Planning a trip to Scotland? We're sharing our Scottish Highlands road trip itinerary with you. Scotland was such a mystery to us. When our New Zealand trip fell through, we really wanted to go on a road trip — so we booked flights up to Inverness and decided to drive Scotland instead. We researched the North Coast 500 and knew that was our trip.
Scotland's North Coast 500
The North Coast 500, or NC500, is Scotland's Route 66. The route leads around the coast of the Scottish Highlands — from Inverness to Fort Augustus and north toward Applecross, then east along the coast to John o' Groats before heading back down to Inverness. We decided to take the route backwards, heading to John o' Groats from Inverness first, with a goal of reaching the Isle of Skye if we had time. If you're nervous about driving in Scotland, read our full Driving in Scotland guide first.
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Our Scotland Itinerary
Day 1 — Chanonry Point
We arrived in Scotland, picked up our truck from WildTrax, and headed to Chanonry Point — where a pod of dolphins comes in with every rising tide. We were tired and cold and didn't have the patience to wait around long, but the area is well manicured and beautiful. There's a campsite nearby if you want to relax and wait for the dolphins properly. Since wild camping was more our thing, we left Chanonry Point and found a hidden wooded area to park up and make camp early.
Day 2 — John o' Groats
Whisky in the morning, a castle in the afternoon, then all the way up to John o' Groats for evening fish and chips. Our distillery stop was Glenmorangie — one of Scotland's largest — followed by Dunrobin Castle, which we paid £12 each to visit. Genuinely worth it — massive and beautiful, and a stop we'd recommend to anyone on this route.
The coastal drive from Dunrobin Castle to John o' Groats was stunning, taking around two and a half hours as we kept stopping for photos. We arrived around 4pm and headed straight to Seaview Hotel for fish and chips, given how cold and windy it was. A small campsite near the point gave us warm showers and shelter from the wind that night.
Things to do:
- Visit Glenmorangie Distillery
- Visit Dunrobin Castle
- Eat fish and chips at John o' Groats
- Visit Duncansby Head
Day 3 — John o' Groats to Tongue
Our morning started better than the previous night ended — sunny but still chilly and windy. We had breakfast, then walked to Duncansby Head, the most north-easterly point of the British mainland, where the famous sea stacks dominate the view.
The north coast was filled with beautiful bays and stunning cliffs, and we ended up driving painfully slowly through this stretch. Take your time and explore as many bays as you can — our favourite was Dunnet Beach, apparently home to dolphins and seals (we didn't see any, but keep your eyes on the rocks for sunbathing seals).
We made camp in a quiet spot near Tongue, off the main road, and spent the evening seal spotting and listening to the water against the rocks.
Fuel Tip
Fill up with gas at Thurso — some stations further along may not be open depending on the time of year.
Things to do:
- Visit Dunnet Beach
- Visit Strathy Beach
- Visit Armadale Bay
- Make camp around Tongue
Day 4 — Tongue to Ullapool
The scenery grew wilder as we left Tongue. We'd gone from lush green sheep farms in the east and north to something that truly felt like the Scottish Highlands. Along the infamous single lane roads we stopped at a small tea shop run by a lovely old man, where we found the best gluten-free brownie we've ever had.
After a few more scenic stops, we visited the very touristy Smoo Cave — we hadn't researched it beforehand but figured we'd check it out. Ullapool was our next big stop for gas and snacks. That evening we ended up sleeping in a layby along the main road, though a bit further on there are lovely, more scenic parks just off the road.
Things to do:
- Have tea near Eriboll
- Visit Smoo Cave
- Camp outside Ullapool
Day 5 — Ullapool to Isle of Skye
Leaving Ullapool, we came upon Corrieshalloch Gorge — a hidden gem we knew nothing about beforehand and an absolute must-see on the NC500. The gorge runs about 1.5km long and 60m deep, with a swing bridge leading to a viewpoint and the stunning Falls of Measach below. Around 20km south of Ullapool, and highly recommended.
The highlight of the day was the best fish and chips we've had, from a small food truck in Applecross. After lunch we drove over to the Isle of Skye, found a great camping spot just outside Portree, and planned to spend the next day exploring.
Things to do:
- Visit Corrieshalloch Gorge
- Stop in Applecross
- Camp on the Isle of Skye
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Day 6 — Isle of Skye
Bright, beautiful sunny weather greeted us, so we drove to the Old Man of Storr for a hike — around 2 hours, mostly uphill to the viewpoint, and definitely worth it. Get there early; we arrived around 8:30am and traffic and tour buses pile up quickly after that.
After the morning hike, we stopped in Portree for a walk around town, though a bit of rain sent us back to the truck fairly quickly. Leaving Skye, we detoured to Dunvegan Castle — right at the northern tip of the island, further than expected, but we committed and found it. The £12 entrance fee didn't appeal, so we skipped going inside — following the road past the castle gives a great view of the medieval building, and you might spot a seal or two in the bay.
Things to do:
- Hike the Old Man of Storr
- Visit Portree
- Visit Dunvegan Castle
Day 7 — Skye to Glenfinnan
Scotland is home to Harry Potter, and Glenfinnan — a small town just north of Fort William — is home to the famous viaduct from the films, also known as the Hogwarts Express route. Worth a visit if you have time; the train passes around 10am and 3pm. Many roads are blocked off, so park in the small car park before the visitor centre and walk down.
Things to do:
- Drive to Glenfinnan
- See the Viaduct
Day 8 — Loch Ness
I never thought I'd say this, but I genuinely enjoyed the little tourist town of Fort Augustus. It sits right on Loch Ness, so naturally we went looking for Nessie. Plenty of boat tours and things happening — we were mesmerised watching a boat navigate through the lochs. In good old Scottish fashion, it poured on us, so we ducked into a pub for drinks and lunch before heading back to Inverness to drop off the vehicle.
Things to do:
- Explore Fort Augustus and Loch Ness
Our Top Tip
Do the NC500 backwards, as we did. The scenery gets better with every turn, and it gives you more practice on Scottish roads before being thrown into narrow single lane roads through mountain passes like Applecross.
The Scottish Highlands are well worth a visit. We missed a few things due to our lack of planning, and we'd highly recommend at least 7 days for this trip so you can take your time, explore and hike properly. Read our full guide to driving in Scotland so you can prepare yourself, and check out our road trip essentials so you never forget a thing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
We'd recommend at least 7 days, and we'd say that's a minimum. This gives you time to properly explore, hike, and even extend across to the Isle of Skye if you have the time, as we did on this trip.
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