Road Trip Itinerary North Coast 500 

By Vero www.touristear.com

Stage 1 Inverness – Applecross – Torridon

Inverness visit, House of Fraser tour, Beauly Priory, Castle Leod, Carron Restaurant, Isle of Skye detour, Eilean Donan Castle visit, Torridon - all in an epic 8-hour adventure in Scotland's Highlands.

– Take the Bealach Na Ba road to Applecross. It's a challenging, one-lane mountain pass with passing places.

– Visit Attadale Gardens, a beautiful family-run garden near the restaurant.

– Visit Rogie Falls, famous for its waterfalls and salmon battling upstream. Enjoy the scenic "Salmon Trail" hike.

Continuing from Torridon, we stopped at Kinlochewe to admire Lake Maree's monoliths.  Enjoyed lunch by Loch Maree and explored Badachro's picturesque harbor.  Next, Gairloch offers essential services before reaching Ullapool.

Stage 2. Torridon – Ullapool – Stoer

In Ullapool, we enjoyed coffee and cake before cafes closed.

The town offers activities and ferry access to the Outer Hebrides. We had to adjust plans due to accommodation and weather.

Stage 3. Stoer – Durness

Consider a longer stretch from Ullapool to Durness, passing Achiltibuie, Summer Isles, and the Knockan Crag nature reserve.  Enjoy a hot chocolate at Cocoa Mountain. If time permits, visit Cape Wrath by boat or walking/cycling.

Enjoy panoramic views at Drumbeg's viewpoint en route to Durness. In Kylesku, take a tour to spot seals, puffins, and eagles.

Stage 4. Durness – John O’Groats

Continuing from Torridon, we stopped at Kinlochewe to admire Lake Maree's monoliths.  Enjoyed lunch by Loch Maree and explored Badachro's picturesque harbor. Next, Gairloch offers essential services before reaching Ullapool.

Explored Castle Varrick ruins with spectacular views, followed by a warm coffee at Weavers Café.

– Visit Betty Hill for the museum showcasing Gaelic and Norse culture.

– Explored May Castle, Thurso, and John O’Groats. Enjoyed sunset and campsite dinner.

Stage 5. John O’Groats – Inverness

We encountered closures on a Sunday. Despite this, we enjoyed breakfast in Wick and visited Sinclair Castle and Hill O'Many Stanes.  In Brora, we explored the Heritage Center and had a fantastic meal at Sutherland Inn.