I had two days. That was it.
I'd wanted to do the North Coast 500 for a while, but finding enough time to properly explore it wasn't easy. Rather than waiting until I could somehow find a whole week to do the trip, I decided to see if I could make two days work.
Obviously, two days isn't enough time to experience everything the NC500 has to offer. There are beaches, mountains, castles, waterfalls, viewpoints, wildlife spots and little places to explore all along the route. So I had to be selective.
I made a list of the places I absolutely did not want to miss, accepted that I would have to leave some things for another trip, and set off to see how much of the North Coast I could squeeze into one very busy road trip.
The trip at a glance
- Duration: 2 days, with a Friday night start
- Route: North Coast 500
- Highlights: Beaches, castles, sea caves, waterfalls and Highland scenery
- Overnight: Car camping on the first night and Sango Sands on the second
- Approach: Pick the places I most wanted to see rather than trying to fit everything in
Day 1 – Heading North
Friday Night – Heading North
I started my NC500 adventure on Friday evening, driving north towards my first stop at Chanonry Point.
I was hoping to see the famous dolphins that can sometimes be spotted from the point, but on this occasion there were no dolphins making an appearance. Instead, I found myself standing on the coast in some pretty strong winds.
At the time, my thoughts quickly moved away from dolphins and towards my TentBox.
If it was this windy here, what was it going to be like further north?
I had planned to find somewhere to wild camp for the night, so I continued north towards Golspie and then Brora, keeping an eye out for somewhere suitable to stop.
Unfortunately, the light was disappearing quickly and I was struggling to find somewhere that felt right. Eventually, rather than forcing it, I found a quieter spot where I could safely spend the night and decided to car camp instead.
It wasn't exactly the start I'd imagined, but sometimes road trips don't go exactly to plan.
Golspie Beach in the Morning
I was up early the following morning and headed back towards Golspie.
I had some time before my first major attraction opened, so I stopped at Golspie Beach.
It was only around 8.30am, the sun was shining and there was practically nobody else around.
I sat on a rock for a while, looking out at the water, listening to the waves and taking in the view.
It was one of those quiet moments that reminded me exactly why I love getting out and exploring Scotland. I had a packed day ahead of me, but for a little while there was nowhere else I needed to be.
Dunrobin Castle – A Highland Fairytale
Next up was Dunrobin Castle.
I'd seen photographs of Dunrobin before, but seeing it in person was something else entirely. The castle looked like something from a fairytale.
With its towers, turrets and position overlooking the gardens and coast, it was easily one of the most beautiful castles I've ever visited.
I had originally planned on just seeing the outside and exploring the gardens, but once I was there I became curious about the inside.
So I went in.
I'm very glad I did.
The interior was fascinating and there was so much history to take in. I loved walking through the different rooms and following the corridors to see what was around the next corner. It felt less like simply visiting a castle and more like being allowed to wander through a piece of Scottish history.
The gardens were just as impressive. The formal gardens were designed with French and Italian influences, with the castle rising above them, and the whole setting felt incredibly grand.
Dunrobin ended up being one of the highlights of the entire trip, and definitely somewhere I'd recommend allowing time for rather than simply stopping for a photograph from the outside.
John O'Groats
From Dunrobin, I continued north towards John O'Groats.
This was one of those stops that I simply couldn't leave off the list. I'd seen photographs of the famous signpost countless times, so naturally I needed one of my own.
After getting the obligatory photograph, I wandered around the harbour for a while and stopped at one of the cafés for lunch.
There was something quite satisfying about finally standing at a place I'd seen in so many photographs. It made the road trip feel very real.
Castle of Mey
Next came the Castle of Mey.
If I'm being completely honest, this is probably one of the places I would reconsider if I were planning the trip again.
It wasn't that I didn't enjoy it. I did. The animal centre was a lovely surprise, and seeing the baby chicks tucked underneath a heat lamp was definitely a memorable part of the visit.
But with only two days available, there were other places I'd have preferred to spend that limited time.
On a future trip, I think I'd probably swap Castle of Mey for Castle Sinclair Girnigoe and spend some time exploring the dramatic ruins above the North Sea instead.
Dunnet Head
From Castle of Mey, I headed to Dunnet Head.
The cliffs here were exactly the kind of scenery I'd been hoping for from the NC500. There were dramatic coastal views, seabirds nesting around the cliffs and the lighthouse standing out against the landscape.
It was another reminder that the best part of the NC500 isn't necessarily one particular attraction. Sometimes it's simply stopping somewhere, getting out of the car and looking around.
Durness – One of the Biggest Surprises
From Dunnet Head I started heading west towards Durness.
As I reached the Durness area, my eyes genuinely went wide.
This was the moment when I realised just how spectacular the northwest of Scotland could be.
The cliffs, beaches, mountains, sea views and little attractions seemed to come one after another. Everywhere I looked there was another view that made me want to stop.
Durness quickly became one of my favourite parts of the entire trip.
A Night at Sango Sands
By this point I was ready to stop for the night, so I headed to Sango Sands Campsite.
After such a busy day, it was lovely to finally park up, get settled and actually enjoy where I was.
One of my favourite things about staying there was having the sea view right from the door of my TentBox.
After spending the day driving through some of the most dramatic scenery in Scotland, being able to open the door of my bed and look straight out towards the sea felt pretty special.
Day 2 – Durness, Assynt and Home
Smoo Cave – A Place I'd Been Waiting For
The following morning I was up early again.
I waited for a short dry spell, got the TentBox packed away and headed straight for Smoo Cave.
This was one of the places I'd been wanting to visit for more than a year, so finally standing there in front of it felt amazing.
Smoo Cave is a huge sea cave carved into the limestone cliffs at Durness, and the dramatic entrance alone makes it worth visiting. Inside, the cave also has a waterfall, making the setting even more impressive.
Unfortunately for me, the weather had been very wet.
Fortunately for the waterfall, that meant it was absolutely flying.
I got pretty drenched trying to see it, but honestly, I didn't care. I'd wanted to visit this place for so long that getting soaked was a small price to pay.
Cocoa Mountain – An Emergency Chocolate Stop
After getting thoroughly wet at Smoo Cave, I needed something to warm me back up.
So I headed to Cocoa Mountain.
It was only around 10am, but after being drenched by a waterfall I decided a treat was completely justified.
I had the famous hot chocolate and also tried four very small tasting chocolates.
It might have been an unconventional breakfast, but it was exactly what I needed.
Kylesku Bridge and Wailing Widow Falls
Back on the road, I continued south towards Kylesku Bridge.
The landscape around this part of the NC500 is incredible. The further south I travelled, the more the scenery changed from the dramatic coastline around Durness into the huge Highland landscapes of Assynt.
Next came Wailing Widow Falls.
The path wasn't exactly the most established path I've ever followed. In fact, at one point it felt like the path had simply disappeared altogether.
So I did a short scramble across what was effectively the non-existent path and eventually reached the waterfall.
It was worth the effort.
The recent rain had given the waterfall plenty of power and it made the stop even more impressive.
Ardvreck Castle
Next was Ardvreck Castle.
After my little adventure getting to Wailing Widow Falls, it was quite nice to arrive somewhere with a proper established path.
The ruins of Ardvreck Castle sit dramatically beside Loch Assynt, and the combination of the old stone ruins, the water and the surrounding mountains made it one of my favourite stops of the day.
It's the kind of place where you can easily imagine how different the landscape must have looked centuries ago.
Knockan Crag
From Ardvreck Castle I continued towards Knockan Crag.
I stopped at the Rock Room to learn more about the geology of the area before taking the walk up towards the tilted globe.
This was a completely different experience from the castles and waterfalls I'd been visiting.
Knockan Crag is a place where the landscape itself tells a story, and taking a little time to understand the geology made me look at the mountains around me differently.
Ullapool and the Best Roll I've Ever Had
By the time I reached Ullapool I was ready for some food.
I stopped at the Seafood Shack and ordered a hot lobster roll with lemon and chive mayonnaise.
This was my first time eating lobster, and I wasn't completely convinced about the lemon mayonnaise when I ordered it.
Turns out I had absolutely nothing to worry about.
It was honestly the best roll I've ever had.
If they hadn't sold out of the last one, I genuinely think I would have ordered another.
So my first experience of lobster was a definite success.
Corrieshalloch Gorge and the Falls of Measach
There was just one more major stop on my list before I headed home.
Corrieshalloch Gorge.
And what a way to finish the trip.
I crossed the suspension bridge high above the gorge, with the Falls of Measach crashing below me.
I'm not going to pretend I wasn't terrified.
Standing on a moving suspension bridge while looking down into a huge gorge with a waterfall far below is not exactly my idea of relaxing.
But it was absolutely worth it.
I also made my way to the viewing platform further along the gorge, which gave a completely different perspective of the waterfall and the surrounding landscape.
The gorge was one of the final highlights of the trip and a pretty spectacular way to finish two very busy days. The Falls of Measach drop dramatically into the gorge below, with the Victorian suspension bridge providing one of the most memorable viewpoints.
Then It Was Time to Go Home
And just like that, my two-day NC500 adventure was over.
I had driven hundreds of miles, visited castles, beaches, cliffs, caves and waterfalls, eaten my first lobster roll, slept in my TentBox, got soaked at Smoo Cave and stood on a suspension bridge wondering why I'd voluntarily put myself through it.
It was fast.
It was busy.
It definitely wasn't the traditional leisurely NC500 road trip.
But I only had two days, and I wanted to make them count.
Would I Do the NC500 Again?
Absolutely.
But next time, I want to slow it down.
There were plenty of places I simply couldn't fit into this trip, and I don't want to leave them unexplored forever.
Some of the places already on my list for NC500 round two are:
- Bones Cave
- Castle Sinclair Girnigoe
- Duncansby Stacks
- Sandwood Bay
- Balnakeil Beach
- Whaligoe Steps
- Victoria Falls
- The Golden Eagle Zip Slide
- Borgie Forest Sculpture Trail
And knowing how much I enjoyed this trip, I have a feeling that list is going to get longer before I actually make it back.
My Two-Day NC500
Doing the NC500 in two days definitely isn't for everyone.
If you have the time, I'd recommend taking longer and giving yourself the freedom to stop whenever something catches your eye. There is so much to see that rushing past everything just to say you've completed the route would miss the point.
But if, like me, you only have a very small window of opportunity, it is possible to create your own version of the NC500 by choosing the places that matter most to you.
I didn't see everything.
I didn't even come close.
But I saw some incredible places, discovered some new favourites and came home already thinking about what I want to see next time.
And maybe that's the best thing about a road trip like this.
You don't have to see everything in one go.
Sometimes you just need enough of an adventure to make you want to turn around and do it all again.
