The North Coast 500 is a loop of about 830 km (516 miles), launched in 2015, that starts in Inverness and circles the northern Highlands via the west coast, the north coast and Caithness. It stands out for its long single-track roads with passing places, the Bealach na Bà pass, the mountains of Assynt and the white sand beaches of Durness.
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
May to September, the mildest months, with very long days; in July and August the road is busy and accommodation fills up, so book early. From November to February, the Bealach na Bà and the A835 close for snow, the days are short and many sites and campsites are shut.
🚗 128 km · 1h50 of driving from Inverness
A835 to Garve, A832 and A890 via Achnasheen, then the Bealach na Bà: 630 m, gradients close to 20%. Large motorhomes: take the coast road via Shieldaig.
🚗 91 km · 1h15 of driving from Applecross
The single-track Applecross coast road to Shieldaig, the A896 through Glen Torridon, then the A832 along Loch Maree. Passing places all the way.
🚗 89 km · 1h10 of driving from Gairloch
A832 via Poolewe and Gruinard Bay. Roadworks near Dundonnell: traffic lights by day, closed at night. Then the A835 at Braemore.
🚗 58 km · 50 min of driving from Ullapool
A835 north, then the A837 along Loch Assynt, single-track towards the end. Alternative via Stac Pollaidh and Inverkirkaig, very narrow.
🚗 84 km · 1h10 of driving from Lochinver
B869 via Drumbeg: single-track, hairpins and very steep hills, to be avoided in a motorhome (A837 then A894 instead). Then the A894 and A838.
🚗 114 km · 1h45 of driving from Durness
A838 around Loch Eriboll, single-track as far as Tongue, then the wider A836 via Bettyhill.
🚗 111 km · 1h30 of driving from Thurso
A836 via Dunnet Head and John o' Groats, A99 via Wick, then the A9 via Helmsdale and Golspie. Two-lane roads.
🚗 69 km · 1h of driving from Dornoch
Drive from Applecross to Ullapool in a day via Torridon and Gairloch, and keep just one night in Lochinver. From Thurso, head straight back to Inverness via John o' Groats, Wick and the A9.
| November, the cheapest month | ≈ €31 a day (£27) |
|---|---|
| Average over the year | ≈ €47 a day (£40) |
| July and August | More expensive, automatics are scarce: book months ahead |
| Vehicle | A city car or compact: everything is tarmacked. A small car is easier to tuck into passing places. |
|---|---|
| Gearbox | Usually manual: book an automatic early if changing gear with your left hand bothers you. |
| Where to pick it up | Inverness airport or the city centre. It is a loop, so no one-way fee. |
| Motorhome | Longer than a VW T5-type van (5 to 5.5 m): avoid the Bealach na Bà and the B869. |
| Insurance | Standalone excess insurance from £3.49 a day (RAC, 2026). |
| Age | 23 and one year's driving experience at Arnold Clark, 21-22 under conditions. £25 a day under 25. |
| Bank card | Physical card in the driver's name, prepaid cards refused, deposit of up to £150. |
⚠️ Basic cover leaves a large excess and often excludes tyres, windscreen and underbody, the parts most exposed on single-track roads.
Enough without an International Driving Permit, for 12 months after entering Great Britain (GOV.UK). Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
Steering wheel on the right, overtake on the right. Roundabouts run clockwise; give way to the right.
30 mph (48 km/h) in towns, 70 mph (112 km/h) on dual carriageways (2x2 lanes). 20 mph in 127 Highland villages.
That is 22 µg per 100 ml of breath: stricter than in England (80 mg).
Pull into one on your left or wait opposite one on your right. No parking in them, not even for a photo.
A queue behind you? Pull into the next passing place. No convoys of cars or motorhomes.
National ID cards refused since October 2021. ETA required since 2 April 2025, valid for two years.
The right of responsible access excludes vehicles. Overnight stays tolerated in lay-bys, with everything kept inside the vehicle.
Ullapool, Gairloch, Durness, Dunnet Head, Wick… from 22:00 to 08:00, no return within 72 hours.
Unfenced sheep, deer at dawn and dusk: ease off on the moorland roads.
≈ €2.00 per litre of unleaded (172p), €2.27 for diesel (195.5p)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 744 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €100 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
UK average, week of 21 September 2026. In the north-west, small petrol stations with short opening hours: fill up in Ullapool, Lochinver, Durness and Tongue.
| Roads and bridges | No tolls: the Kessock, Cromarty and Dornoch bridges are free |
|---|---|
| Corrieshalloch Gorge car park | £5 per car, £10 per motorhome (National Trust for Scotland) |
| Dunnet Head and Duncansby Head car parks | Voluntary payment, not compulsory: £1 to £5 depending on the length of stay |
| Smoo Cave car park | Free, with a paid car park opposite if it is full |
| Dunrobin Castle | Admission of about £15 to £18 per adult |
| Bealach na Bà (Applecross) | Often closed by snow in winter; fall back on the coast road |
|---|---|
| A832, Dundonnell-Fain Bridge | Closed at night since 24 August 2026, traffic lights by day until 2027 |
| A835, Braemore and Aultguish | Snow gates: check Traffic Scotland in winter |
| Dunrobin Castle | Open from 1 April to 31 October only |
| Orkney excursion from John o' Groats | From 1 May to 30 September only |
The official website recommends at least 5 to 7 days. Allow 7 days for the loop driving every day, and 10 days to spend two nights in Assynt and take your time on the west coast, where single-track roads bring the average speed down. Add a day for an excursion to Orkney from John o' Groats.
The official website leaves it up to you. Many locals recommend going anticlockwise, to finish with the western mountains. We suggest clockwise: the Bealach na Bà and the single-track roads come early, when you are fresh, and you return via the faster east coast and the A9.
Yes, but the official website advises vehicles longer than a VW T5-type van (about 5 to 5.5 m) to avoid the Bealach na Bà and the B869 at Drumbeg. Wild camping rights do not apply to motor vehicles: sleep at a campsite or in the authorised Highland Council car parks, from 22:00 to 08:00.
They are widened sections marked by a "Passing Place" sign. If a vehicle comes the other way, pull into one on your left or wait opposite one on your right. Keep one passing place between you and the car in front, let those behind you overtake and never park in one: it is prohibited and you can be fined.
Car hire: £40 a day on average (≈ €47), more in summer, so about €500 over 10 days. The official NC500 is about 830 km; our loop is about 750 km from stage to stage: at 7 litres per 100 km, about €100 of petrol at September 2026 prices. Add a few car parks (£5 at Corrieshalloch) and accommodation.
Fill up in Inverness, Gairloch and Ullapool, then whenever you can in the north-west: between Ullapool and Durness, only Lochinver, Kinlochbervie (a detour) and Scourie have a petrol station. They are small and often close around 18:00. On the north coast, Tongue and Bettyhill will do before Thurso; the east coast is well served.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/north-coast-500 · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
