The NC500 was one of my favourite trips in the UK. I’ve gathered all of the tips I wish I knew before leaving which would have made the trip that much easier.
Cafes and shops have odd closing days so double check
We had saved a bunch of cafes and shops to visit along the way. Unfortunately, we failed to check their opening times and arrived when they had shut. Make sure to check as some are even closed on the weekend.
Make reservations if you can
Aside from checking the opening hours, it’s worth booking a table if possible. I know, it can be difficult planning lunch and dinner times when you’re being a tourist all day, but it can be worth it especially on the weekends.
We ran into trouble after visiting John O’Groats. In hindsight, we should have just ate at one of the food trucks there, but decide to check-in to our BnB in Dunnet first. The one restaurant was fully booked so we drove 15 minutes to Thurso where the restaurants we fancied eating at were fully booked too. Instead, we grabbed a few things at Tesco and ate back at Dunnet.
Make a note of petrol stations
As well as saving places to visit on Google Maps, it’s also worth saving nearby petrol stations. On our way up to Inverness, we were close to running out of petrol. We visited two stations which had fully run out of supply. Third time lucky, we found a petrol station, but we had 10 miles of petrol left. From there on, we always had one eye on the petrol gauge and made a point to check every morning and top up at a nearby services.
Don’t park in passing places
Some roads are narrow and only allow one car to drive, so there are ‘passing places’ which are signed at the side of the road so you can park and let another car pass by. This is particularly common on the west side of the NC500 and Isle of Skye.
While the majority plays by this rule, we saw several cars parked in passing places. I can’t stress enough, it may seem like you’re making a quick stop to take a photo, but the roads are so narrow it slows everyone done.
Don’t take risks driving on narrow roads
We saw one car on the Isle of Skye teetering on the edge while the driver held it from toppling over into the field. He was still there one hour later as we drove back, waiting for a recovery van to help. Plan the use of passing places up ahead.
Drive counter clockwise (east to west)
This was a tip I had read a couple of times and fully agree with this. The west side is more picturesque so the drive gets prettier as you go.
Learn how to switch on your fog lights
We forget every time and I had to quickly scramble for the instructions as the car was enveloped by fog. This was at the top of Bealach na Bà and we were close to the edge.
Bring at least 3 pairs of shoes
I brought two and regretted not bringing a third. It will most likely rain or be muddy, so I recommend bringing two pairs for outdoor and visiting places and a third for eating at restaurants and cafes. That way you’re not trailing in mud or sitting in soggy trainers.
Buy midge spray
Growing up in Glasgow, I know how vicious midges can be. To give you an example, I was outside grabbing some things from the car for two minutes and returned with four huge bites. I wasn’t wearing midge spray as I thought I was only out for a couple of minutes, but that’s how extreme they can be. The locals say the Isle of Skye is the worst (which is where my example comes from), so I definitely recommend if you’re visiting the place.
I bought this midge spray from Amazon which I can recommend (the Territorial Army apparently use it).
Pack in smaller bags as hotels and BnBs don’t have lifts
I brought a medium sized suitcase while my wife brought a large trunk suitcase and I had to haul them up flights of stairs every night. I recommend packing in smaller holdalls for the night instead.
Bring more socks
You think you brought more than enough socks? Bring more. It will rain.
Bring/buy snacks/dinner alternatives
This is in line with my tips about reserving at restaurants, but it’s worth always having snacks in case you’re in a remote location. There are a ton of bakeries and cafes along the route so always worth stopping when you can, even if you’re saving it for later. We saw this bakery fridge in Isle of Skye for example.
Buy a go pro for driving
The drive is beautiful. I wish I had bought a Go Pro and just left it running the whole time to record.
See my guides of my favourite places in NC500!