Scotland summer road trip on the NC500
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NC500 with kids – summer on Scotland’s north coast
Do you fancy a family road trip with epic views and plenty of fun stops along the way? We enjoyed a brilliant August trip to Scotland with our kids this summer. The main focus of our holiday was the NC500, or part of it at least.
Due to work constraints, we were only able to do a 7 day NC500 itinerary. I had worried that this wouldn’t be long enough but it worked out well with an additional two nights in Edinburgh at the start of the holiday and a night in Inverness at the end.
I am not a great photographer – my images do not do justice to the beautiful landscapes and seascapes of Scotland. They also go no way to capturing the weather we experienced.
Is the NC500 fun with kids?
Our children are fairly used to long drives – we’ve driven across France a few times and we did a month-long Europe road trip when they were seven and five. If your kids get restless in the car, the NC500 does not involve long days if you spend 10 days or more exploring the route.
Epic scenery, great play lists, BorrowBox (the library app) and plenty of stops for food and exploration made the NC500 driving times doable for our kids. Most days we drove between 1.5 and three hours but these times were split over the whole day so we were never in the car for long.
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One of the things I loved about the NC500 was the number of excellent foodie stop-offs along the way – cafes, trucks and shacks serving everything from seafood to cheese toasties – meant we were never far from a tasty pitstop.
There are of course plenty of tourist attractions to break up the journey – lots of short (but rewarding) walks, waterfalls, beaches, castles and iconic locations like the John O’Groats sign. There’s even the chance to spot wildlife if you have plenty of time and patience. We saw plenty of Highland cows but sadly no stags or whales.
Accommodation on the NC500
There are some incredible places to stay along the NC500 – hotels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, glamping and camping.
Some of the B&Bs and glamping sites looked very inviting and there were a few times during our camping adventure when I was tempted to flee to one of them – due to the full range of Scottish weather we experienced.
If you opt to stay somewhere more plush than a campsite, you need to book well in advance for a summer NC500 trip. By contrast, if you’re camping and don’t need an electric hook up, a lot of the sites have plenty of space, even in August.
Do you need to book campsites in advance on the NC500?
Not all campsites on the NC500 permit pre-booking. We didn’t have reservations for a couple of the campsites we visited and they both had plenty of space when we arrived mid-afternoon.
There are two campsites which are particularly popular on the NC500 – Sango Sands and Clachtoll Beach Campsite. We were glad to have pre-booked our two night stay at Clachtoll as it was fully booked while we were there.
Roof tent camping on the NC500
We hired a Land Rover Defender 110 with roof tent from adventure outfit Wildtrax.
The car came equipped with everything we could possibly need – from table and chairs, stove and kettle, to phone chargers and head torches, so we didn’t need to bring much gear with us.
The rooftop tent sleeps two and you have the choice of a cosy duvet or sleeping bags, proper pillows are included. We also booked a two-person tent and took it in turns to be on the roof and on the ground.
The bedding for the roof tent stayed in the roof so we didn’t need to bring anything down to pack away each morning. The ground tent was the foldaway Decathlon design so it took 30 seconds to put up and not too much longer to pack down (once we’d mastered how to fold it…)
Getting to the NC500 from southern England
Inverness is the official start and end point of the NC500. Inverness was packed with tourists from all over the world during our NC500 road trip.
We opted to take the train from Stevenage in Hertfordshire (near to where we live). It’s a journey of around four hours from Stevenage to Edinburgh and a further three and a bit hours from Edinburgh to Inverness.
Our kids were 13 and 11 at the time of our trip and they were happy (most of the time) to carry their own rucksacks. As all the gear we needed for the trip was supplied by Wildtrax, we only needed to bring clothes, footwear, wetsuits, wash bags and a few other essentials.
Travelling by train to Scotland was lovely. We booked tickets as soon as they were released (check out the Man in Seat 61 for advice on this). We had four seats around a table for each journey so we had plenty of space.
If you don’t fancy taking the train to Scotland, you can make the journey there part of the holiday – there are some fab places to stop along the way. You can of course fly to Inverness or Edinburgh but this seems like the least appealing option in my opinion.
For ideas on where to break the journey on a long drive across the UK, check out my article about motorway stop offs.
Short break in Edinburgh
We enjoyed a couple of days exploring Edinburgh before our NC500 road trip. It was August and the Fringe was in full swing. We watched lots of street performers as well as a hip hop show at one of the university venues. It was a great introduction to Scotland’s capital for our kids.
Edinburgh in August is packed with tourists – we struggled find somewhere to stay at a reasonable price despite booking over six months in advance. If you’re planning to visit Edinburgh during the Fringe, ensure you book as far in advance as possible.
Do you need to drive the whole 500 miles of the NC500?
Absolutely not. Some people opt to skip the less dramatic east coast and travel straight up the “middle” to the Kyle of Tongue. We thought it would be fun to pay a visit to John O’Groats so we whizzed up the east coast and then spent the rest of the time along the top and the west coast. We decided to miss the Ullapool to Applecross section due to our time constraints.
When planning your NC500 itinerary, the best option is to look at the stops along the way and decide which ones interest you. There are castles, distilleries and beaches galore; wildlife, waterfalls, mountains to hike and rivers to amble along. Scotland feels like a million miles from home and a proper adventure destination, with no need to hop on a plane to reach it.
Our 7 day NC500 itinerary
- Day 1: Forres (Inverness) to Foyers, Loch Ness
- Day 2: Foyers to Gills, near John O’Groats
- Day 3: Gills to Kyle of Tongue
- Day 4: Kyle of Tongue to Clachtoll
- Day 5: Clachtoll and Achmelvich beaches
- Day 6: Clachtoll Beach to Ullapool
- Day 7: Ullapool to Inverness
Day 1: Forres (Inverness) to Foyers, Loch Ness
- 47 miles, one hour 20 minutes
- Where we stayed: Loch Ness Shores campsite, Foyers
Wildtrax is located annoyingly far from Inverness, in the wrong direction from the tourist attractions of the NC500. We didn’t want to travel too far on our first day so I pre-booked a night on Loch Ness.
We drove straight there, taking the peaceful inland route as opposed to the lakeside road which we took the following morning on our way out. We skipped the north shore all together as I’d heard it was quite busy (there is a Nessie attraction centre though which some might enjoy). The southern shore was very quiet with only a couple of other vehicles on the road.
Loch Ness Shores is a well maintained and spacious site, it was extremely quiet during our stay. It has direct access to the loch so we had a lovely wander along the shore, no sign of Nessie unfortunately but we had fun photoshopping her into our photos!
Day 2: Foyers to Gills, near John O’Groats
- 163 miles, 4 hours
- Where we stayed: Ferry View campsite
We detoured to Rogie Falls for lunch and a lovely walk. We then stopped at Dornoch for a walk along the beach and a quick hot chocolate at Cocoa Mountain (delicious). I would have liked to visit the well-regarded Historylinks museum but our beach walk took longer than expected.
Next up was the Whaligoe Steps, surprisingly sheltered despite the windy weather. Once a thriving herring harbour, fisherfolk used to carry their haul of fish up 365 steps from Whaligoe Haven to be taken off to sell in Wick. Surrounded on three sides by soaring cliffs, it’s a haven for birds and offers stunning coastal views.
Our final stop of the day was John O’Groats where one of our boys delighted in making his most northerly purchase of a football.
This was quite a long drive but we knew we wouldn’t need to cook when we arrived at the campsite (and it gets dark really late!) so we had plenty of time to enjoy the route and the various stops along the way.
Ferry View has just a few pitches so it’s worth booking ahead if you can. It’s a sheltered site with a view of Stroma island. The site boasts fancy bathrooms like you’d find in your own home and a great little café in a converted bus which is open to the public. It’s quite an eccentric site with lots of weird and whimsical touches, a good option for families with little kids.
We had delicious homemade pizzas at Ferry View and excellent Scotch pancakes for breakfast the next morning. The bus, with board games and plenty of space, provided us with excellent shelter from the elements.
Day 3: Gills to Kyle of Tongue
- 74 miles, 2.5 hours
- Where we stayed: Kyle of Tongue Hostel and Campsite
This is where the NC500 gets really interesting. Our first stop was Dunnet Head – the most northly point (as opposed to John O Groats which is only the most northerly inhabited point) in the UK. During our visit it also felt like the most windy part of the UK. Soldiers were stationed here during the Second World War, their simple buildings still scatter the landscape near the lighthouse. It must have been a grim job keeping watch there.
We had a wander along the expansive sandy stretch of Dunnet beach too – stunning despite the grey skies. There are lots of great beaches along this part of the NC500, and most of them are empty.
Our next stop was the beautiful Strathy Bay, bathed in sunshine during the start of our visit but rather grey by the time we left. There was one brave family having a swim but otherwise it was deserted. It’s a great beach for clambering on rocks and fishing in pools.
There are plenty of excellent hiking opportunities along the NC500. We didn’t have time to scale any of the peaks but we did find some lovely shorter walks including Borgie Glen near Bettytown. There’s an interesting sculpture, The Unknown by Kenny Hunter, overlooking the heathery landscape so it’s a good walk to do with kids.
When I was planning the trip, I had hoped that we could stay at Sango Sands campsite which sits on clifftops overlooking a beautiful beach. However, we couldn’t book it in advance and I was worried about us arriving there to find it full. So we opted to stop at the Kyle of Tongue hostel and campsite instead.
The setting of the Kyle of Tongue campsite is fantastic in very different ways. It was low tide when we arrived at the kyle (meaning strait or narrow waterway) and there were clouds billowing across the sky, constantly covering and uncovering the sun. This was mother nature at her very best and we spent a long time watching the drama of the changing scenery.
The campsite is split between the main grassy area next to the hostel, plus a smaller and more sheltered section across the road. As the wind was picking up we thought the sheltered spot was a good idea but we regretted this the following morning when we woke to the sound of our neighbours being eaten alive by midges. Strangely, the rest of the campsite was clear of midges so we grabbed our breakfast and moved over to the midge-free side of the road.
Day 4: Kyle of Tongue to Clachtoll
- 80 miles, 3 hours
- Where we stayed: Clachtoll Beach Campsite
It was a pretty wet and windy day as we drove across the Kyle of Tongue Causeway and on along the coast to Durness. Despite the windy weather, the Golden Eagle zipline, which whizzes between two clifftops over Durness beach, was open for business. I used the price (£18pp) as a excuse to not do this activity myself. In fact, all but one of the family decided to sit this one out. I’m not sure if it was the rain, the wind or the scary drop into the sand below that put the rest of the family off.
I was really glad of my full waterproofs that morning – there’s quite a bit of standing around waiting for the zipline while people get kitted out and queue for their turn. It’s an impressive sight when someone zips across (not overly fast, I might add) so it’s definitely worth a stop. You can’t pre-book the zipline as it’s weather dependent and often stops when it gets too windy. Buffeted by what felt like fairly forceful wind while I waited for my son, I did wonder how bad the weather needed to be.
Our next stop was Smoo Cave. In calmer weather, visitors can explore the subterranean waterway by boat but during our visit there was so much water gushing into the cave that boat trips were not running. It’s still an impressive attraction – the volume of water pounding into the cave is remarkable. There’s plenty of information about cave rescues, and it’s free if you’re not taking the tour.
We had an excellent lunch at the famous Cheese and Toasted kiosk above Durness Beach. From there we enjoyed a beautiful drive to our campsite on the Drumbeg Loop.
We stopped for a walk at Wailing Widow Falls – or Allt Chranaidh – its less unsettling, but more challenging Gaelic name. Despite being incredibly scenic and impressive (they descend from Loch na Gainmhich above), the falls are barely signposted and there’s only a very small parking area. As a result of this, we had the falls to ourselves. The short walk along the river to the falls is great fun for children – lots of scrambling and hopping across rocks and water and an incredibly rewarding sight at the end.
It was a drive of around an hour to cover the 20 odd miles from the waterfall to Clachtoll Beach Campsite. The roads are particularly narrow and steep on the Drumbeg Loop – we rarely left second gear. We passed tiny white farmhouses set against the greens, purples and greys of the hills and mountains behind. There are rivers flowing everywhere, and serene pools covered in lily pads.
Day 5: Clachtoll and Achmelvich beaches
We enjoyed two nights at Clachtoll Beach Campsite. The weather was very obliging and gave us waves in the morning for bodyboarding and calm water in the afternoon and following morning for paddleboarding.
We also drove over to neighbouring Achmelvich Bay, equally beautiful.
Clachtoll is a great place to spend a few days. It’s miles from anywhere and tends to be fully booked during the school holidays – it definitely needs to be booked in advance. Paddleboards and bodyboards along with wetsuits, water shoes and everything else you could possibly need for a day at the beach are all available to borrow for free (with a £20 deposit for the paddleboards).
The campsite has a cosy covered kitchen for cooking your dinner in (handy when it rains) and a wood stove surrounded by chairs and benches – great for meeting people and their dogs! We enjoyed playing cards with other campers and watched (sometimes in horror) as fellow campers mastered cooking live lobsters they’d purchased from a local fisherman.
The weather started to calm during our stay at Clachtoll so the sea water was incredibly clear. It’s a fantastic spot for paddleboarding. The beach is a five minute walk from the campsite and it’s pretty safe for children.
There’s a great little café and shop, Flossie’s Beach Store, next to the campsite – perfect if you’re feeling too lazy to cook and you don’t fancy driving somewhere to buy essentials you might have forgotten to pack. There’s also a good range of eateries and a Spar in nearby Lochinver.
Day 6: Clachtoll Beach to Ullapool
- 36 miles, 1 hour 45 minutes
- Where we stayed: Broomfield Holiday Park, Ullapool
This day was probably the most scenic of our drives, so much so that we didn’t really pay attention to the roads and ended up taking quite a long detour rather than the route we had planned.
The winding roads passed endless bodies of water with stunning mountain peaks visible through the clouds. I would love to return here and spend more time exploring this landscape.
We decided to spend our final night at the Broomfield Holiday Park because it was within walking distance of Ullapool – we fancied fish and chips for dinner. Unfortunately, despite its fantastic location overlooking Loch Broom, it was the one disappointing campsite of our trip. It felt very dated and soulless with a rather officious check-in system and equally officious receptionist. Access to the toilet block required a security code – we couldn’t quite work out why this was.
It’s a shame Broomfield has this feel about it as the views from the site over Loch Broom are sublime – we enjoyed sitting on the pebble beach gazing over the water. The honking of a departing cruise ship at 3am was a bit annoying – I feel sorry for the residents of Ullapool who must be woken by this sound on a regular basis. Ullapool is a lovely little town and we had a decent meal in the evening sunshine at The Chippy.
Day 7: Ullapool to Inverness
- 80 miles, 2 hours
- Where we stayed: Inverness youth hostel
This was the hottest day of our Scotland NC500 road trip! Not far from Ullapool we stopped at Corrieshalloch Gorge. It’s a short walk along the river to the impressive gorge with plenty of photogenic spots.
Lots of money has been invested in this stunning area, there’s a good interpretation centre and an excellent walk which is wheelchair and buggy friendly.
After Corrieshalloch, we drove the fairly quick and straight route skirting round lochs back to Inverness and on to Forres to return our Defender. We spent a night in Inverness, staying in the hilltop youth hostel (good en-suite family rooms, let down slightly by the dodgy mattresses). The staff were great, making us a takeaway brekkie for our early train journey the next morning.
What are the roads like on the NC500?
I’d read that during the summer months, the NC500 can get quite busy. This really was not the case during our August visit. The roads were peaceful, drivers were courteous and there were no jams or hold ups.
We were really impressed by the quality of the Scottish roads. They were well maintained and there were so many passing places. Each passing place has a sign so you can clearly see in advance where the next space is and stop accordingly.
As the resident of an English village surrounded by narrow country roads, I can confirm that the Scottish roads are of a far higher standard.
NC500 weather and midges in August
It’s no secret that the weather in Scotland can be rather changeable. It was really windy for most of our holiday and rained heavily most nights. We wore trousers and a couple of layers of clothing up until the final two days of the trip when it finally warmed up. However, the windy weather kept the midges at bay.
When we pitched up at the Kyle of Tongue, we opted to camp across the road from the main campsite as it was more sheltered from the wind. It was quite a stormy night but we woke to a calm morning. Unfortunately, we also awoke to clouds of midges. We discovered that the midges swarmed around this more sheltered spot but were nowhere to be seen across the road on the main part of the campsite – it’s worth bearing in mind wind-versus-midges when you’re picking your camping pitch!
We had a similar situation at Ullapool where there were a few midges around our tent but none at the shore of Loch Broom just 50 metres away.
Our final couple of days in Scotland were actually quite hot and sunny. In the days leading up to our trip, Scotland experienced the extreme wind speeds of Storm Floris – we saw lots of fallen trees on our way round the coast.
It’s impossible to know what the weather will have in store for you in Scotland but whatever it does, the scenery looks stunning – we saw some fantastic skies, mountains appearing and disappearing behind clouds, and we even managed to glimpse those famed turquoise seas when the sun came out.
