Scotland’s answer to Route 66, North Coast 500 was launched in 2015 to attract more tourists to the magnificent north coast of Scotland. The 516 mile trip starts in Inverness, heads up north to John O’Groats, bears west across to Durness then turns south back down to Applecross before returning east to Inverness. It can be completed clockwise or anti-clockwise and is a wonderful starting point for many trips further afield across to the Outer Hebrides, Orkney and Skye.
It must be noted that the NC500 is largely comprised of narrow and single track roads which have ‘passing places’ to allow vehicles to overtake or pass each other in opposite directions, and have an etiquette along with them. Please make sure to familiarise yourself with how to drive on such roads, as well as with the Outdoor Access Code which applies to wild camping and parking camper vans. These areas, although sparsely populated belong to the locals and all attempts should be made to be respectful tourists during your visit.
I have had the distinct pleasure of completing the NC500 twice – once in April and once in August. I’ve comprised a list of my top 10 highlights for the NC500. For me, the beauty of Scotland’s untamed wilderness is largely found in long hikes, but given the temperamental weather here in Scotland not quite as much hiking was done as desired!
- Stac Pollaidh
- Sandwood Bay
- Wailing Widow’s Waterfall
- Bone Caves
- Ceannabeinne Beach
- Smoo Cave
- Duncasby Stacks
- Dunnet Head
- Bealach na Bá
- Dunrobin Castle
1. Stac Pollaidh
Stac Pollaidh is definitely one of the most beautiful walks we took during our road trip – perhaps it was the unseasonably warm weather, but this relatively easy hike has unrivaled views across Assynt and Achiltibuie. Reaching the true summit requires a challenging scramble which we did not manage – the path is unclear and a little daunting although there were a few folk looking statuesque, lording over their kingdom from the summit.
2. Sandwood Bay
Located just south of Durness, Sandwood Bay boasts beautiful sand, tropical turquoise waters and the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen in my life. Don’t let the colour of the water fool you however – the North Sea is absolutely baltic and not at all the refreshing dip in the water you hoped for! Access to the beach is granted after a gentle 4 mile walk which we completed with all our camping equipment in order to wild camp there that evening. I would strongly recommend double checking you have everything to avoid adding an extra 4 miles to your journey when you realise you forgot the stove…
3. Wailing Widow’s Waterfall
There is something enchanting about this 15m waterfall. Legend has it that a young man was out hunting when he fell to his death from the top of the falls. Distraught with grief, the following day his mother took herself to the falls and threw herself off to be reunited with her lost child. The falls are not found on Google Maps, but can be accessed by Loch na Gainmhich. There’s a parking place just around the bend of the A894 (coordinates here) which leads into a gorge – a short walk down there leads you to the bottom of the falls. Alternatively, you can reach the top of the falls by parking up by the lake and traipsing across the boggy land.
4. Bone Caves
My expectations for Bone Caves were far too high – I read that polar bear and reindeer skulls were found here and in my head, that meant they were still there. Oh how wrong I was, rather than relics of eras past, the only thing we found in the caves was evidence of a camper who couldn’t quite wait to get to the toilet… Why exactly are these on my list? Well, if you hadn’t gathered by now, I love a walk. And this walk takes you through a stunning U-shaped valley, bringing me back to high school geography where we learned about glaciers shaping the terrain of our country and to be honest, that’s pretty fricking cool. The route begins beside a gently murmering stream, past rushing waterfalls and steeply up a hill to the dens of animals long extinct on this island.
5. Ceannabeinne Beach
Ceannabeinne Beach is found just before Durness and is the perfect wild camping spot – be careful as during summer this fills up fast. Parking can be found just across the road and you can easily pitch up in the grass. There’s not much more relaxing than watching the sun go down with a beer in hand and waking up to the sound of waves lapping the shore. In the morning stop off at Cocoa Mountain in Durness for luxuriously rich, creamy hot chocolate and home made treats sure to warm your freezing bones.
6. Smoo Cave
About 5 minutes drive from Ceannabeinne beach you reach Smoo Cave, the largest sea cave in the UK. In the summer you can hop on a boat and take a tour through the cave run by local cavers for only £6. It’s worth not only taking the tour but also walking up to the top (on the opposite side of the road) where you can watch the waterfall into the second cavern.
7. Duncansby Stacks
A trip on NC500 would be incomplete without heading up to John O’Groats. Just a short drive east brings you Duncansby Head where you will park up next to the light house. A well-trodden path across the fields gives way to the impressive sea stacks, home to thousands of seabirds including puffins in the correct season. Not that we’ve ever been lucky enough to spot them despite visiting twice, but I’m not bitter…
8. Dunnet Head
Ok, if I’m honest there’s not a lot at Dunnet Head. It’s a great spot for bird-watching if that tickles your fancy, but the real pull to it is that it’s the most northern point of mainland Britain. We also wild camped on the road up here in the hopes we would see the northern lights but had no such luck.
9. Bealach na Bá
Bealach na Bá (The Cattle’s Pass) has the greatest ascent of any road in the UK, despite only being the third highest road in Scotland. Laden with hairpin turns and gear-grinding hills, I haven’t actually driven it; preferring instead to blast ‘500 miles’ and ‘If It Wisnae Fur Yer Wellies’ while Kerry does the hard part. A viewpoint at the highest point rewards you with breathtaking views over to Skye before the steep descent into the sleepy village of Applecross – where we wild camped on the beach. Be sure to check out The Walled Garden for great coffee and bacon rolls (among many more gourmet options for lunch and dinner).
10. Dunrobin Castle
As you might have noticed from the rest of the ‘must-see’s on my list, I’m not really one for architecture. I do however, fancy myself a bit of a princess and Dunrobin’s round towers and conical turrets are straight out of a fairy-tale. Does the owner have any sons? Asking for a friend.
The truth is, 10 highlights really isn’t enough for NC500. There are so many beaches that would make you swear that you were in a tropical country (so much so that Thailand actually used a picture of one in their tourist guide – don’t believe me?) as well as beautiful road-side stops, delicious restaurants and quaint villages that it’s impossible to create the perfect itinerary. My advice? Choose one or two main landmarks a day that you want to visit, and leave yourself plenty of time to detour at your leisure. You never know what you might find…
Planning a trip round NC500? Let me know where you’re planning to go in the comments, or drop me an email on theflightinstinct@gmail.co.uk.
Why not check out my post on trekking in Laos – a magical country with rugged mountains and their own version of whiskey!
Dusky Footprints 