Clockwise or Anticlockwise?

This is one of the most common questions I have seen come up in forums online, so I though maybe I would post in our blog about the pro's and cons of doing the route in each direction.  The NC500 is a circular route, therefore there is no real start or finish, however most people start in Inverness, especially those renting a car or motorhome, as well as those flying in from around the world.

Inverness is the gateway to the Highlands and it is as good a place to start as any. The fuel here is less expensive, and there are great shops for stocking up before you get going, or for picking up that essential item you really need but forgot to pack. Once you are ready to start, you can either go anticlockwise and head for the east coast, or head over to the west coast and take the clockwise route.

If you are travelling in a motorhome you have the freedom to make this choice at the last possible moment, unless you are booking sites ahead. The only site we booked ahead was Sango Sands in Durness, which we booked for the middle of our trip to enable us to approach from either direction. 

The other advantage of a motorhome is that you can take into consideration the current weather forecasts for both east and west. This is crucial, as your adventure will be so much better if you have great weather, if the sun is shining in Scotland, do not drive the opposite way! The last thing you want is to drive into the rain or thick haar (Sea fog) on the east coast if it looks like it will improve in the east later on in your trip? Take advantage of your freedom and follow the sun for stunning sunsets in the west and sublime sunrises in the east. 

Do I have to start in Inverness?

The answer is No, you do not.  If you are travelling up from the south, I would highly recommend that you ignore Inverness as a starting point altogether, keep to the left of Scotland on your way up and go clockwise if the weather is on your side. This is because of the spectacular "West Highland Way".

This route will take you along the banks of Loch Lomond (East or West) through the wild landscape of Rannoch Moor and through the magnificent mountain range in Glencoe, into Fort William and on to beautiful places beyond.  It will add an extra large dose of breathtaking scenery to your trip.  There is ample shopping and fuel in Fort William so that is just as good a place to begin your adventure.  The scenery is better and you can avoid the A9. 

If you are travelling from even further south as we were and fancy a "wild camp" near Loch Lomond and the trossachs then you can book a "camping permit" for your motorhome or tent. We booked two permits, one for the way up and another for the way back. The cost of a permit is a mere £3 per night so it is great value for money and the funds go to maintaining the park for the benefit of everyone. To book a permit just follow this link to the park authority website and Book A Permit 


Three Options from Fort William to the NC500

Option 1: From Fort William you can take the A87 up through Spean Bridge and Invergarry, along the banks of Loch Cluanie towards Shiel Bridge, passing the Five SIsters of Kintail (above). Head onwards on the A87 to begin your route by taking the A890 (West Highland Way) after Auchtertyre which heads towards Plockton, Applecross and Locharron. It is worth continuing the short distance to Loch Duich and the Kyle of Lochalsh to see Eilean Donan Castle. Then just double back the short distance to the A87 West Highland Way and begin  the NC500.

Option 2: A second alternative route from Fort William is also fantastic and includes a crossing over the sea to the Isle of Skye. After Fort William take the A830 along the banks of Loch Eil, past the Glenfinnen Viaduct (above) and towards the stunning white sandy beaches of Arisaig (below). This is a fabulous place to stop for the night and explore. Then from Arisaig head to Mallaig and take the Calmac Ferry from Mallaig to Armadale. It is not a long crossing and I would book ahead and get the first ferry in the morning having stayed the night in Arisaig. 

Once on Skye you can drive along the A851 towards Broadford. At the Junction with the A87 you can either turn right and head back towards mainland Scotland over the Skye bridge, passing Eilean Donan Castle at Dornie. If time allows I would explore Skye, if only briefly. Just 16 miles from Broadford in the opposite direction is Sligachan with its famous bridge and the magnificent views of the Black Cuillins of Skye. 

Option 3: Thirdly, if you are in Fort Wlliam and decide you want to go anti-clockwise and start the route in Inverness, just take the A82 after Invergarry all the way to Loch Ness and into Inverness.  At that point you can take the anticlockwise route by heading to the East Coast.  I wouldn't go that way but I wanted to include all the options!  Loch Ness is not my favourite loch, in fact the first time I saw it I was rather disappointed and decided that the reason Nessie exists is to encourage people to visit. It may be big, but it is not the most beautiful of Scotland's Lochs.  Loch Maree is my favourite, it has a stunning backdrop, ancient woodland and the most amazing sunsets.

Ready to start the NC500 and still don't know which way to go?

Anticlockwise - East First

Driver gets the better view during the journey

Coastal views are obscured by oncoming traffic on the opposite side of the road

West is best so do the "worst bit" first - you see this a lot?! 

Get used to driving the vehicle before heading to narrower roads on the west coast

East has the best sunrises
Less midges in the East
East has the best harbours, castles and distilleries

Clockwise - West First

Passenger gets the best views during the journey

No oncoming traffic to obscure the coastal views on your left

Head straight for the rural roads and stunning scenery

West has the best sunsets
West has the worst midges (May to September and varies depending on weather)
West has the best beaches and mountains

There are pro's and cons to both routes but which ever way you decide to go you are in for a treat. The route is circular so you will see it all at some point? The difference is that when driving anticlockwise you will have to look backwards to get those great views of the mountains in the west so if the west really is best, try and view it from the best perspective by driving up and into the mountains, and not down and out of them?  

The east may not be as spectacular or mountainous, but when it comes to activities, it has a lot to offer that the west cannot. If you love whisky, castles, fossils, fishing villages, harbours and history, then the east will keep you happy for weeks on end. 

Most visitors only come for a week or so, so try to think of the NC500 as more of an exploration. We first explored the Northern Highlands in 2007 and after ten years of returning to cottages, campsites, hotels and in motorhomes, we still haven't seen everything.  We came back again in May 2018 and explored further, finding more new places we want to return to and enjoy at length.  The NC500 is a road, it has been there for a thousand years and it isn't going anywhere. You won't see everything on your trip, but you will go home with a long list of places that you want to return to.

Wild Camping for Beginners

As a few people have joined the Facebook group who haven't used motorhomes before, I thought I would write a little about the essentials for beginners when renting a motorhome and taking it wild camping. We did our first trip back in 2007 and there are a few things I wish I had thought of before we left, and a few things I wish I had known about "wild camping" or "free camping" as some people refer to it. Others call it "Parking" but we won't ignore them, let's talk about the negative press that "wild camping" gets and then we can get on with the good stuff...


The Negatives

First, lets get the negatives out of the way. While most of us respect the countryside and leave only our footprints, there are without a doubt, a few very selfish people who are ruining some locations.  They can be seen in the same spot for a days at a time, in large groups and with rubbish bags, loud generators, awnings, washing lines and chairs set up around a camp fire. This makes local people angry and ruins wild camping for the rest of us. They are in a minority, but as visitor numbers increase, so the number of ignorant campers increases.

Over the past few years I have noticed more and more “No Overnight Camping”  signs appearing, and this will get worse if people don't treat places with respect.  You may also hear comments in Facebook Groups telling you to use camp sites, or calling you a cheapskate for not wanting to use sites. People do not wild camp to save money. They do it because they are seeking a place of solitude and don't want to park in a neat row on hard standing with Joe Bloggs a few feet away. Enough of the negatives because "Wild" camping can be a fantastic experience. 

The Positives

Think about how it would feel to be the  only person seeing the sun rise over a beach, or the early morning light dancing on a lake?  Wild camping is exactly what motorhomes were designed for, so ignore the sometimes rude comments you might hear and give it a go. When you find a perfect spot, there is just nothing like it!  There really is nothing to worry about. Even if you discover that you have stopped somewhere that is not really suitable, it really isn't the end of the world, just apologise and move to another spot? Easy!  As more people travel the NC500 finding good places will become more difficult.  

If you are doing the NC500 in summer then the view can become important when the midges are rampant! I remember finding a lovely spot on Loch Maree, we parked up and got out to check the level of the motorhome, only to be surrounded by thousands of midges!  There was no going outside that night! We moved on to Gairloch where the wind was effective at keeping the wee midges away. We always choose a MH with a rear lounge as those three back windows give you a great panoramic view wherever you stop, and I do love a brew with a view!

Am I Ready to Wild Camp?

So what do you need to know before you stop? Before you "wild" Camp anywhere you need to ask yourself if you are ready to go "wild"? 

Is your grey waste empty enough?
Is your chemical toilet empty enough for the amount of time you want to stop?
Do you have at least 1 full gas bottle?
Is your leisure battery fully charged?

The more days you plan on wild camping, the more water, gas etc you will need. Also, a working toilet and ample fresh water will play a big part in enjoying your adventure so always try and arrive with empty toilets and grey waste, but with a full water tank of fresh water. In the past we have always managed to get water from Petrol Stations but I have heard that the introduction of water meters has made this difficult. Most ferry ports have water available, some cemeteries also have a tap for flowers. 

You will need to empty your waste too so you will probably mean that you will need to spend every third or fourth night on a site with facilities. This will be dependent on how many of you there are staying in your vehicle, how many times you shower, use the toilet, and what toilet system you have on board etc. A full tank of water is usually around 70 litres so will weigh 70kg. That is roughly the same weight as one person. In a large vehicle that percentage is small so the extra fuel consumption you use to carry it is not that much. 

Having a full tank means you can afford to enjoy your stop and have a hot shower. If you don't have enough water when you stop, you could run out. If your toilet won't flush, you can't shower or wash up, then your holiday will not be much fun. On a trip to Cornwall in 2008 we ran out of water as Sean didn't want the extra weight. We ended up walking to a shop to buy bottled water but we never made that mistake again!

Where Should I Camp?

If you are definitely ready then you need to think about where you are going to stop. Location is key, and I do not like the idea of sleeping next to a road or a car park, so ideally you want to find somewhere that meets your requirements. Most people are looking for somewhere quiet and beautiful but please use common sense. 

This picture is from May 2018 and as the car park was full Bob decided that to park across the gate?! The workers can't get home, emergency services have no access? Don't be like Bob, if the place is full, go somewhere else.

It is not a good idea to park on grass, especially if it has been raining. This unlucky camper has found out the hard way that heavy vehicles sink on wet ground. A lot of the ground in the Northern Highlands can be boggy so try and stick to safer territory especially if heavy rain is forecast!  

Treat wet grass and mud as you would snow. Select a higher gear and pull away gently, use momentum to keep going and NEVER accelerate on the mucky stuff - try to use momentum to coast over.

Just to complete this trio of disasters and for amusement I will add this last picture with the advice not to park on beaches. Two vehicles became stranded on Brean beach in Burnham on Sea in January 2018.  They both had to be rescued by the local Coast Guard after their wheels sank into the sand that had been softened by the tide and heavy rain. 

The BARB search and rescue team used ropes and vehicles to rescue the driver - how embarrassing would that be?!

Follow the Motorhome Code

Don't camp where you are visible to houses 

Never camp in passing places or in turning places

Never park on Machair 
Don't block gates or slipways

Keep a low profile by arriving late and leaving early
Keep the noise to a minimum

Always take your rubbish with you and store it inside your motorhome to keep it away from animals

Do not light fires - save them for the beach and keep them below the tide line
Do not chop down trees or damage the area

Be discreet - don't hang out your washing or put up your awning

If other people are in a spot, try and find somewhere else instead

If there are no other spots leave a reasonable distance between vehicles (two car widths apart)
Don't be Greedy - If at a viewing point leave room for other vehicles and limit your stay

Don't empty grey waste (washing up water/shower water)

Don't empty Chemical Toilets in public toilets (SOG are not chemical)  Cassette or Chemical Toilets

I Found a Spot, What Next?

The first thing to do if you have a three way fridge after stopping is to switch your fridge over to gas so that your food stays cool. When the engine is running and you are driving, the fridge is powered by the battery. When you stop you will need to switch this so it runs from your gas bottle instead.  You should have two of these in a standard Motorhome so always keep the spare one full if you can.  These fridges can be tricky and won't run on gas unless you have parked somewhere level.  If you don't have levelling ramps you will need to move. If you need to use your leveling ramps but don't know how Here is a great video showing you how to use them.  If you are on a camp site you can use hook up to power your fridge.

Now all you have to do is to sit back, relax and enjoy yourself! On the NC500 there is a lot to see and do. I have based my itinerary around beaches, well it is the North Coastal Route. 

Every beach on the route is listed in anticlockwise order. Click on the ones I have completed for information on where to park, where to fuel up, where to shop, where to camp etc.  I have also included links to activities in each area like the Highland Games so you can see what is on when you are visiting. Links to local activities are also included. CLICK HERE to view the beaches itinerary

Is there anything else I need to know?

If it is your very first trip I would advise that you spend your first night on an official camp site to ensure you are fully familiar with your vehicle. On a site you will have a lot of people at hand to help you with getting set up.  If you are without electrical "hookup" then you are essentially "wild camping".

Your leisure battery does power the lights, toilet pump etc but the three pin plugs in the motorhome will not function without "hook up" so items like a microwave will not work. To make the most of your leisure battery power you want to ensure that any electrical gadgets like phones and cameras are charged when you are driving and not when you have stopped.

You can purchase electrical inverters that plug into the 12v cigarette lighter points in the cab and in the rear of your motorhome. These have a three point plug and a couple of USB ports. If you use this when you are driving you can charge your laptop, camera, mobile etc without draining your leisure battery. When you stop, this will run from your leisure battery but that 3 pin socket will be handy!


Here is a list of handy items to pack for the NC500 that you wouldn't necessarily think of!

Gaffer Tape -  I have seen no end of motorhomes lose a wing mirror, this stuff fixes anything temporarily! Better than superglue!

Small Spirit level to assist when leveling your fridge

Water Hose Mains Adapter - for taking on water from different sized taps. This is so handy, bought one on our first trip and have used it regularly in petrol stations and public toilets etc

Head Torch in case you need to change a gas bottle at night.

Rope - always handy, numerous uses.

Tick Twister - Wish I'd had one of these back in 2007!  It is the green thing on the left and I recommend you have one in your first aid kit. Not just for the dogs, used it on my kids!

Thermos Flask - When you boil the kettle, fill a flask with boiling water. There are so many places you will want to stop and this saves you boiling the kettle every half an hour.

Collapsible Water Carrier/watering can - sometimes you can’t connect to or get near enough to the tap to use your hose.

Maps and Books

Although we have high speed internet, Wi-Fi and Sat Nav's, modern technology is not always reliable when you are travelling to remote locations. If you are planning on doing the NC500 you will definitely need a map as there will be many placed where your Sat-Nav will not work at all.  After ten years of travelling in rural Scotland we have learned to adapt and not to rely on the internet or satellite navigation devices. Choose a map with a more detailed scale, and if you are in a motorhome, one that gives you information on the width of bridges and the height of tunnels is ideal for planning your journey. I always like one with a scale of 1.5 miles to 1 inch and the one we chose also has some camp sites listed.

If you are travelling in a group, try and use different phone networks. We have found that in some places we can get a signal with Vodaphone but EE connection is zilch, and other places where my EE has five bars and Vodaphone  has no signal at all. My dad recently bought a Virgin PAYG for the Lake District as it is the only sim that works in the little village where they stay. Having different phones on different networks is definitely a plus!

There are lots of guide books that you can buy and take with you but part of the joy of an adventure is to plan your own itinerary to take in the things you love most! I love mountains and photography, our kids love beaches and Sean loves archaeology and gold panning so we will plan accordingly.

I would recommend buying a "loose leaf folder" as shown below. Essentially, a book with plastic pages so you can insert your own. I am currently making a word document with information about all the places we want to visit and I will print it out and take it with me. If you want a copy of the file then just join the FB group NC500 by motorhome as I will be adding it to their files too. All the information will be in my blog but a word doc is probably easier to print?  I may even make a text only doc as a shorter and smaller print out.

These presentation books are also ideal for storing important documents such as your driving licence paper copy and Identification documents. Hire companies will require these and you may want to rent a Kayak or a bicycle on your trip. I have added our "Wild Camping" permits, camp site bookings, mileage charts and other details to take with us. 

Creating your own NC500 guide is a great way to plan your adventure. If you change your mind about a destination, pull out the paper insert and replace it with another! If you come back again another year you can simply update it and revise it to your own liking. I have used mine to store receipts and also to keep postcards and stamps ready for posting home to friends and family.


As you complete your trip you may pick up little visitor guides in shops and sjupermarkets, or when visiting castles and other buildings. They are usually A4 sized once opened so fold them open and pop them in a pouch. Now you can read both sides, and they are now waterproof and crease proof, safely stored away - I know, I am a bit "retentive" but for me, having a folder to store things in makes life easy. I am a neat freak on holiday and I hate bits and pieces all over the place!

If you want to buy a guide book, then that is a great idea too. I do have a copy of the book shown here and it is great to look at but I found that it is lacking in practical information and detail and some fantastic places didn't even get a mention so I would use it as a starting point.

I won't be paying to join the NC500 as they do not share their profit with the local people or invest locally to support the NC500. I would rather give my money where it goes directly to the the area I am visiting by using their local shops, cafe's and garages.  Having said that I will be topping up in Inverness before we start the route as petrol is expensive in remote places. If I come across a remote petrol station I will stick a tenner or so in if I need it or not. Always give the locals your business!

The great thing about small local businesses is that they know all the best places to go in their area so make friends, spend some money and get some great advice on special places off the route that the locals might know about. I will never forget a dear old lady in Gairloch telling me that there was a much better beach elsewhere where I could find "Cowrie" shells! She was right, it was a blissful place and we have returned to it year after year. We then found a local family who rented out a cottage so we spent many summers there - all because I struck up a conversation about shell collecting.

The moral of my story is, make your own plans but always get local advice. An adventure is better when you keep an open mind and are prepared to change your plans if something better comes into view. If you are in a motorhome this is easy to do as you have the freedom to roam wherever your heart takes you. Make lots of plans, but don't be too rigid or you might miss an absolute gem of a place that you didn't know existed before you left...

The Planning Begins!

Four weeks to go and we are busy planning our adventure! Having spent the past decade exploring Scotland you would think that we know everything there is to know...however, we have never been to the East, and we have never ventured higher than Clachtoll beach. 

This first thing we planned was our transport. We don't have the space or the budget to own a brand new motorhome so we will be hiring one. We have done this a few times and so we know which layout works best for us. Space in a motorhome is limited and with a family of five, you really need to make the most of it! For us a six berth with rear lounge works best. Three kids means that we need space for them to separate when we stop. Like most, they have their moments!  Oh boy do they have their moments!

We will be travelling in a Peugeot Eldiss Autoquest Majestic 180. It is a six berth vehicle with six belted seats. It has a rear lounge that turns into a double bed, an over cab double bed and a dining and seating section in the middle that turns into a double bed. The boys will take the over cab bed, they will agree to share as they like that spot and it means they never have to make their bed as it folds up out of the way and drops down when we stop. Our teenage daughter will have the middle dinette and we will be in the back.

A rear lounge is a must for us as we have two living areas. The dining area and the rear lounge. We have tried other layouts with bunk beds but there just isn't the living space that we need. With three windows on three sides you just know you are going to have a knock out view when stop somewhere amazing, The whole of the NC500 has spectacular scenery and amazing views so choose a vehicle that makes the most of them!

Choosing and renting a motorhome took us well over a week. The nearer you get to the start/finish of the NC500, the higher the rental charges are. Also, you need to make sure you thoroughly check all the terms and conditions. The vehicle we are hiring came with a mileage allowance of 1000 miles - sounds like a lot? Not when you are 477.6 miles from the start of the NC500 it isnt...

We had a really competitive price of £699 for a week, but we upped the cost by an extra £96 and negotiated unlimited mileage into the contract. At a cost of 20p per mile we would have incurred an extra cost of well over £200 on our trip, as well as the stress of watching the miles add up as we traveled to and around the NC500. Just getting there and back would have sucked up our entire allowance so make sure you ask before you sign the dotted line!

Ask about unlimited mileage, insurance for extra drivers, are chemicals for the toilet, gas for the fridge included? Find out how much the safety deposit will be? We are leaving a £500 deposit which will be returned when we bring the vehicle back. I came across some companies charging £1750 so watch out for those hidden extras. Our hire includes outdoor furniture, solar panels, and fully comprehensive insurance. Find out BEFORE you pay your deposit!

Having chosen a layout you think will work, and finding a rental at the right price you can really start planning your adventure. The cost of renting a motorhome may seem very expensive at first, but it will allow you two important things, freedom to travel when and where you want and freedom to eat what you want and when you want it. When travelling with children, this is a godsend! I'm hungry, I'm tired, I need the toilet!!! If staying in B&B's you could spend a lot eating out twice a day, every day.

Talking of toilets, it is not a nice subject I know but there are some things you need to think about. Chemical toilets are handy when in the middle of nowhere and little Johnny just has to go...but they do have a certain whiff about them and they do have to be emptied. You might need to use green or organic toilet solutions or you won't be allowed to empty it at certain camp sites. If you are wild camping you cannot just empty it into a public toilet as a lot of rural toilets run into septic tanks and some chemicals can be a problem.  My advice would be to encourage all your passengers to use public facilities as much as possible and minimise the number of number two's in your vehicle! Click here for more info on chemical toilets

Facilities in motorhomes can vary so be sure to check what your vehicle has on board. We will have an oven, a grill, a fridge with ice box, a microwave oven and a hob. When going "wild" you need to be aware that anything on the 240v will not work. Fridges are usually 3 way in that they work off your battery when you are driving, you can then switch to gas to power them off grid, or use electric hook up if you are on a camp site that has hook ups available.

If you have phones to charge and are not paying for hook up on a site, make sure you charge them as you drive so you don't drain your leisure battery when you stop. The leisure battery will power your lights but the plug sockets will not work, the microwave will not work, and if your motorhome has one of those new fancy electric drop down beds be sure you save enough juice to lower it at night! 

We have learned through experience that you also need a very level pitch to get the fridge to work on the gas. If you are on a hill, it will not work so use levels or find somewhere flat to park up. We also now bring 12v chargers for phones, portable games etc and charge everything while we are driving to maximise the power we have when camping.  The toilet pump works off the 12v leisure battery too, as does the lighting. Heating, hot water, fridge, hob, oven and grill use gas.  Most motorhomes have two gas bottles so you are unlikely to run out. Never leave the fridge running on gas when driving - very dangerous! Always check you have switched to the battery before travelling - secure the cutlery draw too...we didn't notice till we took a sharp bend!