8 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before Driving The NC500 2026

The 500-mile north coast road that hugs the Scottish Highlands is a bucket list road trip for a reason – it’s epic. Even with famously unpredictable weather, you’re going to have a brilliant time, but that doesn’t mean there’s no challenges along the way…

In this blog I share the lessons I learned the hard way, from route planning to wild camping that can make your trip all the more enjoyable, stress-free and midge-free!

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1. Drive up the east coast and down the west coast to save the best for last

One of the most important first things to think about is your route (you can find the full NC500 map here). As the NC500 is circular, you might think that the direction you drive around it doesn’t really matter. While you can drive either way, I’d really recommend travelling up the east coast and back down the west coast. Specifically, picking up the route in Inverness and driving around the top of Scotland and then down towards Applecross rather than the other way.

That’s because the most impressive landscapes, roads, walking trails and sights are on the north and west coasts – think picturesque lochs, ruinous castles and golden sand beaches. That’s not to say there aren’t pretty towns, epic cliffs and more over in the east, it’s just not as dramatic and in most cases it’s more urban and populated.

Which is why I think if you’ve seen the magic of the west coast first, the scenery may feel a little underwhelming as you head back east. So save the best for last and build up excitement as you go by beginning your journey in Inverness and heading north before curving around to the west. The roads are also much wider and well marked in the east so it gives you time to get used to the terrain before heading into single-track territory.

I would also say, don’t be afraid to head off the main NC500 route in general, but especially on the east coast. If you spot a waterfall, walking route or ruin that you really want to see, it’s probably worth skipping a little bit of the east coast road for. That’s something I wish I’d done more!

2. Don’t expect to be able to wild camp every night in summer

Knowing that wild camping (within reason) is legal everywhere in Scotland and thinking it was a common practice, I was really shocked to find in many places it wasn’t allowed.

Since COVID-19 put a stop to most international travel, lots of British tourists flocked to Scotland to escape. Unfortunately, that put a big strain on the local community with increased litter, antisocial behaviour and clogged roads. Which is why in many famous wild camping spots, you’ll now find signs saying camping there is forbidden, even if you’re parked up in a van and not even pitching a tent. We’d spoken to others on the trail who had been asked to move on, had unpleasant notes left on their cars and in some cases fined for sleeping out. While I completely understand locals are tired of campers who don’t respect the environment, this sadly feels like a case of a small group spoiling the experience for others.

It was also quite a blow as to save money and experience the joy of freely camping in some epic spots, we’d planned to wild camp most of the way around. Only booking full campsites and an AirBnB for showers and a break from sleeping on the ground. Which meant we needed to quickly figure out alternatives or head further off the beaten track to find more hidden spots.

Over the course of 10 days, we did wild camp three times (which was incredible) but it was pretty tricky finding spots that weren’t miles off the route. So bear this in mind when planning your trip – if you do really want to wild camp the full route, do the trip outside of the main summer season. You’ll have a much better chance of finding quieter spots and locals will be more receptive to fewer numbers.

If you’re heading here in summer, book a few extra campsites to split up the journey in the event that you can’t find spots you’re allowed to wild camp in. Which brings me onto tip three…

3. Book campsites in advance or get there early

In the summer months, the campsites and AirBnbs get packed. When we found we couldn’t wild camp on our first night out of Inverness due to local bans, we ended up calling four different campsites before we found one with space.

This ended up being a farmer’s field with no facilities which was fine for us, but if you’re expecting to be able to roll up to a campsite as a back up plan then you may struggle. I’d recommend taking a look at your route and where you’re passing more built up areas, look to book a campsite or AirBnb as in summer wild camping may not be possible.

If you don’t want to commit to booking a campsite on the chance you do find a great wild camping pitch then try to scout out your spot earlier in the day. If you can’t wild camp there, you can still get to a campsite in the early afternoon, giving you a much better chance of snagging a pitch.

Essentially, in summer if in doubt book ahead!

4. Always take advantage of good weather while it lasts

Now as I mentioned earlier, the weather in the Scottish Highlands is notoriously changeable. From bright sunny mornings to afternoon thunderstorms and nights of gale-force winds, you can’t ever really trust the forecast.

The only way to navigate this is to seize the best weather when you can. I learned this the hard way – we were so excited to zip line across beautiful Durness Beach and arrived to our campsite along the beach in the late afternoon while the weather was perfect. As we drove past the zip line we could see people on it and it looked incredible. However, as it was late in the afternoon, we’d been driving all day and we were just wanting to set up camp and chill. We decided to just do the zip line in the morning, the forecast looks fine…

The morning rolls around and I can already hear the wind from the tent. The zip line is closed as it’s not safe in high winds and I’m kicking myself for not just doing it while I had the chance. That’s the thing about the NC500, unless you’ve got lots of time to play with you’ll have to move onto your next destination. So don’t make my mistake, if the weather is playing ball, don’t wait to do something thinking you’ll get another chance!

5. Never miss an opportunity to swim

On the same theme, I think one of the best things about the NC500 is the opportunities to swim in incredible places. Whether it’s crystal clear coves, lochs with castle views or rushing waterfalls – on each day of the route, there are places you’ll want to take a dip.

The trouble is, if your swimming stuff is all packed away in the boot or you don’t have anywhere to get changed it can be pretty off-putting. You don’t want the hassle of getting it all out and then trying to awkwardly change in the car without soaking everything. I know, I’ve been there, done that.

So if you want to make capitalising on these once-in-a-lifetime swim spots as easy and hassle-free as possible, you need to do the following:

1. Always keep your swimming costume/bikini/trunks, towel, hair brush/ties/clips, flip flops/water shoes and some moisturiser in a separate bag on the back seat. That way it’s all ready to go and you don’t need to do battle with the no-doubt crazy packing jenga in the boot. Also trust me, especially after swimming in the sea, having moisturiser on hand is a must or your skin will feel like a lizard in the car!
2. Invest in a microfibre poncho towel. Yes, you heard me right – a poncho towel. Dry robes are great but they’re often pretty pricey and if the temperature is mild I think they’re a bit overkill. Instead, you can get lightweight microfibre towels to throw over your head that not only dry you quickly and keep the wind off but also act like a little changing room. You can easily and quickly get changed under them away from prying eyes, even on the side of the road.
3. Invest in water shoes. Again, this might seem unnecessary until you’re hobbling along a gravel road to get back to your car or wading over pebbles to enter a loch. An inexpensive pair of slip-on water shoes make swimming in remote spots so much easier and more enjoyable. Plus, you’re less likely to cut yourself on anything which could easily spoil the trip.

These little extras might not sound that important, but they’ve helped me to swim so much more while travelling in Scotland and around the world. I just know it’s not going to be a drama!

6. Pack binoculars!

Another thing you don’t want to miss is the wildlife or night sky. Whether it’s puffins on Handa Island, deer on the hills, an incredible full moon or shooting stars, binoculars are essential for the best view. Plus, they don’t have to be expensive – I got a decent pair for around £30 on Amazon and they’re great. You can find my exact binoculars here.

We kept them with us in the front seat while driving so we were always ready for new sightings. That also helped us remember to take them with us on walks, especially to cliffs and castles where you’ve got the best chance of seeing different birds and details in the ruins.

And it’s not just the NC500 you’ll use them on, in my opinion a pair of binoculars are a travel essential and will help you get more out of every future trip. So consider it a wise investment!

P.S. You can find my complete NC500 packing list here!

7. Be prepared for midges

Unfortunately, as the sun starts to set, it’s not only the stars that come out but the midges too. In Scotland, from April to September you need to be prepared to keep the pesky flying insects away. Here are some of the best ways to do that…

1. If you can, light a fire as the smoke will keep them away. Please only do this on marked campfire spots and take notice of local wildfire warnings in hot and dry periods.
2. Invest in good inset repellent – the one that’s proven most effective and was actually developed in Scotland specifically for midges is Smidge. You can buy it online here or in lots of Scottish outdoor shops when you get there. The company also have their own midge forecast so you can check to see what it’s like where you’re headed each day.
3. Try to camp away from standing water somewhere that catches a breeze. Hills, cliffs, beaches and other exposed areas are usually great midge-free zones as they can’t fly in the wind so look for camping pitches in those areas. Avoid camping next to a pond or still lake at all costs unless you want to be ambushed!
4. Lastly, if all else fails, have a midge head net on hand to keep them out of your face. Again, Smidge have a good one you can buy here. Sometimes you really can’t avoid them and at least you won’t get midges in your mouth… 😂

8. Invest in little luxuries for extra comfort

Lastly, while I often try to camp or road trip with as little gear as possible to easily move around, the NC500 is one to be savoured and enjoyed. One of the best things to do is pitch up, sit back and watch the sun set with a glass of wine and dinner on the stove.

Especially after a long day of exploring, some of the best sights in Scotland are the sunsets, so pack those little luxuries to enjoy it to its fullest. Some investments that brought me joy on the road were camping wine glasses, a foldable table, mini BBQ, camping slippers and games. If you’ve got the space in your car, I’d also recommend bringing an actual pillow instead of a travel pillow for better quality sleep.

They may sound like little upgrades but I think they make all the difference, and avoid any camping envy when your neighbour turns up with the best set up!

Those are the eight things I wish I knew before setting off on the NC500 – don’t make my mistakes! Even with a few midges and camping mishaps, I hope you enjoy this road trip as much as I did.

If you have any other questions about the NC500 or tips of your own to add, please let me know in the comments. Happy travelling!

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