The North Coast 500 is a 516 mile scenic route along Scotland’s northern coast that starts and finishes in the town of Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands. We have come up with this extensive North Coast 500 manual that will help you prepare the best North Coast 500 road trip in Scotland.
The NC500 route offers guests the chance to observe rugged landscapes, frolic on sandy beaches, area animals, go to museums and also heritage sites, stay in castles, sip whisky, sample the nearby produce, for to find out the individuals that exist there. The route was created to inspire a lot more visitors to go to this sparsely populated area of Scotland and it’s been successful.
Laurence and I’ve driven the total route many times and we’ve come up with this guide to assist others that are setting up the own North Coast of theirs 500 road trip. We will describe the North Coast 500 route, what you are able to look to find out, the greatest time of year to prepare a road trip, the number of times you have to get the NC500, ideas on where you can remain and also consume on the path, what you should carry, along with a lot of various other advice and tips on traveling the North Coast 500.
Planning a North Coast 500 road trip is usually somewhat too much to handle as it’s essentially fresh path and thus right now there is not so much info available on the web or even in guidebooks when compared with many other best road trips around the planet. But never to worry, we will provide all of the information you will have to plan the NC500 road trip of yours.
In this very first section we will attempt to answer the most typical questions like as: what’s the path, the number of days would you have to get the North Coast 500, when’s the greatest time of year to push the route, in which can I remain across the NC500, exactly how far forward to starting booking, along with any other typical issues.
What’s the North Coast 500 Route?
The North Coast 500 (NC500) was developed in 2014 by the North Highland Initiative, that is a non profit organization which was established by Prince Charles in 2005 in an attempt to create financial development across the North Highlands. The NC500 isn’t a real individual freeway or road as Route sixty six or maybe the Pacific Coast Highway, but is many present roads which create a loop around the Northern Highlands.
The path is just more than 500 miles and primarily hugs the northern coast of Scotland, thus the title. It was intended to accentuate the purely natural beauty and local companies in this particular component of Scotland that has previously got a somewhat low degree of tourism. It’s turned into a significant tourism good results in Scotland with tens of a huge number of individuals having previously driven the route.
The North Coast 500 route runs 516 miles to and also from Inverness, forming a loop around the northern Highlands. Therefore in case you drive the complete route, you will wind up which you started which can be quite handy in case you’re flying in and from Inverness or even leasing an automobile. Nevertheless, you are able to obviously start and end the drive of yours wherever you please. The route runs from a selection of loosely defined areas or maybe historic counties in northern Scotland including Inverness shire, Caithness,, Sutherland, Easter Ross, Wester Ross and the Black Isle.
What’ll I See Across the North Coast 500 route?
The North Coast 500 route follows the primary highways across the coastal edges of the North Highlands. The biggest city (by far) is Inverness with a population of close to 50,000 folks as well as the next major places are villages and towns as Ullapool, Thurso, Wick, Dornoch, Durness, and also Lochinver that each have a population of under 2,000 individuals! And so expect to invest time in lots of countryside areas and little villages.
The highlights of the path for lots of individuals would be the scenic views along the feeling as well as the coastline of “being away” from everything for some time. Scenery includes rugged coastline, lochs, forest, rivers, marshland, rural farmland, beaches, plus munros (Scottish mountains more than 3,000 ft high). You will likewise have the chance to see local wildlife like deer, squirrels, pine martens, birds of prey, seabirds, along with sea mammals for example dolphins, seals and whales.
Obviously additionally, there are a lot of sheep and also the iconic Highland coos which you will notice in the fields. Along with animals and nature, you can find lots of things to find and do on the path including hiking, golfing, castles, heritage sites, prehistoric websites, a geological park, whisky distilleries, beaches, museums, along with far more.
You are able to additionally sample the regional foods of the Scottish Highlands and also remain in special lodging from easy B&B’s and inns to grand family country houses to luxurious castles. When you would like to learn much more about certain places to see and also go to, you are able to take a look at Laurence’s post about several of the highlights of the North Coast 500 and the thorough North Coast of ours 500 itinerary.
Rving & camping
In case you’re intending to camp, you’ve many choices and must have the ability to locate facilities around the path from April to September. Because so many campsites are seasonal, I would be very careful to check ahead in case you’re intending to head outdoors those months.
You are able to remain at campsites with a tent or maybe campervan, do crazy camping out in case you do not require some facilities, or maybe rent out camping huts, static caravans, or even cabins in case you wish to go with restricted camping gear.
We have not stayed at many of these campsites so we cannot personally suggest them though this list must aid you get going in the research of yours in case you’re planning to remain at campsites across the North Coast 500.
The majority of the campsites have facilities for RVs, NC500 Campervan hire, or tents, and many have structures like camping huts, created tents, wigwams, static caravans, or maybe cabins you are able to rent in case you would like to “camp” but wish to take limited camping gear. Many also rent bedding & camping gear for the evening.
Remember that a lot of the campsites along the North Coast 500 are close and seasonal throughout the cold months. If you’re traveling off-season you will want to actually check ahead.
Several campsites (in order as they’re situated counterclockwise across the route) include Bught Park Camping and Caravan Site in Inverness, Bunchrew Caravan Park near Inverness, Camping and Caravan Club Sites (multiple locations including Rosemarkie, Nairn, and Dingwall), Fortrose Bay Campsite in Fortrose, Black Rock Caravan Park near Dingwall, Inver Caravan Park near Dunbeath, Caravan and also Motorhome Club Sites (multiple locations including Inverness, Dunnet Bay, and Kinlochewe), Sango Sands Oasis in Durness, Clachtoll Beach Campsite in Lochinver, Shore Caravan Site in Achmelvich Bay, Camping Park and sands Caravan in Gairloch, along with Applecross Campsite in Appelecross.