Th Scotland North Coast 500 is a truly once-in-a-lifetime road trip taking in history, culture, nature, beer and beaches (not necessarily in that order!)
Debit Card Car Hire has collection spots in all the major gateway locations, offering a full range of vehicles that can be rented without the need for a credit card. Check out our range of car hire options in Scotland to get started on your epic journey.
Inverness-shire
- Loch Ness is just a 30-minute drive from Inverness where you can have a boat trip in search of the legendary Nessie (Loch Ness Monster). And then on to the ancient ruins of Urquhart Castle with a bird’s-eye view of the loch and location – fun for all the family!
- Then if you want to gen up on Highland history take a short 15-minute drive from the city centre to Culloden Battlefield. Here you can hear about the Jacobite Risings and the bloodiest battle ever fought on British soil.
- While in the city centre itself you can explore Inverness Castle, an ancient fortress dating back to 11AD. Up at the height of the castle viewpoint you can gain an amazing gaze over the city and the Highlands beyond.
- If you want to start your journey in Inverness, check out our car hire options at Inverness airport and Inverness train station.
Black Isle
Despite its name, Black Isle is not actually an island but rather a peninsula with the Cromarty Firth to the north, to the south the Beauly Firth and the Moray Firth to the east. Get there by crossing the Kessock Bridge from Inverness.
- Driving up here might have got you with a bit of a boozy thirst (especially if your trip coincides with a heatwave like in the summer of 2022!) So get a dry driver and take a trip to the Black Isle Brewery for one of their award-winning brews made by using only the freshest, organic ingredients. The free tour ends with an opportunity to sample the wares of the blissful beers.
- For the culture vultures among you, there is the outstanding Groam House Museum with an impressive collection of Pictish and Celtic art. The exhibition centres around 15 carved Pictish stones from its history as a centre of early Christianity.
- While for the whole family to have fun why not go on a wildlife boat trip to see Black Isle’s wide range of wildlife including dolphins, porpoises, seals, herons, gannets and ospreys.
Easter Ross
- Moving north to easter ross you will find vast sandy beaches and coastal path walks to explore. Around the Tarbat Peninsula look out for more wildlife such as dolphins, seals and even the odd whale.
- Another adventure of fun for all the family is to find the Mermaid of the North. This dates back to a local legend where a fisherman seduces a lovely mermaid away from the ocean to be his wife. She was then prevented from entering the waters as he had hid her tail. The sculpture by local artist Steve Hayward will thrill the kids to bits.
- The Pictish Trail is a path of sculptures through the Seaboard villages and Easter Ross where you can explore the history of the Picts who lived in Scotland in the 3rd to 9th centuries.
Caithness & Sutherland
- Smoo Cave is set into limestone cliffs and is some 200 feet long, 130 feet wide and 50 feet high and is a dramatic location that is an exciting place to explore.
- Once owned by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, but now in Trust the Castle of Mey is on the north coast of Caithness overlooking the Pentland Firth and the Orkney Islands.
- Dunrobin Castle is the historic home of the Earls and Dukes of Sutherland. The tour includes the Dining Room and Library was well as the older parts of the Castle. The kids will love the falconry displays in the garden.
- Stoer Lighthouse is located on Stoer Head north of Lochinver and is fully furnished and set up for self-catering. The two flats come with two twinned bedrooms plus kitchen, bathroom and lounge – quite a quirky place to stay indeed.
Wester Ross
And on your last stop why not take in a bit of mountaineering, after all Scotland has such magical mountains. Nearby are five Munros – An Teallach, Slioch, Beinn Eighe, Liathach and Beinn Alligin – and will lead you as high as 3,484 feet, a real treat for you nature photographers.
Then finally back to Inverness to give back the keys to your rented hire car and onto a flight for Home James.
For more inspiration on road trips across Scotland, check out our Scottish Highlands Road Trip guide.