The NC500, or North Coast 500, is a 516-mile loop around the north of Scotland, and it starts and finishes in Inverness.[1] VisitScotland says it is often described as Scotland’s answer to Route 66, and that you can drive it in either direction. This guide covers what a rental car driver needs to plan: where to start, how many days to allow, how to handle single-track roads, when to go and what to know about charging an electric car.
Where does the NC500 route start and end?
The route starts and ends in Inverness, the capital of the Highlands. VisitScotland lists the destinations on the loop as including Applecross, Torridon, Ullapool, Durness, Thurso and John o’ Groats before the road returns to Inverness.
Inverness and its airport have no page on this site; the pickup points with pages here include Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow and their airports. Each has a city page and an airport page: Edinburgh Airport, Glasgow Airport and Aberdeen Airport. The loop itself begins in Inverness, so the drive from the pickup city to Inverness is a separate leg that comes before day one. Plan it as its own drive.
For the country-level rules that apply to any rental in Great Britain, see the Great Britain country page.
How many days do you need for the North Coast 500?
VisitScotland says driving the entire route without stopping would take around 11 to 13 hours, and that most visitors spend between 5 and 7 days on it. The page also says the NC500 is best experienced at a slower pace, with time for scenery, attractions, local food and outdoor activities.
Dividing the two figures evenly gives a rough idea of a day behind the wheel. This is arithmetic on the numbers above, not a stage plan, and real days vary with stops and weather.
| Days | Miles a day, on average | Hours of driving a day, on average |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | about 103 | about 2.2 to 2.6 |
| 6 | 86 | about 1.8 to 2.2 |
| 7 | about 74 | about 1.6 to 1.9 |
The averages leave out every stop, so a day that looks like two hours of driving is a long day once the viewpoints and meals are added.
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NC500 itinerary: the places to build your days around
VisitScotland names a set of top spots on the route. Instead of inventing a fixed day-by-day split, here are the places the page names, so you can place your overnight stops among them.
- Inverness: the gateway to the NC500, with the River Ness and Inverness Castle, and Loch Ness nearby.
- Bealach na Bà (Applecross Pass): one of Scotland’s most iconic driving roads, with winding hairpin bends and views over mountains and glens.
- Applecross: a village on the shore after the Bealach na Bà, with views across the water to the islands.
- Torridon: soaring peaks and lochs, with space to pause for the scenery and wildlife.
- Ullapool: a harbour village that the page calls a base for nearby beaches and mountains.
- Smoo Cave (Durness): a vast sea cave with a waterfall inside; in summer a boat trip goes further in.
- John o’ Groats: one of mainland Britain’s most iconic landmarks, with the famous signpost and views across the Pentland Firth.
Source: VisitScotland, North Coast 500, “Top spots you can’t miss”.
If you drive the loop from Inverness in either direction, these places come in a different order, so check each leg’s length on a map before you fix a night’s stop.
How do you drive single-track roads and passing places?
VisitScotland says parts of the NC500 include narrow roads and single-track sections, and advises checking the size of your vehicle and planning the route carefully. In a rental car, that means knowing how wide the car is before you pick the class, and reading the offer for the model you will get.
The Highway Code (GOV.UK), rule 155, covers single-track roads. They are only wide enough for one vehicle and may have special passing places. If you see a vehicle coming toward you, or the driver behind wants to overtake, pull into a passing place on your left, or wait opposite a passing place on your right. Give way to road users coming uphill whenever you can. If necessary, reverse until you reach a passing place to let the other vehicle pass. The same rule says to slow down when passing pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, and the next one, rule 156, says: do not park in passing places.[2]
A passing place is not a parking spot or a photo stop. The Highway Code says not to park in passing places.
Traffic in the UK keeps to the left. If that is new to you, read what changes when you drive on the left before you leave the rental lot.
Which direction should you drive the NC500?
Either one. VisitScotland says the route starts and finishes in Inverness, although you can travel it in either direction. The page does not recommend one way over the other, so the choice is yours: pick the direction that puts the places you care about on days when you have time for them.
When is the best time to drive the NC500?
VisitScotland says the NC500 can be enjoyed throughout the year, and suggests April to June or September and October for milder weather, longer daylight hours and colorful landscapes. It adds that these months can also be quieter than the peak summer season.
Some attractions may operate seasonal opening hours, particularly in winter, and Scotland’s weather can be unpredictable, so the page advises checking road conditions and opening times before you travel.
Can you drive the NC500 in an electric car?
Yes. VisitScotland says the North Coast 500 is suitable for electric vehicles, with charging points available in towns and villages along the route. Charging infrastructure can be more limited in remote areas, so it is a good idea to plan the charging stops in advance. The page points to the ChargePlace Scotland website for charging points.
To see how a rental class code shows an electric car, read rental car classes explained.
To compare this route with the other three, see best road trip routes in Europe by rental car.
