Deer lovers can spot red deer throughout the Scottish Highlands and the best time to see them is early in the morning in the fields away from villages. We saw loads of them, especially along the western and southern parts of the route. If you want to get really upclose to a large herd of deer, we can recommend a guided tour with gamekeeper Colin at Reraig Forest near Lochcarron. But the North Coast 500 is designed for touring, sightseeing, and taking things slowly. The minimum number of days we’d recommend to drive the North Coast 500 is 5 days, but 7 to 10 days would be ideal. If you plan to speed around, you could do it with 3 full days and night, but we’d recommend more time. Your tales got us all excited for the NC500 and We plan on taking the route from Inverness. Could you please recommend a route? considering the actual driving days will be 5 (Fully aware that is no way enough but would still like to make the most of these days). I would like to place Isle of Skye in this route somewhere.

If you have several extra days, we’d recommend adding on a visit to one of the islands that can be reached from along or near the route such as Orkney, the Outer Hebrides (e.g., Lewis & Harris), the Isle of Skye, or Shetland. We’d recommend at least 2 full days on any of the above islands to make the most of a visit. Additional Resources? The infrastructure of the Highlands in some areas is not fully ready to handle mass tourism, but most traffic incidents can be avoided by following the driving laws, knowing how to safely drive your vehicle, and being prepared. Distilleries and Breweries. Scotland is well-known for its whisky and just about every visitor to Scotland wants to try at least a dram or two of whisky during his or her trip. But Scotland also has a growing craft beer industry and gin scene and you’ll find a bit of everything along the North Coast 500. If you’ve driven any part of NC500, feel free to share any tips or advice you have from your own trip! As always, all questions and comments are welcome. If you are looking for dog-friendly accommodation in a certain town or area and can’t find anything, feel free to ask and we’ll let you know if know of any. From our readers who have traveled with dogs, we have a good list of dog-friendly places along much of the route. How to Avoid the Crowds along the North Coast 500?

The best time to drive the North Coast 500 for most people is between May and October as during this period you’ll find most attractions and restaurants open, the greatest variety of lodging, and the best chances for warmer weather. However, this also corresponds with the busiesttime along the North Coast 500 which is from early May to late September. You already have some great ideas for places to visit with young kids (gardens, beaches, boat tours). There are many that might be a good fit, but here are some more ideas of places you might consider: The North Coast 500 brings together a route of more than 500 miles of stunning coastal scenery – 516 miles, to be exact. Not only is the NC500 one of the world’s best road trips, but it’s also one of the most beautiful. While the North Coast 500 is an experience in itself, you’ll also find plenty of adventures to be had along the way. We want everyone who visits the North Highlands to have the best time possible when driving the North Coast 500, so, in this article, we’ll bring you some top tips on how to make the very most of your trip. Although it is possible to race around the North Coast 500 in 3 days, this is not recommended as you’ll see little and spend a lot of time driving in your car. You’ll want to take time to stop and explore and appreciate the scenery. We recommend at least 5 days to drive the full NC500.

Yes, we would recommend booking your lodging in advance and to have a general idea of the main things you want to do. It is also wise to book ahead any guided activities such as kayaking, fishing, clay pigeon shooting, guided mountaineering, etc. in advance as many of the small operators tell us they can be booked up weeks in advance. Have at least a tentative itinerary can also help you identify and fit in places you really want to see that have limited opening times (e.g., a museum or attraction only open 3 days a week or a restaurant only open on weekends for dinner). Evanton Woods – There is a very nice woodland playground here developed by the local community in Evanton. It is about a 10 minute walk from the parking area across from the free parking area across from the pub in Evanton. We would like to make the most of the NC500, and eventually spend 2~3 nights at your recommended Castle Hotels that might be in our way; We suggest taking a look at Motorhome Republic as a good starting point for comparing prices on campervan rental in the UK. They have listings for many of the major campervan rental firms in the UK. You can see their UK listings here.Yes, if you prefer not to drive yourself you do have some options to book a guided North Coast 500 group or private tour. For those who don’t want to drive the route, this is your best option as public transit is spotty around the route. To rent a car in Scotland, you also normally need to have held a valid driving license for at least a year (some require up to 3 years) and the driver’s license must be in English or use the Latin alphabet (or you’ll need to obtain an International Driving Permit from your home country). Motorcycle Rentals

Having said that, it would be great if you could provide us with some advice, considering the following: I’d recommend 2 nights on the Isle of Skye after you finish the NC500 drive. That will give you more time to explore there. Here is some ideas for the Isle of Skye and also a Skye & Scottish Highlands itinerary that might be helpful. There is also the option to travel overnight on the overnight sleeper train the Caledonian Sleeper from London or elsewhere in Scotland. You can see schedules and fares here, and you can read our sleeper train review here. Buses Yes, as I am sure you expected, we would not recommend this. As you have read on our blogs as well as it sounds like from other people online who have done the trip, we’d not recommend that route for you. Basically you’ll have 1.5 days or a little more since you arrive late on 24th and need to be in Inverness by the evening of 26th.There are over 10 golf courses in this area but a few golf courses to consider are the Inverness Golf Club in Inverness, The Nairn Golf Clubin Nairn, Nairn Dunbar Golf Club in Nairn, Castle Stuart Golf Links near Nairn, Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Clubin Fortrose, Invergordon Golf Club in Invergordon, and the Royal Links Championship Course & Struie Course in Dornoch.

Be very careful of potholes, certainly at the beginning and the end of passing places. They can be brutal. Before your trip, take a look at the Scottish Outdoor Access Code to make sure you understand the local laws and best practices. Do your part to leave ‘no trace’ and encourage your travel companions to do the same! Inverness Mobile Tyre Fitting are a local, family run company who supply, fit and repair tyres 24/7 using their mobile service, covering all of the North Coast 500, Highland, Strathspey and Moray-shire region. Be prepared before you head out on your journey and add their number to your phone – 07785295534!

Dornoch

Is there another itinierary that you would like to suggest for the above days between 14th and 18th October. The North Coast 500 is a circular route that begins and ends in the city of Inverness. Inverness is the largest city in the Scottish Highlands, and it has an airport, train station and bus station, making it easy to get here using a variety of transportation options. Driving Happy to try to help and glad you are finding our articles useful. So it sound like you already have a good plan drafted for your time in Scotland. May is a usually great time to visit. For the most part, you’ll want to bring the same things you’d bring on any road trip, but there are a few things you may want to consider for a Scottish road trip. First, you may want to invest in a guidebook for the North Coast 500 or if your travels are taking you elsewhere in Scotland, a Scotland guidebook. If you have less than 5 days, we recommend driving only a portion of the route or considering joining a guided tour. If you are considering a guided tour, we can recommend this 3 day tour from Rabbies, an Edinburgh-based tour company we have used several times. They will take care of the planning, ensure you see all the main highlights, and keep you safe on the road. What if I have more than 7 days to drive the NC500?