The NC500
Five hundred miles of single-track roads, white beaches and sea lochs, looped out of Inverness. Give it a week and take it slowly.
The North Coast 500 is the trip people mean when they say road trip. Five hundred miles of single-track roads, white-sand beaches and sea lochs, looped out of Inverness and back again. We run it anticlockwise: the gentle east coast to ease you in, the wild west coast saved for last.
Give it a week. The joy is in the stopping: a flask of tea above an empty bay, a detour up a glen, a night parked where the only sound is the sea. Fenyx suits this one, with room to stand and cook while the weather does whatever it likes outside.
Quiet spots are easy to find, and the heater earns its keep when the evenings turn. Bring the dog, bring a good map, and let the road set the pace.
A shape for the days.
Inverness and the Black Isle
Pick up in Inverness, provision at the big shops while you still can, and cross the Kessock Bridge onto the Black Isle. It eases you in with gentle farmland, a brewery, and dolphins off Chanonry Point if the tide is right. Then the road turns north up the quiet east coast.
- Chanonry Point dolphins an hour either side of high tide
- Provisioning stop, the last big supermarkets before the north
- A first night close to the water
OvernightRosemarkie, above the firth
Up the east coast to Dunbeath
North along the easy east coast, where the miles come gently. Dornoch has a beach and a cathedral in miniature, and Dunrobin Castle looks borrowed from the Loire, with falconry on the lawn most afternoons. A relaxed day before the roads turn wild.
- Dunrobin Castle and its falconry
- Dornoch beach and its golf-town charm
- The gentle run up to Dunbeath
OvernightInver Caravan Park
Famous Donrobin Castle the home of The Traitors Show John o' Groats and the top corner
Up past Whaligoe to the top-right corner of the country. Skip the signpost photo at John o' Groats and walk out to Duncansby Stacks instead, the better spectacle, then on to Dunnet Head, the true most northerly point on the mainland. From here the road runs west along the top, empty and wide.
- Whaligoe Steps down to the old herring haven, if your knees agree
- Duncansby Stacks sea pillars
- Dunnet Head, the true most northerly point
OvernightJohn o'Groats Campsite
John o'Groats Stop Durness and the far north
West to Durness, where the north coast saves its best. Smoo Cave sits right under the village, Balnakeil has a chocolate maker in an old radar station, and Sango Bay is the sort of beach that makes you forget the drive. From here the road turns south down the west coast.
- Smoo Cave, a torch helps
- Balnakeil craft village and beach
- Ceannabeinne beach, often empty
OvernightSango Sands Oasis Campsite
Smoo Cave Assynt and the far north west
South into Assynt, where the landscape goes ancient, single mountains standing alone on the moor. Lochinver makes a good lunch stop, famous for its pies, and Achmelvich is the white-sand cove that ends up on the postcards.
- Suilven and Stac Pollaidh from the road
- Lochinver pies, worth the queue
- A swim at Achmelvich if you are brave
OvernightClachtoll Beach Campsite
Torridon, Gairloch and Applecross
Down through Ullapool and under the Torridon giants, red sandstone mountains that make the campervan feel very small. Gairloch earns a stop for its beaches and otters, then the coast road runs on to Applecross. A pint by the water at the Applecross Inn, with a view over to Raasay and Skye, is a fine place to spend the last night.
- Loch Torridon viewpoints under Liathach
- Big Sand beach at Gairloch
- The Applecross Inn, seafood and a pint by the bay
OvernightApplecross Campsite
Meeting the Highland Cows along the NC500 The Bealach na Bà and home
Save the best road for last. Climb out of Applecross over the Bealach na Bà, the great switchback pass and the highest road climb in Britain, with respect and second gear. From the summit it is an easy run down to Inverness, the loop closed and the last morning unhurried.
- The Bealach na Bà hairpins, Britain's highest road climb
- Wester Ross falling away behind you
- The last easy miles into Inverness
Taking on the Bealach na Bà bends in FENYX. 
The winding Bealach na Bà pass, leaving Applecross
Before you go
- Mileage
- About 516 miles for the loop itself, plus your run to Inverness
- Fuel
- Fill up in Inverness before you leave. Fuel thins out on the north and west coasts, so top up when you pass Thurso and Ullapool; pumps are scarce around Lochinver.
- Ferries and tolls
- None on the classic loop; the Kessock Bridge is free
- Best months
- Apr to June and September to October for long light and quieter single tracks
Highly recommend TC Campers! For a very long time, my partner and I had been dreaming of doing the NC500 around the beautiful Scottish Highlands. We had a few concerns beforehand, particularly about where to stay along the way, what places to visit and what we absolutely shouldn’t miss. We soon realised that the best way to experience the NC500 was in a campervan, which is when we came across TC Campers. From the moment we booked, the experience was fantastic. Not only did TC Campers provide us with a campervan, but Maria also put together a full itinerary for our trip. This included places to visit, things to see, recommendations for places to eat, campsites and places to stay. She even provided Google Maps links for each day, with all the stops and routes already planned out. All we had to do was click the link and follow the directions! Maria was also available 24/7 if we needed any help along the way. Unfortunately, we got caught up in a storm, which left one of the campsites without water and unable to accommodate us. We were suddenly stuck and a little worried about what to do next. However, one quick message to Maria and she was straight on hand to help, offering alternative options and making sure we were looked after. That level of customer service really does make all the difference! Now, onto the campervan itself! The van was absolutely fantastic. Extremely well equipped with everything we needed and more, beautifully presented and built to an incredibly high standard. Everything was thought of, which made the entire journey effortless. With an automatic gearbox, cruise control and all-season tyres, even our 1,700-mile round trip was an absolute dream! Honestly, I wouldn’t even consider going anywhere else. From the initial service and planning to the support throughout our trip and the quality of the campervan itself, we genuinely couldn’t fault a single thing. If you’re thinking about doing the NC500 or exploring anywhere in a campervan, I couldn’t recommend TC Campers enough. Maria, thank you for making what was already a dream trip even more special. We will definitely be back!
Ready for The NC500?
A week in Fenyx suits this one, with off-grid heating for cold northern nights and room to stand and cook while the weather does its thing.
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