Since Covid has clipped our wings, we decided to explore more of the UK instead. The North Coast 500 (NC500) is Scotland’s answer to America’s Route 66. It is (just over) 500 miles (800 km) long and begins and ends in Inverness.
It is recommended that you do the route anti-clockwise, saving the best bit (the West coast) for last. Of course we did it differently (clockwise). The East and North sides are very scenic anyway (it’s all relative).
We actually skipped Inverness and our first stop was Kinlochewe campsite where we camped for two nights, leaving the caravan to explore by car.
Kinlochewe campsite
Highland scene
There are a couple of sections of the NC500 that should not be tackled with a caravan or large vehicle. The first is the Bealach na Bà, “pass of the Cattle” in Gaelic. It is a single-track mountain pass with lots of hairpin bends and has the steepest ascent of any road climb in the UK.
The turnoff for the Bealach na Ba
Warning signs
Warning signs
View back on the way up
Sharp bends
Rocky road
Hairpin bends
Coffee stop at the top, looking over to Skye
Big mountains
The scenery on the West coast is absolutely epic. Huge mountains rise from the sea.
We had a pitch right on the edge of the cliff, so we spun the caravan round to get the best view from our front lounge window.
Scourie campsite
The ground sloped down towards the cliff, so we realised that it would be a problem to let off the handbrake and remove the chocks to push the caravan back. We recruited a couple of extra helpers and managed to hitch up without losing the caravan over the edge.
Sango Sands
Melvich
Balnakeil beach
Melvich campsite
Dounreay nuclear power station
Scourie
Melvich beach
Coffee stop
A pixie
Clachtoll beach is at the Westerly end of a peninsula.
The single-track road loops around the peninsula, and so you can reach it either from the North or South. The North end is called the “Wee Mad road” by the locals and is the other section of the NC500 that you must not do with a caravan or large vehicle.
Sharp rocks
Better with the sun coming out
Crazy rock-climbing sheep
White sand and turquoise sea
Stilted
Dunnet Head lighthouse
Ronnie went to Smoo cave, but Michelle was too scared.
The waterfall had dried up due to so little rain for months
The group put on helmets and went in a dinghy further into the cave.
Dunnet Head is actually the most Northerly point on the British mainland. John O’Groats is a con.
Chilly seas
The famous sign at John O’Groats. Just a tourist trap really.
Brora was a very pleasant surprise. A great beach with a nice wee town with pubs and an outstanding curry house.
Brora beach
Brora
