North Coast 500
5 out of 5 stars
North Coast 500
a budget-friendly road trip with epic views
A video of highlights from a 2019 North Coast 500 trip made by Sarah Foubert @ foubography
“…just over 500 miles of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages, hidden gems, and a wealth of unforgettable experiences; the North Coast 500 is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips.”
This trip, which we did in the summer of 2019, is still my number one holiday ever. It was far from perfect (trying to buy a house whilst on holiday was quite stressful), but the journey was incredible, the people were so friendly and around every corner there was a breathtaking view.
I had been on holiday to Scotland numerous times before, but I couldn’t believe how varied the country turned out to be. Especially the approach towards the most Northern region (if you’re doing the trip clockwise starting from the bottom) where the desolate and vast landscapes are incredibly beautiful. Mountains were far apart with so much uninhabited space in between. You could get lost and not see a soul for days. When living in a city it’s easy to forget such places still exist.
The most surprising view was the white sandy beaches with azure blue water, framed by high red cliffs speckled with green, something I never thought was possible to see in the UK.
There are many fantastic stops along the way. I especially enjoyed visiting the Castle and Gardens of Mey. It is the most northerly inhabited castle in Scotland and has some beautiful gardens which look out over the ocean.
Another highlight of the trip was Bealach na Bà, a winding single track road in Wester Ross. Despite the tight hairpin turns and the very steep incline, it’s only the third highest road in Scotland but does have the steepest ascent of any road climb in the United Kingdom. Once through the pass, there is a big car park with some stunning views in both directions.
Along the route, you also have the opportunity to visit John O'Groats, which is commonly known as one end of the longest distance between two inhabited points on the British mainland (with Land's End in Cornwall at its opposite). However, it is not the northernmost point of mainland Great Britain as is commonly thought. That is instead the nearby Dunnet Head which is definitely worth a visit as one of the above photos shows.
The options for accommodation are extensive ranging from beautiful camping sites to staying at luxury accomodation like The Inn at John O’Groats with views of the Orkney Islands. This gives you the opportunity to adjust your budget according to your needs, many people even cycle the trip cutting out even more costs. We stayed in a variety of places; a couple of Airbnbs, a luxury flat for one night, an old hotel, an empty wooden hut, and even a glamping caravan, but it’s possible to do the whole trip with just a tent.
I couldn’t recommend this trip more and would love to repeat it with our son some time in the future as it’s definitely a very family-friendly trip.
