are no pictures allowed inside, but it was an impressive setup and we learned a lot. It was interesting to hear about how they position themselves in the market and, in particular, their differing features from other brands like Bushmills that we toured in Northern Ireland.

And of course, the tour ends with a guided tasting of some of the products. This was Denis’ favourite part. And for those that are true officiandos, they have a store onsite where you can purchase some unique bottles that aren’t available outside of the premises.

FAQs

Where Is The Best Place To Start The North Coast 500?

In our opinion, starting your trip from Inverness is convenient since the town is well serviced and located at the entryway to the route.

North Coast 500 map

What Is The Best Way To Travel The North Coast 500?

You can drive the route in your own vehicle as we did, but be prepared that the roads are very difficult and in many sections go down to a single track. Having done it, it wouldn’t be something we would recommend. There are some great options for taking tours, and if you aren’t confident with driving on the left-hand side of tricky roads, this would make for a much nicer way to explore the area.

✅ This 5-star tour explores the northern section of the NC500 route in one day. It is a private option, so you have control over the itinerary and the pace for the day. It is perfect for those wanting extra time to explore a little more.

Accommodation Along The North Coast

As mentioned, we started our time in Inverness and stayed at the Glenmoriston Townhouse Hotel. It was well located in town. The rooms were comfortable and it offered a good breakfast.

When you venture further north, there are fewer options available. In Thurso, we stayed at Forss House Hotel. It is a lovely spot with very spacious rooms and has a very nice restaurant on site.

In Dornoch, we loved the Dornoch Castle Hotel with its converted rooms and the fantastic whisky bar on the main floor.

Is NC500 Worth It?

The scenery of the North Coast 500 in Scotland is some of the nicest we have seen. It is wild and rugged, but also peaceful and serene. In fact, at times, it is only you and the sheep! We feel it is definitely worth it if you enjoy spectacular natural landscapes.

The Final Word…North Coast 500 Itinerary

While we likely didn’t spend as much time as we could have in this wonderful region, we were glad that we did at least see the major highlights of it. We hope it helps you to decide to visit the NC 500 route on the North Coast of Scotland. 

When planning your trip, take some time to consult our other blog posts on Scotland that can give you insight into some great locations to visit.