NC500 Motorhome Route - Scotland’s ultimate coastal drive Scotland’s ultimate coastal drive

Inverness is located at the mouth of the River Ness and houses the nineteenth-century red sandstone Inverness Castle. Here you can walk along the wooded Ness Islands or visit the Gothic St Andrew's Cathedral and the Victorian market halls. The nearby Loch Ness is known for the thirteenth-century ruins of Urquhart Castle. The city serves as a hub of main roads where you can replenish your motorhome's supplies.

Visitors to Applecross conquer the Bealach na Bà, a mountain pass that climbs to an altitude of 626 meters with steep hairpin bends. From the summit, you look out over the mountains of the Isle of Skye and the Inner Hebrides. In Applecross Village, houses line Applecross Bay, where the water exposes the seabed at low tide. Along the rugged coastline, deer graze and seals rest on the rocks. Here, the sun sets behind the Hebrides into the ocean while silence prevails along the bay's waterfront.

Gairloch is a village on a sea loch in the Northwest Highlands, bordering the Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve, which has protected native pine forests since 1951. In the nearby Inverewe Garden, exotic plants thrive thanks to the warm Gulf Stream. From Big Sand and Red Point beaches, you can look across The Minch to the Outer Hebrides. You can walk along Victoria Falls or spot seals along the coastline.

Ullapool attracts visitors with the maritime activity of an active fishing fleet on the shores of Loch Broom. In Ullapool Harbour, colorful fishing boats and the ferry to Stornoway dock, while the scent of fresh fish fills the quay. A little further on lies Corrieshalloch Gorge, where the Falls of Measach plunge 46 meters deep into a narrow gorge. The friendly atmosphere is palpable at the white houses on the quay where visitors gaze over the water with a portion of fish and chips.

From the rocky coast of Achiltibuie, you can see the Summer Isles, an archipelago of twenty islands scattered in The Minch strait. At Achnahaird Beach, the sea recedes, revealing large sand flats between the rocks at low tide. Those who walk along the cliffs will see the rugged shores of the Atlantic Ocean along the Coigach coastline. In this quiet, remote village, the silhouettes of the islands always remain visible on the horizon.

Clachtoll surprises with pristine white sandy beaches and the Split Rock, which rises from the surf like a split rock pillar. On the coastline stands the Clachtoll Broch, a stone tower from the Iron Age that has withstood the elements for two thousand years. From the coastal paths on Stoer Peninsula, you look across The Minch to the distant outlines of the Outer Hebrides. From the wide bay, you can see the rock formations framing the white coastline.

Scourie is a village on the northwest coast of Scotland with a white sandy beach on Eddrachilles Bay. By boat, you can reach Handa Island, a nature reserve where thousands of puffins and other seabirds breed annually on the sandstone cliffs. Due to the influence of the Gulf Stream, lush vegetation grows in this area, unusual for its latitude. Along the coastline, you will find various paths with views over the Atlantic Ocean.

Steep cliffs and vast white sandy beaches surround remote Durness. Inside the limestone Smoo Cave, a twenty-meter high waterfall plunges through a hole in the ceiling. Those seeking peace can walk along Balnakeil Beach, where the dunes merge into the Atlantic Ocean. From Keoldale, a ferry crosses the Kyle of Durness towards the remote Cape Wrath lighthouse. You experience the vast silence of the Scottish Highlands while overlooking the wild surf of the north coast.

On the sheer cliffs of Dunnet Head, you experience the vast emptiness of the northernmost point of mainland Britain. The white Dunnet Head Lighthouse stands out as a bright beacon against the rocks and the Pentland Firth. From the viewpoints, you can see the outlines of the Orkney Islands on the horizon. During breeding season, thousands of seabirds, such as puffins, nest in the rock faces. Near the lighthouse, you look out over the foaming surf crashing against the base of the cliffs.

The imposing thirteenth-century Dornoch Cathedral forms the heart of a charming town. Golf enthusiasts will find the Royal Dornoch Golf Club here, a classic links course directly on the North Sea. In the Historylinks museum, you can delve into local history, including the story of Scotland's last witch burning in 1727. Along the coast, you can enjoy pleasant walks over the dunes and the sandy beach. The quiet historic center exudes a relaxed atmosphere as you wander past the sand-colored buildings.

Inverness is located at the mouth of the River Ness and houses the nineteenth-century red sandstone Inverness Castle. Here you can walk along the wooded Ness Islands or visit the Gothic St Andrew's Cathedral and the Victorian market halls. The nearby Loch Ness is known for the thirteenth-century ruins of Urquhart Castle. The city serves as a hub of main roads where you can replenish your motorhome's supplies.