If you have driven the NC500 or some section of it, we’d love to hear about your own experience and any favorite spots along the route. Tonight we recommend staying the night in Tongue, or driving a bit further west to Durness. Then we’re happy to put together a list of some of the places we’d recommend checking out that may be a good fit. Thank you. Breakfast is offered at most B&B’s and hotels and lunch is fairly easy to find in most towns along the route, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding a place to eat during the day. Although i’m a full time chair user i’ll be traveling with my partner and together there isn’t much that stops us.I think initially looking for places to stop along the route. We hope that you have found this itinerary helpful in planning your own NC500 road trip. From Scotland’s own Route 66 to an enthralling Sunday drive alternative, explore our guide to the most stunning Scottish road trips. Many businesses are up for sale in Lochinver at the moment so things are likely to continue to change. So I’d check ahead to see and book as needed. Please don't be a dick. It’s truly the only thing we need! From supremely popular road trip routes, to lesser-known roads in the more remote corners of Scotland, these are the best driving holidays. Note that if you have not yet encountered single track roads (one lane roads) then you will definitely be driving on long stretches of single track road today. There is no way you can visit all the listed attractions or eat in all the restaurants in one road trip with only 1 week so choose the ones of most interest to you. But it really depends on what is most of interest to you. Day 2: Dornoch to Wick Although do of course always double check before booking as policies do change. The printable versions of the articles have the images, photos, and ads removed and are formatted for printing. There are opportunities for hiking, tasting local seafood, visiting gardens and waterfalls, learning about local history, and much more today! You can end your NC500 journey early here or add some days to your itinerary to visit places along the west coast before heading back to Inverness. After all, every road trip needs a soundtrack. My wife and I are planning on travelling by car in late September (we are just driving up from the Borders) and we will have about 9 days around the route and are not sure if we will do 2 days on Orkney or maybe just extra nights along the route you describe. In Inverness, you can rent a car from a number of rental car agencies in Inverness Airport or downtown Inverness. You’ll want to of course verifiy that before booking. The caves were excavated in 1889 by the geologists Peach and Horne, where they (and later others) found the remains of a number of animals, many now extinct in the UK including lynx, bears, wolves, and lemmings. You really are a star! My friends and I are planning on doing the north coast 500 In a campervan and wondered what your thoughts/ general rules are around wild camping? – The Hawthorns B&B in Mey -Day 6 Dog friendly B&B in Torridon – The Torridon Inn (inn not hotel) See more ideas about scotland road trip, scotland, trip. Just before reaching Loch Hope, you enter into the, If you are looking for a bit of a thrilling rush today, you might want to try out the most northernly zipline in the United Kingdom. Although the official speed limit on single carriage roads in Scotland is 60 mph, you should not be driving at that speed very often on the North Coast 500. Day 1: Inverness to Dornoch So I would not so much change the route as just add more time into what is there and consider adding 2 to 3 days popping over to either Orkney or Lewis and Harris. Welcome to the North Coast 500—today your great Scottish road trip begins! Don’t expect any late night food options here, so do plan accordingly! The North Coast 500 is an epic 516-mile (830 km) scenic route around the north coast of Scotland, which starts and ends at Inverness Castle. **Note that until recently, there were a few more good dining options in Lochinver, but The Caberfeidh pub and The Albannach (fine dining as part of B&B) are currently both closed. I would recommend taking clothing for all weather. Note that the northwest corner of Scotland has few lodging options and these can book up well in advance, even the hostel rooms. I am just beginning to think about planning a trip round the NC500 and am finding your guides extremely comprehensive, a lot to try to take in looking at a screen. Its taken my husband and I two evenings to go through it and take in and take note of all of your knowledge. Please make sure you know the code when planning your trip. We also recommend using Motorhome Republic for campervan rental – they compare prices across the major rental firms in the UK to find the best price for you. What if I have more than 7 days to drive the NC500? Getting to and from the NC500 Starting Point? If you want to hire a guide or do some tours, like going out for a day of fly fishing, hiking, canoeing, learning about geology, or wildlife sightseeing, etc., those are definitely good places along the route to have extra time so you don’t feel rushed. Wild camping is meant to be for those sleeping in a tent and doing so well away from houses, livestock, businesses, and roads. – Castle Arms Hotel in Mey We recommend reading over the itinerary before your trip and note down any must-see attractions. We appreciate your help in keeping our information updated for future readers!**. Known as Scotland’s answer to Route 66, the incredibly scenic North Coast 500 has been Scotland’s most popular road trip since its launch in 2015 And with good reason… it’s amazing! Glad you are finding our North Coast 500 guide so helpful in planning your trip! As you probably saw in our itinerary, we list the closest campsites to each recommended overnight stop for each night of the 1 week itinerary in the article. The route is again intentionally short to give you plenty of time to enjoy the scenery, hiking, and outdoor activity opportunities that this area has to offer. So it really depends on what you want to see and do each day and how much time you want to spend doing them. Traveling the NC500 in a wheelchair definitely requires more planning as a lot of lodging and attractions along the route are not wheelchair accessible. Lots to do and see on Orkney, especially if you like historical and archaeological sites, and the birdlife is great in the spring and summer months. Areas of Scottish Highlands: Sutherland and Caithness. Inverness offers everything from humble cafes and McDonald’s to fine dining, so you should be able to find something that appeals. Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands, has a number of attractions in the city itself such as. We have found that the more expensive lodging providers and the larger hotels are the most likely to have fully wheelchair accessible rooms, so it is a bit more challenging for those looking for budget and mid-range places. However, note this route is not for all drivers or vehicles so be sure to decide if you want to take this route today or not as you have some options. But here is a list (in counterclockwise order starting in Inverness) that will hopefully get you started with places that have at least one accessible room that we believe have step free/single step/can add ramp on request and also has a roll-in shower. The North Coast 500 has become increasingly busy and there are a limited number of lodging and service options along the route. Restaurants often book out in the evenings during the busy season, although you can always find some place to get food in the evenings. Enter your email address below and we will send you all of our latest news, events and offers straight to your inbox. It is a lovely area of the North Coast 500 so there is plenty to do in that area. Now you’ll arrive at the fairytale castle of the Scottish Highlands, After leaving Dunrobin Castle, you will soon see a sign for Càrn Liath which is an Iron Age, Just outside of the village of Brora is the, About 5 miles north of Helmsdale is the former clearance village of, Just outside Dunbeath along the route is the, Our recommended final destination for the day is the town of, Looking for activities? We stuck to the shorter, flatter, and easier trails in winter. So those would be my suggestions. Once we leave the peninsular on the last of our 7 days the road is an A road so presumably we can pick up speed to reduce the journey time to Inverness. Add extra days if you want to spend more time exploring Inverness and the surrounding area. Menu changes regularly. Yea meant to subscribe. There are limited evening dining options in the villages in this area so it’s a good idea to plan ahead and see what is open near your lodging. Drive to Edinburgh 3 Nights To do this, we store the data as outlined in our privacy policy. Or consider getting a local hiking guide. SPAR is the most common store for groceries (as well as other necessities) along the route (many small towns have one), and SPAR also often doubles as the town post office and general store. This post may contain affiliate links. The North Coast 500 is the most popular road trip in Scotland and we’ve put together a comprehensive 1 week North Coast 500 itinerary to help drivers navigate this driving route. If you have any questions as you continue your planning, just let us know! I didn’t get the first partial reply, just this one . Your email address will not be published. Reservations recommended for most restaurants in this area, especially if you are looking for a sit down meal. Another island trip idea is to head over to the Isles of Lewis and Harris from Ullapool – again lots of historical and archaeological stuff, wildlife, beaches, places to buy tweed, etc. You can check out accommodation in Torridon, Shieldaig, or Applecross to save some time for Day 7. These are also good things to book well in advance as many of the tour operators we recommend are small (sometimes just a single person) and they are often booked full once summer comes around. We would like to join others to thank you for your fantastic guide. 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