Campervan or Rental Car?
The first big decision when you’re planning an NC500 road trip is what vehicle you’re taking. It shapes everything else, from where you sleep to how far you drive each day.
Taking a campervan is a popular choice, and it’s what we did. It gives you amazing flexibility, the campsites along the route are incredible, and there is nothing better than whipping up a cup of tea in a car park after a cold and windy coastal walk. You can stop wherever the views are best, you never have to worry about a town being fully booked, and you wake up somewhere beautiful every morning.
The campervan route isn’t for everyone, though. It puts you at the mercy of the weather, comes with a slew of daunting van chores like emptying waste and filling water, and means you need to navigate tight, narrow roads in an oversized vehicle. If you’re not confident driving on single track, that last part alone can be a dealbreaker. Campervans also book up early for the summer, so reserve yours well in advance.
If a campervan sounds like an inconvenience, pick up the smallest rental car you can find and plan to bounce between hotels and B&Bs. A small car makes the narrow roads and passing places much less stressful, and you get a real bed and a private bathroom at the end of every day. Since the NC500 is a long circular route, it makes the most sense to change accommodation each night and gradually make your way around the loop rather than basing yourself in one spot. Book early, as rooms in the smaller villages are limited and fill up fast.
Where To Stay Along The NC500
Which towns you stay in will depend largely on how long your trip is. On a quick 5 day trip you will be covering more ground each day, so you will probably base yourself in the larger towns. On a more in-depth 10 day journey you won’t need to take on such long drives, and you can slow down at some cute B&Bs and unique accommodations in the smaller communities.
All of the suggested routes below assume you’re driving counter clockwise, and the final day is the drive back into Inverness.
For a quick 5 day trip I would recommend these being your ending point for each day:
- Night 1: Wick
- Night 2: Tongue
- Night 3: Lochinver
- Night 4: Torridon
- Day 5: Finish in Inverness via Applecross and the Bealach na Bà
For a 7 day trip, I would add a few more stops to break up the long driving days:
- Night 1: Wick
- Night 2: Tongue
- Night 3: Durness
- Night 4: Lochinver
- Night 5: Ullapool
- Night 6: Torridon
- Day 7: Finish in Inverness via Applecross
For a 10 day trip I would slow it down and suggest these:
- Night 1: Dornoch
- Night 2: Wick
- Night 3: John o' Groats
- Night 4: Dunnet *Dunnet is a short hop from John o' Groats. On the 10 day plan, night 4 works as a slow day for Dunnet Head, Dunnet Bay, and a long lunch.
- Night 5: Tongue
- Night 6: Durness
- Night 7: Lochinver
- Night 8: Ullapool
- Night 9: Torridon
- Day 10: Finish in Inverness via Applecross
Where To Stay In Dornoch
Dornoch is a great first stop on the route, and a gentle way to ease into the trip. This pretty seaside town sits about an hour north of Inverness, with a historic cathedral, a long sandy beach, and a charming square lined with cafes and shops. It is small enough to wander in an evening, and a good place to shake off any jet lag before the narrow roads begin. There are also a few lovely bed and breakfasts, which makes it a nice place to start slowing down and settling in.
Heartseed House Bed & Breakfast
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Woodlands Bed and Breakfast
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Wick is the biggest town on the north east coast, which makes it a practical and well-placed overnight stop. It is a working harbour town with a good selection of supermarkets and restaurants, so it is an easy place to restock before the more remote stretches ahead. It is also close to some of the best stops on this leg, including Whaligoe Steps and the clifftop ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe. You will find a mix of classic hotels and self-catering apartments here, so there is something to suit whether you want a pub downstairs or a kitchen of your own.
Standard Hotels
A standard hotel is the simplest option and often the best fit for a quick trip. You get a private room, and usually a restaurant or pub downstairs, so you can finish a long day of driving without having to find dinner. Most include breakfast, which is a big help when you want an early start. The trade-off is space and flexibility. Rooms tend to be compact, and you are eating on the hotel’s schedule rather than your own.
Mackays Hotel
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Norseman Hotel
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A full apartment gives you the whole place to yourself, usually with a kitchen, a living area, and a separate bedroom. It is a great choice if you are staying more than one night, travelling with a group, or want to cook your own meals and save on eating out, which adds up quickly in Scotland. It also gives you room to spread out and dry wet gear after a rainy day. The trade-off is that there is no reception desk or restaurant on site, and breakfast is on you, so pick up groceries before you arrive.
Church View
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The Old Salt House
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John o’ Groats is a small harbour village at the far northeastern tip of mainland Scotland, and it is one of the most recognizable stops on the route. The famous signpost is the obvious photo stop, but the real draw is what is nearby. Duncansby Stacks and Duncansby Head are a short drive away, and the ferry to Orkney leaves from the harbour, so it is a natural place to spend a night and slow things down. Accommodation is limited, so book early, especially in summer.
Seaview John o' Groats Hotel
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Kitty Lass
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Dunnet is a quiet little village on the north coast, and a great place to slow down for a night. It sits right beside Dunnet Bay, a long stretch of pale sand that is perfect for an evening walk, and it is only a short drive from Dunnet Head, the northernmost point of mainland Britain. With so few places to stay nearby, it feels far more remote than John o’ Groats, which makes it a nice spot to unwind after a day on the road. Book early, as options are limited and fill up quickly in summer.
Northern Sands Hotel
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Off Grid Yurt
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Tongue is a small village on the north coast, set beside the Kyle of Tongue, a wide tidal inlet with Ben Hope and Ben Loyal rising in the distance. It is one of the prettiest spots on this leg of the route, and the causeway across the water is a drive worth taking slowly. The village is tiny, so it feels properly remote, and it is a good place to rest up before the longer, narrower roads of the west coast. Options are limited here, so book early in summer.
The Tongue Hotel
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Kildinguie - Traditional Cottage
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Durness is the last village on the north coast before the route turns south, and it is one of the most memorable places to spend a night. It sits right beside some of the best stops on the whole drive, including Smoo Cave, Balnakeil Beach, and the craft village with its hot chocolate. The sunsets over the water are worth planning your evening around, and the village is small and quiet enough to feel properly remote. Accommodation is limited, so book early, especially in summer.
Durness Youth Hostel
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Wallaby’s
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Lochinver is a working fishing harbour on the west coast and a great base for some of the best scenery on the route. It sits below the odd, rounded peaks of Suilven and Canisp, and it is a short drive from Achmelvich Beach and Stac Polaidh. The village is also known for its famous pie shop, so it is a good place to plan a casual lunch or dinner. Options are limited, so book early, especially in summer.
Inver Lodge
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Inverpod
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Lochinver Manse
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Ullapool is the biggest town on the west coast, and it is a great place to spend a night. It has a pretty harbour, plenty of cafes and pubs, and a good selection of places to eat, so it is an easy stop after a long day on the road. It is also a good place to restock on groceries and fuel before the remote stretches ahead. With more accommodation than most villages on this leg, you can choose between a classic hotel and a place of your own.
Hotels
Riverside
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The Arch Inn
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Taigh Sona
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Number 27
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Torridon is where the mountains really take over. The village sits at the head of a sea loch, surrounded by some of the most dramatic peaks on the route, including Liathach and Beinn Eighe, so the views from your window are half the appeal. It is a small, quiet spot with very little around it, which makes it feel properly remote and a great place to end a day on the west coast. It is also the last overnight stop before the Bealach na Bà and the drive back to Inverness, so a night here sets you up well for the final leg. Accommodation is limited, so book early, especially in summer.
Torridon Youth Hostel
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Rubha Lodge
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Budget Option
Inverness Youth Hostel
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Winmar Guesthouse
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The Glenmoriston Townhouse Hotel
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Hillside Luxury Apartments
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Shore Street Apartments
Check AvailabilityInverness is the starting and finishing point of the NC500, and it is worth giving yourself a night here at one end of the trip or both. As the capital of the Highlands, it has the widest choice of hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets on the whole route, so it is an easy place to stock up on groceries, pick up your rental, and ease into the trip.
If you are flying in, you will likely land here or Glasgow. It is a great spot to spend your first evening wandering along the River Ness, grabbing dinner, and getting a good night’s sleep before the narrow roads begin. It is just as handy at the end of the loop, with plenty of places to celebrate over a proper meal and a comfortable bed before the journey home.
Final Thoughts
Where you stay on the NC500 shapes the whole trip. A campervan gives you flexibility and a front row seat to the scenery, but it comes with van chores and tight roads. A small rental car and a string of hotels, B&Bs, and apartments is the more comfortable option, and it makes the narrow roads a lot less stressful. Whichever you choose, book early, since rooms in the smaller villages are limited and fill up fast in summer.
The towns you pick depend on how much time you have. On a 5 or 7 day trip, bases like Wick, Tongue, Lochinver, and Torridon keep the driving days manageable. With 10 days, you can add Dornoch, John o’ Groats, Dunnet, Durness, and Ullapool, and slow down enough to enjoy each stop. Inverness works well as a bookend at the start, the finish, or both.
Once your nights are sorted, the next step is deciding how to fill your days. Our NC500 things to do guide covers the best castles, beaches, cliffs, and hikes along the route. If you would rather have it all planned out, our NC500 itinerary breaks the route into manageable driving days with stops, distances, and tips along the way.
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