DRIVING THE NORTH COAST 500

With foreign holidays still causing some difficulties for UK residents, staycations have become the norm for 2021. Winding back before the COVID-19 pandemic, Anne H took to the high roads (with another friend, not Anne C) to discover the stunning natural beauty of Scotland.

Beginning and finishing in Inverness, the North Coast 500 is a 516 mile drive around some of the most stunning countryside in the UK. Anne undertook this epic drive during late 2019 before the pandemic and any restrictions on English travellers to Scotland, so any visitors this year may well have seen an increase in road traffic on what can only be described at best as rural roads.

And if you would like to undertake this mega driving holiday, we recommend buying The North Coast Journey by Brigid Benson, available on Amazon, before planning your trip.

Plan your holiday

For that reason, her first piece of advice would be to avoid high summer, since the roads are narrow in parts, with well-marked but limited passing places – not great if you meet a motor home head on coming from the opposite direction! Her second piece of advice would be to carefully plan the journey beforehand and ensure accommodation is booked in advance since there are no large hotels, and accommodation is largely in B&Bs. And finally – avoid your trip between May and September – those midges love warm, damp weather and migrate towards shorts and sleeveless tops! However, that might mean you miss out on the good weather. Be warned, Scotland is lush and green because it rains quite a lot and the winters are cold, so you'll need to take appropriate clothing and footwear! But if you're heading there in Autumn, what could be cosier than a roaring fire and a wee dram to ward of the chills? Or better still - take time to visit one of the many distilleries in Scotland

That said, the scenery is absolutely stunning and well worth the trip.The journey can take anything between five and 10 days – depending on what you want to see and where you make a detour. Travelling counter-clockwise, the journey will take you north-east and then west, taking in Dornoch, Wick, Tongue, Lochinver, Ullapool, Kinlochewe and back to Inverness.

Beautiful Scenery

Picture above: Achnasheen Laide and below:Achnasheen Poolwe

If you’re not in a rush, and your pace is leisurely, you can detour to Loch Ness – and maybe do a little Nessie Monster spotting. Take the ferry from Scrabster near Thurso to Stromness and check out its Viking Heritage, along with the 5,000 year old stone circles.

Above and below: Applecross

For those brave outdoor types (not us!!) head to the Isle of Skye for wild swimming in the Fairy Pools. For those who are not so brave, at least there are some fabulous Instagramable shots to be had. You can either drive over the 500m Skye bridge or take the ferry, and dine at the world famous Three Chimneys or the Michelin starred Loch Bay restaurant.

The Royal Connection

The Castle of Mey

Scotland is also famous for its castles, and the links with the royal family go back centuries. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother owned the Castle of Mey as a holiday retreat, though this was later bequeathed to The Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust and The Prince's Foundation. She renovated the castle with her own money – which delighted the residents of Caithness because it brought running water and reliable electricity to nearby residents.

Staying with the royal connection, Anne’s visit to Scotland coincided with the Braemar Gathering, traditionally attended by Her Majesty the Queen. This includes traditional Highland Games, Scottish Dancing, bagpipes and caber tossing. Her Majesty spends the summer at her Scottish residence Balmoral, which is close by, while Prince Charles (who uses the title The Earl of Rothesay when in Scotland) stays at Birkhall which is also on the Balmoral Estate.

And when the Royal Family visit Balmoral, they worship at the small local village church - Craithie Kirk, pictured below:

Craithie Kirk

Both of us have previously spent time in Scotland, and there is much more to see than just the North Coast 500. Edinburgh (where Anne C spent part of her honeymoon) and Glasgow, apart from having plenty to do and see, also have some fabulous shops where you can stock up on tartan and beautiful woollen goods. During a previous holiday together we visited the amazing Royal Yacht Britannia. Who doesn’t remember those iconic photographs of Prince Charles and Princess Diana aboard the yacht during happier times?

Sadly the yacht was taken out of service in 1997, and is now docked permanently in Leith, Edinburgh, and open to the public to view. It isn’t as luxurious as you might imagine, but is well worth a visit!