In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Inverness via Bealach na Bà, Torridon and Ullapool to Durness, John o’ Groats and Dornoch: around 980 kilometres of single-track road, sea and mountains – with clear rules for motorhomes and a shortcut for long vehicles.
The spirit of the route
The north-west of Scotland is empty, and that is its appeal. Beyond Inverness the villages dissolve into sheep pasture, the road shrinks to a track with passing places, and suddenly Liathach, Suilven or a white beach with turquoise water fills your sliding door. The smell of peat, seaweed and wet grass drifts through the window, in the evening a sea eagle or a herd of red deer stands by the roadside, and in summer the sky stays light until after eleven. The NC500 demands discipline: keep passing places clear, read oncoming traffic early, never run the diesel down to the reserve. In return it rewards you with coastlines where you may go hours without meeting anyone. If you take the midges seriously, accept rain as part of the programme and have a firm pitch booked for the evening, you will experience van life at its roughest.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Inverness to Applecross (approx. 165 km)
- The drive
- From Inverness take the A862 to Beauly, then the A835 as far as Garve and the A832 to Achnasheen. There you turn onto the A890, which runs through Glen Carron past Achnashellach Forest to Strathcarron, then take the A896 via Lochcarron to the start of the Bealach na Bà at Tornapress. The roads are wide and well built as far as Achnasheen, after that partly single-track. The pass itself (626 m) is single-track, with hairpins and gradients of up to 20 per cent. Driving time alone is a good 3.5 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Rogie Falls near Contin: waterfalls in the forest, the walk to the suspension bridge takes ten minutes; in autumn salmon leap here.
- Glen Carron with Achnashellach Forest: railway line, birch woods and Munros right beside the road.
- Viewpoint at the summit of the Bealach na Bà with views of Raasay, Skye and the Outer Hebrides on clear days.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Applecross Campsite on the edge of Applecross, right by the sea with a view of Skye, with sanitary facilities and a pub within walking distance; check opening times and facilities with the site before you travel. In Shieldaig, Shieldaig Camping and Cabins is an alternative if you would rather end the day north of the pass.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the pass, as everywhere in Scotland, the right to camp freely does not cover motorhomes. If you still stay overnight in your vehicle in a lay-by, put nothing outside (no awning, table or grill) and respect any prohibition signs. Forestry car parks and trailhead car parks are best used as daytime stops.
- Insider tip for campers
- The Bealach na Bà is regarded as unsuitable for caravans and large motorhomes; they are directed to the coastal route via Shieldaig. Exactly how long a vehicle is still considered acceptable is not consistently documented; if in doubt, assume a camper-van-sized vehicle. Alternatively stay on the A832 via Achnasheen and Kinlochewe to Gairloch (then drive stage 2 from Kinlochewe). Combinations with trailers and drivers without experience of hairpins should also stay off the pass. In snow, ice and fog it is advised against or closed. Fill up, shop and check your gas bottles in Inverness beforehand: the choice thins out north of there.
2Stage 2: Applecross to Gairloch (via Torridon) (approx. 120 km)
- The drive
- From Applecross first take the narrow, single-track coast road via Kenmore and Arrina to Shieldaig, then the A896 along Upper Loch Torridon to Torridon and on through Glen Torridon to Kinlochewe. From there the A832 runs past Loch Maree to Gairloch. The first section is single-track with gradients and bends, after that it is easy driving. A good 3 hours of driving time, a full day with hikes.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Torridon: the sandstone massifs of Liathach and Beinn Alligin above the loch; hike to Coire Mhic Fhearchair in Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve (demanding, full day).
- Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve near Kinlochewe and on Loch Maree with a pinewood trail, part of Scotland’s oldest National Nature Reserve; check beforehand whether the visitor centre is open.
- Loch Maree with islands of Caledonian pines; A832 lay-bys with views of Slioch.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Gairloch there is Gairloch Caravan & Camp Site by the sea as well as Sands Caravan and Camping at Big Sand Beach with a view of Skye. Check electric hook-up, service points and opening times in advance. Alternatively, stay overnight already in Torridon: Torridon Camp Site (Highland Council) lies on the loch, with the mountains right on the doorstep; check opening times beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Around Torridon and Loch Maree a lot of land is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and the nature reserve: camping on foot is allowed, motorhomes belong on proper sites. Never park in passing places or in front of farm entrances.
- Insider tip for campers
- Torridon is deep in a mobile signal black spot: save hiking routes, weather forecasts and maps offline beforehand. In rain, streams run together across the roads – stones on the carriageway and muddy verges when pulling over are normal. Fill up in Gairloch before heading into the north-west.
3Stage 3: Gairloch to Ullapool (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- From Gairloch via Poolewe (Inverewe Garden) and Aultbea along Gruinard Bay to Laide and Dundonnell, then on the A832 up onto the moorland at Braemore Junction. There take the A835 to Ullapool. Quite a few single-track sections between Gairloch and Dundonnell, with very beautiful light over the bays; a good two and a half hours of driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Inverewe Garden near Poolewe: subtropical gardens, favoured by the Gulf Stream (admission charge, National Trust for Scotland).
- Gruinard Bay with white shell-sand beaches and views of the mountains of Wester Ross.
- Corrieshalloch Gorge at Braemore Junction: a 60 m deep gorge with a suspension bridge and the Falls of Measach.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Inverewe Gardens Poolewe Camping and Caravanning Club Site near Poolewe and Gruinard Bay Caravan Park above the bay of the same name both lie before Ullapool. In Ullapool itself, Broomfield Holiday Park offers pitches on the edge of town near the harbour; about 5 km to the north is Ardmair Point Touring Park right on the water. Book in high summer.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Overnighting in harbour and loch car parks around Ullapool is generally unwelcome; the town is used to campers and watches closely. Informal alternatives appear in NC500 lists, whose current status is not confirmed; read the signs on site.
- Insider tip for campers
- Ullapool has the largest supermarket on the west coast (Co-op), water points and the last big selection before the north. The ferry to Stornoway (CalMac) departs from here; the harbour and town centre are tight for large vehicles, so park on the edge of town.
4Stage 4: Ullapool to Scourie (approx. 100 km)
- The drive
- Head north on the A835, at Ledmore Junction take the A837 to Loch Assynt, and at Skiag Bridge the A894 northwards. Over the Kylesku Bridge you continue to Scourie. The A894 is partly single-track with many passing places; the mountain scenery with Suilven, Quinag and Canisp is spectacular. A good 2.5 hours of driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Ardvreck Castle on Loch Assynt: a ruin on a peninsula, in the evening light with Quinag in the background.
- Bone Caves near Inchnadamph: a short walk to the limestone caves in the Assynt geopark.
- Kylesku Bridge and boat from Kylesku to Eas a’ Chual Aluinn, at about 200 m the highest waterfall in Britain (seasonal, weather permitting).
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Scourie Caravan and Campsite at Scourie harbour; check opening times and facilities beforehand. West of the A894 are Clachtoll Beach Campsite and Achmelvich; the approaches to them run along narrow minor roads (see tip).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The car park at Lochinver Leisure Centre and other informal stops appear in NC500 lists, but their current status is not confirmed; charges, donations or time limits are possible. In the Assynt area campers outside sites are unwelcome.
- Insider tip for campers
- The B869 (Drumbeg Road) is considered unsuitable for large motorhomes; take the A894 via Kylesku instead. The stretch Clachtoll–Stoer–Drumbeg is single-track, winding and too narrow for larger vehicles. Lochinver can be reached via the A837 and has fuel and shops – but the approach to the harbour is tight for long vehicles.
5Stage 5: Scourie to Durness (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- Continue on the A894 to Laxford Bridge, then take the A838 via Rhiconich to Durness. The road is mostly single-track with passing places, across open upland with moors, lochs and views of Arkle and Foinaven. Around 1.5 hours of driving time; a full day with detours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Smoo Cave near Durness: a large sea cave with a waterfall, reached by steps from the car park; boat trips into the inner chamber run seasonally and depend on the weather.
- Sandwood Bay: a lonely beach, reachable only on foot from Blairmore near Kinlochbervie (around 7 km each way).
- Balnakeil Bay and Craft Village with a chocolate maker; views of Cape Wrath.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Sango Sands Campsite above Sango Bay with sea views; quieter is Balnakeil Motorhome Stopover at Balnakeil, a basic pitch, observe the rules on site. Ask about facilities and opening times beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Campers on grassy areas and dunes near Durness are unwelcome. The Highland Council car park in Durness still allowed overnighting for a fee in 2025 (as of press reports from March 2025; check the conditions on site). Loch Clash in Kinlochbervie appears in NC500 lists as a stop; check its status beforehand.
- Insider tip for campers
- You can reach Cape Wrath only by ferry across the Kyle of Durness and minibus over the Ministry of Defence range; the service runs seasonally (dates and booking at visitcapewrath.com) and may be cancelled during firing exercises. Handa Island (nature reserve, managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust) near Tarbet can be reached only by boat in the summer season; guillemots, razorbills and puffins breed there. Fill up beforehand, destinations are far apart.
6Stage 6: Durness to Thurso (approx. 137 km)
- The drive
- On the A838 around Loch Eriboll and on to Hope and Tongue, then on the A836 to Bettyhill, Strathy and Melvich and along the coast to Thurso. The section Durness–Bettyhill is single-track, after that mostly two-lane. The Kyle of Tongue is crossed on a bridge and a causeway. About 3 hours of driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Loch Eriboll: the deepest sea inlet on the north coast, with views of the mountains and small beaches.
- Tongue with Castle Varrich and Ben Loyal as a backdrop; a short walk to the castle ruin.
- Strathnaver Museum near Bettyhill: the history of the Highland Clearances.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Kyle of Tongue Hostel & Holiday Park and Bayview Campsite in the Tongue area (ask about opening times and facilities beforehand). In Thurso, Thurso Bay Caravan and Camping Park lies right on the bay, only a few minutes from the town centre – good for shopping and waste disposal; check operating times.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the thinly populated north you will find many lay-bys, but overnighting there is not expressly regulated; beaches, cemetery car parks and farm entrances are excluded.
- Insider tip for campers
- Thurso is the largest town on the route, with supermarkets, garages and filling stations. If you want to go to Orkney, cross from Scrabster (NorthLink) or from Gills Bay (Pentland Ferries); book vehicle ferries early. Dounreay is on the way: the decommissioned nuclear power station can be seen from the road.
7Stage 7: Thurso to Wick (via Dunnet Head and John o’ Groats) (approx. 95 km)
- The drive
- From Thurso east on the A836, turn off to Dunnet Head (B855, single-track at the end), then back via Dunnet to the Castle of Mey and on to John o’ Groats. Continue on the A99 via Keiss and Reiss to Wick. Well-built roads, single-track only to the lighthouse. About 2.5 hours of driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Dunnet Head: the northernmost point of mainland Britain, lighthouse and seabirds, views across the Pentland Firth to Orkney.
- Castle of Mey: holiday residence of the Queen Mother, with a garden (open seasonally, check times beforehand).
- Duncansby Head: lighthouse and rock stacks (Stacks of Duncansby), 3 km east of John o’ Groats.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: John O’Groats Caravan and Camping Site on the edge of the village with sea views, often full in high season. The Caravan and Motorhome Club site (Dunnet Bay) lies on the sandy bay at Dunnet; check beforehand whether non-members are accepted. In Wick there is Wick River Campsite by the river; ask about opening times and facilities beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At Noss Head near Wick an informal stop is listed in NC500 lists; its status is not confirmed. At the landmark in John o’ Groats the car parks are not designated for overnighting, and motorhomes must go to a site.
- Insider tip for campers
- The famous signpost photo in John o’ Groats takes patience; early in the morning you will have it to yourself. The village is a visitor centre, the real landscape lies at Duncansby Head. For Orkney from here there is only a passenger ferry (John o’ Groats Ferries); vehicles cross from Gills Bay.
8Stage 8: Wick to Inverness (via Dornoch) (approx. 210 km)
- The drive
- South on the A99 and A9 via Latheron, Dunbeath, Berriedale and Helmsdale to Brora, Golspie and Dornoch, then over the Dornoch Firth Bridge, through Tain and over the Cromarty Firth Bridge to the Black Isle and back to Inverness. The section at Berriedale has a steep dip with hairpins, otherwise the road is wide and well built. Around 3.5 hours of driving time, a long day with sightseeing.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Dunrobin Castle near Golspie: a fairy-tale castle with falconry displays and gardens (open seasonally).
- Dornoch: a small 13th-century cathedral, the square in the town centre and the long sandy beach with dunes by the golf course.
- Timespan Museum in Helmsdale: the history of the Clearances and the gold rush in the Kildonan Strath.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Dornoch there is Dornoch Camping and Caravanning Site close to the beach; a larger choice is offered by Grannie’s Heilan’ Hame Holiday Park in Embo. For the last night in Inverness there are Torvean Caravan Park on the Caledonian Canal and Bught Caravan & Campsite on the Ness. According to Highland Council the Bught season ends at the end of September and the site is closed until Easter; according to the NC500 list Torvean also accepts passing travellers for waste disposal for a fee. Check times beforehand.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The car park at Nigg Ferry is named as a stop in NC500 lists; its status is not confirmed. Overnighting is not intended in beach and golf course car parks in Dornoch; heed the signs.
- Insider tip for campers
- Drive Berriedale Braes in low gears, do not ride the brakes, and check your brakes before the dip. Disposal points for passing travellers are few and far between; Torvean in Inverness is a reliable one. In Inverness check gas and water beforehand, before heading south.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Scotland: the access legislation (Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003) and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code allow camping on unenclosed land for people on foot, by bicycle or by boat. Access rights do not apply to activities that rely solely on vehicles, and so not to sleeping overnight in a motorhome or campervan. If you sleep in your vehicle, you need the landowner’s permission or a pitch.
- Parking vs. camping: whether sleeping in a vehicle in car parks and lay-bys is tolerated depends on the place; put nothing outside (no awning, chairs, tables or grill). Avoid car parks with “No overnight parking” signs, cemetery car parks, access to farms and fields, beaches and grass verges, and passing places. In 2025 Highland Council dropped a planned overnight ban for campers in the car parks in Durness and Golspie, where overnighting is possible for a fee (as of March 2025). We could not verify any new Highland motorhome rules for 2026; heed the signs on site.
- Informal stops such as Falls of Shin, Lochinver Leisure Centre, Balnakeil, Stoer Lighthouse, Loch Clash in Kinlochbervie, Nigg Ferry Hotel and Noss Head appear in NC500 lists and in some cases have charges or time limits; their status is not confirmed. The rules change quickly – check signs and current user reports (park4night, Campercontact, Caravan and Motorhome Club).
- In high summer many sites on the west coast are fully booked. Reserve proper pitches for Applecross, Ullapool, Durness, John o’ Groats and Inverness, and plan the stages so that you do not have to look for a free pitch late in the evening.
- Overnight levy: there is as yet no visitor levy in the Highlands (as of October 2026). In August 2026 Highland Council released a draft for public consultation (draft: £2 per night for campsites, March to November only), with a decision due in December 2026, followed by at least 18 months’ lead time. No levy is therefore expected for travel in 2026 and 2027; Edinburgh is not part of the route.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Service points: empty chemical toilets and grey water only at designated points, not in public toilets. On the NC500, NC500 lists name Black Rock (Evanton), Beauly Holiday Park, Inver Caravan Park (Dunbeath), Ferry View Night Stop (Gills Bay), Halladale Inn & North Coast Touring Park and Torvean (Inverness) as offering disposal to passing travellers for a fee; check access and times beforehand, other sites are for guests only. The British counterpart of a disposal point is often called an “Elsan point”.
- Gas: in Great Britain Calor bottles (butane and propane) with their own connectors are common; whether and where foreign bottles are exchanged is not confirmed, so do not count on it. Arrive with full bottles and, if necessary, adapters. Autogas (LPG) is hard to find in the Highlands – plan with sufficient reserves.
- Drinking water: tap water is generally drinkable. Water points for passing travellers are found on campsites, but not everywhere; the largest supermarkets are in Ullapool and Thurso.
- Fuel and shopping: filling stations are few and often close early. Fill up in Inverness, Gairloch, Ullapool and Thurso as soon as the tank falls below half. In Durness, Tongue and Bettyhill the shops are small and opening hours short.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Entry: Great Britain is not in the EU. EU citizens need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for short stays, which can only be applied for online (gov.uk/eta or the official app); it is valid for two years or until the passport expires and has cost £20 since 8 April 2026 (previously £16). Without an ETA, carriage or entry can be refused. Carry your vehicle registration document, driving licence and proof of insurance; check with your insurer before the trip whether your insurance (green card) is valid for Great Britain.
- Customs: meat and dairy products from the EU may not be brought into Great Britain (exceptions for baby food and medicine); pets have their own entry requirements. Check both on gov.uk before the trip. For gas bottles on board ferries and in the tunnel, the operators’ requirements apply; ask the ferry company or tunnel operator beforehand.
- Driving on the left: roundabouts are taken clockwise. Mask or adjust your headlights for driving on the left. On single-track roads with passing places: use passing places on your left yourself, and if the bay is on the right, stop opposite it; uphill traffic has priority; never park in passing places; slow drivers let following traffic overtake.
- Speed limits in mph (motorhomes; double-check beforehand on gov.uk): up to 3.05 t unladen weight, 60 mph on single carriageways, 70 mph on dual carriageways and motorways. Over 3.05 t unladen weight, 50 mph on single carriageways, 60 mph on dual carriageways, 70 mph on motorways. Vehicles with trailers, 50 mph on single carriageways, 60 mph on dual carriageways and motorways. In built-up areas usually 30 mph, in many places 20 mph. Permitted dimensions for UK-registered motorhomes: width 2.55 m, length 12 m; for the NC500 considerably less is advisable.
- Alcohol and mobile phones: in Scotland the limit is 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood (0.5 per mille), lower than in England; best to drink none. Using a mobile phone at the wheel is prohibited, and even holding it in your hand is an offence. There are no tolls in the Highlands; Low Emission Zones apply in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, not on the NC500 itself.
- Weather and roads: the Bealach na Bà can be closed in snow; winter tyres are not compulsory but sensible in winter. The main midge season is June to September; many sites, ferries and attractions are seasonal, and some close as early as the end of September.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Midge protection: Smidge or Avon Skin So Soft, a head net and a fly screen for the sliding door – at dusk from June to September midges are almost unavoidable near water.
- Reversing camera or a person to guide you: the NC500 guidance expects you to be able to reverse several hundred metres on single-track roads.
- Waterproof walking boots, waterproof trousers and a way to dry things in the vehicle – Torridon and Assynt can only be experienced in wet boots.
- Offline maps (OS Maps or Komoot) and a paper map, plus a power bank: there is no mobile signal on large parts of the west coast.
- A Calor-compatible gas regulator, adapters and a spare bottle, plus levelling ramps for the often uneven pitches on the coast.
- Headlight beam deflectors for driving on the left, a country sticker if necessary, and a wide-angle auxiliary mirror for a better view on the right-hand side of the vehicle.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
