The North Coast 500 loops around the far north of Scotland: around 500 miles of coastline, mountains, white-sand beaches and lochs, starting and finishing in Inverness. It's one of the most spectacular drives in the world. In a motorhome or with a caravan, it's also one of the most demanding, with long sections of single-track road, steep climbs and hairpin bends.
Here's how to plan it so you enjoy the scenery rather than worrying about the next bend.
Is the NC500 suitable for motorhomes and caravans?
Mostly, yes. Many people drive the route in motorhomes every year. But some sections are not suitable for large vehicles, and the official NC500 guidance is clear about it.
The Bealach na Bà
The road over the Bealach na Bà to Applecross is famous for its views, its steep gradients and its hairpin bends. The official North Coast 500 FAQ says it is not suitable for large motorhomes, caravans and inexperienced drivers, and advises taking the A896 instead. The road has been blocked in the past by drivers who weren't used to large vehicles, which causes real problems for locals and emergency services.
If you want to see Applecross, the coastal route via the A896 gets you there without the pass.
The B869 from Lochinver to Kylesku
The NC500 guidance also advises avoiding the B869 in large vehicles and taking the A837 back from Lochinver instead.
How big is too big?
The official guidance suggests that drivers of motorhomes longer than a standard VW T5 conversion (around 16 to 18 feet) consider alternative routes on the most challenging sections. If you're towing or driving a large motorhome, plan your route around the A-roads and skip the toughest detours.
Driving single-track roads
Much of the NC500 is single-track road with passing places. The etiquette matters:
- Use passing places. Pull into a passing place on your left to let oncoming traffic through, or wait opposite one on your right.
- Let faster traffic pass. If a queue is building behind you, pull into the next passing place and let them by. Locals use these roads for work.
- Never park in a passing place. Not even for a photo.
- Be able to reverse. The NC500 guidance puts it simply: if you can't reverse accurately for several hundred yards on a narrow road, you shouldn't drive one.
- Take your time. A day's distance that looks short on the map can take much longer on single-track roads.
Planning for no signal
Mobile coverage in the far north of Scotland can be patchy, especially away from the towns and in the glens. Plan for it:
- Download before you go. Offline maps, campsite bookings and your route for the day.
- Book key campsites ahead in peak season, and save the confirmation.
- Fuel up when you can. Fuel stations are spread out, and some keep limited hours.
- Tell someone your plan on the most remote stretches.
Where to stay
Book campsites ahead in summer, and respect local rules about overnight parking. Use proper sites and facilities for waste and water, and leave no trace.
How Ready2Roam helps you plan the NC500
- Navigation built for your outfit (Nomad Pro). Ready2Roam's in-app navigation uses your motorhome or caravan's height, length and weight from your Garage, with heads-up warnings ahead of steep gradients and low clearances, and the option to take another route where the road data flags a restriction for your rig. Warnings are advisory, so always follow the signs and the official route guidance.
- Know your signal (free dead-zone heads-up; full Coverage Map in Nomad Pro). Your trip's route coverage card flags stretches where you're likely to be without signal. The Coverage Map shows coverage along the route and at each campsite. Coverage is crowd-sourced and modelled, so treat it as a guide. Coverage varies by region.
- Offline maps and nav packs (Nomad Pro) keep guidance working where signal drops out.
- Plan it together. Invite your travel companions to the trip (Nomad Pro) and comment stop by stop. Joining and commenting are free.
The bottom line
The NC500 is worth every mile, as long as you plan it for the vehicle you're driving. Skip the Bealach na Bà and the B869 in a large vehicle, learn the passing-place etiquette, allow far more time than the map suggests, and prepare for patchy signal. You'll have the trip of a lifetime, and so will everyone else on the road.
Before you go, read our guide to towing a caravan on UK roads and run through our pre-trip towing safety checklist.
Download Ready2Roam and start planning your NC500.
