A two-week loop from Edinburgh that heads north through the Trossachs and Glencoe, crosses to the Isle of Skye by ferry, follows the Wester Ross coast along a stretch of the North Coast 500, then comes back down via Inverness, Loch Ness and the Cairngorms. It suits drivers happy to keep left and to take on single-track roads, where you pass each other in passing places.
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
May to September, when the days are long, the Mallaig ferry runs its summer timetable and the passes are open. In winter, snow gates regularly close the Bealach na Bà, the A93 at Glenshee and the A939 at the Lecht, sometimes for weeks, and the loop becomes hard to complete.
🚗 86 km · 1h15 of driving from Edinburgh
M9 to Stirling, then the A84, a fast road. Picking up the car on the day you leave avoids Edinburgh's low emission zone.
🚗 131 km · 1h55 of driving from Callander
A84 and A85 to Crianlarich, then the A82 across Rannoch Moor and through Glencoe: two lanes, busy in summer, plenty of photo lay-bys.
🚗 146 km · 2h30 of driving from Fort William
A830 to Mallaig, CalMac ferry to Armadale (45 min, booking essential), then the A851 and A87. On Skye, minor roads are single-track.
🚗 153 km · 2h10 of driving from Portree
Toll-free Skye Bridge, then the Bealach na Bà: 630 m, gradients close to 20%, not advised for motorhomes and novice drivers. Alternative: the A896 via Lochcarron.
🚗 151 km · 2h10 of driving from Shieldaig
North Coast 500: the A896 through Glen Torridon, the A832 along Loch Maree via Gairloch, then the A835. Single-track in places, few petrol stations.
🚗 91 km · 1h15 of driving from Ullapool
A835 via Garve to Tore, then the A9 and the Kessock Bridge. A fast, easy road.
🚗 144 km · 2h05 of driving from Inverness
A9 to Aviemore (average speed cameras), then the A939 via Tomintoul and the Lecht, a steep, exposed pass closed by snow, to the A93.
🚗 150 km · 2h10 of driving from Braemar
Skip Callander (Stirling can be visited on the way to Fort William), then Shieldaig and Ullapool: from Skye, head straight to Inverness via Eilean Donan and the A87, then along Loch Ness. Return to Edinburgh on the A9 through the Cairngorms instead of going via Braemar, and keep two nights each in Edinburgh, Fort William, Portree and Inverness.
| November, the cheapest month | ≈ €31 a day (£27) |
|---|---|
| Annual average | ≈ €69 a day (£59) |
| July and August | Considerably more, especially for an automatic: book months ahead |
| Vehicle | City car or compact: everything is paved, and a 4x4 adds nothing. Avoid large motorhomes on the Bealach na Bà. |
|---|---|
| Gearbox | Usually manual: book an automatic early if changing gear with your left hand bothers you. |
| Where to pick it up | Edinburgh airport, outside the low emission zone. A loop, so no one-way fee; Glasgow to Edinburgh costs extra. |
| Insurance | Standalone excess insurance from £3.49 a day (RAC, 2026). Check that the Mallaig ferry is covered. |
| Age | 23 and one year's licence at Arnold Clark, 21 to 22 subject to 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 an excess of hundreds to thousands of pounds and often excludes tyres, windscreen and underbody.
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.
National ID cards refused since October 2021. ETA required since 2 April 2025, valid for two years, apply three working days ahead.
Steering wheel on the right, overtake on the right. Roundabouts run clockwise, give way to the right.
30 mph (48 km/h) in town, 70 mph (112 km/h) on dual carriageways. 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; let others overtake. Never park in them.
Between Dunblane and Inverness, about 220 km: speed calculated from one checkpoint to the next.
Cameras 24 hours a day: Euro 4 petrol, Euro 6 diesel minimum. Fine £60, £30 if paid within 14 days.
Unfenced sheep, deer at dawn and dusk: ease off on 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.
⛽ 1,052 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €150 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
UK average, week of 21 September 2026. Few petrol stations in the west: fill up in Fort William, Portree or Kyle, Gairloch or Ullapool.
| Roads and bridges | No tolls, Skye Bridge free since December 2004 |
|---|---|
| Mallaig-Armadale ferry | £13.25 per car plus £4 per adult (2026) |
| Glenelg-Kylerhea ferry | £20 one way, £30 return |
| Old Man of Storr car park | £6 for up to 6 hours, £8 for up to 12 hours |
| Fairy Pools car park | £8 |
| Quiraing car park | £3 for up to 3 hours, £6 for up to 6 hours |
| Bealach na Bà (Applecross) | Often closed in winter and early spring; alternative via the A896 |
|---|---|
| A93, Cairnwell Pass (Glenshee to Braemar) | Often closed in winter, sometimes from October to April |
| A939, Lecht pass (Cock Bridge to Tomintoul) | Closed during snowfall, long detour |
| Glenelg-Kylerhea ferry | Only from April to mid-October, 10:00 to 18:00 |
| Mallaig-Armadale ferry | Reduced timetable from 19 October 2026 to 25 March 2027 |
| Mallaig-Armadale ferry, maintenance | No service on 7 September and 17 October 2026 |
| A82 (Glencoe, Tyndrum), A835, A9 (Dalwhinnie) | Snow gates: check Traffic Scotland in winter |
Allow 10 to 14 days for a loop through Edinburgh, Glencoe, Skye, Wester Ross, Inverness and the Cairngorms, with three nights on Skye. With 10 days, keep Glencoe, Skye and Loch Ness and skip the Wester Ross coast. A week is only enough for an Edinburgh, Glencoe, Skye, Inverness round trip, with long days of driving.
Not with an EU licence: a valid EU licence lets you drive in Great Britain for 12 months after entering the country. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required. You do, however, need a passport, as national ID cards have not been accepted since October 2021, and an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) at £20, valid for two years.
The first few hours take concentration, especially at roundabouts, which run clockwise with priority to traffic from the right. Pick up the car at the airport rather than in town, and choose an automatic so you do not have to change gear with your left hand. Away from the main roads, Highland roads are quiet.
They are widened sections marked by a white "Passing Place" sign. If a vehicle comes towards you, pull into one on your left or stop opposite one on your right; you also use them to let others overtake. Never park in them, even for a photo (Highway Code, rule 155).
Car: €69 a day on average, more in summer, close to €1,000 over 14 days. A loop of about 1,050 km, 1,200 to 1,300 with Skye: €150 to €180 of petrol at September 2026 prices. Add the Mallaig ferry (£21.25, car and two adults) and about twenty pounds of parking.
No, the bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh is free and open all year. The Mallaig-Armadale ferry (45 minutes, £13.25 per car plus £4 per adult) saves a detour if you are coming from Fort William and Glenfinnan, but booking is essential in summer. The little Glenelg to Kylerhea ferry, from April to mid-October, is a third option.
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/scotland · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
