North Coast 500 The Road Trip of a Lifetime – NC500 Guide Book by Robbie Roams

Product Information

We spent the night at Lochness Shores which had great facilities, really friendly staff, and of course, stunning views of the Loch Ness.

The North Coast 500 - Love, from Scotland The complete guide to The North Coast 500 - Love, from Scotland

On day 4, we woke up early and decided to complete the Mellon Udringle Beach Circuitwhich was around 4km. The walk is gorgeous and takes you up multiple hilltops, showing you the rugged coastline of the area. This one is easy, don’t litter! Bring along bags or containers you can keep in your car to store your trash and wait until you get to a proper place to dispose of it responsibly. One common issue is that tourists are throwing garbage into proper trash receptacles but the receptacles are already overflowing so the garbage ends up on the ground or in the water anyway. Just come prepared for the weather and don’t let it stop you from enjoying your trip! How Many Days Does it Take to Drive the North Coast 500? Many of the indoor and paid attractions (museums, castles, guided tours, gardens) along the route do not allow pets. If you are traveling with a partner or group, you may want to take turns spending time with your dog and one going inside.The Split Stane, Sutherland– the boundary between Sutherland and Caithness – said to have been split by the devil’s tail. Find the stone at Drumholliston near Melvich. However, in recent years, they have added North Coast 500 brown tourist signs along the route to help people stay on the route. So it is much easier to follow the route now. Caithness Brochs– No one knows what Brochs were really used for, just that there are lots of them. There are over 200 brochs (Iron Age structures) across Caithness.

500 Planning your NC500 Adventure - North Coast 500

If you are someone who hates planning ahead and wants to be able to stop and spend as much time in a place as you wish, I’d consider doing a camping or campervan trip along the NC500. That way you won’t need to search for last-minute lodging each night which can be difficult on sections of the route. This way all you need to worry about in advance is your transportation and camping gear and you will have the flexibility of either traditional lodging or camping each night. Read more: my guide to the best places to stay on the North Coast 500 Do I need to pre-book NC500 accommodation before I set off? During our 12 day winter trip in February most days were mixed (rain/light snow/clouds/some sun) and it rained at least a little on almost every day of the trip. During that time we had 2 bad days (snowed all day, roads uncleared, stayed inside) and 1 especially nice and sunny day.

NC500 Champions

Short hikes– There are hiking trails all over the North Coast 500 and you’ll likely find many suitable for your kids. If you have babies or infants that need to be pushed in strollers, look for all-ability paths which are suitable for wheelchairs as they also work for prams. During our drive up the West Coast, the scenery was unreal and just really out of this world. But the closer we got to the north, we started seeing the sights that the United Kingdom is known for.

Scotland 500 Road trip North Road: Scotlands North Road Trip

Read more: the complete guide to the best beaches on the North Coast 500. My favourite beaches on the north coast 500 are: The drink drive laws in Scotland were changed in 2014 and are now very strict with low limits to discourage drinking and driving. The legal drinking limit is now lower than in any other part of the UK. You could still be charged even if you are riding a bike. Rabbie’s also offers this 5-day Northern Scotland and Orkney Island tour from Edinburgh that both include 2 full days on exploring Orkney and a drive around most of the North Coast 500 so you see many of the highlights and scenery. Distilleries and Breweries. Scotland is well-known for its whisky and just about every visitor to Scotland wants to try at least a dram or two of whisky during his or her trip. But Scotland also has a growing craft beer industry and gin scene and you’ll find a bit of everything along the North Coast 500. If you have never driven in Scotland before, you’ll want to review some of the driving laws and road safety tips before your North Coast 500 road trip. This is particularly true if you are planning to drive a rental car, caravan, or motorhome.Achmelvich Beach– This is a really pretty beach and fairly protected by the bay so a good beach for families. Some of the islands are really small and you can easily explore on foot whereas others you would probably want a car or to book a driving tour with a local.