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

Product Information

You already have some great ideas for places to visit with young kids (gardens, beaches, boat tours). There are many that might be a good fit, but here are some more ideas of places you might consider: In this first section we’ll try to answer the most common questions such as: what is the route, how many days do you need to drive the North Coast 500, when is the best time of year to drive the route, where should I stay along the NC500, how far ahead to starting booking, and other common questions.

Planning a North Coast 500 road trip can be a bit overwhelming as it is a relatively new route and there isn’t as much information available online or in guidebooks compared to other top road trips around the world. But not to worry, we’ll provide all the information you’ll need to plan your NC500 road trip. If you follow our 7 day North Coast 500 itinerary, we provide a list of restaurants for dinner for each day along the route.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! 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. For more on whisky, see our comprehensive guide to whisky distilleries in Scotland, which has everything you need to know. We also have a guide to whisky distilleries on the North Coast 500 specifically. Buchollie Castle– access is across a walkway with sheer 100m drops on each side – don’t try and visit in bad weather!

However there is no right way to drive the route so head in the direction that makes the most sense for you! Lodging reservations is often an important factor in people’s route. Planning a North Coast 500 itinerary? It is easy to rent a car from Inverness Airport or downtown Inverness. Main rental car companies include Avis, Budget, Thrifty, Arnold Clark, Europcar, Hertz, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Focus Vehicle Rental. I’d recommend getting the smallest size vehicle you need and to be sure your rental is fully insured. A GPS unit can also be helpful for navigation. Enterprise are usually our favourite for car hire.

The North Coast 500 (NC500) was created in 2014 by the North Highland Initiative, which is a non-profit organization that was established by Prince Charles in 2005 in an effort to develop economic growth across the North Highlands. Following its creation, private investment was raised and the route is promoted by a for-profit corporation called North Coast 500 Ltd. The company provides a number of resources for both visitors and local businesses. If you are looking for dog-friendly accommodation in a certain town or area and can’t find anything, feel free to ask and we’ll let you know if know of any. From our readers who have traveled with dogs, we have a good list of dog-friendly places along much of the route. How to Avoid the Crowds along the North Coast 500? Strome Castle– stop on Loch Carron to discover one of the National Trust for Scotland’s little gems. Then I’d add a week or so for time on the islands. Larger Scottish islands within easy reach of the NC500 are Orkney, Lewis & Harris (the two “islands” are joined together), and the Isle of Skye (also Raasay). You could also consider Shetland (a group of islands very far north so takes a bit of time to get there). I’d allow at least 3 days for any island you choose to have enough time to explore the highlights. So if you have a week, I’d recommend choosing two islands to explore and add to your NC500 itinerary. Spring and summer is also bird nesting season and dogs can disturb ground nesting birds so good to be aware of if doing walks/hikes. Some of the bird and wildlife reserve areas do not allow dogs for obvious reasons.