Destination NC500 - The Ultimate North Coast 500 Road Trip Guidebook

Product Information

Gemma & Campbell have poured their hearts and expertise into this incredible book allowing for you to visit the NC500 already knowing your way around, the best places to go whether that be for food, views or fuel! Often people visiting the NC500 will be on a bit of a time crunch – this book is fantastic at helping people get an idea of what they’d like to include in their itinerary of their trip so they don’t miss a thing! Absolutely incredible!” That is great that you have more time for your North Coast 500 trip and you could easily make all of the overnights from 1 night to 2 nights if you wanted. I’d definitely recommend spending a bit of time exploring the area around Inverness as there is a lot to see if you haven’t been before (e.g., Loch Ness, Fort George, Cawdor Castle, Culloden, etc.). 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. Yes, you would definitely have time for one of the islands if you think you have more time than you need for the North Coast 500. I’d recommend heading over to either the main island of Orkney (get the ferry from John O’Groats or nearby) or to the Isles of Lewis and Harris (ferry from Ullapool). I’d recommend at least 2 full day and nights on either to have time to see the main highlights. Off the route, is also the possibility of going south a bit to the Isle of Skye. Both Orkney and Lewis have good cycling routes as well if you want to take your bikes. The Bealach Na Ba stretch as it is steep, narrow, and has a number of sharp bends. This is on the southwestern part of the route over by Applecross. It is easy to avoid as you can take the slip road up to the A896 instead.

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. Sorry for the delayed response but hope this is helpful as you being your North Coast 500 road trip tomorrow. Wishing you a wonderful trip! If you want to stop, find a safe place to pull off in a designated parking space or lot. Pulling over onto the side of the road or into a field can be unsafe, lead to damage to the fragile environment, cause erosion, and mar someone’s private property. Bealach Na Ba & RVs If you’ve driven any part of NC500, feel free to share any tips or advice you have from your own trip! As always, all questions and comments are welcome.If the license is not in English or Latin alphabet, then you will need to get a validated English translation or have an International Driving Permit. If you need an International Driving Permit, you will need to apply for this in your home country prior to your trip. There are over 10 golf courses in this area but a few golf courses to consider are the Inverness Golf Club in Inverness, The Nairn Golf Clubin Nairn, Nairn Dunbar Golf Club in Nairn, Castle Stuart Golf Links near Nairn, Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Clubin Fortrose, Invergordon Golf Club in Invergordon, and the Royal Links Championship Course & Struie Course in Dornoch. 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.

If you are thinking about taking on something that feels a bit challenging, we can recommend a local guide, Tim Hamlet of Hamlet Mountaineering as a guide. He can do day hikes or longer overnight or even multi day trips. We’ve done kayaking and canoeing trips and Laurence and my brother just booked a trip in May to do a overnight hiking/camping/kayaking trip with him. 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.The popularity of the North Coast 500 has brought both benefits and negative consequences to this part of Scotland. Some of the negative side effects of increased tourism have been increased littering, overwhelmed local services during the summer, and more traffic accidents and complaints. Having said that, it would be great if you could provide us with some advice, considering the following:

If you are looking to drive the route during a quieter time of year, I’d consider April, early May, late September, or October, avoiding holidays, festivals, special events, and school breaks. Yes, we should definitely add a section to our North Coast 500 guide about traveling with dogs, as I just received a very similar question from a reader looking for dog-friendly hotels along the NC500 🙂 Many thanks again for all the wonderful information and links and in advance for whtever advice you may have for us. The infrastructure of the Highlands in some areas is not fully ready to handle mass tourism, but most traffic incidents can be avoided by following the driving laws, knowing how to safely drive your vehicle, and being prepared.

Wild Guide Scotland

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. Is there another itinierary that you would like to suggest for the above days between 14th and 18th October.

Day 7: Return to Inverness and spend another night in your first B&B, or consider ending your trip with a good value castle stay. Kincraig Castle or Tulloch Castle are two options. Essential pre-departure information including the North Coast 500 entry requirements, getting around, health information, travelling with children, sports and outdoor activities, food and drink, festivals, culture and etiquette, shopping, tips for travellers with disabilities and more. In this section, we’ll assume you have decided to drive the North Coast 500, and we’ll discuss how to find the route, how to stay on the route, safe driving tips and laws you should know, and where you can rent a car, motorcycle, or RV for your North Coast 500 road trip. 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. Save 20% on the NC500 Map with this ultimate NC500 road trip bundle, containing the best-selling Destination NC500 gudie book and the paired NC500 A1 foldable map.So I think with just planning your route in advance and staying off the side roads, you should be fine with the motorhome you have. The route is definitely best explored with the smallest vehicle you have, but I think you can do it with the one you have with some good route planning. A guide to the best places to enjoy the local Scottish cuisine and where to rest for the night along the famous North Coast 500. Elemental, enchanting, and inspiring, the NC500 is Scotland’s most popular touring route, a stunning 500-mile loop around Northern Scotland. This unique guide makes sure that at every stage and step of the way, you will find the most creative chefs, the best hotels, the cosiest pubs, the best local foods, and the most acclaimed destinations.