NC500 Pocket Map: Plan your adventure on Scotland’s North Coast 500 route official map

Product Information

Each rental car agency has its own rental policies. But generally, to rent a car in Scotland (or elsewhere in the UK), you must be at least 21 to 30 years old (many have 23 as an age limit) depending on the vehicle category and car rental agency, have held a valid driving license for at least a year (some require up to 3 years), and the driver’s license must be in English or using the Latin alphabet. Surcharges may apply to drivers under age 25. Cape Wrath– the north west point of Scotland, Cape Wrath is accessible by the Cape Wrath Ferry or a very long hike over mooreland! Visiting Cape Wrath on the ferry takes around 3 hours. Achmelvich Beach– This is a really pretty beach and fairly protected by the bay so a good beach for families. 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.

Sands Beach – voted by Countryfile readers as the Beach of the Year in 2015/16. It is one of my favourite places in Scotland and a gorgeous 10km walk from the village on the Peninsula. The North Coast 500 route runs 516 miles to and from Inverness, forming a loop around the northern Highlands. So if you drive the full route, you’ll end up where you started which can be very convenient if you are flying in and out of Inverness or renting a car. You might find this suggested 7 day camping itinerary useful as it provides a suggested NC500 itinerary and tips for those planning to camp or stay in motorhomes along the route. 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?Be very careful of potholes, certainly at the beginning and the end of passing places. They can be brutal.

Wow! What a terrific source of inspiration! Thank you SO much for taking the time and put it together! Whether you want to drive the route in 4 days or 3 weeks, take a tent or stay in luxury accommodation, there is a NC500 itinerary for you! A good way to plan out your NC500 road trip is to think of the route in four stages. A lot of people in Scotland travel with their dogs and you should find plenty to do. Indoor attractions often don’t allow dogs (as you probably expect) but you can always take turns watching the dogs when you want to visit these places.

I’d probably set your dates and flights first, and then you can think about hotels and any tours. Most attractions along the route don’t require any pre-booking or reservations, but if you want to do a specific activity (e.g., fly fishing, guided hike, kayaking, wildlife tour, etc.) that you would want to book in advance. But you have plenty of time 😉 That is a good question. I think that obviously you want to be prepared as you could be cycling a fair distance to the nearest village in some places so good to always have the basics on you of course (repair kit, first aid kit, food/water, safety gear, emergency numbers) and I think the phone could come in handy as reception is not great in certain places with a regular cell phone. Attadale Gardens– where, in the late 19th century a plant collector started a garden on the Attadale Estate, importing rhododendrons from all over the world. Visit Attadale Gardens. My wife, Nicole, is in love with trains, and taking the famous steam train ride with the Jacobite is a MUST!

If you’ve driven Route 66, don’t expect the vastly varied landscapes, the range of small towns to big cities, quirky roadside attractions, or historic diners of Route 66. It is probably more similar to Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way but every route has its own unique personality and charm! Read more: the complete guide to the best beaches on the North Coast 500. My favourite beaches on the north coast 500 are: We’d recommend 7 night along the NC500 to see all the highlights and have time to relax and enjoy it and go walking/hiking etc with your dogs. There are also a lot of attractions in and around Inverness worth seeing (Culloden Battlefield, Loch Ness, Cawdor Castle, etc.). You can see our suggested NC500 camping itinerary for ideas of where to stay along the route. If you just want to see the main sights I would suggest you will need a minimum of four days to do the main stages of the NC500, however, I would suggest a week to 10 days to really make the most of your trip. What’s the best time of year to drive the North Coast 500? Your tales got us all excited for the NC500 and We plan on taking the route from Inverness. Could you please recommend a route? considering the actual driving days will be 5 (Fully aware that is no way enough but would still like to make the most of these days). I would like to place Isle of Skye in this route somewhere.

Sign In to Your Account

Just note that the water is always cold, even in the summer so bring a drysuit or wetsuit if you want to spend some time in the water! Many Scottish beaches have limited or no facilities so be sure to bring anything you may need. For the North Coast 500, wewould recommend that you start researching lodging options as soon as you know your dates. I would book at least 3 months in advance if possible. Staff at several of the busiest properties recommended to us that travelers should try to book 6 months in advance to guarantee a room as they had some dates fully booked 6 to 9 months in advance. Hope this helps get you started at least for accommodation. We’ve stayed at all but one of the above properties so do let us know if you have any questions about any of them. Several of these are reviewed in our North Coast 500 Accommodation Guide. But keep any eye out for new posts over the next couple of months. Laurence personally favors the western side for landscape photography, but we found great photography spot throughout the route. Here is a guide to some of the photography highlights of the North Coast 500. Wishing you a great trip and hope you have a great time at your son’s wedding in Tongue! If you have any questions as you plan your trip, feel free to ask.

Berriedale Brae viewpoint (A9 north of Helmsdale) – The Berriedale Brae is an incredibly steep hairpin bend. This is one of the most challenging sections of the North Coast 500. There is a viewpoint if you want to stop.Having the round-trip flight and car bookings done, we are now in the process of establishing our self-driving route, and we are trying to figure out how to reach as many points of interest as possible, but without over-doing it… If you have 3 full days and are starting from Inverness, I’d probably recommend 2 day exploring one section of the coast and 1 day on the other, so you get a bit of a taste of both. The east has more towns and cultural stuff, but the west is more dramatic and scenic. I’d take a look at our suggested North Coast 500 itinerary for what you can do in each area and town to help you decide if east or west is better, as either would work fine for heading over to Skye afterward.