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Best Scotland Road Trip

The competitor to the famous Route 66, the North Coast 500 offers a life journey by car! Undoubtedly, being one of the world's scenic road routes, it's an excellent route for those who are eager to experience the best of Scotland.
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Are you ready to soak in outstanding coastal sceneries, ancient castles, sandy beaches on your road trip?
Length of the Road Trip:
  • 5-7 days (about 14 hours driving time)
  • 500 miles/ 805 km​
Start Point: 
  • Inverness
​End Point:
  • Inverness
Major Sights:
  • Towns: Wick, Dunnet, Durness, Ullapool, Gairloch, Inverness
  • Whisky Distilleries: Glen Ord Distillery, 
  • ​Castles: Dunrobin Castle, Sinclair Girnigoe Castle, Castle & Gardens of Mey
  • Nature landmarks: Hill o' Many Stanes, Duncansby Head, RSPB Dunnet Head, Smoo Cave, Allt nan Uamh Car Park (The Bone Caves), Ewe Canoe, Hebridean Whale Cruise, Beinn Eighe
Optional Sights:
  • Whisky Distilleries: Glenmorangie Distillery
  • Castles: Ardvreck Castle
  • Nature landmarks: Kylesku Bridge, Canisp Mountain Peak, Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve, Victoria Falls, Rogie Falls

Day 1: Historical Introduction

Start your first Scotland road trip day with a famous distillery. Set on the Black Isle, one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, Glen Ord was established in 1838. There you'll enjoy a tour and tasting of sweet, fruity, and slightly spicy whisky. ​
Calton Hill, Edinburgh
If you are into Scottish whisky, continue your trip to the Glenmorangie Distillery. Established in 1843, today, it produces one of the most excellent country's whiskies. There you will have an opportunity to enjoy three types of tours: the Heritage, the Original, and the Signet.
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​After delicious tasting, proceed your trip to visit the largest castle in the Northern Highlands, the Dunrobin Castle. Boasting 189 rooms, the castle dates back to the early 1300s and overlooks the Moray Firth. Don't hurry, take a peaceful stroll in the massive castle's gardens!

By the way, did you know that Scotland is home to countless ancient sites? And some of them you'll have a chance to traverse. Continue your today's journey to the Hill o' Many Stanes. There you'll discover about 200 small stones arranged in rows on a hill. It's known that the stones had been raised about 4,000 years ago. You will be astounded by the tremendous arrangements of stone!

The last stop on this day is Wick town. Enjoy your evening there with beautiful Sottish coastline views.

North Coast 500


Day 2: Natural Gems

The next day continue your Scotland itinerary to the graceful ruins of the Sinclair Girnigoe Castle. There you will see ruins of two castles: the 15th-century Girnigoe Castle and the 17th-century Sinclair Castle. Located on the edge of the coast, they boast marvelous views.
Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh
The next stop on your Scottish adventure is the Duncansby Head. Behold to the dramatic spotted sea stacks. What's more, during puffin breeding season (late spring-early summer), keep an eye out for colorful birds!

​For medieval castle enthusiasts, we suggest making a stop in the enticing Castle & Gardens of Mey. Established in 1572, the castle is furnished by HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. Wouldn't it be exciting to walk in the palace that served as a holiday retreat for the Royal Family?

Today is all about historical castles and dramatic sceneries! Keep going to the RSPB Dunnet Head to delight in one more edge of the northern coastline. The reserve is known for its striking sea cliffs and grassland.
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Later spend the night in cozy Dunnet town.

Day 3: the Coastal Cave

In the morning of the 3rd day, pursue your Scotland self-drive tour to the must-see Smoo Cave. It is the largest coastal cave in the United Kingdom (50 ft high). We guarantee that you'll be surprised not only by the cave itself but also by the noble waterfall inside, which falls 80 ft into the cave! There you can enjoy the unparalleled atmosphere, take selfies, and discover every corner of the cave.

Eilean Donan, Scotland
To get some relaxation and spend a cozy evening, we suggest stopping in Durness town near the Smoo Cave.

Day 4: Panoramic Views

We hope that you are not tired of the long drive and sightseeing yet because your fourth day will require a lot of wheel-steering and include a couple of adventurous activities.
Dunrobin Castle, Scotland
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While having a long drive, soak in dramatic views of the coastline. On your way, there are plenty of stunning places to visit, such as Kylesku Bridge, ruins of Ardvreck Castle, Canisp and Ben More Assynt mountain peaks. If you feel like exploring those landmarks, feel free to do it, they are incredibly gorgeous. But if you would like to save more energy for other fun activities, then stop at the Allt nan Uamh Car Park (The Bone Caves) near Inchnadamph town. Here you can explore stunning caves and a vivid natural waterfall.
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The last stop today is Ullapool town. It boasts panoramic coast views and is surrounded by lots of mountains. Have your evening there, and take a rest.

Day 5: Scottish Wilderness

While driving near the Northern coastline, make sure to enjoy water activities! Today is focused on the joys that water activities and Scottish wilderness bring.
The ruins of Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness

The first part of the day you will spend in the Ewe Canoe, offering a superb opportunity to dive into exploration from the water. After learning how to canoe or kayak, you will get to discover tranquil water.

And that's not everything! On the second part of the day, drive to Gairloch town to relish the Hebridean Whale Cruise. Board on a boat to observe sea life views. Look for whales, dolphins, seals, otters, puffins, and even sharks.
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In the evening, have a peaceful walk in the pretty town of Gairloch and taste delicious food.

Day 6: Waterfalls & Mountains

​Your road trip in Scotland is about to end; today is the last day. Following plenty of beautiful landmarks, we hope that today will be like a cherry on top of your trip!
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Take a drive to the Beinn Eighe, which is part of the Torridon mountain range and is Britain's oldest National Nature Reserve.  To witness its charm, we suggest going on a walking trail marked with extraordinary views.
Jacobite steam train crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct

On your way to Inverness, you have an opportunity to stop a a few more spots, including Victoria Falls, which is close to the road, and the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve which is also easily reachable. What's more, a bit further, near Contin village, you can make a stop to cherish Rogie Falls, one of the main tourist attractions. 

In the evening you will reach your last destination - Inverness. Have a cozy evening, and warm reflections after the Scotland road trip.

Definitely, the North Coast 500 is one of Scotland's' best road journeys with charming Scottish Highlands, whisky distilleries, and fascinating villages. For nature, culture, and tasty food fans, Scotland trips are always a great idea. Don't hesitate to have a personal self-drive Scotland tour with your loved ones!

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