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When planning the ultimate Scotland road trip this summer there are so many epic options! It makes it hard to choose. Below is a list if the 10 best and most famous of all the Scotland road trips you could possibly take in summer 2021 and there really is something for everyone! Whether travelling as a family, a couple, with friends or going solo, road tripping in Scotland has something epic for everyone. Our absolute favourite for so many reasons that will become very apparent as you work your way through this guide has to be, the North Coast 500! It is quickly earning its reputation as one of the best road trips in the world! This is why we have put together a North Coast 500 Itinerary for 5, 7 and 10 days!
If you are planning a staycation in Scotland there are so many new fun things to do as more people are enjoying staycations, we have put together the 12 best Scotland staycation ideas here.
10 Best Scotland Road Trips for summer
- North Coast 500
- The Whiskey Route
- Harry Potter Spotter
- South West Coastal 300
- Scotland Historical loop
- Argyll Coastal Route
- Fife Costal Route
- Highland Tourist route
- North East 250
- Galloway Tourist Route
If you want to know any more about these amazing road trips as some of them are quite new, then check out our Top 10 EPIC Scotland Road Trips. We’ve picked out all the best ones for summer!
What is the Number 1 Best Road Trip in Scotland?
Let’s be real; a question like this is very subjective and of course depends on what you look for when you travel. BUT there is a Scotland road trip that is famous for very good reason as it includes something for every kind of traveller. The great thing about any self-drive tour of Scotland is that you can of course tailor it to what you want. Out of all the possible Scotland road trips, we want to introduce you to the North Coast 500 Itinerary as a base to explore the very best of Scotland. The version of the North Coast 500 itinerary we are going to share with you includes stops that have great areas of natural beauty, must try food, Scotland’s best walks and of course cultural highlights you can only experience in Bonnie Scotland.
What is the North Coast 500?
The North Coast 500, also known as NC500 is a phenomenally beautiful route through the North of Scotland that takes you through history, culture and stunning scenery unique to the United Kingdom. As the name would suggest it is around 500 miles (830Km). The official North Coast 500 Itinerary starts and stops at Inverness castle, which would make it a 516 mile round trip. It was introduced as a thing to do around 2015 as an initiative to bring tourism into the very north of Scotland. It is worth knowing that there is not just one single road that goes by the name ‘ North Coast 500’, rather it is a route that joins many individual roads into a beautiful loop. This makes it both more adventurous and more personalisable. If anything there is too much choice which can make planning this Scotland road trip actually quite tricky. This is why we have put together a North Coast 500 Itinerary for 5, 7 and 10 days. They can be followed closely or used as inspiration.
Where does the North Coast 500 Start and Finish?
Inverness Scotland is the short answer. Of course you can join in and finish at any point, but if you want to have officially completed the North Coast 500 route, It starts and stops at Inverness castle. The 3 North Coast 500 Itineraries we have designed for all start and stop here. It is a great place to prepare, pick up supplies and if needed rent cars, campervans and motorhomes. Inverness is also beautiful in its own right and worth exploring. If you are planning to stay a bit longer it’s worth reading a good guide on Inverness to make the most of your time there Every full North Coast 500 Itinerary does have to start and stop here if you want to say you have completed it as a route, but of course, how you do your Scotland road trip is totally up to you! Pretty much any direction you drive in is beautiful!
How long does a Scotland road trip take?
This can seem like a daft question, but if you want to get a good taste of Scotland, experience the culture, take in the beauty, explore the history, enjoy a range of local Scottish food, hike a few monroes and make time to swim on a loch, you need at least a week. For many, a 7 day road trip is a good amount of time to see a lot of Scotland. We always want to encourage people to spend longer in a country if they can, naturally, the longer you are there, the more you see and truly tap into the culture. So, when we say a 7 day road trip around Scotland is enough, we mean it is enough to do everything we’re about to share with you, but at quite a high pace. if you have 7 days, perfect, skip down to out North Coast 500 Itinerary 7 day section of this post.
If you can take extra days in the places we will show you and extend your Scotland road trip to 10 days, 2 weeks or even longer you will find it a much more enjoyable pace to explore Scotland. If not, keep reading because we have epic 7 day self-drive tour of Scotland you will love! We have developed this particular 7 day Itinerary around the North Coast 500 because as it is an ideal way to get the best of Scotland in 7 days. Itineraries for the North Coast 500 road trip range anywhere between 3 and 14 days days, so 7 is pretty ideal. We have seen a lot of Scotland and The North Coast 500 Itinerary really is a phenomenally beautiful and culture filled route, truly making it the perfect Scotland Road trip if you have 7 days.
How long will it take to drive the North Coast 500?
The North Coast 500 can technically be done in as little as 3 days and there are itineraries out there for this, but we think this is just a bit too short to really take anything in. At the same time we know some of you are really short on time we have put together a 5 day itinerary for the North coast 500. If you have a little look and still need to shave time off, there is a tip in that itinerary for doing that. If you want to enjoy a longer road trip and make it into more of a holiday, there are some North Coast 500 14 day itineraries out there.
Our advice if you have that long is to do the North Coast in a little less time than that and then visit somewhere else in Scotland like the Cairngorms, the Isle of Skye or Loch Lomond National Park. We have actually put together the perfect short break in Loch Lomond for anyone who loves hiking and Hot tubs! We think 10 days is a great amount of time for a North Coast 500 itinerary, which is why we have designed a fun filled North Coast 500 10 day Itinerary further down.
Most people tend to take a week, so drawing on all our experience of travelling Scotland we have put together the perfect North Coast 500 Itinerary for 7 days. This is the one we would recommend out of everything on this post. There is a great interactive map that helps you see where many of these routes are within Scotland, a great resource for planning your Scotland road trip.
Scotland Road Trip Rentals and Tours
The absolute best way to explore Scotland, especially if you are looking to follow our North Coast 500 Itinerary is of course by car or camper van. We have done both and loved both in their own ways. If you don’t have your own car you can rent from companies thats specialise in Scotland road trips based in Inverness.
If you want to go for the Iconic experience of a Scotland road trip by camper van then there are 3 main options to for journeying through your North Coast 500 Itinerary. The picture perfect classic VW camper, it will of course cost more, but is pretty magical. If you want to save some money, there are some good cheaper camper van options that are becoming iconic for the Scotland road trips in their own right like, Bunk campers. If you just need that next level of comfort, (y’know, like a toilet!) are possibly travelling in a bigger group or as a family then there are some amazing motorhomes that make for a dreamy road trip! If your priorities are independence and comfort whilst exploring, seriously look into the motor home options. Inverness has a few great companies that specialise in Scotland road trips and are a very popular option for people planning a North Coast 500 Itinerary.
If you don’t have your own vehicle and don’t want to rent for whatever reason there are some great companies now offering to take tourist on some amazing Scottish road trips, including the North Coast 500 Itinerary. Our friend has put together a great post on all the very best tours you can take around Scotland.
Scotland Road Trip: Camper van Vs Car and Accomodation
Over the years we have done a few Scotland road trips and have loved them every which way. Pete has actually cycled across Scotland, but that’s another thing all together! Our first Scotland road trip was actually on our honeymoon in a traditional VW camper van and we loved it. The massive advantage is of course you can park up and sleep pretty much anywhere, this so many amazing spots to park up. The down side is it can be cramped, especially in bad weather and not everyone likes to poo in a bush, especially if it’s raining! Sorry, I actually don’t want to put you off, both truly are epic in their own right!
Although Scotland gets a bad rap for weather, I have to say we’ve had great weather every time we’ve visited! When we did a Scotland road trip in a car, we stayed in some great places along the way including a viking longboat house and a yurt. Pretty much any which way you plan a road trip in Scotland it is going to be amazing! Knowing that you are looking at a North Coast 500 Itinerary just makes me excited for you, there’s just so much to do and see; we’re stoked to help you plan!
Cost wise, unless you plan to wild camp, (which is an epic option too!) choosing between a camper van or a car and accommodation combo can cost about the same. How long you go for and the level of comfort you want will of course affect the cost greatly. Camper vans can cost quite a lot to both rent and run, whereas cars can be much cheaper to rent and very cheap to run. Ofcourse, it is the accommodation that brings the price of this road trip combo back up. If you stay in bed and breakfasts you can do Scotland road trips surprisingly cheaply and who doesn’t love a good free breakfast!? So, it really is down to what kind of adventure you would like. When planning your North Coast 500 itinerary, another point to consider is that there are so many fun unique places to stay in Scotland when road tripping, that even if you do rent a camper you may still want to splash out in staying in a castle yurt, eco pod, timber tent, wigwam, tree houses or converted helicopter.
North Coast 500 East to West Vs West to East (controversial)
When planning a North Coast 500 Itinerary, most people will tell you to approach the North Coast 500 Itinerary from East to West, mostly as the west is more beautiful and a great way to finish. If you have a fixed time frame you can’t break away from this is great advice and what we would stick to too. If however you are flexible on time we would strongly suggest going from West to East as the West coast is so stunning you may want to slow down and take a few extra days at some of the stops along the way. If you do this, you may not mind rushing through the East coast as much. If however you drive from East to West and are short on time towards the end it would be a real shame to rush the West Coast.
20 Fun North Coast 500 Places To Visit
Eco Ventures: Make time to visit Cromarty on your way out of Inverness for a super fund Eco friendly Ocean Adventure.
John O’Groats: Beautiful village near Dunnet Head, the most northern part of the UK.
Duncansby Stacks: Impressive 6000 year old towering sea stacks
Cocoa Mountain: The Best hand crafted designer chocolate and hot chocolates you can imagine
Wick: Beautiful classic Scotish town with lots going on, great place to try a luxury Eco stay in a farm lodge
Dunrobin Castle: A beautiful stately home with impressive gardens overlooking the ocean in the lovely town of Golspie
Whiskey Stop: There are many whisky stops along the way, you can even visit the famous Glenmorangie just outside of Tain.
Scotish Diners: Watch out for random Scotish diners on the roadsides. They tend to do great traditional and hearty Scotish for at a great price.
Zip Line across a beach: Ceannabeinne is a beautiful beach that you can zip line across for £12
Smoo Cave: An impressive sea water cave with some epic viking history near Durness
Ullapool Dolphins: Ullapool and the surrounding areas favours the brave. If you get there in the right season and are willing to swim there a few known spots where you may actually get to see and even swim with wild dolphins.
Torridon Peaks: Take time to stop and enjoy these picture perfect peaks, there’s also some of Scotland’s best hikes in this area.
Ben Bhraggie: This epic Ben is in Golspie and and a great single track for anyone whole loves mountain biking with oean views from the peak.
Carn Liath Broch: An Interesting circular iron age Broch on the east coast. A Broch is a dwelling placing, pretty cool to see.
Eas a’ Chual Aluinn: Britain’s highest waterfall is on the North Coast 500 Itinerary!! It’s a big trek to get there but so worth it!
Achmelvich beach: A stunning beach with crystal clear waters. (The most iconic beach on the North Coast 500 Itinerary!)
Castle of Mey: The Queen Mother’s former summer home; a very impressive castle indeed. Oh and you can stay the new B&B area of it as a commoner for around £180.
Corrieshalloch Gorge : A Stunning gorge and waterfall with an Iconic suspension bridge; Indian Jones vibes!
Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve: Hike and explore one of the many stunning national nature reserve trails.
Sea Kayaking: There are many places all around the North Coast 500 route to kayak, so much fun!
North Coast 500 Route Planner
Now you know the best places to visit, we need to put these into a route. We have put together a North Coast 500 Itinerary and route for 3 different durations, all based on the North Coast 500 route. Below is a North Coast 500 itinerary for 5, 7 and 10 days. Each Scotland road trip Itinerary starts and finishes at Inverness Castle. Inverness is very well connected and easy to reach by Plane, train, bus and of course whichever personal transport you may have.
North Coast 500 Itinerary 5 days
Best stops on a 5 day North Coast 500 Itinerary
These are the best 5 stops on this Scotland road trip to include a good base to explore a beautiful colorful fishing village and get your pic at the iconic John O’ Groats sign post. The first stop is also great for a walk to see the famous towing sea stacks, genuinely impressive and worth checking out. If you drive up to John o’ Groats in a day you should have enough time to see all this. This stop is definitely the most iconic and why you will see it on every North Coast 500 Itinerary.
It’s quite a drive to get over Achmelvich, but stunning when you get there, truly Scotland’s most stunning beach! This beach might be my favourite spot on the whole Scotland road trip; you don’t expect a beach in Scotland to look like Achmelvich! There are so many surprisingly beautiful beaches along the way to stop at but we actually included this beach in every North Coast 500 Itinerary because it gives you a great one to aim for. The roads running from Achmelvich to Ullapool are phenomenal, wild, rugard and spectacular and a great place to feel one with nature! Even if you feel pressed for time, take time to stop for a cuppa and take in the scene at least once on this stretch!
The drive to Torridon takes you by the beautiful Loch Maree, definitely worth a stop and explore. Torridon village itself is picture perfect and a truly lovely place to stay. The final stretch heading round the last bit of beautiful coast and in towards Inverness has endless beautiful stops and spots to eat so just go with the flow and stop when you like the look of something.
Day 1: Inverness to John o’ Groats
Day 2: John o Groats to Achmelvich
Day 3: Achmelvich to Ullapool
Day 4: Ullapool to Torridon
Day 5: Torridon to Inverness
North Coast 500 Map for 5 day Scotland Road Trip
This north coast 500 map is live so feel free to interact with it when planning your Scotland Road Trip. As you zoom in and out you can see what is around each pin we have pinned for you. Also, If you click on the pins it will bring up the exact names of where you are clicking. 5 days is short but still enough time to enjoy you just need to make sure you are a bit more sharp when planning your North Coast 500 Itinerary.
This map is to help you plan your North Coast 500 Itinerary if you have 5 days.
North Coast 500 Itinerary 7 days
Best stops on a 7 day North Coast 500 Itinerary
Golspie is the perfect first stop for a North Coast 500 Itinerary for many reasons. It’s beautiful from the ocean all the way up the local Ben. Ben Bhraggie has a great range of ocean views walks and an epic mountain biking trail! Golspie also has lots of great heritage, local waterfalls and of course the beautiful Dunrobin castle and gardens. Ooo and if you like fish dishes, definitely try out the cullen skink here. When exploring John o Groats, make sure you make time for the beautiful fishing village and impressive sea stacks. Sangobeg is a beautiful stop for so many reasons, not least the delicious treats at Cocoa Mountain! Make sure you don’t miss out on their hot chocolates.
Every North coast 500 itinerary has to include at least one night at Achmelvich, truly Scotland’s most beautiful beach. From here you are heading down through the spectacular scenery that take you to your stops in Ullapool and Torridon. There are many sightings of wild dolphins around Ullapool and if you’re happy to brave the cold, you can even try swimming with them! As you head back inland towards Inverness do your best to make time for a cuppa in amongst the spectacular scenery surrounding AppleCross.
Day 1: Inverness to Golspie
Day 2: Golspie to John o Groats
Day 3: John o Groats to Sangobeg (Cocoa Mountain)
Day 4: Sangobeg to Achmelvich
Day 5: Achmelvich to Ullapool
Day 6: Ullapool to Torridon
Day 7: Torridon to Inverness
North Coast 500 Map for 7 day Scotland Road Trip
This north coast 500 map is live so feel free to interact with it when planning your Scotland Road Trip. As you zoom in and out you can see what is around each pin we have pinned for you. Also, If you click on the pins it will bring up the exact names of where you are clicking. This map is specifically for a 7 day North Coast 500 Itinerary.
This map is to help you plan your North Coast 500 Itinerary if you have 7 days.
North Coast 500 Itinerary 10 days
Best stops on a 10 day North Coast 500 Itinerary
The first 2 days of this Scotland road trip start out like the 7 day North Coast 500 Itinerary. THEN you hit Tongue and you will be so happy you made time for this! Just west of Tongue you have Ceannabeinne beach where you can zip line! You can actually zipline across the beach! £12 doesn’t seem too bad for such a fun beautiful and iconic activity. The beach itself is also beautiful, a great place for a splash and a picnic. After this, head over to Sangobeg another beautiful spot , but let’s be honest; we’re all stopping here for the chocolate! Cocoa mountain has picked up a well earned reputation as a must stop place on this Iconic Scotland road trip!
From Sangobeg you start heading to Achmelvich and Clachtoll beach. The great thing about a 10 day North Coast 500 Itinerary is you have time to enjoy both these beaches! If you have longer this is one of the best stops on the road trip. From Achmelvich head over to Loch Assynt, which is beautiful in it’s own right! For the adventurers out there, you will definitely want to take a slight detour. All though Lochinver is slightly off the official North Coast 500 route, with having extra time it is a great detour to head to the summer isles for some sea Kayaking.
After this you have time to head to Ullapool which is a great stop in amongst the wilderness off the stunning North West of Scotland. The scenery around here is epic; watch out for Stags inland and Dolphins out towards the ocean. From here you have time to stop around Applecross. Many only have time to drive through this area, so actually stopping here is wonderful. If you want to experience staying in a yurt or and Eco pod there is a great place to spend the night.
On your final day it is time to head back to Inverness where you will have completed your EPIC scotland road trip! As you are setting off from Applecross you should have a bit of extra time to explore Inverness. Naturally you may want to start at the castle. Visit Scotland has loads of great ideas for things to do and see around Inverness.
Day 1: Inverness to Golspie
Day 2: Golspie to John O groats
Day 3: John O’ Groats to Tongue
Day 4: Tongue to Sangobeg
Day 5: Sangobeg to Achmelvich and Clachtoll
Day 6: Achmelvich and Clachtoll to Loch Assynt
Day 7: Lochinver detour day.
Day 8: Loch Assynt to Ullapool
Day 9: Ullapool to Applecross
Day 10: AppleCross to Inverness
North Coast 500 Map for 10 day Scotland Road Trip
This north coast 500 map is live so feel free to interact with it when planning your Scotland Road Trip. As you zoom in and out you can see what is around each pin we have pinned for you. Also, If you click on the pins it will bring up the exact names of where you are clicking. Maybe it’s just my inner geek, but planning a North Coast 500 Itinerary is a lot more exciting with a map and pins!
This map is to help you plan your North Coast 500 Itinerary if you have 10 days.
Fun Unique and Budget North Coast 500 Accommodation
We have put together a few top picks for North Coast 500 Accommodation, best for budget, best for character and the best castle. This will help give you an idea of what is available and hopefully inspire you to book at least one unique stay along the way. A big part of planning your North Coast 500 Itinerary is finding the best places to stay. We have found the absolute best and most unique glamping spots for your Scotland road trip that follow the itineraries we have made then you definitely need to check out this guide to the best most unique North Coast 500 Accommodation.
Best for budget if you want to experience glamping in an Eco Pod has to be the Loch Shin Luxury Eco Pods.
Best for character has to go these little shepherd huts with hot tubs and saunas Baranald Shepherds Huts.
Best Castle on the North Coast 500 that you can stay in has to be Kingcriag Castle.
Responsible Sustainable Travel on Scotland Road Trip
Scotland is working hard to encourage true ecotourism; many of their National Parks and local tourism boards now have initiatives in places to work towards Eco Friendly Travel. Sadly though, the impact of irresponsible tourism in Scotland, especially over the summer months has been increasingly noticeable. The main and most shocking issue that should be simple to fix is people leaving their trash everywhere during their Scotland road trips and travels. It is awful to see the mess some places are left in.
Please when you travel through Scotland dispose of your rubbish responsibly. As part of planning your North Coast 500 Itinerary please make time to drop recycling at local big supermarket recycling bins. This is something everyone can naturally build into their road trip as they go. If you are particularly Eco conscious, please consider even litter picking at some point in your trip, or just be mindful that if you see someone else has left their rubbish, consider clearing it as you go. I feel slightly ridiculous that I’m asking you to do this; it’s deeply sad that some people think it’s ok to leave their trash everywhere, but it is particularly detrimental and dangerous on a coastal route. If you are reading this section please drop a comment below, would love to know who is out there actually caring about the environment as they travel!
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