NC500
25 Best Stops on the NC500: The Places You Shouldn't Miss
25 Best Stops on the NC500: The Places You Shouldn't Miss
The NC500 is a 516-mile driving loop, but the point of driving it is not the driving. The point is the stops. After hundreds of trips, rounds of reader feedback and a lot of discussions between our own team, here are the twenty-five stops we think earn their place on the loop. They are ordered clockwise from Inverness, grouped by the five main sections of the route.
Some of these are obvious (Bealach na Bà, Smoo Cave, Duncansby Stacks). Some are less well known and reward the detour (Mellon Udrigle, Whaligoe Steps, the Summer Isles viewpoint). We have tried to balance the headline sights with smaller places that make the trip memorable.
Use this alongside the full NC500 route map, our 7-day itinerary for pacing, and the full NC500 hub guide for context.
Section 1: Inverness to Applecross
1. Chanonry Point
On the eastern edge of the Black Isle, about twenty minutes north of Inverness. One of the best places in Europe to watch bottlenose dolphins from land. They follow the rising tide in, often to within a few metres of the pebble beach. Best between May and September, at the start of a rising tide. The lighthouse is photogenic. Parking is limited and fills early in summer, so arrive before the tide does.
2. Rogie Falls
A short signed walk off the A835 near Contin. Ten minutes through pine forest brings you to a suspension bridge over the River Blackwater, with a salmon leap below between summer and autumn. The falls are at their most dramatic after rain. Good family stop, easy paths, decent car park.
3. Applecross Walled Garden
At the northern end of Applecross village, inside an old laird's walled garden. The Potting Shed restaurant uses produce from the garden and serves seriously good food: dinner here is one of the highlights of the west coast. Walk round the garden before you eat. Dogs welcome in the outdoor seating area.
4. Bealach na Bà
The defining stretch of road on the NC500. A 2,054-foot mountain pass with three hairpin bends near the top, a 360-degree view from the summit car park, and gradients that feel steeper than they look on a map. We have written about it in full in our [LINK: dedicated Bealach na Bà guide → /guides/bealach-na-ba]. Not suitable for large motorhomes or caravans.
5. Applecross Inn
A working pub on the Applecross seafront with a menu built around whatever the boats brought in. Langoustines, hand-dived scallops, smoked haddock. Book a window table if you can and eat slowly while the sun drops behind Raasay. There are rooms upstairs and a sister site in Applecross village for accommodation. Often voted one of the best pubs in Scotland and the food earns the reputation.
Section 2: Applecross to Ullapool
6. Shieldaig Village
A single row of white-washed cottages running along a sea loch, with a small wooded island directly in front of them. The village has a pub, a couple of cafes and a fish shop with benches on the quay. Park for twenty minutes and walk the length of the village. If you have longer, the loop walk behind Shieldaig gives you one of the best short views in the west Highlands.
7. Torridon and Beinn Eighe
The road from Shieldaig to Kinlochewe runs under some of the most dramatic mountain faces in the UK. Stop at the Torridon Countryside Centre for background. If you have a spare two hours and a reasonable level of fitness, the Beinn Eighe Mountain Trail at Coille na Glas Leitire is one of the best short hill walks on the whole route.
8. Loch Maree
A freshwater loch between Kinlochewe and Gairloch, framed by Slioch mountain and dotted with wooded islands. Arguably the most beautiful inland loch in Scotland. The A832 follows its western shore for fifteen miles. Stop at Slattadale for a ten-minute forest walk or Talladale for views from a lay-by. Fishermen rate Loch Maree for sea trout and salmon.
9. Mellon Udrigle Beach
A crescent of white sand with the water of Gruinard Bay stretching out toward the Summer Isles. Cold, clear, and unreasonably beautiful. A ten-minute drive off the main A832 north of Laide. Not a swimming beach unless you are hardy, but one of the best beach stops on the whole loop. See our [LINK: best beaches on the NC500 guide → /guides/best-beaches-on-the-nc500] for the full list.
10. Corrieshalloch Gorge
A 200-foot gorge with a 150-foot waterfall at its head, crossed by a Victorian suspension bridge that bounces gently underfoot. A five-minute walk from the car park at Braemore Junction, just south of Ullapool. Short, dramatic, good for a stretch after a long drive. Not suitable for those who dislike heights.
Section 3: Ullapool to Durness
11. Stac Pollaidh
A 613-metre mountain with an improbable spiky ridge, rising straight out of Loch Lurgainn. You can drive past it on the Inverpolly road for a view, or commit three to four hours and climb it. The full round trip involves some easy scrambling at the summit. Even from the car park the view is one of the best in the Highlands.
12. Achmelvich Beach
A small, crystal-clear bay on the Stoer peninsula, reached by a five-mile single-track road off the B869. White sand, turquoise water, and an exposed rocky headland. Popular with kayakers in summer. The Shore Caravan Site sits directly behind the beach, which makes it a rare NC500 campsite with proper beach access.
13. Kylesku Bridge
A curved concrete bridge across Loch a' Chairn Bhain, opened in 1984 after decades of ferry crossings. The bridge won architecture awards. The viewpoint from the south side, with the Quinag mountain range in the background, is one of the most photographed spots on the route. The Kylesku Hotel at the foot of the bridge does excellent food.
14. Handa Island
A seabird reserve off the coast near Scourie, reached by a small ferry from Tarbet in season (April to September). Thousands of guillemots, razorbills, puffins and great skuas. A four-mile loop walk around the island. Half a day well spent if you like wildlife. Check ferry times and weather before committing.
15. Smoo Cave
On the edge of Durness, a vast sea and freshwater cave combined into one. The outer chamber is free to enter. The inner chamber has an underground waterfall and is accessed by a short boat tour for a small fee, weather permitting. Fifteen to twenty minutes is enough for a quick visit. We have written [LINK: a full Smoo Cave guide → /guides/smoo-cave] for deeper context.
16. Balnakeil Beach
A mile-long curve of white sand ten minutes from Durness, with a ruined church at one end and a view to Cape Wrath across the bay. Walk the length of the beach. If the weather allows, continue round the point to Faraid Head. Some of the cleanest water you will find anywhere in Britain.
Section 4: Durness to John o' Groats
17. Ceannabeinne Beach
Ten minutes east of Durness, a small pink-sanded bay tucked between cliffs. There is a zip wire across the beach in summer, though most people come for the view and the quiet. Park on the A838. Short walk down wooden steps.
18. Kyle of Tongue
A long sea loch crossed by a causeway. The view back toward the mountains of Ben Loyal and Ben Hope is among the best on the north coast. The Kyle of Tongue Hostel sits at the western end and makes a cheap overnight stop. Tongue village itself has a good hotel and a couple of places to eat.
19. Strathy Point Lighthouse
Half a mile walk from a small car park off the A836, east of Melvich. The lighthouse was decommissioned in 2012 but still sits on its headland with sea views back across the north coast. Good short leg-stretcher on what is otherwise a long driving section.
20. Dunnet Head
The true northernmost point of mainland Britain, five miles north-west of John o' Groats. The lighthouse car park sits on a cliff top with views to Orkney across the Pentland Firth. Seabird cliffs from April to July. Far better than John o' Groats itself and usually much quieter.
21. Duncansby Stacks
A mile and a half east of John o' Groats, a set of vast sea stacks below sheer 200-foot cliffs. The walk from the Duncansby Head lighthouse car park is flat, grassy and takes fifteen minutes each way. On a still day the silence is astonishing. See our [LINK: full Duncansby Stacks guide → /guides/duncansby-stacks]. This is the real destination at the north-east corner, not John o' Groats itself.
Section 5: John o' Groats to Inverness
22. Whaligoe Steps
A 365-step flagstone staircase cut down the side of a natural cliff-harbour, south of Wick. Herring fisherwomen once climbed up these steps carrying heavy loads of fish. The walk down takes ten minutes, the walk back up longer. The Whaligoe Steps Cafe at the top serves good food. We have a [LINK: dedicated Whaligoe Steps guide → /guides/whaligoe-steps-and-waterfall] for more.
23. Dunrobin Castle
Just north of Golspie, the most northerly of the great Scottish houses. 189 rooms, French chateau-style turrets, gardens that drop down toward the sea. Falconry displays run twice a day in summer. A proper half-day stop and worth the admission price if castles matter to you at all.
24. Dornoch Cathedral and Beach
Dornoch is the prettiest small town on the east coast. The cathedral has been a church on this spot since 1224. The beach, five minutes walk from the town centre, stretches for miles and is a good leg-stretcher. Royal Dornoch golf course is one of the finest links courses in the world if you play.
25. Cromarty
An old salt burgh on the eastern tip of the Black Isle, twenty minutes off the A9. Eighteenth-century houses, narrow lanes, a small harbour, dolphins in the firth. The Cromarty Arms and Sutor Creek are both excellent places to eat. A perfect final stop before you roll back into Inverness.
How to use this list
It is unlikely that you’re going to do all twenty-five on a single trip. Pick the ones that match what you want from your drive. If beaches are your thing, weight your stops around numbers 9, 12, 16, 17 and 24. If geology and dramatic scenery, numbers 4, 10, 11, 13, 15 and 21. If history, numbers 22, 23 and 24.
For a visual take on the scenery, see our most beautiful scenery on the NC500 guide. For the seasonal timing of each stop, see our best time to drive the NC500. And for places to stay near each section, the NC500 accommodation guide is the starting point.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best stops on the NC500?
Bealach na Bà, Applecross, Mellon Udrigle, Achmelvich, Kylesku Bridge, Smoo Cave, Balnakeil Beach, Duncansby Stacks, Whaligoe Steps and Dunrobin Castle are the ones we would prioritise first. The full list of 25 is above.
How many stops can you fit into a 7-day trip?
Realistically, ten to fifteen. Our 7-day NC500 itinerary builds in a good selection. Trying to do all 25 in a week will mean short visits and a tired driver.
Are the best stops on the NC500 free?
Most are. Dunrobin Castle, Smoo Cave boat tour and the Handa Island ferry charge small fees. Everything else on this list is free to visit.
Which stops are good for families with children?
Chanonry Point, Rogie Falls, Achmelvich Beach, Kylesku Bridge, Smoo Cave, Balnakeil Beach, Ceannabeinne Beach and Dunrobin Castle all work well for families. Bealach na Bà and Stac Pollaidh are less suitable for small children.
