Ideas for a perfect North Coast 500 Itinerary – Caithness Edition

Looking for a road trip in Scotland? Let me introduce you to the NC500 and my North Coast 500 Itinerary!

In June 2019, I returned to Scotland after a year and a half away. Previously, the Beast from the East greeted me with a fever and frigidly cold weather. This return to Scotland was much better, but filled with rain. I mean, well, Scotland. To be expected, I suppose. While the purpose of my trip wasn’t to go up to the North, I had a few extra days after my friend left, and I do enjoy random, remote destinations, so the North it was!

1. Road trip along North Coast 500 (NC500)

It was a spur of the moment decision, and I didn’t do much research before hand. I had never heard of the North Coast 500 (or NC500, for short) until I arrived. For those who don’t know, the North Coast 500 is a 516 mile scenic route around the north coast of Scotland. The Tourism Project Board of the North Highland Initiative launched NC500 in 2015. Parts of the route go alongside the North Highland Way (a 150 mile hiking trail).

Your NC500 road trip begins and ends in Inverness (near the bottom, around the number 69 above), which divides into six regions: Black Isle, Caithness, Easter Ross, Inverness-shire, Sutherland, and Wester Ross. This trip, I spent most of my time in the Caithness region (up north, at number 24 above). But I did drive that full length of the right side from Inverness and back, and it’s a beautiful drive. Of course, you can do your own North Coast itinerary – but we all have to start somewhere. And Caithness was the section for me!

Also, I wish I had discovered the North Coast 500 website prior to going, but alas. There seems to be a lot of information on the area, with nice recommendations. But, no one ever said I was that smart. 🙂

2. How to start your North Coast 500 Itinerary

I rented a car, which is advisable for Scotland. Especially if you want to go anywhere outside the city. And also considering how remote it is outside the cities, it really is a must. Also, the NC500 is a road trip, so perhaps you want a car for that. 🙂

Wick, one of the bigger villages up in the North, is about a 5-7 hour drive from Edinburgh, depending on roadwork, lunch stops, and general driving breaks. It’s a beautiful drive though, mostly traversing wide open Scottish Highlands. But beware – there are lots of windy, one lane roads. You’ll have to be comfortable being behind large lorries until you have time to pass, and passing is always a scary venture.

From Inverness, Wick is about a 2-3 hour drive.

3. My North Coast 500 Itinerary: Where I stayed

By the time I decided to head to the North, I pretty much had a mad dash to book a place to stay. Many places I contacted via email were unavailable. It was last minute and summer season.

I ended up at “The Naze”, which I found on Airbnb. It is a delightful bed and breakfast about 10 minutes drive from John o’Groats and 20 minutes drive from Wick. The Naze offers comfortable rooms and incredible hospitality!

Pasty and her husband, Tony, were the most wonderful hosts. They are a retired couple from the area, who rent out rooms in their house. They enjoy a bit of company and variety in their day. Given how remote this area is, it is really nice to have a chat and a cup of tea at the end of the day.

Let me just say that besides the immense hospitality, the breakfasts at the Naze were just UNREAL. Not shown in the below picture, is coffee, toast, and a croissant. The plate of charcuterie, with salamis and cheeses, was also really delicious.

4. Places and Things along your North Coast 500 Itinerary

The NC500 has gorgeous scenery everywhere you go. It’s picturesque, vast landscapes aren’t the only great things about the North Highlands. There are in fact many things to do and see along the NC500. The below is a list of the places I visited and the things I did.

4.1 John O’Groats

The village of John o’Groats is the most northerly village in Great Britain and the gateway to the Orkney Islands. There was a time between 2005 and 2012 where it was called a “seedy tourist trap” by Lonely Planet and “Scotland’s most dismal town” by Urban Realm. Since then, they village has undergone a transformation. Although it’s not bustling, I wouldn’t be so harsh on it as to call it seedy or dismal. It has its challenges, which I’ll note below. But this is probably the biggest village in the area. Wick (a bigger town) is about 20-30 minutes away.

First thing’s first. John O’Groats does not have a grocery store, but does have a post office (priorities, I guess?). The one day I tried to go to the post office, it was only operating for half a day that day. Low and behold, it was closed. Additionally, while there are places to eat, the only option after 5 pm is the Seaview Hotel.

I cannot emphasize this enough. Either you have food (that you brought with you) or you eat your evening meals at the Seaview Hotel. I went there once during my stay in the North, and while it was definitely hoppin and the place to be, I didn’t find the food too spectacular. But when you’re pressed for options, it’s a decent meal.

I ordered a salmon, as one does in Scotland. I wished the skin would be deliciously and delightfully crunchy, but … it wasn’t.

Besides the Seaview Hotel, a nice cafe is Stacks, which is located near the harbor. Every time I wanted to go, was past 5 pm, and they were already closed. I did manage to go the morning before I left the North. Their cheese scone and chocolate rice krispy treat were AMAZING road trip snacks!!

I didn’t take a photo of the inside of the Stacks itself, but when I went to the restroom, I found this inside, which I GREATLY appreciated. It was taped to the paper towel dispenser. Because let’s get totally real… #MeToo.

Besides the two places I managed to eat, John o’Groats also has a really nice harbor area for a stroll and some fresh air. The ferry to the Orkney Islands departs from the harbor. The above colorful buildings, aka the Inn at John O’groats, is located right at the harbor.

4.2 Duncansby Head

Just outside of John o’Groats, is Duncansby Head. Located at the most northeasterly point of the British mainland, there is a lighthouse and the Stacks. There is a place for you to park your car near the lighthouse, and then you just walk into an open field towards the Stacks. A word to the wise, it is wildly windy and brisk up there, so dress appropriately! Tie your hair up and grab a beanie.

There is a cliffside ravine on the way, where puffins normally are. If you are lucky enough to be there the same day they are! I had no such luck, but I did get to see a variety of other sea birds nesting there.

Finally, the Stacks come into view. It makes the cold, blustery day all worth it.

So, even though the Stacks are obviously rock protruding out from the sea, I’ve never come across sea stacks before. Sea stacks, vertical columns of rock found near the coast, are formed by wind and wave erosion. I thought that little nugget of information was pretty cool!

4.3 Castle of Mey

Further up the coast, you’ll come across the village of Mey, which is home to the Castle of Mey. The castle, which I only know of from Netflix’s The Crown, was purchased in 1952 by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, after the death of King George VI. When the Queen Mother purchased the castle, it was derelict and falling apart. She spent 3 years renovating it before she moved in, and would stay there every year until her death in 2002.

Nowadays, the Castle of Mey is open to the public from May 1 to September 30. In July and August, King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, visit the North Highlands and stay at the Castle of Mey for up to 2 weeks. During that time, the castle is closed to visitors as they take up private residence there.

The King and Queen Consort have also opened up Granary Lodge, a luxury B&B, on the premises of the castle. My Airbnb host heard a rumor that when the King was remodeling the B&B, he spent about 2,000 GBP on a single bathtub. So if you’re looking for a bit of luxury in the north, there you go! Fit for a King!

A 11.95 GBP adult admission ticket will grant you access to the castle, grounds, and garden, with a tour of the castle included. (You also have the option of just visiting the grounds and garden for 6.50 GBP). There are no photos allowed inside, but it was a really great tour. The guide told us wonderful stories of the Queen Mother. She seemed to have a great sense of humor and truly loved living and staying at Mey.

Also, a helpful tip. Since I am always concerned about food, I had originally wanted to eat lunch somewhere before I arrived at the castle. I googled and settled on the Castle Arms Hotel in Mey. Ya, they’re not open until dinner time. The Castle of Mey does in fact have a nice visitor center with cafe, and I ended up eating this delicious cheese scone along with a coffee. So, either plan to eat there, or don’t visit on an empty stomach. You probably shouldn’t expect to find food in Mey afterwards, either. Are you beginning to get a sense of the remoteness of the North Highlands?

4.4 Dunnet Head

Keep heading north, and you’ll arrive at Dunnet Head, another landmark point. Dunnet Head is the most northern point in mainland Scotland and the island of Great Britain. Not to be confused with Duncansby Head, which is the most northeasterly point.

Similar to Duncansby Head, many people frequent Dunnet Head for a glimpse of puffins and other sea birds. I’m sure you can guess that luck was not on my side that day, and although I did see lots of birds along the below cliff, none of them were the adorable puffins I was after.

Want to read about when I finally did manage to see puffins? Check out my post, here!

There were some trails leading away from the lighthouse that I wandered onto, which brought me view of Long Loch and the Loch of Easter Head.

When I left Dunnet Bay, along the B855, I suddenly saw two stacks protruding from the water, and a trail that appeared to go down to them. See them down on the map below? Obviously, I had to stop an inspect.

Part of the reasons I love casual road trips is the ability to stop and explore when the mood strikes. I’m really happy I did. Besides the rain, one of the things I remember most vividly about this day, was the gorgeous light green moss that covered the pier.

4.5 Wick

The town of Wick is further south than all of the above locations. And it is probably the biggest town you will encounter in the remoteness of the North Highlands. On the Google Maps below, I pinned two things in Wick – the Lidl supermarket and Harrold Bros Butcher Shop.

I have to be completely honest – I did not do anything else besides drive through Wick. I’m sure there are things to do there, but I just didn’t have time. But Wick is the place to buy groceries and things. I can’t emphasize this enough – you need to stock up on supplies when you take a trip to the North Highlands. The Lidl has most everything you could need. And I mention the butcher shop because, local butcher shops are an institution in Scotland. I discovered the greatness of the local butcher on this trip to Scotland. When in Scotland, I will probably never buy meats at a grocery store again.

As you may know, for now, I am mostly on mission in Afghanistan. Some things, like great meats, can be challenging to get. I stopped by Harrold Bros before I left and bought a variety of sausages, steaks, burgers and bacon to bring back with me. The butcher kindly vacuum sealed everything with frozen packs, and I popped it into my insulated back from Lidl. I was able to come back to Kabul and mildly recreate a Scottish breakfast with my housemates.

5. Other places to see along this NC500 Itinerary

The below are a few places that I did not manage to go to, but could be of interest to you on your North Coast 500 road trip!

• Dunrobin Castle – you’ll pass by on your way to Wick, from Inverness – arguably one of the most gorgeous castles in Scotland!
• Castle Sinclair Girnigoe – if castles are your thing, the be sure to visit (the ruins) Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, the earliest seat of Clan Sinclaire.
• Old Pulteney Distillery – got a hankering for some whisky tastings? Stop by the Old Pulteney Distillery in Wick.

If you’re looking for camping or even wild camping spots, feel free to refer to this NC500 Camping Guide, from my friend and fellow writer, An Orcadian Abroad.

6. Parting Thoughts on my North Coast 500 Itinerary

Now you have a brief introduction to the North Coast 500, which is arguably one of the best Scottish road trips. In my next post, read about my day trip out to the Orkney Islands, from John o’Groats. The NC500 has different sections, and mine mostly covers Caithness. Whatever NC500 route you choose, a few things to remember:

1. Most sections of the NC500 is in fact quite remote, so in addition to large open landscapes and sheep, the next thing you’ll see in abundance are the same tourists everywhere.
2. Food may be hard to find. Some places close before 5 pm, other don’t open until 5 pm. It’d be best if you went grocery and snack shopping in Wick on your way into the north.
3. Remember that chances are, it’s cold and windy, so bundle up. Warmth is more critical than fashion.
4. Some areas do not have great cell / mobile signal, so consider preparing for your NC500 road trip with a physical Ordnance Survey map of Northern Scotland (includes Orkney and Shetland!).

And last but not least, I’ll leave you with the motto of the Order of the Thistle, which is Scotland’s highest chivalric order:

Wha daur meddle wi’ me.

No one provokes me with impunity. (or) No one can harm me unpunished.

This post nor blogger promotes violence, just merely sharing the national motto of Scotland.

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Starting in Inverness? How about a day trip or two before you head out.

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Lannie

Lannie is a perpetual wanderer and loves to share her travel adventures and the food she eats along the way with everyone.  She works during the day while bouncing around the world and dreams about new places and faces at night!  She has a home on the magical Isle of Islay in Scotland, where the whisky flows freely and happily.

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