Scotland NC500 Road Trip (Anti-Clockwise) 🚗🏴

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This epic journey follows the North Coast 500, Scotland’s most iconic road trip — packed with coastal beauty, castles, waterfalls, beaches, and unforgettable hikes.

🚌 Don’t Want To Drive Or Plan The Trip Yourself?

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I highly recommend checking out the NC 500 Rabbie’s tour.

It hits all the highlights of this itinerary and is a local Scottish company I’ve used many times and their tours and guides are always exceptional.

Table of Contents

Scotland NC500 Road Trip Itinerary Summary

🗺️ Step 1: Inverness to Dornoch (90 miles)

📍 Inverness

📍 Black Isle Brewery 🍻

📍 Dolphin Watching at Chanonry Point 🐬

📍 Fairy Glen Walk 🌿

📍 The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery 🥃

📍 Rogie Falls 💦

📍 Dornoch 🏰

📍 Dornoch Beach 🏖️

➕ Extra stop: Culloden Battlefield ⚔️

🛏️ Stay in : Dornoch

🗺️ Step 2: Dornoch to John O’Groats (100 miles)

📍 Dornoch Village & Beach 🏡

📍 Big Burn Walk 🌳

📍 Dunrobin Castle 🏰

📍 Brora Beach 🏖️

📍 Grey Cairns of Camster 🪨

📍 Hill o’ Many Stanes 🪨

📍 Whaligoe Steps ⛰️

📍Castle Sinclair Girnigoe 🏰

📍 Old Pulteney Distillery 🥃

📍 Castle Sinclair 🏰

📍 Old Keiss Castle 🏰

➕ Extra stop: Cocoa Mountain in Dornoch 🍫

🛏️ Stay in: John O’Groats

🗺️ Step 3: John O’Groats to Tongue (80 miles)

📍 John O’Groats SignPost 📍

📍 Duncansby Head Lighthouse 💡

📍 Duncansby Stacks 🌊

📍 Dunnet Head & Beach 🏖️

📍 Wolfburn Distillery 🥃

📍 North Point Distillery 🥃

📍 Thurso 🌆

📍 Strathy Beach 🏖️

📍 Farr Beach 🏖️

🛏️ Stay in: Tongue

🗺️ Step 4: Tongue to Durness (35 miles)

📍 Tongue 🏡

📍 Ceannabeinne Beach 🏖️

📍 Smoo Cave 🕳️

📍 Balnakeil Beach 🏖️

📍 Sango Sands Bay and Durness Beach 🏖️

📍 Durness 🌅

🛏️ Stay in: Durness

🗺️ Step 5: Durness to Ullapool (120 miles)

📍 Durness 🌊

📍 Kyle of Durness (if time allows) 🚤

📍 Kylesku Bridge 🌉

📍 Quinag Viewpoint ⛰️

📍 Wailing Widow Falls / Allt Chranaidh Waterfall 💦

📍 B869 Route 🌄

📍 Drumbeg Viewpoint 🌄

📍 Clashnessie Falls 💦

📍 Clachtoll Beach 🏖️

📍 Achmelvich Beach 🏖️

📍 Lochinver (Lochinver Larder 🥧)

📍 Ardvreck Castle 🏰

📍 Ardvreck Castle Waterfall 💦

📍 Knockan Crag Nature Reserve 🌋

📍 Stac Pollaidh (2-hour hike) 🥾

➕ Extra stop: Honda Island 🌊

🛏️ Stay in: Ullapool

🗺️ Step 6: Ullapool to Applecross (120 miles)

📍 Ullapool 🌆

📍 Corrieshalloch Gorge 🌉

📍 Mellon Udrigle Beach & Gruinard Bay 🏖️

📍 Poolewe 🏡

📍 Gairloch (Big Sand & Red Point Beaches) 🌊

📍 Victoria Falls 💦

📍 Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve 🏔️

📍 Shieldaig 🌳 (Make sure to get smoked salmon and dill sauce from the Loch Torridon Smokehouse, it’s delicious)

📍 Scenic coastal route via Fearnmore 🏞️

📍 Applecross 🏡

🛏️ Stay in: Applecross

🗺️ Step 7: Applecross to Inverness (110 miles)

📍 Applecross 🌅

📍 Bealach na Bà (again!) 🏔️

📍 Eilean Donan Castle 🏰

📍 Invermoriston Falls 💦

📍 Loch Ness 🐉

📍 Urquhart Castle 🏰

📍 Inverness 🏙️

➕ Extra stop: Plodda Falls 💦

🛏️ Stay in: Inverness

Total Distance: 🚗 Approx. 655 miles
Recommended Time: ⌛ 7-14 days (or longer if you want to slow down and explore more)

📸 Photos & Info are located further down. Keep scrolling to see all these places. ⬇️

This NC500 anti-clockwise road trip is the ultimate way to experience Scotland’s dramatic landscapes, hidden beaches, ancient castles, and Highland charm. 🏴⛰️🌊

Get the FREE Scotland NC500 Road Trip (Anti-Clockwise) Map!

🚗 Need a car for this road trip?

If you don’t have your own car, I’d really recommend renting one — it gives you the flexibility to stop at each waterfall and explore at your own pace.

I usually use DiscoverCars to compare prices and find the best deals across different rental companies.

👉 It’s really easy to use:

Compare multiple providers in one place
Cheaper than booking direct
Free cancellation on most options
Their 3rd party insurance is a lot cheaper
They have a great customer service for claims (though I hope you won’t have to use it!

Check car rentals here

Additional Information & Highlights

📍Culloden Battlefield

📍Inverness

🗺️ Things To Do:

Walk along the River Ness and cross the Greig Street Bridge
Go to the Old High Church Graveyard
Go on a historic walking tour of Inverness
Visit Inverness Castle
Go on a bike tour of Inverness
Visit Inverness Cathedral
Go to Leakey’s Bookshop (one of the most famous bookshops in the UK)
Shop and have lunch at The Victorian Market
Go to Ness Islands

🏨 Accommodation: Ardentorrie Guest House

📍 Black Isle Brewery 🍻

Started in 1998, the Black Isle Brewery produces organic beers of all types. This includes a lager, IPA, pale ale as well as a porter.

They use naturally grown barley and hops which supports organic farmers.

The brewery is a great stop on the NC 500. You can easily get there by car but please note that the last stretch is a dirt road (though it’s in very good conditions and you don’t need a 4×4).

They offer free tours and tastings.

🐶 Dog-friendly: The brewery itself is not dog-friendly but the outdoor area is and it’s a very nice place to have a beer when the weather is nice.

📍 Chanonry Point

Dolphin watching 🐬

Located between Fortrose and Rosemarkie, Chanonry Point is one of the best places to see dolphins in Scotland.

There is also a lighthouse and fantastic views across the Moray Firth to Fort George.

🅿️ There are several parking spots near the lighthouse.

💡My Top Tip: Take a picnic and have lunch there as this will give you more time to look out for dolphins.. There are several picnic tables by the beach. Alternatively, you can also eat in your car as it will be facing the sea.

📍 Fairy Glen Falls

📍 Address: Rosemarkie, Fortrose IV10 8SJ

🅿️ Carpark: Here (free but it’s not a big carpark so it can be busy)

🥾 2.7km there and back trail. 45 minutes

💡 My Top Tip: Make sure to go all the way to the second waterfall and not stop at the first one. You need to take the path on the lefthand side. Please be careful on the bridges as there is no banister.

📍 The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery 🥃

Founded in 1838, this is one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland. They completely rebranded and opened a new visitor centre in 2022 and now offer a variety of experiences.

This includes a guided tour of the distillery and cocktail experience but also a premium Malt to Cask tour.

🅿️ Parking: There is a large free car park at the distillery.

💡My Top Tip: It’s worth stopping by even if you are not planning to do the tour as they have a big shop and a lovely bar with loads of cocktails. Their chocolate old fashioned is to die for!

🐶 Dog-friendly: The bar and shop are both dog-friendly so you can take your pooch. The tour of the distillery isn’t though.

📍 Rogie Falls

📍 Address: A835, Strathpeffer IV14 9EQ

🅿️ Car park: Here (free)

🥾 1.5km / 1 miles – 1 hour

💡 My Top Tip: There are two walks, the yellow one (short) and the blue one (long). I recommend starting by the blue one (from the toilet blocks) and head up so you get to the first viewpoint, then the bridge and from there you can come back via the yellow path. This is the most scenic short route.

📍 Dornoch 🏘️

This is one of the most beautiful towns in Scotland. It’s very quaint and you’ll love walking around.

🗺️ Things To Do:

Wander around the town
Get a delicious hot chocolate from Cocoa Mountain
Browse the shops
Visit Dornoch Cathedral
Try some local whiskies at the Dornoch Castle Whisky Bar
Go to the beach

🏨 Accommodation: Dornoch Castle Hotel

🏕️Campsite: Dornoch Caravan & Camping Park

📍 Dornoch Beach 🏖️

This is a very long and wide beach with golden sand, making it the ideal place for a walk.

🅿️ Parking: Here

🚽Toilet facilities: Yes

🐶 Dog-friendly: Yes, all year round

🍤 The Highland Larder is a great place to get lunch, especially if you like seafood.

📍 Dunrobin Castle & Gardens

Home of the Earls and Dukes of Sutherland since the 13th century. This is one of the most beautiful castles and gardens in the whole of Scotland and a must do on the NC 500.

🅿️ There are some parking spots right in front of the castle as well as a large overflow car park. Both are free.

🎟️ Tickets can be booked on site or on the official website.

⌛Opening dates: The castle is open from April to October

💡 My Top Tip: There is a member of staff in every room and they are very knowledgeable about the castle and the history of the clan so don’t hesitate to ask them questions.

❤️ My favourite part of the garden was the giant rhubarb. It’s so big! You can even see it from the castle.
🐶Dogs are not allowed in the castle or the gardens.