North Coast 500 Tourist Route
SCOTLAND'S ANSWER TO ROUTE 66
Our Bed and Breakfast, The Green Cruachan in Stoer is located directly on the B869, which is part of the North Coast 500 Tourist Route.
It is a beautiful place to experience the beauty of the rural and remote environment of the Western Highlands of Scotland.
Below you can download a copy of a detailed map of the North Coast 500 route.
NC500 | Scenic Route Through The Highlands
Explanation of the North Coast 500 Route
The North Coast 500 (NC500) was founded in 2014 by the North Highland Initiative in an effort to develop economic growth across the North Highlands. The NC500 is a series of existing roads that forms a loop around the Northern Highlands.
The route is just over 500 miles and mainly hugs the northern part of Scotland, hence the name. It was designed to showcase the natural beauty and local businesses in this part of Scotland which has previously received a relatively low level of tourism.
The North Coast 500 route runs through a number of loosely defined areas or historical counties in northern Scotland including Inverness-shire, the Black Isle, Wester Ross, Easter Ross, Sutherland, and Caithness. Beautiful villages along the route are Ullapool, Lochinver, Stoer, Durness, Thurso, Wick and of course Inverness.
Beauty along the North Coast 500 route
The North Coast 500 route follows the main roads across the coastal edges of the Highlands. The route has many highlights, for instance the scenic views along the West coast and the feeling of being away in a rural quiet environment for a while. The scenery consists of rugged coastline, beaches, rural farmland, rivers and lochs, forest and munros (Mountains over 3.000 ft high).
You can also see local wildlife such as deer, squirrels, birds of prey, seabirds and dolphins, whales and seals. Of course there are also a lot of sheep and the Highland cows which you’ll spot in the fields.
The North Coast 500 is not similar to Route 66
The North Coast 500 is often called “Scotland’s version of Route 66”. In some ways they are similar, they are great routes and both offer great scenery and attractions. The NC500 is a mainly coastal route that goes through small villages and rural areas in a sparsely populated area of Scotland. It is probably more similar to Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way but every route has its own unique personality and beautiful lookout points!
Best time to travel the North Coast 500
The best time to drive the North Coast 500 depends on your expectations and is different for all people. Most people visit the NC500 between May and October as during this period you’ll find most attractions and restaurants open, the greatest variety of lodging, and the best chances for warmer weather.
But if you are searching for a quieter time of the year you can drive the route between September and May. The winter months can be a nice time for photography and solitude.
Number of days spend on the North Coast 500
The North Coast 500 is designed for touring and sightseeing, and taking things slowly. The minimum number of days is 5 days, but 7 to 10 days would be ideal.
It really depends on how much you want to see, how much you want to drive each day, and how many detours you plan to make.
Please bear in mind that there are a lot of single tracks with passing places on the NC500.
Most information you have read above is from the website of Jessica Turchik and Laurence Norah, detailed information can be found there. The official website of the North Coast 500 can be found here.
"Nature is not a place to visit - It is home"
people Irma Siemons & Edwin de Jong | home Stoer, Sutherland, IV27 4JE, Scotland | call +44-1571 855312 | email info@thegreencruachanstoer.com
