North Coast 500 Plan

Day 1
Drive from Northamptonshire to Nunnington for dinner at The Plough
Distance: 174.4 miles,
Time: 3 hours 16 minutes

Accommodation
Hall View Guest Suite, 1 Graham Hall Cottages, Nunnington, YO62 5UY, Tel: +447932769143

Dinner
The Plough, Wombleton

Day 2
Drive from Nunnington to Tebay
Distance:93.0 miles
Time: 1 hour 52 minutes

Accommodation
Westmorland Hotel, Tebay Services, Orton, Penrith, CA10 3SB, Tel: +441539 624351

Dinner
Westmorland Hotel Restaurant

Things to see/do:

Windermere boat trip and Hill Top and Hawkshead

Explore Windermere – England’s largest lake by boat.

Blackwell – A large house in the English Lake District, designed in the Arts and Crafts style by Baillie Scott.

Day 3
Drive from Tebay up the Great Glen to Inverness
Distance:302.0 miles
Time: 6 hours 4 minutes

Route – Fort William > Gairlochy > Laggan > Fort Augustus > Invermoriston > Drumnadrochit > Urquhart Castle > John Cobb Memorial > Inverness

Accommodation
Stag Head Studio, 2D Deveron Street, Highland Council, Inverness, IV1 1NL

Pre-dinner drinks
The Malt Room, 34 Church Street, Inverness, IV1 1EH

Dinner
MacGregor’s Bars, 109-113 Academy St, Inverness, IV1 1LX

Things to see/do:
The Great Glen – A glen in Scotland running for 62 miles (100 km) from Inverness on the edge of the Moray Firth, in an approximately straight line to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe.

Urquhart Castle – It’s easy to fall in love with the atmospheric beauty of Urquhart Castle which sits on Strone Point, a rocky peninsula on Loch Ness.

John Cobb Memorial Cairn – John Cobb lost his life attempting to break the world speed record on Loch Ness.

In Inverness
Inverness Castle – Inverness Castle (Caisteal Inbhir Nis) sits on a cliff overlooking the River Ness.

Jacobite Cruises – For over forty years, Loch Ness by Jacobite has welcomed Highland adventurers on board to cruise the mysteries and myths of Loch Ness.

Day 4
Stay in Inverness

Accommodation
Stag Head Studio, 2D Deveron Street, Highland Council, Inverness, IV1 1NL

Lunch
The Redshank – The Victorian Market

Dinner
The original Rocpool Restaurant, 1 Ness Walk, Inverness IV3 5NE, 01463 717274

Things to see/do
Dolphin Spirit – Wildlife cruise.

Clava Cairns – Discover one of Scotland’s most evocative prehistoric sites – the exceptional remains of an ancient cemetery, set on a terrace above the River Nairn.

Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Experience – Powerfully emotive and atmospheric battlefield where the 1745 Jacobite Rising came to a tragic end.

Clootie Well – In Scotland, by the village of Munlochy on the A832, is a clootie well at an ancient spring dedicated to Saint Curetán, where rags are still hung on the surrounding bushes and trees.

Inverness Museum and Gallery – Find out about the unique history and culture of the city of Inverness and the Scottish Highlands.

Inverness Cathedral – The most northerly Anglican Cathedral in the UK.

Inverness Botanic Gardens – With each new season the gardens are an explosion of colour and texture with borders planted to demonstrate a wide variety of plants and growing conditions.

Inverness Town House – A municipal building located on Inverness High Street between Castle Street and Castle Wynd.

World’s Most Ethical Clothing Brand for Women – Prickly Thistle

Day 5
Drive from Inverness to Dornoch

Three possible routes:

1. Beauly > Muir of Ord > Strathpeffer > Dingwall > Alness > Invergordon > Kildary > Tain > Evelix
2. Tore > Alness > Bonar Bridge > Spinningdale > Clashmore > Evelix
3. Fortrose > Rosemarkie > Cromarty > Kirkmichael > Balintore > Rockfield > Porthmahomack > Tain > Evelix

Shortest option
Distance:44.0 miles
Time: 1 hour 20 mins (maximum) – includes a ferry crossing (which is only operational for part of each year)

Accommodation
Strathview Lodge, Cambusavie, Dornoch, IV25 3JD, Tel: +441408634286

Dinner
Dornoch Castle Restaurant, Dornoch Castle Hotel, Castle Street, Dornoch, Sutherland, IV25 3SD, Tel: +441862 810216, Email: enquiries@dornochcastlehotel.com

Things to see/do:

Route 1
Beauly – Campbells of Beauly – Country tailor and outfitters.

Muir of Ord – Glen Ord Distillery

Strathpeffer – Pictish Trail

Strathpeffer lies in a strath 5 miles (8 km) west of Dingwall, with the elevation ranging from 60 to 120 m (200 to 400 ft) above sea level.

Clach an Tiompain (also known as the Eagle Stone), a Class 1 Pictish symbol stone in Strathpeffer.

Blar Nan Ceann (battlefield) of the heads), lies at the western end of the modern village.

Battle of Blar Na Pairce (battlefield of the park), in approximately 1486 saw the local MacKenzies, under their chief Kenneth MacKenzie, defeat a large invading force of MacDonalds.

The Battle of Drumchatt, which took place in 1497 on Drumchatt (Druimchat) or “the Cat’s Back”, a ridge to the southeast of Strathpeffer.

In the Victorian era Strathpeffer was popular as a spa resort, owing to the discovery of sulphurous springs in the 18th century. The pump-room in the middle of the village dates from 1819. Soon after that, a hospital and a hotel were also built. In 1942 the Spa hospital was destroyed by fire. The Strathpeffer Pavilion dates from 1880, and was built to provide a venue for entertainment of the visitors. It fell into disuse and disrepair towards the end of last century, but has now been restored as a new venue for the arts, weddings, other functions, and events of all kinds.

Iron Age hill fort Walk. This superb walk follows paths across the flanks of the hill overlooking Strathpeffer before climbing up to the ridge to visit the site of a vitrified fort with wonderful views.

Ord Wood Explore the woods and hills to the north of Strathpeffer on this enjoyable circuit that returns via Loch Kinellan and its crannog.

Highland Museum of Childhood – Located in Strathpeffer’s charming old Victorian station where trains brought visitors to the village in its heyday as a spa.

Dingwall – Storehouse

Alness – Fyrish Monument built in 1782 on Fyrish Hill (Scottish Gaelic: Cnoc Fhaoighris), in Fyrish in Evanton, near Alness, Easter Ross, Scotland, on the orders of Sir Hector Munro, 8th of Novar, a native lord of the area who had served in India as a general.

Invergordon – a popular place to spot your favourite luxury cruise liners berthed in the Cromarty Firth,  Queen Mary 2 and Crown Princess have both docked here in the past. Walk around Invergordon Mural Trail and also view the huge oil rigs.

Tain – learn about Tain through Time at the local museum.

Glenmorangie Distillery – Get to know our creamy, complex single malt as you trace the journey of our signature whisky, The Original, through our distillery.

Highland Fine Cheeses Ltd – Based in Tain in the northeast of Scotland.

Route 2

Alness – Fyrish Monument

Bonar Bridge – Falls of Shin – Falls of Shin is a waterfall on the River Shin, in northern Scotland, near the villages of Bonar Bridge and Lairg.

Croick Church lies some 10 miles up STRATHCARRON to the west of the village of ARDGAY in the county of SUTHERLAND. 

Route 3
Fortrose – Fortrose Cathedral. Immediately to the south-east of Fortrose’s narrow High Street is the surprisingly spacious Cathedral Square, home to the red stone remains of Fortrose Cathedral.

Rosemarkie – Groam House Museum – An award winning, 4-star Pictish interpretive centre in the Black Isle seaside village of Rosemarkie, family friendly, with a collection of National Significance and a quality gift shop.

Cromarty – Eathie Road – You can see Ben Nevis from the Black Isle on a clear day. More precisely from the Eathie road rising 700 feet from the seaside village of Rosemarkie high above the cliffs of the “Jurassic coast” towards Cromarty.

Dolphin watching (Eco Ventures) – An exhilarating boat trip to view the best of what the Moray Firth has to offer.

Kirkmichael in the Black Isle is open every day whilst daylight. The Kirkmichael Trust SCIO has repaired the ancient and derelict buildings at Kirkmichael and created a unique display of medieval ornamental crosses.

Porthmahomack – This picturesque village is located on the Tarbat Peninsula and is the perfect starting point for completing the Tarbat Ness Walk.

Tarbat Discovery Centre, Tarbatness Road, Portmahomack, Tain, IV20 1YA

Tain – Turn in to Tain to learn about Tain through Time at the local museum.

Glenmorangie Distillery

Highland Fine Cheeses Ltd

Day 6
Stay in Dornoch

Accommodation
Strathview Lodge, Cambusavie, Dornoch, IV25 3JD, Tel: 01408634286

Dinner
Mara, Links House, Royal Dornoch, Golf Road, Dornoch, IV25 3LW, Tel: 01862810279

Things to see/do:
Dornoch – Dornoch Castle

Historylinks, The Meadow, Dornoch, IV25 3SF

Jail Dornoch

Cocoa Mountain, Castle Street, Dornoch, Highland, IV25 3SN

Links House

Day 7
Drive from Dornoch to Thurso

Route – Dornoch > Poles > Embo > Littleferry > Golspie > Helmsdale > Backies > Brora > Clynelish > Achrimsdale > Kintradwell > Lothmore > Portgower > Navidale > Badbea > Berriedale > Newport > Borgue > Ramscraigs > Castlehill > Dunbeath > Latheronwheel > Latheron > Lysbter > Resigill > Upper Lybster > Bruan > Ulbster > Thrumster > Toftcarl > Wick > Broadhaven > Ackergill > Westerloch > Stain > Keiss > Nybster > Auckengill > Freswick > Tofts > John O’Groats > Kirkstyle > Gills > East Mey > Mey > Barrock > Corsback > Dunnet > Castletown > Murkle > Thurso

Distance: 69.0 miles
Time: 1 hour 34 minutes (maximum) – includes a ferry crossing

Accommodation
Thurso Beach House Apartment, 1 Pentland Crescent, Thurso, KW14 8BL

Dinner
Eat in

Things to see/do
Golspie – Once a small fishing hamlet, Golspie’s long, sandy beach draws visitors from far and wide.

Dunrobin Castle, Golspie, KW10 6SF, Carn Liath
The most northerly of Scotland’s great houses and the largest in the Northern Highlands with 189 rooms.

Helmsdale – Learn about the history of this pretty town and its picturesque harbour at the Timespan Museum and Gallery

Brora – Cocoa Skye, London House, Station Square, Brora, KW9 6QJ

Clynelish – Clynelish Distillery, Clynelish Rd, Brora, Highlands and Islands, KW9 6LR

Dunbeath Heritage Centre – The Centre provides a focus for the work of Dunbeath Preservation Trust: a research base; a repository for research data, manuscripts, photographs and items of local material culture.

Dunbeath broch

Lybster – heritage centre. Learn more about the history of the harbour and the village as a whole; formerly a major herring port, Lybster is now perhaps best known for hosting the ‘World Knotty Championships’ – a variation of shinty.

Grey Cairns of Camster – 5m north of Lybster on the A99. Monument situated 5 miles along unclassified road.

Hill O’Many Stanes – At Mid Clyth, 4 miles North East of Lybster on A99.

Bruan – Whaligoe Steps, What3Words Location: ///beams.hours.chuck

Ulbster – Cairn Of ’Get, 1.5 miles SW of Ulbster on the A99. 0.75 miles from car park to site via black and white poles.

Caithness Seacoast Ltd, Harbour Road, Wick Harbour, Wick, KW1 5HA

Old Pulteney Distillery, Huddart Street, Wick, KW1 5BA

Old Wick Castle, Signposted from Wick town centre.

Wick Heritage Centre, The Wick Society, 18-27 Bank Row, Wick, KW1 5EY

Ackergill – Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, What3Words Location: ///herb.talkative.restored

John O’Groats

Duncansby Head – John o’Groats is famed as the northeastern corner of the British Mainland and the small village receives a huge number of visitors. The true northeasterly point is nearby Duncansby Head, which has two truly spectacular sea-stacks just to the south. An excellent coastal walk.

Dunnet – Dunnet Bay is a fantastic sweeping arc of white sandy beach backed by rolling sand dunes.

Dunnet Head – Dunnet Head nature reserve, a rugged peninsula in Caithness located on the north coast of Scotland, is the most northerly point of mainland Britain.

Day 8
Stay in Thurso

Accommodation
Thurso Beach House Apartment, 1 Pentland Crescent, Thurso, KW14 8BL

Dinner
Eat in

Things to see/do
Forss House Hotel Thurso Caithness KW14 7XY

Dunnet Bay Distillers, Dunnet, Thurso, Caithness, KW14 8XD

Wolfburn Distillery, Henderson Park, Thurso, Caithness KW14 7XW

Day 9
Drive from Thurso to Lochinver

Route – Scrabster > Forss > Lybster > Buldoo > Reay > Melvich > Strathy Beach > Lednagullin > Bettyhill Viewpoint > Strathnaver > Bettyhill > Borgie > Coldbackie > Tongue > Moine Ho > Hope > Heilam > Eriboll > Polla > Laid > Portnancon > Rispond > Durness > Sandgobeg > Durness > Balnakeil > Keoldale > Sarsgrum > Lairg > Gualin House > Rhiconich > Laxford Bridge > Scourie > Scourie More > Badcall > Kylestrom > Kylesku > Unapool > Newton > Little Assynt > Lochinver

Distance: 123.0 miles
Time: 3 hours

Accommodation
Cosy Highland Fireside Escape, The Old Coach House, Culag Road, Lochinver, IV27 4LE

Lunch
In Ullapool at The Seafood Shack, West Argyle Street, Ullapool, IV26 2TY

Dinner
Eat in

Things to see/do en route
Scrabster, The Captains Galley, The Harbour, Scrabster, Caithness, KW14 7UJ

Bettyhill Viewpoint

Strathnaver Museum, Clachan, Bettyhill, Thurso, KW14 7SS

Tongue – Caisteal Varrich (or Castle Varrich) is a prominent ruined castle in a superb prominent position overlooking the Kyle of Tongue.

Hope – Dun Dornigil – View the impressive remains and distinctive entrance of a broch tower. 

Rispond – Rispond Beach, Durness

Ceannabeinne – Sited underneath Beinn Ceannabeinne, a mountain with an elevation of three hundred and eighty three metres, is the beautiful sand of Ceannabeinne.

Sangobeg – To the east of the village of Durness you will find Sangobeg Beach, a small, quiet and sandy bay.

Durness – Smoo Cave is a large combined sea cave and freshwater cave in Durness,

Balnakeil Beach

Balnakeil – a little over a mile north-west of Durness, is a magical place, though at times it can also be a busy one.

Balnakeil Craft Village – Home to a range of local artists & businesses including a chocolatier, hairdresser, art galleries, paintings & prints, ceramics, woodwork, glass work & more unique crafts.

Durness Deep Time – A new exhibition designed by Björn S Hardarson featuring local and regional geology and archaeology of the area.

Balnakeil Church – also known as Old Durness Parish Church or Old St Peter’s Church.

Scourie – The Scourie Hotel, Scourie, Lairg, Highlands IV27 4SX

Badcall – Eddrachilles Hotel, Badcall Bay by Scourie, LAIRG, IV27 4TH

Kylesku – Kylesku Hotel, Kylesku, Lairg, IV27 4HW

The North West Highland Geopark offers one of the best opportunities to explore wild places in Europe.

Allt Chranaidh Waterfall

Ardvreck Castle – is a castle, now ruinous, standing on a rocky promontory in Loch Assynt, Sutherland, Scotland, UK.

Day 10
Stay in Lochinver

Accommodation
Cosy Highland Fireside Escape, The Old Coach House, Culag Road, Lochinver, IV27 4LE

Dinner
Delilah’s Restaurant & Bar, Main Street, Lochinver, IV27 4LX, Tel: 01571 844333

Things to see/do
Achmelvich Beach. A great place to see black- and red-throated divers, with occasional sightings of great-northern divers in winter. There have been numerous sightings of porpoises, dolphins, and the occasional minke whale, as well as a stunning white sand beach, an ideal spot for water sports or even rock pool fishing.

Peet’s Restaurant, Harbourside, Culag Road, Lochinver, IV27 4LE

North Coast Sea Tours offers Wildlife Spotting Tour , Sunset Boat Tour , Private Charter Tour and Sea Angling Tour.

Hermit’s Castle – Achmelvich, just three miles north-west of Lochinver, is an idyllic place of white sands and blue or turquoise seas.

Clachtoll Beach is a small beach close to the small fishing village of Clachtoll.

Clashnessie Falls is a gorgeous waterfall located in the small coastal village of Clashnessie.

Culag Woods – For such a small woodland Culag Wood holds a huge variety of wildlife. Perhaps the most obvious are the Herons. Grey Herons for miles around come to Culag Wood to nest.

Day 11
Drive from Lochinver to Gairloch

Route – Inchnadamph > Ledmore > Elphin > Drumrunie > Strathcanaird > Ardmair > Ullapool > Rhue > Lechmelm > Inverlael > Braemore > Dundonnell > Ardessie > Badcaul > Mungasdale > Little Gruinard > Laide > Aultbea> Isle of Ewe > Poolewe > Gairloch

Distance: 92.0 miles
Time: 2 hours 9 minutes

Accommodation
Myrtle Bank Hotel, Low Road, Gairloch, IV21 2BS, Tel: 01445712004

Dinner
Myrtle Bank Hotel https://www.themyrtlegairloch.co.uk/restaurant-bars/

Things to see/do en route
Inchnadamph – Bone Caves – This beautiful and popular walk leads up a limestone valley to visit the dramatic Bone Caves.

Ledmore – Suilven, Canisp, and Quinag
Suilven lies in a remote area in the west of Sutherland, it rises from a wilderness landscape of moorland, bogs and lochans known as Inverpolly National Nature Reserve.
Canisp is situated in the parish of Assynt, in the county of Sutherland, 25 kilometres north of the town of Ullapool.
Quinag is an 808 m high mountain range with an undulating series of peaks along its Y-shaped crest.

Elphin – Knockan Crag is an amazing geological site in the North West Highlands Geopark.

Ullapool – Ullapool Museum is housed in a Category A listed building, an architectural gem.

Rhue Art Gallery, just north of Ullapool, is set in magnificent scenery on the shores of Loch Broom looking out over the summer isles.

Braemore – Corrieshalloch Gorge National Nature Reserve – This plunging box canyon, through which the River Droma rushes, is one of the natural wonders of the Scottish Highlands.

Aultbea – Russian Arctic Convoy Exhibition Centre. A lasting legacy to those who braved Arctic waters under constant threat of attack from enemy aircraft and u-boats.

Poolewe – Inverewe Gardens – Rare species thrive in this heritage garden as the effects of the Gulf Stream meet the Highlands.

Pool House – Part museum, part comfy home, this quaint, beautifully decorated house has a long history in which it has welcomed film stars, writers, musicians, and war heroes.

Day 12
Stay in Gairloch

Accommodation: Hotel
Myrtle Bank Hotel, Low Road, Gairloch, IV21 2BS, Tel: 01445712004

Dinner
The Badachro Inn, Badachro, Gairloch IV21 2AA, Tel: 01445 741255

Things to see/do
Big Sand Beach – Big Sand beach is sheltered from the onshore wind by Longa Island and boasts magnificent view of the mountains of Skye and Torridon.

Badachro Distillery is a small distillery producing exquisite gin and vodka using local, seasonal, hand picked botanicals from around the immediate area.

Gairloch Heritage Museum – Various exhibitions

Fairy Lochs walk with visit to WW11 bomber crash site – A short circular hill walk into an area of small rocky hills with many small lochs, collectively known as the Fairy Lochs locally as they lie below Sithean Mor (the fairy hill).

Day 13
Drive from Gairloch to Shieldaig

Route – Slattadale > Talladale > Kinlochewe > Achnasheen > Torridon > Shieldaig

Distance: 36.0 miles
Time: 1 hour 1 minute

Accommodation
Tigh an Eilean, Shieldaig, On Loch Torridon, IV54 8XN, Tel: 01520 755251

Dinner
1887, Torridon Hotel, By Achnasheen, Wester Ross, IV22 2EY, Tel: 01445 791242, Email: info@thetorridon.com

Things to see/do en route
Kinlochewe – The Glen Docherty View Point. This view point offers one of the most iconic views in the Highlands.

Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve. With its cluster of mountains, ancient pinewoods, secretive crossbills and soaring golden eagles, Beinn Eighe was the UK’s first National Nature Reserve (NNR).

Achnasheen – Falconry Experience. Shieldaig Lodge Falconry is located in the grounds of the Shieldaig Lodge ; a recently refurbished Victorian hunting lodge set in a 26,000 acre estate amongst the mountains of the West Highlands of Scotland nestled next to the stunning Loch Gairloch.

Torridon – The Torridon Hotel Set in 58 acres of private parkland, the main house was built in 1887 as a Highland shooting lodge and enjoys a spectacular location at the head of Loch Torridon.

Shieldaig – Shieldaig Lodge. Whilst Shieldaig is very much a physical place, we’d say visiting here is a unique experience… an experience that few words can describe.

Attadale Gardens are spectacular gardens with views of Skye and feature an impressive collection of sculpture scattered throughout the 20 acre site.

Bealach na Bà is a winding single track road through the mountains of the Applecross peninsula, in Wester Ross in the Scottish Highlands.

Day 14
Drive from Shieldaig to Hawnby

Distance: 430.0 miles
Time: 7 hours 31 minutes

Accommodation
The Owl Inn, Hill Top, Hawnby, York, YO62 5QS, Tel: 01439330180

Dinner
The Owl Hawnby, York

Day 15
Drive from Hawnby to Home

Distance: 179.0 miles
Time: 3 hours 21 minutes

Dinner
Whatever is in the freezer!

Spare Sights
Applecross Smokehouse In addition to providing smoked salmon, sea trout, shellfish, pâté and cheese, we also provide smoked haddock, smoked kippers and oatcakes & sauces.

Applecross Heritage Centre A local museum and research centre run by volunteers from the Applecross Historical Society.

Broch featured on a Time Team excavation A multi-phase, Iron Age broch at Applecross which has been the subject of investigations by Time Team and a community archaeology project.

“Crac” barns Earlier/mid 19th century, rectangular hay/threshing barn, orientated east/west.

Kishorn Seafood Bar serves fresh local seafood at its very best.

Rogie Falls are a series of waterfalls on the Black Water, a river in Ross-shire in the Highlands of Scotland.

Eilean Donan Castle – one of the most iconic images of Scotland  all over the world.