coastal tourist route scotland

Skip to main content
Skip to secondary menu
Skip to primary sidebar
Skip to footer

Scotland Info Guide

A Guide to the Scottish Highlands Islands and Mainland

The Ultimate Scottish Coastal Route – Driving the Entire West Coast of Scotland

October 4, 2014 By Ron 33 Comments

The Ultimate Scottish Coastal Route

Related info.

Scottish Weather and Climate When is the Best Time to Visit Scotland The Highlands 140 – Highlands Driving Tour

We all know the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. I will use Stranraer in Dumfries & Galloway as the most south-westerly tip of our journey and Durness in Sutherland as the most north-westerly point. The distance between Stranraer and Durness, as the crow flies, is 254 miles (355 kms). To travel this distance over the shortest route by car via Glasgow, Perth and Inverness is 356 miles (573 kms), roughly a 8 hour drive.

And then there is the Ultimate Scottish Coastal Route as I like to call it, covering almost every road on the Scottish west coast, including three islands, from Stranraer to Durness via the Isle of Arran , the Isle of Mull and Isle of Skye . That particular route, my personal choice, is 549 miles (884kms) long with a total road travel time of 20 hours, which is calculated by navigation software. As I have not counted in the time you spend on the various ferry crossings, five in total, and the time you need to rest and sleep, this journey will take you roughly four to seven days to complete. (See link to detailed map at bottom of post)

There are many accommodation opportunities along the way, from campsites to Bed and Breakfasts and Excellent Hotels . This journey is also suitable to travel with a motorhome. For a motorhome itinerary and campsite tips visit this page . Below I will explain in detail which logical stages make up this best Scottish driving tour.

Stranraer to Oban

The first stage starts at Stranraer in Dumfries and Galloway. The A77 north follows the beautiful Ayrshire coast and as you pass the beautiful Culzean Castle and Country Park you head north to Ardrossan to take the ferry to the Isle of Arran. From Brodick on Arran you can follow the north coast over the A841 to Lochranza and take the wee Calmac ferry to Claonaig in Kintyre. From there you can follow the A83 to Lochgilphead and the A816 to Oban. The journey over the road is 166 miles (267kms) and is approx 6h 15 min. As there are two ferry crossings it’s very unlikely to make this stage in one day.

Oban to Mallaig via Mull and Ardnamurchan

In Oban take the ferry to Craignure on the Isle of Mull. Close by is the beautiful Duart Castle. 5 miles further down the road to Tobermory there is another ferry crossing awaiting you, the one from Fishnish to Lochaline in Morvern crossing the Sound of Mull. From Lochaline to Mallaig it’s a 2 hour drive through some spectacular scenery via Strontian, the Moydart peninsula and Arisaig which nearby beaches at Morar were featured in the movie Local Hero . This stage is only 86 miles (138km) and the total travel time over the road some 4 hours, but with two ferry crossings it’s more realistic to use two days for this stage.

Cottage at Upper Loch Torridon near Shieldaig

Mallaig to Shieldaig over Applecross

This stage will take you over one of the most challenging roads in Scotland, the Pass of the Cattle to Applecross . In Mallaig, where this route overlaps our Highlands 140 Driving Route , take the ferry to Armadale on the Isle of Skye and drive north over the A851. Then head east over the A87 and cross the Skye Bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh. Keep driving east and take the A890 to Lochcarron. From here head west in the direction of Shieldaig and then follow the signs to Applecross. This is actually the place where our coastal route joins the north coast 500 route.

From Applecross take the coastal road north along the Inner Sound where you have amazing views over Raasay and Skye until you head east and follow the shore of Loch Torridon until you reach Shieldaig. This stage is 110 miles (177kms) and 4 hours travel time over the road. As you have another ferry crossing in this section it is realistic to use one day for this stage.

Shieldaig to Durness

This is the only stage without a ferry crossing and the stretch to Durness also covers a part of the north coast 500 route. It offers amazing scenery as you travel through Wester Ross and the far north-west of Scotland. Spectacular mountain scenery and breathtaking views over the sea are yours in what is probably the most beautiful part of Scotland. It all starts at Glen Torridon which you follow until Kinlochewe. From there head west along the shore of stunning Loch Maree to Gairloch, the pretty and rather touristic village with its many restaurants and shops. From Gairloch keep heading north along the dramatic coastline until you reach Ullapool, the pearl of the north. From Ullapool the scenery changes with the mountain formations becoming ever more breathtaking. Head west following the signs to Lochinver , a nice fishing town, and continue on the single track road until you reach the A894 and head north. From here it’s one beautiful road all the way to Durness, the end of the Ultimate Scottish Coastal Route. This stage is 187 miles (300kms) with a total road time of around six and best enjoyed if you do it in two days to have plenty of time to properly enjoy the stunning scenery.

Visiting Cape Wrath

When you’ve arrived in Durness you might want to visit Cape Wrath, the most north-westerly tip of the Scottish Mainland. Before Durness at Keoldale Pier is the Cape Wrath Ferry, foot passengers only, over the Kyle of Durness. This crossing takes approx 15 mins. On the other side is a minibus waiting for you which can bring you in approx 50 minutes to Cape Wrath Lighthouse. Total round trip is 3 hours. The Cape Wrath Ferry Service runs 7 days per week May to September. Tel. 01971 511246 or email [email protected]

Ferry and Fuel Costs

Ardrossan to Brodick (Isle of Arran) – £54.50
Lochranza to Claonaig (Kintyre) – £39.30
Oban to Craignure (Isle of Mull) – £51.10
Fishnish to Lochaline (Morvern) – £21.05
Mallaig to Armadale (Isle of Skye) – £33.20

Interesting Detours:

From Stranraer to the lighthouse at the Mull of Galloway – 36 mile (58 kms) roundtrip
Circular tour over Kintyre Peninsula from Claonaig via Campbeltown to Tarbert – 70 miles (113 kms)
Knapdale circular tour via Kilberry from Tarbert – 36 mile (58 kms)
Instead of the A835 and A837 north to Lochinver take the single track road from Drumrunie to Lochinver and save 6 miles.
Halfway between Lochinver and Durness is a turning to the west coast, to Tarbet, where you can get a small passenger ferry to the Isle of Handa, a stunning nature reserve.

Reader Interactions

October 6, 2015 at 3:21 am

Sounds lovely! Are the times quoted actual proven real-world driving times, or are these Google Maps estimates? For instance, is the last leg from Shieldaig to Durness really 5 hours (excluding stops) allowing for fair-weather road conditions, typical traffic, and cattle, etc?

October 6, 2015 at 6:05 pm

Hi Jon, I have done this journey myself and everything is based on what I’ve experienced myself. For me, the 5hrs+ from Shieldaig to Durness are actual driving hours and they do not include stops, taking pictures, sight seeing, overnight camping etc. That’s why I wrote that you would ideally need two days to fully take in the landscape and the villages, which is something I would very much recommend. I hope this answers your question!

October 6, 2015 at 6:13 pm

It does, thank you!

November 24, 2015 at 2:50 am

This tour looks like a terrific trip. I have a quick question about your site, why is there nothing about Aberdeen and the Northeast of Scotland? Did it all fall into the North Sea? There are many castles, gardens, stone circles, and cute towns and villages. And the third largest city in Scotland is ignored while Perth and some others are included?

November 24, 2015 at 8:23 am

Good point Marjory, the section about the north-east is somewhat thinner than the one of the West coast, which is where I live. The site started off with a focus on the west of Scotland but we now aim to focus on the entire country. As it’s a work in progress there will be more info on the Northeast as well, including Aberdeen. 🙂

January 16, 2016 at 10:19 pm

Hi Marjory, as promised… Our new page of Aberdeen is now ready 🙂

April 2, 2017 at 8:44 am

How frequent are the ferry crossings for this trip to the Isle of Arran, the Calmac ferry & Obain to Mallaig? Any need to pre book for May?

April 2, 2017 at 5:47 pm

Please check Calmac Timetables here https://www.calmac.co.uk . Most routes have several crossings per day and booking in advance is advised 🙂

April 10, 2017 at 12:35 am

Would traveling the last week of May and the first week of June require booking B&B’s in advance or is same day booking likely?

April 10, 2017 at 7:32 am

It depends a bit on where you are and how many B&B’s there are. It’s always a choice between the freedom of deciding at the last minute where to sleep, with running a risk of searching longer than you had anticipated, or to book in advance and know where you sleep that night. I always choose the latter for what it’s worth 🙂

September 11, 2019 at 5:53 am

Hi all As a new motorcycle rider ok am planing a trip to cover the outline of Scotland main land on a motorbike starting at Glasgow airport then over bridge to Dumbarton down West side to oban , cambeltown then up West side over the top down East coast round the borders over Dumfries and Galloway back up an Ayrshire round by largs free-kick back to start point This is what I am going to do ,when I seen this it made me want it more Thank you on my mind Hope you all enjoy you trip take it easy take it slow count to five and a away you go Enjoy, First short trip Rannock moor over the top And the resting place of Glen Coe It’s not just mountains ,you will feel it

John From Glasgow

April 29, 2017 at 11:31 am

A very informative guide and just what we needed to spur us to deciding on this trip later in the year. Just one question….. is there any problem with mosquitoes? SAJ

April 30, 2017 at 9:08 am

Thanks! You might run into midges here and there, depending on the season and weather conditions. The wee buggers don’t like wind and daylight but usually come out on quiet evenings/mornings. We have a good page about midges and How to avoid them 🙂

August 5, 2018 at 7:45 pm

Looks like a good route. Do you have a .gpx file of it? Google automatically shows me the most direct and won’t be persuaded to show your route

August 6, 2018 at 5:31 am

There’s a link to the route on Google Maps at the bottom of the page 🙂

September 22, 2018 at 2:16 pm

Came across this route when we were planning our Scotland road trip and we thought this appeared to be the best route we had found, and it proved to be a great find. We followed this route over a couple of weeks in May 2017. We were lucky with the weather but what a fantastic route. I like planning these trips but would never have neen able to plan this route especially with the island hopping. The beauty is you never retrace you route and always following new roads or new ferry routes. Also ferries much cheaper than stated due to subsidised fares. Found some great b&b,s and hotels by this route. Fantastic holiday on the fantastic route. Thank you

September 25, 2018 at 2:49 pm

Please continue to Dumfries via Glen Luce, Port William, Isle of Whithorn, Wigtown, Newton Stewart, Gatehouse, Kirkcudbright, New Abbey & etc – then you will have done the complete west coast and not missed some lovely bits

October 28, 2018 at 2:32 pm

On your website page about the west coast driving route it says: There are many accommodation opportunities along the way, from campsites to Bed and Breakfasts and Excellent Hotels. This journey is also suitable to travel with a motorhome. For a motorhome itinerary and campsite tips visit this page. Below I will explain in detail which logical stages make up this best Scottish driving tour.

BUT in the second to last sentence, where it says: … ‘campsite tips visit this page’ … The ‘visit this page’ link dies not work!

October 29, 2018 at 11:59 am

Hi Jackie, thanks so much for the heads-up. Turned out more links on this page were going nowhere… Everything is back to normal 🙂

January 6, 2019 at 2:19 pm

Hi, the link to the map works as it takes you to google maps, but, it defaults to the shortest journey between the two points, is there any way round this?

January 6, 2019 at 10:15 pm

That’s indeed the default way for Google. I just dragged parts of the route to what I really drove, not what Google suggested 🙂

January 6, 2019 at 9:44 pm

Wish you had printed this some years ago, although in all fairness, in those days we were as much interested in walking as sightseeing. Stayed at Ballachulish for about 10 years, but on the last stay I was in a wheelchair, and little to inspire us. Now, after a break of 15 years, we are ready to come back. We have booked accommodation near Lochaline, a chance to explore Oban and Mull more thoroughly, but also the beautiful Ardamurchan area. In a wheelchair, you learn to sit and enjoy what you see, and even on the coast of Devon, you can’t beat the air quality of the area. I tire quickly, but we can do excursions on alternate days furthe afield. Any tips, please, on things not to miss, especially off the usual tourist route?

February 24, 2019 at 10:18 am

I wouldn’t recommend taking a large campervan over the Bealach nam Bo..6

May 28, 2019 at 8:04 am

Hi Is all of this route suitable for a Motorhome

May 28, 2019 at 8:36 am

Hi Carl, I did this myself in a motorhome, an average sized one. I would not really recommend some parts to inexperienced drivers though but most parts are fine!

March 1, 2020 at 8:33 am

Hi Love the look of this route and planning on doing it this year over the summer, what are your thoughts about doing a more direct drive to Durness from Durham, then doing the route in reverse?

March 1, 2020 at 9:46 am

Hi Christine, it’s a stunning route to drive, you won’t regret it. And I don’t think there is one bit of difference in driving it the other way round ?

July 18, 2020 at 1:11 pm

I’m inspired… 10 days booked off work late August 2020 and will pack the RT1150 up and try and wild camp the trip – all tips and advice most welcome

August 23, 2020 at 8:06 am

This is just what I’m looking for. I would like to do this trip with my toy poodle. Do you know if the hotels and B&Bs accommodated dogs and can dogs travel on all the ferries?

Thank you Sharon

August 26, 2020 at 1:39 pm

Hi Sharon, dogs can travel on the ferries without problems, there usually is a special area on the ferries for folk with dogs! Not all accommodations take pets, best to check in advance 🙂

September 7, 2020 at 11:37 am

Well – just returned…

I tried the suggested trip, but due to Covid19 all the ferries were booked up a week in advance. I did not feel I could get on any ferry just in case the other dependency ferries were already booked. I feel just at this time the “just turn up and we’ll squeeze a bike on” days are behind us. My first day took me from Manchester to Stranraer , but after finding out about the ferries I ended up by Loch Lomond which was a huge detour and a very long day in the saddle. I carried on and did the standard North Coast 500. Again due to the Pandemic it seems Scotland was very very busy but none of the attractions were open so it was just push on day after day. so that in 5 days I covered 1800 miles

June 19, 2021 at 10:27 am

I have some leave booked from work, but only 5 days between shifts at my 2nd job… Wondering what you’d say is an unmissable stretch of the route that might be achievable in that time…?

June 21, 2021 at 5:03 am

Not sure where you live but the North-west, starting at Applecross, is particularly beautiful 🙂

Our Book Tip

Recent Blog Posts

A Tour of Jacobite Scotland
Is Winter a Good Time to Visit Scotland?
Autumn Tip: The Enchanted Forest

10 MOST SCENIC Drives in Scotland (Map + Tips + Photos)

Last updated on November 21, 2023 by Claire Robinson - this article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I get a small commission ( more )

Planning a vacation in Scotland? A road trip is the absolute best way to see what the country has to offer. The best driving roads take you to mountains, valleys, lochs, coasts, castles, abbeys… Below is my selection of the 10 most scenic drives in Scotland with practical information, best stops and maps to help you plan your trip.

Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Scotland:

My favorite platform to rent a car in Scotland: DiscoverCars

The unmissable boat tour: Seal spotting on Loch Linnhe from Fort William

My favorite excursion from Edinburgh: Glenfinnan and Glencoe

My favorite places to stay:

Edinburgh: see best rated hotels – e.g. Balmoral Hotel
Glencoe: see best rated hotels – e.g. The Glencoe House Hotel
Portree: see best rated hotels – e.g. The Cuillin Hills Hotel
Inverness: see best rated hotels – e.g. Kingsmills Hotel

Most scenic drives in Scotland Travel Pin1

10 Most scenic drives in Scotland – Map & Overview

About the selection.

To be honest, I think it is beautiful to drive almost everywhere in Scotland. I am only bored when it is very foggy. In this article, rather than listing the long touristic circuits created by VisitScotland, I have decided to focus on the most scenic portions of roads I have enjoyed.

The 10 best drives in Scotland – Map & List

Glen Coe on A82
The Road to the Isles – A830
Road to Skye through Glen Shiel – A87
Wester Ross coastal road – A832
Trotternish peninsula (Isle of Skye)
Drumbeg Loop B869
Loop around the Trossachs
The Borders Countryside & Abbeys
Old Military Road in Cairngorms National Park

Below is a map to help you get oriented and see which ones you could enjoy during your holidays:

Is driving in Scotland difficult?

You can read a lot about people complaining about the difficulty of driving in Scotland. In my opinion, it is not as bad as they say. But people who had no issues don’t write comments… There are 2 main difficulties:

Driving on the left-hand side (if it is not the case in your home country). It is not that hard. You just have to be focused when exiting a parking space.
The single lane roads that are very touristy – single lane roads in general are not that complex, there are frequent crossing-places. The problems are that tourists just keep going and then pile up at those crossing places blocking the road. Always look ahead to see if there is enough space.

If you want to see what it looks like, head to my article about driving in Scotland and watch my video .

Driving Times

Below is a map to give you a general idea of the driving times between the main towns in Scotland. These times are calculated using the main roads. When you look at driving times on Map apps, always plan longer because:

You will want to stop everywhere
Single-lane tracks take longer when there are many cars piling at passing places

Best time to enjoy those most scenic drives in Scotland

For a worry-free drive, April to October are the best months for 4 reasons:

Most attractions are open,
The roads are in good conditions – no snow or ice,
Weather is not freezing anymore (but remember it can be unpredictable),
Days are longer for exploring and driving around.

However, June to September are also the most crowded (especially if you plan on visiting the Isle of Skye). May is my favorite month. And the autumn colors in the Highlands can be great for photography.

Planning a road trip in Scotland

Next, I will give you more details about each of the best driving roads in Scotland I listed. But if you are organizing a whole road trip in Scotland, my travel guide eBook includes all my favorite spots and roads. It helps you easily plan your road trip around Scotland :

Plan your dream trip in Scotland thanks to my guide

15 maps to easily plan your itinerary
170+ pre-selected locations
GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
Tips to make the most of your time
170+ original photos to help you choose

Need to rent a car in Scotland?

Compare prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
Choose the car and company you prefer (prefer a compact car for the single-lane roads)
Consider their full coverage option – I always take it for peace of mind!
Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!

See my 36 tips about renting a car in Scotland

#1 – Glen Coe on A82 – B est drive in Scotland

In my opinion this is a MUST-DRIVE in Scotland. Glen Coe is one of the most magnificent valleys in Scotland, with lochs and mountains. Typical Highlands. Plus, it is very easy to drive with large carparks to stop and enjoy the views or go for a walk.

Section of A82
Starts in Bridge of Orchy
Ends in Village of Glencoe
Length – 24 miles – 39 km
Road type – one lane in both directions – Moderate to higher speed (Motorhome / Campervan OK)
To get there – Edinburgh to Glencoe Village = 3h drive

How long to plan

Time to drive – From Bridge of Orchy to Glencoe, the road takes 30min if you are not stopping
Time to plan – You should plan half a day if you are not doing any walks.
If combining with Glen Etive (see #7) and the tour of Loch Leven , then plan a complete day

Glen Coe on A82 - Best drive in Scotland 2

Best stops / places to see

Buachaille Etive Mor , the most photographed mountain in Scotland
Etive Beag Carpark with some of the best views on the drive
The Meeting of the 3 waters waterfall
The 3 Sisters viewpoint
The Loch Atriochtan, which is often overlooked but that I love, because the valley is narrow there
The Glencoe visitor center
Learn more on my article about the drive through Glencoe

Where to stay

Option 1 – stay at the end of the road in the small town of Glencoe – see accommodation options
Option 2 – or enjoy the tour of Loch Leven and enjoy the small village of Kinlochleven nested in the mountains – see accommodation options
Option 3 – keep driving to the main town of Fort William before starting another drive (such as #2 or #3) – see best rated accommodations

Map of the drive

And below is a map to get your oriented:

#2 – The Road to the Isles A830 – Scenic drive from Fort William

The Road to the Isles is another classic Scottish drive. It gives you a snapshot of everything the country has to offer: Mountain peaks, freshwater lochs, sea-water lochs, white sand beaches, views of islands…

Starts in Fort William
Ends in Mallaig
Length – 43 miles – 69km
Road type – one lane in each direction, no difficulty (Motorhome / Campervan OK)
To get there – Edinburgh to Fort William = 3h30 drive
Time to drive – 1h each way
Time to plan – half a day if not spending much time at the beaches to a day to explore more in depth each stop

View of Ben Nevis, highest summit in Scotland
The Neptune’s Staircase with the 8 lochs for the boats to transfer to / from the Caledonian Canal
Glenfinnan with views of the monument, the loch and the viaduct
Lochs Eilt, Ailort and Nan Uamh
The Coastal route with beaches between Arisaig and Mallaig
From Mallaig you can take a ferry to the Isle of Skye
Learn more on my article about the Road to the Isles
At the beginning of the drive in Fort William, if you want a larger town – Check out the best rated accommodations in Fort William
If you plan on taking the ferry early morning, it is best to stay in Mallaig – Check out the best rated accommodations in Mallaig
You can stay near the beaches – Check out the best rated accommodations in Arisaig
Or for more mountain views in a wilder area, choose Glenfinnan – see the few accommodation options

#3 – Road to Skye via Glen Shiel on A87 – best driving route

There are 2 ways to reach the isle of Skye: either drive to Mallaig (#2) and take the ferry or drive to the Skye bridge and cross on to the island. I think it is worth it to drive all the way to the bridge and enjoy the beauty of Glen Shiel, especially when it narrows with high summits on each side.

Mainland section of Road A87
Starts in Invergarry
Ends at the Skye Bridge (A87 continues on the Isle of Skye all the way to Portree and Uig)
Length – 37mi – 60km
To get there – Edinburgh to Invergarry = 3h15 drive
Time to drive – 1 hour
Time to plan – 2 hours or longer if you visit the Eilean Donan Castle

Loch Cluanie
Glen Shiel and the Five Sisters of Kintail
Loch Duich and Eilean Donan Castle
Loch Alsh and the Skye Bridge
Learn more on my article about the Road to Skye
Stay at the West end of Glen Shiel in the town of Invershiel – See few accommodation options in the area
Or decide to stay in Dornie, near Eilean Donan Castle – See accommodations options
And at the end of A87 you reach Portree on the island – See the best rated accommodations in Portree

#4 – Wester Ross coastal road on A832 (part of North Coast 500)

The North Coast 500 road is a big loop around the North Coast of Scotland, starting above the Isle of Skye. My favorite part of the loop is the drive through Wester Ross with Loch Maree and beautiful coastal sceneries.

Roads A890 (alternative A896) and A832
Starts in Locharron
Ends in Ullapool
Length – 106 miles – 171 km
Road type – one lane in each direction, no difficulty (Motorhome / Campervan OK) – but if driving the alternative, A896 is a single-lane road.
To get there – Edinburgh to Locharron = 4h20 drive
Time to drive – 2h30
Time to plan – Plan a day to enjoy the views and the villages

Loch Carron
Loch A-Chroisg
Poolewe village nad Loch Ewe
Falls of Measach
Learn more on my article about Wester Ross
Ullapool is a great place to stop before continuing on to the North coast – Check out accommodations in Ullapool
However, if you want to stop in the heart of Wester Ross, the coastal town of Poolewe is a great choice with a charming atmosphere – check out accommodation options

I don’t drink coffee

But I also like other drinks and sweets! Do you like the free content you find on my blog? All my tips and practical information, without intrusive advertising…

#5 – Trotternish Peninsula on the Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye is one of the most famous destinations in Scotland . The whole island is worth driving but if I have to pick one section, it would be the Trotternish Peninsula, north of Portree home of many fascinating and iconic attractions.

Starts in Portree
Ends in Portree
Length – 55 miles – 89km (via northern Road + small detour to Quiraing + small detour to Fairy Glen)
Road type – mix of dual and single-lane roads
To get there – Edinburgh to Portree = 5h drive
Time to drive – 1h40 drive
Time to plan – half a day without hiking or 1 day if hiking

Old Man of Storr
Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls
Short detour to Quiraing
Loch Langaig
Museum of Island life
Short detour to Fairy Glen
Learn more on my article about the Isle of Skye

Portree is the most central town to explore the whole island – check out the best rated accommodations in Portree

On the map below you can see the Trotternish Peninsula, North of Portree with the locations of 2 of its attractions:

Complete Maps with all my favorite stops available in my Travel Guide eBook:

#6 – Drumbeg Loop B869 – Best driving road in Scotland (twisted)

This was a surprise. This road is not often mentioned but I really enjoyed it as it was quite different from the rest of the Northern drive. North of Ullapool you can enjoy a coastal detour with pink beaches, rolling hills, mini lochs and wildlife.

The main road A894 goes straight North from Loch Assynt. But take the detour on B869
Starts at Loch Assynt
Ends in Newton
Length – 32 miles – 51km
Road type – single-lane road / careful wild animals cross the road
To get there – Edinburgh to Ullapool = 4h10 drive
Time to drive – 1h 15 drive
Time to plan – 2h to enjoy the drive and admire the beaches

Just drive and enjoy the change in scenery
Stop and look at the quiet beaches
Learn more on my article about the Coigach-Assynt Reserve

Check out the accommodations in the area

#7 – Side road through Glen Etive

Glen Etive is a wild road on the side of Glen Coe. It takes you along the river all the way to Loch Etive. It offers beautiful views along a narrow valley and leads to a stunning wild loch… what more could we ask? Plus, for the fans of James Bond, you might recognize a location from Skyfall.

Dead end road
Starts at the junction with A82 facing the mountain Buachaille Etive Mor
Ends at Loch Etive (village of Gualachulain)
Length – 12 miles – 19km
Road type – single-lane road (can be crowded in Summer).
To get there – Edinburgh to Glencoe = 2h45 drive
Time to drive – 35min non-stop
Time to plan – Plan 1 hour each way to drive Glen Etive + And as long as you want to explore Loch Etive on foot or by boat (if you travel with one…)

Just enjoy the drive
Take some time to walk along Loch Etive
Learn more on my article about Glen Etive

This is a rather wild area. Not many constructions. Stay at the small town of Glencoe that is not far – see accommodation options

Below is a map to help you locate the road in Glen Etive:

#8 – Loop around the Trossachs National Park – typical Scotland road trip

It is not as magnificent as the rest of the Highlands, in my opinion, but it is a great loop road that is close to Glasgow and Edinburgh and offers lochs, mountain passes and a waterfall. Locals enjoy this area a lot.

Mix of roads around the National Park
Starts in Balloch, South of Loch Lomond
Ends in Balloch
Length – 119mi – 191km
Road type – one lane in each direction, no difficulty, some narrow sections (Motorhome / Campervan OK)
To get there – Edinburgh to Balloch = 1h30 drive
To get there – Glasgow to Balloch = 40min drive
Time to drive – 3h drive
Time to plan – One day to also include a cruise either on Loch Katrine or Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond, its villages and viewpoints – see article
Loch Katrine and the Sir Walter Scott steamboat – see article
Many other lochs
Duke’s Pass
Falls of Falloch – see article

Check out all the accommodation options around Loch Lomond

#9 – Borders Countryside & Abbeys

If you are tired of all those beautiful mountains and want a change of scenery, head south of Edinburgh. Most articles list the Borders Historic Route. Although I agree with the overall direction of the drive, I have stronger preferences for other stops and those listed on it: the Abbeys and countryside views.

A68 + Detours
Starts in Edinburgh
Ends in Jedburgh
Length – 65 miles – 105km
Road type – one lane in each direction, no difficulty unless you take side roads to explore (Motorhome / Campervan OK)
Time to drive – 2h drive
Time to plan – A day to include the visits to the abbeys

Melrose Abbey and its bagpipe-playing pig – see article
Scott’s view – the picture-perfect countryside – see article
The impressive Jedburgh Abbey – see article
Kelso Abbey
And many other potential stops
You can easily visit the abbey on a day trip from Edinburgh – Check out the best rated accommodations in Edinburgh
But if you want to stay in a quieter area, the towns of Melrose or Jedburgh are great options – check out the best rated accommodations in Melrose and more in Jedburgh

#10 – Old Military Road in Cairngorms National Park

The Cairngorms National Park is a favorite for the locals. The wild area offers mountains, plateaus, valleys and castles. This is where you can find the Balmoral Castle, the Royal Summer residence. There are 2 roads going through it, but the Old Military Road is my favorite for a nice leisure drive.

A939 and A93
Starts in Speybridge (North of Cairngorms National Park)
Ends in Dalrulzian (South of Cairngorms National Park)
Length – 68 miles – 110km
Road type – one lane in each direction almost all of the time but there is a single lane bridge that is very narrow.
To get there – Edinburgh to Dalrulzian = 1h40 drive
Time to drive – 2h drive when not stopping
Time to plan – Half a day if simply stopping for the views or a day if you are visiting Balmoral Castle and / or Braemar Castle

Old Military Road in Cairngorms National Park 2

Well of Lecht and ski area
The plateau
Gairnshiel and its bridge
Balmoral Castle and its garden
Braemar Castle with its L-shape structure
Learn more on my article about the Old Military Road in Cairngorms
You can stay in a valley around the castles – Check out the best rated accommodations around Braemar
Or around the Lecht Ski center – check out options
Or you can stay in Aviemore before or after driving the Old Military Road – Check out the best rated accommodations in Aviemore

And many other roads to consider:

South West Coastal 300 with Caerlaverock Castle
Argyll coastal route
North Coast

Want to see more of the best Scotland has to offer?

Most beautiful landscapes in Scotland – read article
Best things to do in Scotland – read article
Best Scotland destinations – where to go? – read article
Best Scottish Castles – read article
Most beautiful lochs in Scotland – read article
The magnificent Isle of Skye – read my best-of guide
The magnificent Wester Ross region – read article
The Borders Abbeys including Melrose Abbey and the photogenic Jedburgh Abbey

Planning a trip to Scotland?

Check out my travel guides to help you plan:

Plan your dream trip to Scotland with my guides!

15 easy-to-plan maps
GPS coordinates
Useful planning tips
170+ large photos

8 easy-to-plan maps
60+ pre-selected locations
115+ large photos

And keep track of your own trip!

Want to see more of SCOTLAND?

Best Scotland Attractions

Planning a trip to Scotland – Scotland Road Trip Guide

Travel SCOTLAND Tourism Guide - things to do in Scotland

Inspired? Share it on your favorite platform!

Par Claire Robinson Region Lovers SARL 76600 Le Havre FRANCE VAT FR21845103191

Follow ZigZag on Facebook

Follow ZigZag on Pinterest

Website in French: ZigZagvoyages.fr

Website in German: ZigZagreisen.de

Website in Spanish: ZigZagviajes.com

And discover the French regions:

Normandielovers.fr LoireLovers.fr CorsicaLovers.fr Provencelovers.fr

Privacy / Terms of Use / Disclosure Policies / Refund policy

Become an affiliate for the ZigZag road trip guides

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. ZigZagOnEarth.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.uk and Amazon.ca

SCOTLAND ROAD TRIP

Argyll coastal route.

If you’re looking for a breathtaking coastal drive in Scotland, the Argyll Coastal Route should be at the top of your list. This scenic route spans over 129 miles along the west coast, offering incredible views of rugged cliffs, tranquil lochs, and picturesque villages.

Along the way you can explore charming towns like Inveraray and Oban, stop at ancient castles like Dunstaffnage and the iconic Eilean Donan Castle , and even embark on a wildlife tour to spot seals, dolphins, and whales. Whether you’re a nature lover, history buff, or simply in need of a relaxing road trip, the Argyll Coastal Route is sure to leave you awe-inspired.

What to see on the Argyll Coastal Route…

1. Loch Lomond and the Inveruglas Pyramid

loch lomond is steeped in a rich history that dates back centuries..

Scotland’s largest freshwater loch, it has been a hub of activity for centuries and played an important role in the country’s economic and social growth. With its tranquil waters and breathtaking scenery, every corner provides a new and awesome view, with the omnipresent Ben Lomond hovering over its northern bank.

Loch Lomond has always been a popular spot for fishing, boating, and swimming with various hire options available at the southernmost end. There are also lots of lovely hotels and lodge rentals (See one of our favourites here ), with views across the water that will blow your mind.

The Loch was also a vital transportation route for goods and people, with the first steamship, Maid of the Loch, launched on its waters in 1953. Despite being one of Scotland’s most visited destinations, Loch Lomond has maintained its natural beauty, and its history remains an integral part of its charm.

Also on the Argyll Coastal Route, The Inveruglas Pyramid is not your typical viewing point.

Its unique and striking shape, designed by artist Malcolm Robertson, sets it apart from the standard points marked on a map, and the pyramid is custom built to frame the scenery in a wonderful way: an Instagrammer’s dream!

Located in the Scottish Highlands , visitors can climb to the top of the pyramid and take in breathtaking views of Loch Lomond, the surrounding hills and mountains, and even the Ben Lomond peak in the distance. The pyramid also serves as an information center, where visitors can learn more about the history and ecology of the area.

> Map Link

> More Images

> More Information

2. Inveraray Jail

Step back in time and uncover the fascinating history of the Inveraray Jail. This 19th-century prison, located in Inveraray itself, had a reputation for being one of the toughest in the country. It operated from 1820 to 1889 and held a variety of inmates, from petty thieves to murderers. In 1989, 100 years after the jail saw its last prisoner, the jail began its transformation into an award-winning museum, where visitors can explore the cells, learn about the harsh living conditions that prisoners endured, and even take part in interactive exhibits.

3. Auchindrain Living Museum

If you’re looking for a unique perspective into the local areas history, Auchindrain Living Museum is definitely worth visiting. As one of the last surviving examples of a Highland Township, Auchindrain is a blend of traditional farming lifestyle with fascinating insights into local traditions and customs of the past. Immerse yourself in a bygone way of life through reconstructions of houses, tools, and equipment that were once used.

This museum is not only educational, but it also provides an interactive and immersive experience that will truly transport you back in time. Inside the museum, visitors can explore traditional buildings such as a blacksmith shop and a thatched cottage. Guests are also able to get an up-close look at the lifestyle of farmers in the 19th century, and witness live demonstrations of farm activities such as spinning wool and printing cloth. The museum also hosts events throughout the year such as craft workshops, where visitors can learn how to make items like baskets, jewelry, and pottery from local materials.

4. Kilmartin Museum

The Kilmartin Museum is a treasure trove of history, spanning over 5000 years of Scotland’s rich and diverse past. Visitors can explore a range of fascinating exhibitions and displays, each telling a unique story of the area’s people and culture. From ancient standing stones and burial cairns to stunning Viking artifacts and early Christian carvings, the museum provides a truly immersive experience that will leave you awestruck.

5. Mccaig’s Tower

Mccaig’s Tower is a unique and grand structure located in the small town of Oban, Scotland, on the Argyll Coastal Route. Built over a century ago by a wealthy local businessman, it serves as a prominent landmark in the area and is truly a sight to behold.

Its turquoise exterior and circular shape may remind you of a Roman amphitheater, and its picturesque location above the town commands stunning views of the surrounding islands and seas. Visitors can explore the tower’s intricately designed interiors, which include a gallery that provides a glimpse into Oban’s rich history.

6. Castle Stalker

Perched on a small rocky island on Loch Laich, Castle Stalker is an incredible sight and an absolutle must to stop and take a picture of.

This four-story tower house, dating back to the 14th century, has both a rich history and an air of mystery. Once an important stronghold of the powerful Stewart clan, it was also the site of a dramatic siege during the Jacobite rising in 1745.

Today, Castle Stalker stands as a symbol of Scotland’s rugged beauty and storied past, attracting visitors from all over the world who come to marvel at its stunning architecture and explore its intriguing history.

Tours are limited to one per day so it can be difficult to visit the actual castle. If you are interested it’s £25 per day and you can view the availability here .

7. Glencoe Museum

As well as being an essential stop on the Argyll Coastal Route, Glencoe also has a fantastic visitor center with lots of parking and facilities like toilets, shop and a cafe.

Due to its location and historical significance, Glen Coe is a facinating place. Immerse yourself in the rich history of Scotland at Glencoe Folk Museum, with multiple exibitts including a cinema. Located in the heart of Glencoe village, this quaint museum offers a glimpse into the past with its fascinating collections of local artifacts and memorabilia.

From the tools and equipment used by the Highland farmers and craftsmen to traditional Scottish dress and weaponry, the museum has something to pique the interest of history buffs and casual visitors alike. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, happy to share their insights and answer any questions you may have.

With its charming exhibits and fascinating insights into Scottish life. There is an amazing traditionally built house on the grounds with a guide inside to tell you all about it’s construction, and we highly recommend checking it out for yourself.

Loch Lomond – Scotland

The Lone Tree at Millarochy Bay on Loch Lomond, Scotland.

Hiking Ben Lomond in the mountains of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, Scottish Highland

Clouds cover Loch Lomond, seen from Ben Lomond in the Trossachs National Park, Scottish Highlands, S

Inveraray – Loch Fyne – Scotland

Inveraray harbor – Inveraray is a town on the western shore of Loch Fyne in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.

Kilmartin_Stones_-road-trip

Oban-Mccaig’s-Tower

SWC300 – The Road Trip for Lovers of Scotland

The South West Coastal 300 is the perfect road trip for lovers of Scotland. So much more than just a driving route, it offers gorgeous scenery, breath-taking coastline as well as lots to see and do along the way. The SWC300 is a circular route that hugs Scotland’s south west coast of Dumfries and Galloway and South Ayrshire. With sandy beaches, rugged clifftops, rolling hills and a multitude of charming towns and villages along the way, this unforgettable road trip has something for everyone.

The route takes you to Scotland’s most southerly point, The Mull of Galloway, and to Scotland’s highest village Wanlockhead (no it’s not in the Highlands!). It also takes in the wonderful Galloway Forest Park, with its beautiful forest trails and incredible wildlife. Whether you love scenery, sight-seeing or adventure, Scotland’s South West Coastal 300 is the ultimate road trip for you!

SWC300 – The Road Trip for Lovers of Nature

Swc300 – the road trip for lovers of history, swc300 – the road trip for lovers of adventure, swc300 see & do, holiday ideas on the swc300.

If you are looking for a trip that will help you escape back to nature, then the South West Coastal 300 is the one for you. Home to the UNESCO Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere, the area has been internationally recognised as a world class environment for people and culture.

Engage with wildlife, enjoy our hills, forests and beaches, take…

The South West Coastal 300 is the perfect road trip for lovers of history. This 4 day itinerary takes in the historical highlights of this beautiful corner of Scotland.

Follow in the footsteps of Robert Burns. Visit spectacular moated strongholds and clifftop castles. Explore our industrial past with a visit to Scotland’s only 18th century lead mine open to the…

We know that you adventure seekers are always on the move and looking to squeeze in a short break here and there. But there are just too many great adventure options on the South West Coastal 300 to fit the full route into 3 days, so we’ve put together two 3-day bite size itineraries, one covering the northern half of…

The South West Coastal 300 offers so much to choose from for you and your family. Whether you love the great outdoors, history, art, animals or adventure, there is something for you to enjoy.

This three day itinerary follows the South West Coastal 300 route and showcases the best of what our wonderful region has to offer.

The South West Coastal 300 is the perfect road trip for lovers of history. This 7 day itinerary takes in many of the most fascinating sites, stories and experiences of this beautiful corner of Scotland.

Follow in the footsteps of Robert the Bruce, Mary Queen of Scots and Robert Burns. Visit spectacular moated strongholds and…

If you are looking for a trip that will help you escape back to nature, then the South West Coastal 300 is the trip for you. Home to the UNESCO Galloway and South Ayrshire Biosphere, the area has been internationally recognised as a world class environment for people and culture.

Engage with wildlife, enjoy our hills, forests and beaches, take in…

SWC300 Accommodation

Angus Coastal Route: A Locals Road Trip Guide

The Angus Coastal Route is a 68-mile detour route from Dundee to Aberdeen or vice versa.

Dundee is a fascinating city with a rich industrial heritage with maritime traditions and Aberdeen is a city built on glittering granite. This tranquil route is excellent for rural explorers and adventurous travellers.

The normal driving route to connect these two cities is the dual carriageway called the A90.

However, alternatively, you can explore the dreamy coastline by completing the Angus Coastal Path. The path is an excellent scenic route for a stay-at-home holiday or drivers, walkers and cyclists.

While travelling on the Angus Coastal Route you will have the shimmering North Sea on one side and the magnificent Grampian mountains on the other.

There is plenty to do on this route including attractive nature reserves, small charming towns , historic castles near Dundee and spectacular geological formations.

This guide will take you through all the best attractions, including the secret gems which are only known to the locals.

Dundee is slowly becoming a top tourist destination for the arts and culture as well as being a vibrant diverse city. Also, Dundee has been recognised by Lonely Planet in 2018 as being named in the top 10 cities in Europe.

Dundee is a UNESCO City of Design, and is an excellent host that showcases history and culture in a number of museums.

Dundee is the fourth largest city in Scotland and is known as the sunniest city in Scotland.

There is currently a waterfront development as part of a massive restoration of the city. Including the V&A that opened back in 2018.

Some of the notable museums with hands-on activities include the Discovery Point, V&A, Dundee Science Centre, Dundee Contemporary Arts, Verdant Works and McManus Galleries.

Also, you can visit Mills Observatory if you arrive in Dundee in the evening, where you can marvel at the stars in the night sky.

Alternatively, Dundee is home to lots of green space and country parks . You can climb to the top of the Law to gather picturesque views of the city and the sparkling River Tay.

Also, there is the massive Camperdown Country Park and the Caird Park which is home to Mains Castle.

Furthermore, you can walk along the waterfront from Invergowrie to Broughty Ferry.

In Broughty Ferry you can enjoy the cosy cafes and beautiful boutiques, stroll through the Barnhill Botanic Gardens, learn about the history at Broughty Castle or relax at the golden sand beaches.

In addition, you can keep an eye out for the local dolphin families, locals and tourists love watching them frolicking in the water.

Dundee Accommodation: Casa Fresa – Union Heights , Maritime House

Carnoustie is a golfer’s haven and is a host for ‘The Open’. The 18 holes are known as Scotland’s most challenging golf course.

So if you are looking for a game of Golf, make sure to get out Carnoustie Golf Links.

Barry Buddon

The walking path from Dundee, through Broughty Ferry and Monifieth all the way to Carnoustie is excellent.

There is an excellent cycle path from Monifieth through Barry Buddon Training Camp to Carnoustie. The area is perfect to enjoy coastal walks and wildlife watching.

Barry Buddon dates back to 1850 when the area was used by local Rifle Volunteers, Artillery Brigade and a Royal Naval Reserve Battery.

The area is still in use today and it may be out of bounds, make sure you check on the Carnoustie Community Development Trust website or on their Facebook page.

Barry Mill is a charming rustic working water-powered mill that is an extraordinary case of Scotland’s industrial heritage.

Here, you can get an experience of what life was like on a tough day working in a mill. The mill is still powered by the gentle flow of the Barry Burn.

Craigmill Den

Craigmill Den is just situated outside Carnoustie, it is a lovely nature walk in the quiet woodland and offers plenty of wildlife for nature lovers to enjoy.

There is a wide range of bird species including Dippers, Grey Wagtails, Linnets and Tree Sparrows. Also, you will come across the remains of the weir.

Carnoustie Accommodation: Carlogie House , At The Links

East Haven dates back to 1214, making it one of Scotland’s earliest fishing villages . The railway line was built in the early 20th century making it more accessible for tourists.

Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth came here for beach days while they were having their holidays in Glamis Castle. East Haven was awarded Britain in Bloom gold Award and Best Coastal Village 2018.

The community respects the area as they keep up a beautiful community garden and do regular beach cleans. Also, the public toilets have been transformed into a local gallery displaying the best local art.

Arbroath

Arbroath harbour.

Now we are in a small coastal town known as Arbroath . Arbroath is home to one of the first fishing harbours built in Scotland, and it quickly became a major point of the thriving fishing industry.

However, nowadays there are only a few commercial fishing boats remaining. The teeming marina now has a visitor centre with lots of information and toilets.

Also, there is a friendly welcoming cafe. Although the harbour is small, it is colourful and pretty.

Arbroath is probably best known for the ‘ Arbroath Smokie ’. The Arbroath Smokie is a delicious smoked haddock which was traditionally produced in the backyards of smokehouses.

The haddock is covered in salt then smoked over oak and beech chips, over whiskey barrels for an hour.

Arbroath Abbey

The Arbroath Abbey is found in the centre of Arbroath. To reach the town centre you can turn left at the end of the harbour.

The red ruins symbolise the immensely rich history that has occurred in Arbroath since the 12th century.

One of the most notable events is this is where the Declaration of Arbroath, which declared Scotland’s Independence was signed in April 1320.

Seaton Cliffs Nature Reserve

The walkway that takes you through Seaton Cliffs starts at Victoria Park. The path is very narrow and close to the sudden drops in some areas.

You can follow the route as it ascends above the incredible red limestone and twists through all of the geological wonders. One of the first fascinating features you will come across is Needle E’e.

The Needle Eye is a large rock formation with a hole in the centre of it. The hole beautifully frames the water into the horizon.

Also, keep an eye out for the best-hidden gems including a large single sea stack called Deil’s Heid. In addition, Dickmonts Den and Carlingheugh Brae are two other areas with picturesque views over the sea.

The rock formations and their landscapes change dramatically depending on whether the tide is in or out. Moreover, you can keep an eye out for seabirds, wildflowers and butterflies.

Arbroath Accommodation: Brucefield Boutique B&B , Wester Den

Auchmithie

The Arbroath Coastal Cliff route finishes at the old fishing harbour called Auchmithie. Auchmithie is three miles north of Arbroath.

The village is perched on 120-foot cliffs, with a pebble beach, some interesting rock architecture and a dingy harbour.

Back in the early 1800s, Auchmithie was famous in the fishing industry, the small village had a population of 400. Also, the first ‘ Arbroath Smokie ’ was produced here.

The walking route from the road to Red Castle is a small but steep one. You can park in a lay-by on the road across from an old rusty gate.

Once you walk through the small gate and follow up the steep hill you will be greeted with wildflowers and views over the horizon and Lunan Bay . If you are an early riser, one of the best times to get amazing views is during sunrise.

The ruins of Red Castle are dated from the 15th century, only parts of the tower are remaining.

The area is currently very dangerous and the castle is currently unstable. Make sure you check Visit Angus website to see if the problem is resolved before you head.

Lunan Bay

Lunan Bay is one of Scotland’s most stunning beaches. Once, it was voted Scotland’s most scenic beach and is one of the most gorgeous beaches on the east coast of Scotland .

There are boardwalks and viewing points that take you over the sand dunes. The beach is utilised by families, horse riders, surfers and walkers.

Also, the area is extremely popular on sunny days. In addition, when the tide is out you will get to enjoy the hidden caves on the north end on the beach.

Boddin Point

Boddin Point is an old secluded harbour, it is rarely used now, however occasional lobster catches are brought in.

There are some old eroded wooden boats perched on the cliff tops. In addition, there is a peddle beach and some abandoned worn-down cottages which are great for exploring.

Also, there is a limekiln which is the most prominent feature of Boddin Point.

The lime kiln dates back to the 1700s, there is severe erosion undercutting the structure and some people wonder how the structure is still holding up. Therefore, there are predictions that the structure will not hold for much longer.

Elephant Rock

Elephant Rock is a coastal arch of volcanic rock tucked away in a secluded bay. The fascinating rock formation closely resembles an elephant’s head and trunk!

You can reach the structure by walking from Boddin Point . Alternatively, you can park in a lay-by on a nearby coastal road and walk on an eroded path which takes you over a railway line.

There is a small graveyard overlooking elephant rock and it is home to the most interesting gravestone.

The gravestone belongs to George James Ramsay who died 19 years before he was born. Make sure you have a good look around the graveyard and you will find what I mean.

Also, you can continue to walk and admire the coastal cliff tops by walking through the small fishing town of Usan. At Usan, there is a small square tower which marks the history of the salmon fishing and a saltworks which operated between 1794 and 1820.

Scurdie Ness Lighthouse

Scurdie Ness Lighthouse is located on the south side of River South Esk. It sits prominently on the southern end of Montrose Bay.

Here, you can scan the coastline for hours to search for semi precious agate which was formed from the ancient volcanic rock. Also, this area is fantastic for spotting bottlenose dolphins, seals and if you are lucky enough the occasional humpback whale.

Scurdie Ness Lighthouse was opened on the first of March 1870. The structure was built by David Stevenson and Thomas Stevenson.

‘Scurdie’ is the word for the local volcanic rock which is found around the area and ‘Ness’ means headland.

Montrose Basin

Montrose Basin is an enclosed estuary home to over 80,000 migrating birds. The species that live here include pink-footed geese, Arctic terns, knots and sedge warblers.

The area is managed by Scottish Wildlife Trust and entry is £4 for adults. Also, there are several nature walks to explore the bird haven around the basin.

Two miles outside of Montrose is the refurbished House of Dun.

The large Georgian country house was built back in the 1730’s and has been refurbished in the 1980’s. In addition, the site has lots of parkland and walled gardens to explore.

Montrose Accommodation: Charleton Farm Cottages

St Cyrus Nature Reserve

The nature reserve is one of the richest and most diverse nature reserves in Britain.

The beaches in the reserve are surrounded by magnificent volcanic cliffs, and the reserve contains an unbelievable range of wildflowers, insects and birds.

In addition, you might be lucky enough to spot grey seals on shore or porpoise, inke, humpback and killer whales offshore.

Also, you can admire the views from the clifftop at the village end. At St Cyrus Nature Reserve there are toilets and a visitor centre.

Den of Finella

Den of Finella is also known to the locals as the ‘ Lost Waterfall ‘. It is a tropical-looking waterfall not far from Aberdeen .

Many people drive over this waterfall daily and do not know it exists. The drive to the waterfall is only two minutes north of St Cyrus.

You can park on the high viaduct that is perched over the steep Den of Finella gorge. Nowadays, the impressive viaduct is hardly visible due to the leafy greenery that has grown on the verges.

There are limited spaces in this area, and the bottom of the waterfall is very difficult to get to. I would only try and get to the bottom of this gorge if you are an active confident walker.

However, in my opinion, this waterfall is one of the best waterfalls in Scotland . You can bring your swimming costumes if you are brave enough to go for a dip in the chilly waters.

St Cyrus Accommodation: Straton Cottage

Crawton Waterfall

The Crawton Waterfall is located in the RSPB Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve. Also, there are light nature trails , which circulate around the cliff tops.

You will be rewarded with stunning views of the jaw-dropping cliffs overlooking the North Sea.

Dunnottar Castle

Scotland is home to over 2,000 castles so there is no surprise that there is a castle on this route.

The dramatic castle ruin is perched in the most stunning location on a 200 feet high cliff. One of the most stunning castles on the east coast of Scotland .

Also, you can walk from Stonehaven to Dunnottar Castle which will give you the best views of the site.

However, you can still get good views of the castle without accessing the grounds. There is a small car park that fills up quickly.

Also, there is a food truck which is good for getting a coffee and admiring the view.

Stonehaven Harbour

The harbour is busy with sailing yachts. A notable building on the Quayside is the Stonehaven Tolbooth Museum which has a fascinating history.

Also, in Stonehaven, you can take Sea Safari Boat Trips or go to the Outdoor Air Swimming Pool, many cute cafes and beautiful boutiques.

Stonehaven Accommodation: Lazy Puffin , Dunnottar Woods House

Aberdeen is notably one of the most architecturally distinctive in Europe.

One of the biggest hidden gems in Aberdeen, sits in plain sight at the coast of central Aberdeen, it is the ancient fishing village of Footdee.

In addition, Aberdeenshire is home to over 263 castles . One castle ruin situated in Aberdeen is Slains Castle.

Some of the notable museums with hands-on activities include the Aberdeen Maritime Museum, Aberdeen Art Gallery and Tolbooth Museum.

Also, you can wander around Old Aberdeen which is home to St Machar’s Cathedral, Brig o’ Balgownie, Powis Gate, The Snow Kirk and Kings College.

Alternatively, Aberdeen is home to lots of green space and country parks . You can walk around Johnston Gardens, peaceful Seaton Park and Hazlehead Park.

Aberdeen Accommodation: Footdee Cottage , Seaview House

The route is a low leveled and the ascents are short and well graded. The Angus Coastal Walking route is not formerly made yet.

There are some good walking areas with clearly detailed paths including the route from Dundee to Arbroath, including the nature reserve at Arbroath Cliff and Scurdie Ness.

The Angus part of this route is 35 miles long. However, walking from Auchiemuchie to Lunan is a bit of a pain, you will find yourself winding through unofficial farm tracks, and losing all the good views from the cliffs.

Another area to watch out for is walking between Lunan and Boddin Point, you may find yourself having to walk inland on the country roads to get from A to B.

The drive on the Angus Coastal Route is mostly country roads where you can drive up to sixty miles per hour.

However, beware of tight turns and sharp bends. Also, the route is well-signposted, and there are not a lot of junctions or turn-offs so you should not get lost.

The Angus Coastal Route is one of the more tranquil and lesser known road trips in Scotland .

You can stop at some of the most scenic points on the east coast of Scotland including Lunan Bay, Den of Finella and Dunnottar Castle.

The route is perfect for solo travellers including drivers, cyclists and hikers. Or, alternatively, it is a perfect sightseeing trip for those who need a staycation.

Scotland’s North Coast 500 Route Planner, Map & 1-Week Itinerary

Driving Scotland’s North Coast 500 was one of my favourite ever road trips and I would love to help you have a smiliar adventure, so consider me your own personal North Coast 500 route planner.

Known as Scotland’s answer to Route 66, the incredibly scenic North Coast 500 (or NC500) has been Scotland’s most popular road trip since its launch in 2015 And with good reason… it’s amazing!

The route covers 516 miles (the NC516 isn’t quite as catchy though hey?) around the remote northern part of the Scottish mainland, traditionally starting and ending in the city of Inverness.

Don’t forget to also check out my Things To Know Before You Drive Scotland’s North Coast 500 post, which also has lots of useful information to make sure you have a safe, epic, and enjoyable trip!

So let’s get planning your North Coast 500 itinerary !

Please Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which will earn me a small commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate sales help with the running costs of this site, so thank you for your support!

Table of Contents

Scotland’s North Coast 500 Route Planner, Map & 1-Week Itinerary

When to travel the north coast 500.

My friend Brenna ( This Battered Suitcase ) and I drove the NC500 in early March. Perhaps an unusual time of year for a UK road trip… but this was my first trip after a left my job to become a full-time travel blogger , so I really didn’t care what time of year it was.

March is generally a crappy month in the UK, weather-wise, but it turned out pretty well for us actually – it rained a lot, but we were also blessed with plenty of sunshine and therefore, rainbows. Plus, we saw lots of snow too, and who doesn’t love to play in the snow?

In Scotland the weather is unpredictable and changes every half an hour anyway. So why not take advantage of the off-season, with fewer crowds, no midgies (tiny biting flies that descend in the summer), and the incredible photo opportunities the colder weather brings? Sunshine is never guaranteed, even in summer.

The downside is that you may find a few seasonal things closed. The main season runs from May to October, but each time of year has its advantages and disadvantages, so just go with whatever suits you best – I’m sure you’ll have a great time either way!

North Coast 500 Route Map

The above North Coast 500 map details the main NC500 route, however, I’ve broken it down into smaller, more detailed, day-to-day itineraries below.

You can also take a look at the ‘official’ North Coast 500 map (also linked at the bottom of the page). If you want to print this out, I’d suggest printing it A3/A2 otherwise it’s too small on a regular A4 printer. Any printing shop should be able to print this for you.

North Coast 500 Route Planner & Itinerary

Brenna and I spent 5 full days travelling along the North Coast 500. We spent 2 days travelling up to Inverness – her from London, me from Preston. We both got trains to Edinburgh, stayed overnight, had a day in Edinburgh, then picked up a car to use for the rest of the trip.

Then we had one night in Edinburgh on the way back down. So in total our trip was 8 nights, 9 days in total.

But, you don’t have to stop in Edinburgh. We could have travelled to Inverness by train or plane in one day and picked up a car there. For the purpose of this North Coast 500 route planner, I won’t include the days spent travelling to and from Edinburgh.

Our North Coast 500 Itinerary was as follows (including the days not spent on the NC500):

Day 1: Home to Edinburgh
Day 2: Day in Edinburgh
Day 3: Edinburgh to Inverness
Day 4: Inverness to Dunnet Head
Day 5: Dunnet Head to Durness
Day 6: Durness to Ullapool
Day 7: Ullapool to Applecross
Day 8: Applecross to Edinburgh
Day 9: Edinburgh to Home

5 days on the NC500 was fine, however, I would definitely recommend taking a little longer if you can. You could easily keep yourself occupied for 1 – 2 weeks! With so much to see, we spent the majority of the time driving, doing a few little hikes and taking pictures, and not really ‘doing’ much.

You can easily split this itinerary into smaller chunks, and I’ve recommended a few different places to stay along the route to help you plan in case you have a different timescale to us.

Day 1: Edinburgh

Whilst not on the North Coast 500, Edinburgh is a great place to stop if you are travelling up from other parts of the UK, either by car or train, or if you’re flying in from abroad.

Whereas the North Coast 500 offers the wild, rugged, untamed side of Scotland, Edinburgh is more touristy, like Scotland on steroids, with history and culture, and all the tartan and whiskey you could wish for. I love both sides!

There’s no shortage of things to do in Edinburgh , including walking tours of the city (with different themes – historical, haunted, underground, Harry Potter), open-top bus tours, visiting the castle, or climbing to the top of Arthur’s Seat.

Edinburgh also has great nightlife too, and tons of great bars and restaurants. Whilst we didn’t go on this trip, on another trip to Edinburgh I went for dinner and dancing at Ghillie Dhu , a Scottish ceilidh extravaganza. We did the Gay Gordon’s, the Dashing White Sergeant, and a whole load of other traditional dances. I LOVED it!

Where to Stay in Edinburgh: We decided to treat ourselves on this first night at the Radisson Collection Hotel (formerly the G&V Royal Mile Hotel), which is a modern hotel with a fabulous cocktail bar and gorgeous views over the city. I’d definitely recommend staying here!

Day 2: Edinburgh to Inverness

We spent the day driving up from Edinburgh to Inverness. Inverness is the UK’s most northerly city, the capital of the Scottish Highlands, and the jumping-off point for the North Coast 500.

If you drive straight there, Inverness is just over 3 hours drive from Edinburgh (and around 3.5 hours from Glasgow), so if you leave early, you’ll have plenty of time to sightsee on the way.

Cairngorms National Park

As you head north, you’ll pass the beautiful Cairngorms National Park.

Twice the size of England’s Lake District, the Cairngorms is a great place to explore with tons of hiking/biking trails, rivers, lochs (lakes), waterfalls, wildlife, and villages to see.

The Cairngorms is also home to 6 of the UK’s highest mountains (the highest is Ben Nevis near to Fort William) and in the winter, snow permitting, you can go skiing and even husky sledding.

Another ‘activity’ you might like to try whilst in the area is taking the Malt Whiskey Trail . The area just north of the Cairngorms is home to 9 of the UK’s Scotch malt whiskey distilleries. You can tour the distilleries and learn about the whiskey-making process – as well as doing a little bit of tasting too.

Just don’t drink and drive – the drink driving limit in Scotland is very low, so I wouldn’t even risk it! There are a number of taxis/private drivers in the area who can take you around.

Where to Stay in the Cairngorms National Park: There are literally so many gorgeous places to stay in the Cairngorms, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Glentruim Lodge Chalet , is super cosy and romantic, and the Dava Schoolhouse looks really welcoming and stylish too. Families or groups will also like the Scandanavian Village Aviemore which has apartments, suites, and villas.

Our second major stop, was Loch Ness, home to the Loch Ness Monster… or is it?Â

You could spend a whole day driving around Loch Ness and there are plenty of amazing views. The Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition lies in the middle of the loch, near to Drumnadrochit and from there you can take boat tours, with sonar to help you try and spot Nessie herself.

Loch Ness by Jacobite has a couple of highly-rated cruises with various departure points (including Inverness Bus Station) in case you can’t get down to the visitor centre.

Close by you can also visit the ruins of Urquhart Castle, which can also be seen from the boats if you want to kill two birds with one stone.

Where To Stay near to Loch Ness: Whilst I haven’t stayed there myself, the Inver Coille glamping pods & camping site looks like the coolest thing ever. If they don’t have space, there are lots of highly-rated hotels in the area.

By the time we got to Inverness, it was just time to check into our hotel and have a shower before dinner. We ate at the lively Johnny Foxes Pub & Restaurant , followed by drinks and a live Ceilidh band (traditional Scottish music) at the famous Hootenanny Inverness … where we bumped into explorer Levison Wood (and also Don Lawson, the owner of Johnny Foxes).

When we arrived in Inverness, I’d seen on Instagram that explorer and television presenter Levison Wood was also in the city to give a talk about his new book (coincidence, I swear). We looked into getting tickets to the talk, but we didn’t have time to get there in time, so I tweeted him to say ‘Come to Hootenanny’s later’. Which he did.

I’d like to think it was because he was excited to meet two fellow travel writers and adventurers, but I think it may just have been a coincidence…

We had a little chat at the bar about travelling in Africa, Brenna chatted to him about her book, I introduced him to ‘Johnny Fox’ (“Have you met Johnny Fox?” is the Scottish equivalent of “I carried a watermelon.”), he took the piss out of me for being a Scouser and said he’d give my blog a read – which I’m sure he does on a regular basis these days (Hi Lev!)…

Although I was too embarrassed to ask him if he’d seen my tweet… 😉

We didn’t have tons of time in the city as we wanted to get straight out onto the North Coast 500, but a few more of the highlights of Inverness include a walk along the River Ness, a visit to Inverness Cathedral, the Victorian Market, and, Inverness Castle.

Just outside of Inverness, ACE Adventures & Hideaways can organise white water rafting trips and other outdoor adventures.Â

If you get hungry, other places to eat include, Coyote’s , (famous for fabulous burgers), the Fig & Thistle Bistro , for modern, casual dining, and Wild Pancakes , which is a great place for breakfast and the North Coast 500’s first dedicated pancake house.

Where To Stay in Inverness: We stayed at the Royal Highland Hotel , which was right in the centre of town – quite grand, a little bit old school, very Scottish – we loved it. However, if you’re looking for something a little bit more modern, you could try the pentahotel Inverness or Highland Apartments by Mansley . If you’re on a budget, check out the Black Isle Bar & Rooms , which is a hostel as well as a premier craft beer bar and restaurant serving, wood-fired pizzas or the cosy and stylish Bazpackers . I also love a bit of glamping, so check out the gorgeous Inverness Glamping pods.

Day 3: Inverness to Dunnet Head

Chanonry Point

Chanonry Point lies between Fortrose and Rosemarkie on what is known as the Black Isle of Scotland.

One of the most popular activities at Chanonry Point is to watch the Moray Firth dolphins playing in the water. They can be seen all year, but the best time is during the rising tide when the dolphins chase the fish into shore.

The best place to see them is on the stone beach behind the lighthouse or if you want to get really close, you can take boat trips out on the water. Dolphin Spirit leaves from Inverness, whilst North 58 Sea Adventures and Dolphin Trips Avoch leave from nearby Findhorn and Avoch respectively.

The Storehouse

Leaving Chanonry Point, you could make a stop at The Storehouse Restaurant and Farm Shop to pick up some breakfast/lunch or supplies – even if you’re not hungry, who doesn’t love a good farm shop?

The next stop on our road trip was the gorgeous Dornoch Beach and the famous Dornoch Castle Hotel with their famous whiskey tastings at the Whiskey Bar & Grant Macnichol restaurant.

Dornoch Beach is also a great place for wild camping – just make sure to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code rules and regulations and leave no trace.

Where to Stay in Dornoch: If you need a bit more comfort, try the Dornoch Caravan & Camping Park or the gorgeous glamping pods at Evelix Pods Dornoch .

Dunrobin Castle

Another great stop on your itinerary should be the fairytale-esque Dunrobin Castle . The castle resembles a French chateau and the design of the gardens was inspired by Palace of Versailles in Paris – it looks like it came straight out of a Disney movie.

The castle is open from the 1st of April to the 31st of October and up until the end of September, you can also watch their twice-daily falconry displays .

On the way to Dunrobin, you can also take a little detour to the Falls of Shin, where you can spot jumping salmon (between May and late Autumn) – but it will add over an hour to your journey!

Grey Cairns of Camster & the Whaligoe Steps

The Grey Cairns of Camster are man-made structures (thought to be burial tombs) built around 5000 years ago. They’re free to visit and open to the public all year round, so definitely worth the visit.

From there, you can hike (or drive) to the Whaligoe Steps which lead down to Whaligoe Haven, a unique 18th century harbour surrounded on 3 sides by tall cliffs.

There are 330 steps to be precise and they can be treacherous, so take care – and just remember, what goes down, must come up. If you don’t want to walk, you might enjoy seeing the steps and harbour from the sea with Caithness Seacoast . They do day trips from Wick, or shorter tours that leave from Lybster.

If you get peckish, you can visit the Whaligoe Steps Cafe and Restaurant , perched on a clifftop overlooking the North Sea.

Where to Stay Near to the Grey Cairns of Camster & the Whaligoe Steps : The village of Lybster, near to both the Camster Cains and Whaligoe Steps is a good place to rest your head for the night if you don’t want to travel too far. Try North Star Glamping or the Camster luxury glamping pod .

Castle Sinclair

If you love a bit of history, visit the beautiful ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, located right on the cliff edge. This was one of my highlights of the NC500 and not to be missed. If you take one of the coastal boat trips, it’s highly like you’ll get a great view from the water too.

The Old Pulteney distillery is also in the area if you have the time for a tour or just a stop at the shop!

Duncansby Head & Stacks

At Duncansby Head, you’ll see the Duncansby Lighthouse, but the real attraction is the incredible Duncansby Stacks, just off the coast. These incredible natural structures have been battered by the North Sea for millenniums, creating the witch’s hat-shaped rock formations you see today.

On a clear day, you may be lucky enough to see puffins and the Orkney Islands.

It’s a bit of a walk to get to the Duncansby Stacks, parking either at Duncansby Head or you can park a bit further away at John o’Groats. Give yourself a good 3 hours if you want to walk the circuit from Duncansby Head/John o’Groats and to the Stacks and back.

John o’Groats

A short drive (or a 45-minute hike) from Dunsnsby is John O’Groats., one of the most northerly points on the British mainland. It’s the starting (or end) point for the ‘End to End’ cycle/walk which goes all the way to Lands End in Cornwall.

I always thought it was THE most northerly place of the British mainland, but it isn’t… it’s actually Dunnet Head, a few miles down the road and the actual place that is furthest from Lands End is Duncansby Head. But John o’Groats to Lands End has a better ring to it, don’t you think?

Dunnet Head

Our last stop on today’s itinerary is Dunnet Head. Here you can take a walk to the lighthouse, see the coastline and brag that you’ve been to the most northerly point on the British mainland. Whoop whoop!

Dunnet Head is a great place for bird watchers as there are several different bird species in residence. During spring and early summer, this includes a high number of puffins as they come here for nesting season.

The Castle & Gardens of Mey , previously owned by the Queen Mother, are also nearby, you’ll just need to ensure you book your tickets in advance as they often sell out.

Rock Rose Gin is made at the Dunnet Bay Distillers if you want to pick up a bottle whilst you’re passing, although it’s also sold in quite a few of the big supermarkets too!

Where to Stay Near Dunnet Head & John o’Groats : There are a few great places to stay in the area, but the ones that I love the most are The Old Tea Shop , Dunnet B&B Escapes , and Braeside Retreats .

Day 4: Dunnet Head to Durness

If you didn’t manage to get to Dunnet Head on the previous day, the morning is also a great time to visit.

Strathy Bay

The next stop is Strathy Bay, one of the most gorgeous beaches on the North Coast 500, with views over the Pentland Firth.

During May and June, the wildflowers are out in bloom, making it a particularly pretty and photogenic time to visit.

A bit further down the coast, you’ll come to Farr Bay, another pretty cove, worth a walk on the beach! You can also visit the Strathnaver Museum which will give you an insight into Scottish history.

Another beautiful white sandy beach (believe me, you never get sick of these beaches) along the NC500 is Coldbackie. Great for photographers, hikers, and surfers (when there are waves).

Loch Eriboll

Loch Eriboll is a gorgeous sea lock, with a number of great stopping points. One of the most beautiful is Ceannabeine Beach , with mountains on either side, even without a drone you’ll get some fabulous shots overlooking the beach. The name itself means ‘end of the mountains’.

Durness, Smoo Cave & the Sango Bay Viewpoint

Near to the town of Durness, there are two of the NC500’s main highlights, including the stunning Sango Bay Viewpoint, with panoramic views overlooking Sango Bay and it’s also a great place for surfing.

The Smoo Cave is a great place to explore, either by boat or from the path above the cliffs. The cave is floodlit inside and you can take a tour with Smoo Cave Tours .

A bit further on is Cape Wrath, Scotland’s most North Westerly point (in case you’re on a mission to see all the ‘most’ northerly points). There are more stunning views of the coastline but it is a little off the main road of the North Coast 500.

Where To Stay in Durness: Sango Sands Oasis , is a great campsite right at the top if you like your morning coffee with an epic view – I know I do! The campsite is open from the beginning of April until the end of October. However, they offer free camping with limited availability in the offseason. There are also a couple of great little cottages to hire if you’re not camping but would still like to stay right near the beach.

Day 5: Durness to Ullapool

Balnakeil Bay

Make your way to Balnakeil Beach – potentially the most stunning beach in the area. After some beach time, stop by Cocoa Mountain Balnakeil, a famous shop/cafe offering a variety of locally made chocolates and hot chocolate. Open 9am – 6pm daily.

Sandwood Bay Beach & Loch

It’s a bit off course, but Sandwood Bay and Loch is a great addition to your road trip itinerary.

Sandwood Bay Beach is one of the most remote in Europe and it takes around an hour and a half to walk from the car park in Blairmore to the stunning 1-mile long sandy beach, so give yourself a good few hours here to take it all in and hike around the loch as well.

You’ll also get to see Am Buachaille, a sea stack out in the water. And if you can be bothered to carry your stuff all that way, this is a great spot for wild camping (and surfing).

Kylesku Bridge

On the way to Clachtoll, you’ll take the Kylesku Bridge over Loch a’ Chàirn Bhàin in in Sutherland – worth a photo stop!

Clachtoll Beach

Another gorgeous beach on the route is Clachtoll Beach – great for hiking, walking, and fishing. Clachtoll is pretty remote and the road is single access (and with a 25 percent gradient) in places and apparently it’s called the ‘breakdown zone’ – but it’s worth the trip.

On the way to Clachtoll, swing by the Assynt Aromas Candle Shop & The Secret Garden Tea Garden for some sustenance.

You can also hire bikes or take boat trips from nearby Lochinver, as well as visit Scotland’s most remote bookshop, Achins Bookshop & Coffee Shop .

Just be aware that the road between Kylesku and Lochinver can be a bit tricky, so it may take you longer than you think!

Where To Stay in Clachtoll or Lochinver: There’s a lovely campsite overlooking Clachtoll Beach or you want to stay somewhere super cosy and romantic (and with a hot tub), check out the gorgeous Suilven view glamping pod .

Achmelvich Bay

Fancy a bit of wild swimming? Stop and take a dip in the clear turquoise waters of Achmelvich Bay. If you’re very lucky, you may also see dolphins off the coast.

Where To Stay in Achmelvich Bay:

Have I mentioned I love glamping pods? Check out the lovely ones at North Coast 500 Pods . If I could live in one of these, I would. In fact, I might someday!

Loch Assynt & Ardvreck Castle

The penultimate stop on today’s itinerary is Loch Assynt and Ardvreck Castle. Dating back to around 1590.

Built by Clan MacLeod, it was later taken over by Clan Mackenzie. These days, it’s just a lonely ruin, but worth seeing all the same. It is said that the castle is haunted and there are plenty of spooky stories of mermaids, ghosts, and the devil himself!

Now you could either stay in Ullapool or head down to Applecross, but I’d definitely recommend staying in Ullapool as it really is lovely, and will keep the driving distances short.

There are tons of things to do in Ullapool, including boat trips to Loch Broom and the Summer Isles , sea kayaking, hiking, and visiting the Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve. Ullapool has a few nice pubs and restaurants where you can pick up a nice bowl of Cullen Skink (smoked haddock, leek and potato soup). It tasted much better than it sounds.

Ullapool is also a great jumping-off point to visit the Outer Hebrides via the CalMac ferry to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.

Where to Stay in Ullapool: I’d definitely recommend the Silver Darlings B&B which is owned by one of my very good friends from uni. Tell Katy I say hi!

Alternatively, I love Tigh na Mara for a romantic getaway. For camping, try Broomfield Holiday Park or nearby Badrallach Campsite, Bothy and Holiday Cottage . If you’re on a budget, or in a big group, the Ullapool Youth Hostel is a cheap and cheerful place to stay!

Day 6: Ullapool to Applecross

Corrieshalloch Gorge

Leaving Ullapool, your next destination could be the fantastic Corrieshalloch Gorge Nature Reserve . With beautiful nature trails and lots of flora and fauna to observe and appreciate.

Even if you don’t spend much time in the reserve itself, it’s fun to walk over the wobbly suspension bridge over the gorge, which has fantastic views of Falls of Measach.

Brenna and I had a LOT of fun filming our Instagram Stories here.

Gruinard Bay

Gruinard Bay is a gorgeous stop – although, aren’t they all?

With golden/pinky sands and cool rock formations, you’ll get plenty of amazing pictures. Even more, if you have a drone (if it’s not windy and raining).

There are 3 pink sand beaches to visit and on a clear day, you can see across to the island.Â

From the Loch, you can see the Isle of Ewe, which is inhabited by a one family. I wouldn’t mind living on a gorgeous island in the middle of a loch. Would you?

Whilst in the area, visit the Inverewe Garden and take a walk along some of their nature trails, including the Poetry Trail, which was inspired by the beauty of the place and created by their resident poet.

You can also take a wildlife-spotting boat trip from the Inverewe Garden jetty to see eagles. Boat trips usually run in August and September.

Where To Stay on Loch Ewe: And if you do decide to stop in Loch Ewe, and you have a big group, consider staying at the absolutely GORGEOUS, Poolewe Beach House (sleeps 9).

Stop for a photo at Gairloch Harbour, and if you’re thirsty, pick up a cuppa at the highly recommended Coast Coffee Company .

Enjoy the fantastic scenery as you drive along the A832 road that snakes through the valley at Kinlochewe. With hills all around and winding roads, this area makes for a fab photo stop.

Loch Torridon

Another extremely photogenic stop on your journey is The Torridon, a luxury hotel, flanked by mountains and forest and lying right on the lakeside – this would be a great place to rest your head for the night if time permits.

They also do a fabulous afternoon tea in their 1887 Restaurant and there are lots of activities on offer if you want to get outdoors.

You can visit the Torridon Countryside Centre where you can see red deer and the famous highland coo’s – although you will see them throughout your journey.

A bit further on, you’ll come to Shieldaig, one of the most picturesque villages in Scotland. From there, continue around the coast to Fearnmore a remote part of the loch, edging out to the sea.

Finally, head down to Applecross and get yourself a whiskey or a nice cup of hot chocolate at the Applecross Inn – you deserve it.

In the surrounding area, you can take part in things like kayaking, gorge walking, hiking, visiting the beaches, and photography tours.

Where to stay in Applecross: There are a few nice places to stay in Applecross . For me personally, I like the Inn as it has everything you want – food, drink, cute rooms, and it’s right in the centre of the village however they were fully booked when we went, so we stayed nearby in the Hartfield House Hostel . It was a little bit spooky as we were the only people there – literally, there wasn’t even any staff, but in high season I’m sure it would be great!

Day 7: Applecross to Inverness, Edinburgh or the Hebrides

Bealach na Bà

This was one of my highlights.

Leaving Applecross, we drove across Bealach na Bà , one of the highest roads in the UK. The top was covered in snow which gave us a great opportunity to take lots of snow pictures! We rarely get snow where I live in North West England, so this was a real treat for me. Brenna’s from Canada, and she loved it too.

Just be aware that they advise some campervans not to travel this road and it may be closed in bad weather – but you can go around it.

Leaving Applecross, head towards Lochcarron, which makes a nice photo stop whichever which way you are headed after that.

Then from there, you have a few choices as to which way to go to finish your trip. The traditional start and endpoint is Inverness. But, if you hired your car elsewhere, like Edinburgh, as we did, you can head back that way.

Or, if you want to make your trip super epic, you could head towards the Inner or Outer Hebrides. You can read my full Outer Hebrides itinerary here.

And if you were really making a tour of the UK’s most dramatic, untouched scenery, you could continue down to England’s beautiful Lake District region , which sits in the north, just below Scotland.

Have a look at the options below! Whichever you choose, there are lots to see and do on the way!

Option A: Inverness

Rogie Falls

The drive between Lochcarron and Inverness is super pretty, but particularly at Rogie Falls where you can walk across a small suspension bridge to get a good look at this natural phenomenon. There’s a nice, but short walk you can take from the car park.

Although a little bit out of the way, you could take a trip to the famous Eilean Donan Castle (see below) near to Lochcarron.

Inverness – End Point

Inverness has an airport which has regular flights to other parts of the UK, as well as Amsterdam.

Option B: Isle of Skye

Eilean Donan Castle

Stop at the gorgeous Eilean Donan Castle, which was used as one of the filming locations for the James Bond film, Skyfall and even better, Made of Honour (love that film… Patrick Dempsey, swoon). This is a very popular stop, so don’t be alarmed by all the tourists – you’re not on the NC500 now!

Isle of Skye

When you get the weather (which we didn’t), the Isle of Skye is a great place to visit and also a good place to start exploring both the Inner and Outer Hebrides. The capital Portree was also used as a main filming location for the film Made of Honour.

I’ll need to go back again and hopefully write about the Isle of Skye in the future.

Option C: Loch Lomond, Glasgow, or Edinburgh

Alternatively, you can head back towards Glasgow or Edinburgh where you can spend a final night or catch your transport home. As we’d hired a car in Edinburgh, that’s where we went – but it is a pretty long drive.

Again, you should make a stop at Eilean Donan Castle as you drive through!

Ben Nevis/Fort William

Ever wanted to climb the UK’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis? fancy a bit of skiing (in season)? Then now’s your chance as you’ll be passing through. To climb Ben Nevis takes around 7 hours up and down so give yourself enough time.

Another cool thing to do in the area is to take the Jacobite Train between Fort William and Malaig, near Skye – aka the ‘Harry Potter’ train which was used to film and I would assume, the inspiration too.

Following the A82, you’ll drive right through Glencoe and to see the most famous view, you don’t even have to leave the main road.

There are a number of free car parks where you can pull over and take some fabulous photos of the Three Sisters, Beinn Fhada, Gearr Aonach, and Aonach Dubh.

The weather was TERRIBLE when we drove through so I didn’t get many photos, but on a clear day, it’s stunning!

Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is on the way back to Glasgow and Edinburgh, in case you fancy extending your trip for another night or two.

The village of Luss makes for a lovely stop and Loch Lomond is also part of the West Highland Way , one of Scotland’s best-loved hikes (which I’m hoping to do very soon).

Option D: Oban & the Inner or Outer Hebrides

Alternatively, you can travel down to Oban. From Oban you can catch the ferry to the islands of Mull, Coll, Colonsay, Islay, and Tiree in the Inner Hebrides, Barra and South Uist in the Outer Hebrides (I started my Outer Hebrides road trip from Oban), as well as Kennacraig and Mallaig on the mainland.

This route also passes Eilean Donan Castle, Ben Nevis/Fort William, and Glencoe.

So there you go, my full North Coast 500 route! Writing this has made me want to go back so much. I’ve already started planning another trip for next year…

I hope this North Coast 500 Route Planner helps you create your own awesome itinerary. Any more tips or must-see places? Add them in the comments below!

Pin This Post For Later

Scotland’s North Coast 500 Route Planner, Map & 1-Week Itinerary

I love to travel all over the world, but it's Africa that holds a special place in my heart. My mission is to help people travel Africa in an authentic, safe, fun, adventurous and ethical way.

Climbing Kilimanjaro: The Ultimate Kilimanjaro Packing List

Climbing to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, which has an altitude of 5,895 m (19,341 ft) above sea level,…

Come With Me to Botswana & Victoria Falls!

I’m so excited to announce that the Rock My Botswana & Victoria Falls Adventure is back for 2022 – and…

Highlights of the Rock My Botswana & Victoria Falls Adventure (August 2019)

Welcome to the Rock My Botswana & Victoria Falls Adventure – August 2019 photo diary! This was no ordinary adventure,…

Best Festival Clothing Websites (plus Make Up and Accessories)

Here are some of my favourite places to buy my festival wear including clothing, makeup, and accessories!

The 25 Best Places in Africa for Solo Travellers

Solo travel in Africa is an incredibly rewarding and awesome experience, but it’s always a bit daunting when you are…

Where to Find Great Food in Sri Lanka

I’ve already talked about how much I loved the food in Sri Lanka, so I thought I’d tell you about…

12 Comments

Wow thanks so much. I stumbled across this. It’s on my bucket list and now I’ve got some guidelines thank you

Great – glad you enjoyed it!!! It’s an awesome road trip!!

Loved reading through your nc500 post, I’ve done the route once in 2019 and missed out on a few things, post lockdown in June July 2021 I’m making a return trip in my trusty old 206 , a braai and a tent. … (Same car did me a road trip to Prague same year.

That sounds great Mick! Hope you enjoy it! I’d love to do it again myself someday!

Hi there, we are planning to do the A500 in June this year. Your information has been extremely helpful, thank you. But wondering if we could get a larger copy of the Map from somewhere because its printed so small we can hardly read it! Many thanks

Thanks for reading!

If you click on the map link I have in the post, you can zoom in and enlarge it at the top. If you want a bigger paper copy, you can ask a printer as they will be able to print it out on A3/A2 for you – when you print on A4 it will always be too small as there’s so much info.

Alternatively, you can buy the map from the official North Coast 500 website I think or there are some on Amazon!

Hope that helps!

Really helpful for planning my five-night trip in a motorhome this October – thanks.

(Just one small point: Eilean Donan castle isn’t near Glasgow! I think you meant it’s near Skye?)

Glad you found it useful.

Thanks, yes I meant near Skye. Have amended it! 🙂

I’m so glad I stumbled across your post! My WTB and I ate planning on doing part of the NC500 for our mini-moon after our wedding in September. I’ve already ordered the official map but You’ve given us plenty to think about and research in the meantime!

Thank you so much, I am doing this in the Summer and found this so helpful

Glad you enjoyed it!!!

Ty so much. I am a Scot living in Scotland and never tire of our beautiful country! Looking forward to the NC500 myself this year its been on hold a long time. Your travel blog was a great read and plenty tips I will use. Ty again!!

Keep up the new career x

Privacy Overview

Best Scotland road trip itinerary (10, 14 & 18 day options)

By: Author Tracy Collins

Posted on Last updated: September 9, 2023

Planning a Scottish road trip? Our detailed Scotland road trip itinerary includes many of the most popular destinations, scenic routes , landmarks and sights when touring Scotland . Over 18 days explore cities, Highlands, islands and part of the popular North Coast 500 route. Options to reduce to a 10 day or 14 day Scotland road trip itinerary are also included.

As road trips go one destination you are sure of an epic road trip is Scotland! In this article, we have shared our own epic Scotland road trip itinerary which includes some of our favourite destinations across the country.

The itinerary starts and ends in Edinburgh and includes our recommended route, highlights to see every day plus where to stay and travel tips along the way.

If you are planning to visit Scotland our ultimate Scottish road trip itinerary is an off-the-peg plan which means you can use as-is or if you prefer simply adapt it to suit your own interests and needs. Although planned for 18 days it is possible to shorten the itinerary to 10 days, 14 days or whatever length you require.

If you are planning to hire a car in the UK we recommend reading our practical guide to car rental (and driving in the UK) which has essential information, tips and points to consider.

Prefer to travel by train? Check out our best of Scotland by rail itinerary ! Everything you need to know to plan your Scotland rail adventure.

Beautiful scenic drives like in this image are in our Scotland road trip itinerary.

📝 What to see in Edinburgh

🏨 where to stay in edinburgh, 🚗 day 4 – edinburgh to callander (via the kelpies and stirling), 🏞 day 5 – day trip to killin & pitlochry, 🚗 day 6 – callandar to oban via the trossachs and loch lomond, ⛴ day 7 – tour to mull, iona and staffa (day trip), 🚙 alternative itinerary for those prone to seasickness, 🚗 day 8 – oban to fort william, 🚂 day 9 – the jacobite, ⛴ day 10 – fort william to skye via mallaig, 🏞 days 11/12/13 – exploring skye, day 13/14 – ullapool (1 night), day 14/15 – durness & tongue (1 night), day 15/16 – orkneys (1 night), 🚗 day 17 – inverness, day 18 – edinburgh, where to next, what is the best road trip in scotland, how long is a road trip around scotland, how many days do you need to tour scotland, plan your trip to scotland, scotland road trip map & itinerary – overview.

Click for our Scotland road trip map (Google maps)

SCOTLAND ITINERARY AND ROAD TRIP ROUTE

Days 1/2/3/4 – Edinburgh
Days 4/5/6- Callander
Days 6/7/8 – Oban & Islands
Days 8/9/10 – Fort William
Days 10/11/12/13 – Isle of Skye
Days 13/14 – Ullapool (North Coast 500)
Days 14/15 – Durness/Tongue/Skail (North Coast 500)
Days 15/16 – Orkney
Days 16/17/18 – Inverness

Days 1, 2, 3 & 4 – Edinburgh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 (3 nights)

On Day 1 arrive in the capital city of Scotland, Edinburgh, via train. If you are staying in London and plan to take a road trip around Scotland it is quick and easy to take the train between the two capitals. Read more about how to get from London to Edinburgh .

👍 Good to know – Journey time is around 4½ to 5 hours so if you leave London at 9 am you should get into Edinburgh at around 1 pm – 1.30 pm which is the perfect time to head to your accommodation to check-in.

Arriving in Edinburgh early afternoon leaves a decent amount of the day for sightseeing, particularly in summer. Day 2/3 days to explore Edinburgh. Below are the main highlights we recommend including in your itinerary.

Read our guide to things to do in Edinburgh which also includes suggested itinerary ideas.

✅ The Edinburgh hop-on hop-off bus stops at the main attractions and landmarks and is a great way to get around the city – book your tickets here .

✅ If your itinerary includes visiting Edinburgh Castle, the Royal Yacht Britannia and the Palace of Holyroodhouse we recommend purchasing a city card that includes entry to all 3 royal attractions plus the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour for 48 hours. (Note that Holyroodhouse is closed Tues/Wed).

Edinburgh Castle – Tour and skip-the-line ticket
Palace of Holyroodhouse (The Palace of Holyroodhouse is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) – Buy your ticket here
The Royal Mile – start at the Castle and walk down to Holyroodhouse
Scott Monument
The Real Mary King’s Close and Underground Vaults Tour – One of the most haunted places on earth apparently! 👻

It is popular to climb Arthur's Seat for views over the city of Edinburgh.

£ – Elder York Guest House – This is our choice of accommodation whenever we stay in Edinburgh – excellent breakfast, near the train station and nice rooms. * Note there are stairs to the accommodation so this is not suitable if you have any mobility issues.
££ – Ibis Syles Edinburgh St Andrews Square – With 24-hour reception, a bar and restaurant and free WiFi.
£££ – The Balmoral Hotel – Edinburgh’s most famous luxury hotel offers guests a Michelin-starred restaurant, a pool and a gym.
£££ – The Witchery – Lavishly furnished suites display gothic touches and 4-poster beds. Ideal location near Edinburgh Castle.

⭐️ Find more accommodation options in our guide to where to stay in Edinburgh

Days 4/5/6 – Callander (2 nights)

On day 4 travel from Edinburgh to Callandar. We recommend picking up your hire car at the point you are ready to leave the city to avoid any unnecessary parking expenses (or difficulties)

Car hire options in Edinburgh include picking up at Waverley Train Station or Edinburgh Airport.
The drive from the centre of Edinburgh to Callander takes just over 1 hour. Distance is 52 miles (83 km) via the M9. This route will take you past Falkirk and Stirling.
The Kelpies
The Falkirk Wheel
Bannockburn
National Wallace Monument
Stirling Castle

🚗 Logistics

Distance – 22 miles (35 km)
Journey time – 35 mins
Distance – 23 miles (36 km)
Journey time – 38 mins (stop off to admire the views)
Distance – 15 miles (24 km)
Journey time – 25 mins
Distance – 68 miles (109 km)
Journey time – 1 hour 44 mins

⭐️ Highlights of the day

Falls of Dochart
Drive along the banks of Loch Tay
The scenic beauty and picturesque views (don’t forget to charge your phone, pack memory cards for your cameras etc!)
Blair Athol distillery
Pitlochry Dam and Fish Ladder walk
Afternoon tea at Crieff Hydro Hotel (Beautiful views)

Good to know – Highland cows can be seen in a field on the right-hand side of the road as you drive north out of Callendar .

🏨 Where to stay in Callander

£ – Callander Hostel
££ – Highland Guest House
£££ – Roman Camp Country House Hotel

🏞 Day 6/7/8 – Oban (2 nights)

Day 6 is a day spent exploring the Trossachs National Park, Loch Lomond National Park and Loch Katrine (Callander is located on the edge of the park) before heading for 2 nights in Oban.

Take a picnic and enjoy the views and scent of the forests. Head to the village of Balloch (a 45-minute drive from Callander) for a boat trip across Loch Lomond.

Oban is a 1 hour 45 mins drive from Balloch where you will check into your accommodation for the next 2 nights. If you wish to visit one of Scotland’s most beautiful castles at Inveraray it is possible to take a slightly different route via A83 and A819 which only adds around 10 minutes to the journey time.

Mileage Callander to Balloch is 28 miles (45 km)
Mileage from Balloch to Oban is 74 miles (119 km) on the A82
The mileage from Balloch to Oban via Inverary Castle on the A83 is 77 miles (125 km).
Loch Lomond (the Queen of Scottish lochs)
Loch Katrine
Scenic views
Boat trip across Loch Lomond from Balloch ( Island Discovery 2-Hour Cruise )
Inverary Castle

🏨 Where to stay in Oban

£ – Oban Youth Hostel
££ – Greencourt Guest House
££ £ – No.26 By The Sea

Day 7 drive from your accommodation in Oban to join the 3 Isles tour of Mull, Iona and Staffa . This is an all-day tour departing from Oban at 9:55 and returning at 20:05.

Notes – If you are prone to seasickness this may not be for you as the trip from Mull to Staffa and then Staffa to Iona is in a small boat. There are no toilets on Staffa.

Ferry to Mull and road trip of the island
Duart Castle
Iona and Iona Abbey
Boat trip to the Isle of Staffa to see Fingal’s Cave

If one or more of your party decides they don’t want to do the day trip to the islands there is an alternative. As Doug gets seasick this is what he did when I was over exploring the islands.

Drive up the coast road A828 towards Ballachulish / Glencoe. This is an alternative route to the way you will drive to Glen Coe on day 8 but is an equally pretty drive.

Highlights along the way include

Dunstaffnage Castle
Castle Stalker
Port Appin (tiny port)

Days 8/9/10 – Fort William (2 nights)

Today we drive from Oban to Fort William via Rannock Moor and Glen Coe on the A82. In our view, the drive through Glen Coe is one of the most spectacular drives in Scotland (if not the world) Rannock Moor is a barren and rugged landscape and is one of the most remote places in Britain.

Stop at the Rannock Moor viewpoint and enjoy the views over this incredible place.

Read – Fort William Travel Guide & Ultimate Guide to things to do in Fort William

Distance – 83 miles (133 km)
Journey time – 2 hours (but do plan to stop off and enjoy the views along the way)
Rannock Moor Viewpoint at the Bridge or Orchy
Glen Etive (James Bond Skyfall drive)
Three sister’s car park
Buachaille Etive Mòr car park
Views of Ben Nevis (the UK’s highest peak)

Tip – Stop off at the Green Welly shop located between Tyndrum and Crianlarich.

🏨 Where to stay in Fort William

£ – Garrison Cells
££ – The Garrison
£££ – Victoria House B&B

Read – Area and accommodation guide for Fort William

🚂 Logistics

Riding the Harry Potter train (or the Jacobite to give it its muggle name) is every Harry Potter fan’s dream and is one of the most popular train journeys in the UK.

Read – How to ride the Harry Potter train in Scotland

⭐️ Highlights of the day 🪄

Riding the train across the Glenfinnan Viaduct
Observing the train from the Glenfinnan viewpoint crossing the viaduct later in the day
Glenfinnan Church
Neptune’s Staircase
Read – Things to do in Fort William

Day 10/11/12/13 – Isle of Skye (3 nights)

Drive from Fort William to Mallaig which takes around 1 hour. Distance 43 miles (69 km) via A830. Cross over from Mallaig to Armadale on Skye via the CalMac ferry.

The ferry takes 30 mins. There are a number of departures per day. Book asap as this is a very popular route.

On arrival at Armadale, you will head to your accommodation. We recommend staying around Portree and exploring the island from there as your base.

Drive time from Armadale to Portree is around 1 hour via the A851 and A87. Distance is 42 miles (62 km)

Scenic views on the drive from Fort William to Mallaig
Ferry crossing
Drive to Portree (depending on crossing time you can stop and enjoy the scenery along the way)

🏨 Where to stay in Skye

£ – Sonas, Dundans
££ – Loch Eyre House
£££ – Raasay House Hotel
Guide to where to stay in Skye (areas and accommodation)

You have 2 full days to explore the Isle of Skye.

Drive the western driving loop on Day 10 and the northern driving loop on Day 11.

Many of the roads in Skye are narrow single-file lanes and you will need to pay attention to other road users (and animals!) as you drive.

Tip – Make reservations at restaurants prior to arrival as they can be busy and you may struggle especially during the summer months. We recommend the Edinbane Inn.

⭐️ Highlights of each day included

Dunvegan Castle
Neist Point Lighthouse
Talisker Distillery
The Fairy Pools
Sligachan Old Bridge

Old Man of Storr
Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls
The Fairy Glen

Read – One-day itinerary for the Isle of Skye

Read – How to get to the Isle of Skye from Edinburgh

Check out from accommodation today and drive across the Skye bridge to the mainland and the Kyle of Lochalsh. The distance from Portree to the Kyle of Lochalsh via A87 is 50 mins – 34 miles/55 km.

The destination for this evening is Ullapool but there are a couple of places worth exploring along the way.

1. Plockton – 14 minutes from Kyle of Lochalsh (6 miles/ 10 km)

2. Eilean Donan Castle – Drive from Plockton to Eilean Donan Castle is around 20 minutes via A87. (11 miles/18 km)

Tip – Manuela’s Wee Bakery is only a few minutes drive from Eilean Donan and is a must-visit for a tasty snack!

The last leg of the journey today is from Eilean Donan Castle to Ullapool. This takes around 3 hours via Poolewe on the A890 and A832.

Distance is 120 miles (193 km) You are now driving the famous North Coast Scotland route.

Plockton – Beautiful village famously featured in the Hamish Macbeth TV series
Eilean Donan Castle – £10 admission charge for adults
Manuela’s Wee Bakery
Driving over the famous Bealach Na Ba road from Kishorn to Applecross!

🏨 Where to stay in Ullapool

£ – Dacama House
££ – Broomview Cottage B&B

First leg – Ullapool to Durness via Scourie on the A835, A894 and A838. Distance – 67 miles/109 km. Time – 1 hour 45 mins.
Second leg – Durness to Tongue on the A838 Distance – 29 miles/47 kms. Time – 1 hour

Accommodation for the night is in Skail (23 miles from Tongue) which adds another 30 mins to the day’s driving time but accommodation is available in Tongue too.

Plan longer for each leg due to stopping to enjoy scenic views, unscheduled delays such as traffic/wildlife/sheep and rest stops.

Clachtoll Beach
Clashnessie Beach
Golden Eagle Zipline

🏨 Where to stay in Durness or Tongue

£ – Wee Hoose Glamping Pod
££ – Farr Bay Inn
£££ – Altnaharra Hotel

Drive from your accommodation to catch the ferry from Gills Bay to Mainland Orkney. The journey takes around an hour and arrives at St Margaret’s Hope.

There is enough time to explore some of the main highlights of the island. Make sure to book tickets for popular places such as Skara Brae and Maeshowe.

Dunnet Head Lighthouse (the most northerly point of mainland Britain)
Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar
Maeshowe Chambered Cairn

Read – What to do and see on Mainland Orkney

Day 16/17/18 – Orkney to Inverness (2 nights) via John O’Groats

Catch the ferry from Orkney back to Gill’s Bay. Head south via John O’Groats to the last stop in the Scottish Highlands – the city of Inverness.

Journey time from John O’Groats is 2 hours 40 mins via A99 and A9
Distance from John O’Groats is 119 miles (192 km)

🏨 Where to stay in Inverness

£ – Alba B&B
££ – Heathmount Hotel
£££ – Bunchrew House Hotel

Read – Where to stay in Inverness (Area and accommodation guide)

Logistics of the day

Today is spent exploring the main sights and landmarks in and around Inverness. The itinerary for today includes visiting Culloden, the Clava Cairns, Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness.

Read – Day trips from Inverness

Culloden Battlefield
Loch Ness and cruise – there are a few companies that offer boat trips on Loch Ness or you can take a day tour from Inverness if you prefer
Castle Urquart

Today drive back to Edinburgh from Inverness to return the rental car. The drive time is dependent on the option you choose. The 3 options are

A9 3 hours – 156 miles (250 km)
A9/M9 3 hours 30 mins – 179 miles (288 km) This goes via Stirling
A93 4 hours – 171 miles (275 km) through the Cairngorms National Park and down via Perth to Edinburgh

If you have time we recommend option 3 through the Cairngorms as this is a beautifully scenic route.

Once back in Edinburgh you can connect with onward travel via the train station or airport.

For example, you could take the Caledonian Sleeper back to London which is a great way to get back to the UK capital and save time (as it is an overnight service) or you could take the train to York !

Frequently asked questions about planning a road trip in Scotland

The most famous road trip in Scotland is the North Coast 500 but there are many fantastic road trips in Scotland to choose from.

These include

South West Coast 300 – Through Dumfries & Galloway and southern Ayrshire.
North East 250 – Includes the Malt Whisky Trail, the Cairngorms National Park Aberdeen and the Moray Firth Coast
The Borders Historic Route

As you can see from the above road trips they can vary. Some of Scotland’s road trips can be as little as 90 miles (the Snow Roads Scenic Route in the Cairngorms) to 500 kms for the North Coast 500.

We recommend planning at least a week for your road trip – longer if you can! There is so much to see from historic castles to stunning coastlines, fishing villages, lochs and Munros, to islands and more!

Take your time – stop and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way!

Read more in our extensive guides to Scotland

Scotland Travel Guide
UK road trip planner
7 UK road trip itineraries
Guide to the different regions of Scotland
19 beautiful places to visit in Scotland
Guide to Scottish Islands
Books to read about Scotland (or best movies set in Scotland )
Best Outlander Tours in Scotland 2022

BEST OF BRITAIN BY TRAIN A4 Document 1 1

VisitScotland

Scotland's road trips, scotland's national tourist routes.

These spectacular driving routes are all scenic alternatives to the main roads, with a range of great attractions en route. View each route to learn more about the attractions you can visit.

Click on the icons to refine your results

out of 22 routes fit your search criteria.

68 miles (109 km)

Angus Coastal Route

Choose this route for – the cliffs and beaches of the east coast, wildlife spotting and historic attractions.

129 miles (208 km)

Argyll Coastal Route

Choose this route for – idyllic coastlines, ancient history and delicious seafood.

89 miles (143 km)

Borders Historic Route

Choose this route for – the scenic route from the Scottish border to Edinburgh, textile heritage and family attractions.

65 miles (104 km)

Clyde Sea Lochs Trail

Choose this route for - incredible coastal destinations, scenic trails and paths, and lots of fun walking, cycling and geocaching opportunities.

38 miles (61 km)

Clyde Valley Tourist Route

Choose this route for – lush valley scenery, fascinating heritage attractions, outdoor pursuits and family days out.

108 miles (174 km)

Deeside Tourist Route

Choose this route for – views of the stunning Cairngorms National Park, castles and Royal connections.

77 miles (124 km)

Fife Coastal Route

Choose this route for – stunning coastal views, charming traditional fishing villages and rich history.

43 miles (69 km)

Forth Valley Tourist Route

Choose this route for – World Heritage Sites, feats of engineering and royal connections.

92 miles (148 km)

Galloway Tourist Route

Choose this route for – the rolling Galloway Forest Park, fun-filled activities and Robert Burns attractions.

116 miles (187 km)

Highland Tourist Route

Choose this route for – spectacular castles, the beautiful Cairngorms National Park and a captivating, and sometimes bloody history.

80 miles (128 km)

Moray Firth Route

Choose this route for – wild Highland scenery, refreshing walks and local food and drink.

500 miles (805 km)

North Coast 500

Choose this route for – 500 miles of unspoilt Highland coastline, ancient castles, watersports and glistening sandy beaches.

250 miles (402 km)

North East 250

Choose this route for - 250 miles of outstanding coastline, magnificent castles, spectacular mountain landscapes and a wealth of fascinating history to explore.

158 miles (254 km)

North and West Highlands

Choose this route for – the stunning scenery of the North West Highlands Geopark, local arts and crafts, and picture-perfect coastal walks.

Perthshire Tourist Route

Choose this route for – the rugged landscapes of the Sma' Glen, whisky distilleries and outdoor activities.

90 miles (144 km)

Choose this route - to explore the 90 miles of the SnowRoads, discover wild landscapes and uncover the tales and hidden treasures of this untouched area.

300 miles (482 km)

South West Coastal 300

Choose this route for - the quaint towns and villages, miles of stunning coastline, and incredible natural beauty.

138 miles (222 km)

The Coig - The Shire

Choose this route for - over 100 miles of history, culture and coast across North, East and South Ayrshire. It is one of five routes to make up The Coig.

55 miles (88 km)

The Coig - The Shiel

Choose this route for - seaside towns, country parks and lots of activities across North Ayrshire, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde. It is one of five routes to make up The Coig.

70 miles (112 km)

The Coig - The Arran

Choose this route for - stunning island views, outdoor adventures, history and unique food and drink. It is one of the five routes to make up The Coig.

22 miles (35 km)

The Coig - The Bute

Choose this route for - hidden gems and a magical island experience. It is one of the five routes to make up The Coig.

10 miles (16 km)

The Coig - The Cumbrae

Choose this route for - a small island adventure packed with unforgettable sights and experiences. It is one of five routes to make up The Coig.

Loading Routes

VisitScotland

Scotland's road trips, south west coastal 300.

The South West Coastal 300 offers a true breath of fresh air, taking in miles of beautiful coastline along quiet country roads, with hidden gems and stunning scenery along every curve of the tarmac. Sheltered sandy bays, rocky stretches and charming coastal towns can all be found on this road trip. The circular route follows roads along the coast of Dumfries & Galloway and into southern Ayrshire, an area which takes in part of a UNESCO Biosphere - Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere - and one of Scotland’s forest parks – the Galloway Forest Park . It’s the perfect way to discover the unique character of the south west of Scotland, with many places to stop and uncover fascinating heritage, stunning natural beauty and unique experiences.

Sweetheart Abbey

Explore incredible, ancient history dating back to the late 13th century.

Kirkcudbright Galleries

Enjoy special artworks and displays in Kirkcudbright’s historic town hall.

The Whithorn Story

Learn all about the priory and the pilgrims who travelled here to honour St Ninian.

Mull of Galloway Lighthouse

Climb the 115 steps of Scotland’s most southerly lighthouse for incredible views out to sea.

Logan Botanic Garden

Uncover the marvellous collection of unusual, beautiful and exotic plants that the family will love.

Culzean Castle

One of the most majestic and beautiful castles in Scotland surrounded by beaches, woods and trails.

Crawick Multiverse

Explore this striking new land art that transformed a former coal mine into an incredible outdoor attraction.

Grey Mare’s Tail Nature Reserve

One of the UK’s highest waterfalls, come along to see how this landmark got its unusual name.

Moat Brae – Birthplace of Peter Pan

Visit this restored Georgian house and garden and discover how it inspired one of the most treasured children’s stories.

Begin route

See all routes

THE ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP TO THE HEART OF SCOTLAND

Experience a journey of stunning scenic contrasts and explore the rich heritage and culture of the heart of scotland – all in one amazing route..

The North East 250 explores everything for which Scotland is famous in a unique Scottish road trip taking you through the whisky distilleries of Speyside, the spectacular mountain passes of the Cairngorms National Park, the famous castles of Royal Deeside, the Granite City of Aberdeen, the rugged North Sea coastline to the east, and the picturesque seaside villages of the Moray Firth Coast..

Scotland Best Road Trip, Welcome to the North East 250

Moray Firth Coast

Royal Deeside

SO MANY THINGS TO SEE AND DO

Restaurants with harbour views, world famous whisky distilleries that will give you a tour and a free dram, ancient castles that form the backdrop of a Hollywood movie and secluded beaches where you can watch the Northern Lights shimmer. The North East of Scotland is an unforgettable destination.

Where to Stay

What to eat, art and culture, outdoor and adventure, history and heritage, organised tours, north east 250 blog.

What to see, where to go, and what to do when you get here.

Spring in Speyside

The North East 250 is beautiful all year round. Even in the depths of winter, where days are short and the weather makes you long for a warm fire and a smooth dram, there is breathtaking beauty to be ...

Winter Walks on the NE250

It’s chilly and some may say the best time of the year. We love to embrace the winter walks with the family, this year it seems more accessible for us to do this with our families. The NE250 off...

Experience water wellness on the North East 250

The North Coast 500 is known as Scotland’s answer to America’s 66. But what about the North East 250? Just as exciting as its infamous sibling: the North East 250 is the perfect choice for...

Our Partners

Ballindalloch Castle and Gardens

The Glenlivet

Our supporters.

Don't have an account? Want to create?

Have an account? Log in?

Password reset link will be sent to your email

Skip to primary navigation
Skip to main content
Skip to primary sidebar
Skip to footer

TravelAwaits

Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list.

6 Gorgeous Scenic Drives To Experience In Scotland

Destinations
United Kingdom

To be fair, there aren’t many areas in Scotland where you won’t find incredibly scenic drives. The country is just full of them. Even some of the cities are surrounded by dramatic hills and rolling greenery, lochs, and castles. The small towns and villages are picturesque and sleepy and the coastal roads are rugged with soft sand beaches that are virtually empty.

You can drive by ancient forests and fairy tale manor houses and take a car ferry over to the islands for an experience in remoteness where the roads are yours alone. Scotland is one of the most tranquil, beautiful, and relaxing places I’ve ever driven. To get you started on where to take a leisurely drive, here are 6 gorgeous scenic drives to experience in Scotland.

The Forth Road Bridge and Forth Rail Bridge outside of Edinburgh

1. Edinburgh To St Andrews

Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015, you can start your drive after the Forth Road Bridge — a pedestrian and public transport-only bridge crossing the Firth of Forth. Then drive up north to East Neuk , which is the coastal area of Fife. Neuk means “nook” or corner, and it’s the perfect word to describe this seaside area, with its pretty fishing villages and beautiful coastline.

Stop off in Anstruther for the best fish and chips in this part of Scotland. The road then takes you all the way up to St Andrews, a town famous for golf and the stunning ruins of St Andrews Castle. The beaches in Fife are long and sandy, and in some of the villages, you’ll have them all to yourself.

Perfect For Golf Lovers

This drive is ideal for fans of quiet windswept coasts. It’s also perfect for golf lovers as you end in one of Scotland’s most famous golf towns.

Length Of Drive: The drive will take you 2 hours from start to finish, though you may want to stop off a few times to enjoy the views.

2. North Coast 500

The north coast and highlands.

If you want a longer drive that covers a wider area and shows you what Scotland really has to offer, the North Coast 500 is an 805-kilometer drive across some of Scotland’s most stunning landscapes. It’s a round trip, starting and ending in Inverness, that takes in the best of the Highlands. Head towards Skye and drive through the North West Highlands, and all the way to John O’Groats , Scotland’s most northerly town.

The drive doesn’t include the Isle of Skye, but a detour to the island will certainly be a good addition. From John O’Groats, you’ll drive back down to Inverness. The route is well signposted, but be aware that in places the roads do get narrow, so care needs to be taken for oncoming traffic.

Perfect For Adventurers

This drive is ideal for anyone with a real sense of adventure and discovery and anyone who loves a good long road trip. This is a week-long trip, so you’ve got to love driving too!

Length Of Drive: It’s a long way, and this drive can usually be done in 4 to 5 days. If you want to stop off at Skye, or anywhere else on route, give yourself 7 days and you can enjoy a leisurely drive with plenty of stop-offs and overnight stays.

3. Argyll Coastal Route

Lower western scotland.

Your drive for this route starts at Loch Lomond, just north of Glasgow, which takes in the Trossachs National Park. This is a beautiful place to spend some time before you set off. From there you’ll travel up the west coast, where it’s possible to take a little detour over to the islands of Iona and Staffa.

The drive then takes you through Inverary, where there’s a historic castle and Inverary Jail , which is now open to guided tours. You’ll then travel all the way up to Fort William, where the rugged mountain range begins, including Ben Nevis , the highest mountain in Scotland. If you fancy a walk amongst the mountains, or you’re an experienced climber, this is the ideal place to end the trip.

Perfect For Hikers

The west of Scotland is very different from the east; it’s more rugged and wilder, so this drive is perfect for anyone who likes craggy landscapes, climbing, and exploring small islands.

Length Of Drive: The route takes 4 and a half hours to drive, but longer if you stop off a few times, and much longer if you take a trip over to the islands.

The border road between Scotland and England

4. Borders Historic Route

Southern scotland.

This scenic drive takes you from the Scottish border with England right up to the city of Edinburgh. Start in Carlisle and drive up the road to Gretna Green . Gretna Green is famous for being the place elopers and those wishing to marry in secret would go. You can still get married there, or you can take a look around the museum.

As you skirt the Northumberland National Park, you’ll stick to the Scottish side of the border and head up to Scott’s View. This is where Sir Walter Scott loved to sit and write, due to the incredible views over the land. Before you reach Edinburgh you’ll come across the Dalkeith Country Park , where you can stop for a walk around. There are 100 acres to roam around, so put aside some time. You’ll finish the trip in Edinburgh, where there’s enough to keep you busy for days.

The road at the border from England to Scotland

Perfect For Culture Lovers

Fans of culture and history will love this drive, as it takes you to some interesting and culturally significant spots and ends in the historic city of Edinburgh.

Length Of Drive: This drive takes just over 3 hours to complete, and a little longer if you make stops along the way.

5. Stornoway To Seilebost

Outer hebrides.

If you want to explore a little further than mainland Scotland, take the car ferry over to Stornoway, the capital of the Isle of Lewis and the Isle of Harris , for the start of a very special scenic drive. The Outer Hebrides feel like a different world, far away from the busy cities and lively towns and villages of the mainland. These are small and remote islands with few people and a quiet and slow pace of life.

As you drive out of Stornoway, you can take the A859 and drive down through Lewis and then onto Harris. You’ll take in the most beautiful landscape of unspoiled beauty as you explore these islands. Stop off at the Isle of Harris Distillery where you can learn how they make their whisky. The drive ends in Seilebost, where the coastline opens up to the sea and the soft sands of Luskentyre will make you never want to leave.

Perfect For Solitude

This drive is ideal for anyone who wants to truly get away from it all. These islands make you feel like you’ve really jumped ship to another place; it’s so quietly beautiful.

Length Of Drive: The drive will take around 1 hour and 10 minutes, not including your ferry ride over to Stornoway.

6. Highlands Tourist Route

Northeast scotland.

Starting in the coastal city of Aberdeen, this highland route takes you west to Pitfichie Forest where you can see Craigievar Castle , a fairy tale pink castle that is said to have inspired Walt Disney to create his Cinderella castle. The castle opens to visitors from January till September. From here you’ll drive through the Cairngorms, a stunning area of national parkland. Climbers love it here, so if you feel like a climb or even just a good hike, this is a great place to make a stop.

Cawdor Castle awaits you next, also with a famous connection, but this time for being in Shakespeare’s Macbeth . The last stop before you reach the end of the route in Inverness is Culloden Battlefield . This was the site of the 1746 battle between the Scottish and the English. This is much more than just a field and includes a museum, café, and shop.

Perfect For Historic Finds

This is definitely a drive for history fans. With castles with historical connections and a historic battlefield en route, anyone with a passing interest in the past will love this one.

Length Of Drive: The drive takes 4 hours and 15 minutes total driving time, but with so many interesting stops along the way, it’s bound to take longer.

Scotland Road Trip: 8 Incredible Routes for an Epic Trip

This post may contain affiliate links, from which we earn an income.

The Best Scottish Road Trips

Scotland is a place made for road trips. Sweeping roads wind their way through dramatic and moody landscapes, past historic castles, gentle lochs, and wild seas. Ancient myths and rich history thread through Scotland’s fabric, making the country a wonderfully diverse and fascinating place to visit.

A road trip in Scotland showcases the dramatic landscapes, historic cities, lochs and glens, and beautiful coastlines, like no other way to travel does.

As you road trip through Scotland, you’ll find yourself stopping regularly for Insta-worthy images, and along the way, you’ll find fantastic adventures to try like hiking Munroes, wild swimming in Scotland’s lochs and seas, exploring Scotland’s turbulent history, and spotting amazing wildlife.

In this Scotland travel guide, you’ll find a round-up of all the best road trips in Scotland, with Scotland travel tips and information to help you plan and prepare. Come with us as we share eight unmissable Scotland road trip itineraries and highlights.

Scotland Road Trip Map

Is this your first time visiting Scotland and the UK? Get all the information you need in our United Kingdom Travel Guide , including what to pack, the best time of year to go, getting there, and practical tips to help you have the best trip!

Scotland’s Top Eight Road Trips

Whether you’re driving in Scotland in a car, motorhome , campervan, or riding a motorbike, our Scotland roadtrip itineraries give you a basic route to follow and highlights to visit.

The highlights for each Scotland driving route can be followed with the map – they are in the order in which you travel. Scotland is packed full of bucket-list things to do along these routes and it will help to use a navigational app to explore each area in more detail.

Whether you’re planning a quick 7 day Scotland road trip itinerary, or have extra time for a leisurely ramble around several of these routes, there’s a Scottish road trip here for you!

The North Coast 500

Inverness – wick – john o ‘groats – thurso – durness – lochinver – ullapool – gairloch – applecross – inverness.

Distance: 516 miles
Duration: 10-14 days
Drive Time: 15 hours

Scottish Highlands Road Trip Itinerary and Map

Considered by many to be one of the best road trips in Scotland , the North Coast 500 really is the ultimate Scottish Highlands road trip, taking in windswept beaches, ancient ruins, beautiful views, and historic castles in stunning landscapes.

The Highland Tourist Route is one of the few road trips in Europe that is as much about the destination as the drive, Scotland’s very own Route 66. If you don’t have much time, it is possible to do the NC500 in seven days, but there wouldn’t be much opportunity to stop and explore the deep and closely held history and raw nature of this visceral place.

This Scotland Highlands road trip itinerary could be a 10 day Scotland road trip, but 14, or even 21 days gives you plenty of time to fully appreciate this special part of the country.

You can tackle this Scottish highlands itinerary either way by starting from Inverness. Our itinerary assumes you will head north up the east coast. Check your map regularly for Scottish attractions, natural wonders, glorious beaches, and historic points of interest, some of which will require a detour from the route.

If you’re visiting in late autumn or winter, Applecross, Lochinver, and Ullapool are all top places to see the Northern Lights.

Top 16 Highlights

Spend your first day in Inverness, finding your feet and shopping for souvenirs. Highlights in the city center include Inverness Castle, the 19th century Inverness Cathedral, and the mostly 18th century Old High Church. There is also a popular indoor Victorian Market and the contemporary Inverness Museum and Art Gallery traces local and Highland history.
Follow the age-old tradition of hunting the famous Loch Ness monster. Hire a boat and head out onto the water with a picnic and camera. You might not see Nessie, but you’ll enjoy stunning scenery, clear air, and space to unwind in one of Scotland’s most beautiful places .
Visit the haunting battlefield of Culloden, the site of the final and bloody confrontation of the Jacobite rising and defeat of Charles Stuart’s army in 1745. You can learn more about this seminal time in the history of Scotland at the nearby Culloden Visitor Center .
Explore the dramatic 15th century ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, perched high on a cliff above the steely North Sea.
Love the challenge of bagging any of the 37 Munros (mountains over 914m) along the route. If they’re a little too high, try bagging one of the 43 Corbetts or 38 Grahams (mountains over 762m), or just enjoy viewing them from the winding roads.
Admire the lofty grace of Dunrobin Castle , the historic home of the Earls and Dukes of Sutherland, which dates from around 1275.
See the mysterious Hill O’Many Stanes, where 200 thin stones were laid out in a radiating pattern over 4,000 years ago …and no one really knows why.
Enjoy the sea air and a five mile hike from John o’Groats to Duncansby Head, the most north-easterly point on the British mainland, and continue along the spectacular coastal path to see the two dramatic pointed sea stacks.
Visit the Castle of Mey , which was restored by The Queen Mother when she bought it in 1952 and saved it from abandonment. A fascinating glimpse into a castle that served as a holiday retreat for the royal family, and with wonderful gardens, this is a truly beautiful place.
Explore the various and fascinating brochs on the route. The broch is an imposing stone tower and ancient dwelling, built as early as 500 BCE, found only in Scotland. Dunbeath Broch and Nybster Broch are both excellent examples and are close to the Caithness Broch Centre , where you can learn more.
Take (another) bracing walk in the wild and untamed landscape of Dunnet Head , the RSPB nature reserve and the most northerly point in mainland Britain. This is the perfect place to see puffins in this noisy sea-bird nature reserve, especially if you visit during the breeding season, from late spring to early summer.
Enjoy visiting and tastings at the whisky distilleries on the route, including Glenmorangie , famous for its single malt since 1843. You’ll find many more distilleries along the way, just one of the pleasures of touring the Scottish Highlands!
Visit the beautiful beaches, bays, and coves of the north coast, including the most north-westerly point, the raw and wild Cape Wrath (only accessible by ferry or minibus ) the Smoo Cave, a sea cave complete with its own waterfall, and Sandwood Bay (hike only, no vehicular access) for the incredible sight of the Am Buachaille sea stack, a remnant of when the Highlands and North America were connected, millions of years ago.
Go whale watching from Gairloch, you might also see dolphins, porpoises, and sharks, as well as seals, otters, puffins, and perhaps even the white-tailed eagle. The best time to see whales on the west coast of Scotland is from mid-June to late September.
Drive the legendary Applecross Pass, one of the best and highest roads in Scotland . Bealach na Bà is a narrow slip of a road, with hairpin sharp bends and steep gradients – not one for the faint-hearted, but absolutely worth it!
Take to the sea in a canoe, in one of the many lochs and inlets along the route. Enjoy a different perspective and get up close with the local wildlife

RELATED POST: North Coast 500 Route Planner + Highlights, Map & Tips

Kearvaig Bay on the North Coast 500 Scotland

2 Week Motorhome Itinerary Scotland

Let us do the planning for you and grab our Scotland motorhome itinerary, packed with campsites, off-grid spots, attractions, and insider tips.

Let us do the hard work for you! Get up every day knowing your trip is planned with driving routes, overnight stops, and attractions marked out for you on your interactive map.

The North East 250

Aberdeen – peterhead – fraserburgh – portsoy – spey bay – glenlivet – braemar – aberdeen.

Distance: 259 miles
Duration: 5-7 days
Drive Time: 7 hours

Scottish Highland road trip route and map

If you have just one week in Scotland , the North East 250 is the perfect 7 day self-drive tour of Scotland for lovers of coastlines, mountains, and whisky.

Designed to be joined from Aberdeen Airport, you can go clockwise or anti-clockwise and wend your way through the dramatic countryside and towns of Speyside, Royal Deeside, Cairngorms, the east coast, and the Moray Firth coast. This route also picks up most of the major attractions from the Deeside Tourist Route .

The most stunning bit of this route is the stretch from Tomintoul to Blairgowrie, which makes up a large part of the Snowroads scenic route . This stunning road through the eastern Cairngorms officially starts in Grantown-on-Spey, before traversing the highest public road in Britain, to Blairgowrie.

The Snowroads don’t need to be driven in a hurry. There are steep hills, blind summits, tight bends, and single-track roads with passing places – take extra care if you’re in a large motorhome.

This tourist route is fairly new, launched in 2017, and is not always signposted as such. As with all road trips, keep a close eye on whichever mapping and navigation tools you use to work out what’s on the route and what will require a little detour.

Our itinerary takes you north from Aberdeen towards Peterhead, but you can do the route whichever way you wish. If you had a few more days, you could also pick up the Perthshire Tourist Route from the most southerly point of the NE250 and continue south for a short but spectacular drive.

Top 10 Highlights

Admire the powerful architecture of the glittering city of Aberdeen and its rich maritime history.
Enjoy the whisky distilleries along the NE250 route including Tomintoul, Glenlivet, Royal Lochnagar, and Strathisla.
Partake in some dark tourism at the fascinating Peterhead Prison Museum , which was an operational prison until 2013.
Visit the truly brilliant Museum of Scottish Lighthouses at Fraserburgh, where you can tour Kinnaird Head Lighthouse, the very first lighthouse built on mainland Scotland in 1787.
Love the bracing air and dolphin spotting from the clifftops near Portknockie, where you can also see the iconic Bow Fiddle Rock, and sometimes the Northern Lights.
Enjoy Cullen Skink in Cullen! The thick Scottish soup made of smoked haddock, potatoes, and onions is a delicious local specialty.
Visit the stunning ruins of Elgin Cathedral . Built in 1224 and known as the ‘Lantern of the North’, it was one of the most spectacular medieval cathedrals in Scotland.
Drive through the magnificent Cairngorms National Park , home to deer, eagles, and atmospheric Corgarff Castle.
Enjoy some of the best outdoor activities Scotland has to offer, including white water sports, climbing, hiking, cycling, and much more.
Spend a day at the splendid royal Balmoral Castle , home to the nation’s former Queen Elizabeth II and now King Charles III and their family since 1852.

Bow Fiddle Rock on the NE250, one of the best driving tours of Scotland

Make sure you have travel insurance you can trust when visiting Scotland . We recommend True Traveller for their 5-star TrustPilot reviews, variety of cover options, best activities cover as standard, great prices, and excellent service.

The South West Coastal 300

Prestwick – ballantrae – cairngaan – isle of whithorn – kirkudbright – dumfries – lockerbie – moffat – dalmellington – prestwick.

Distance: 302 miles
Drive Time: 8 hours

The South West Coastal 300 is a one week Scotland road trip for nature lovers and history buffs. With stunning coastlines, lush forests that stretch over rolling hills, and dramatic moorlands, this quiet corner of Scotland will woo you until you fall in love with its gentle charms.

This is a well-located road trip in Scotland for those driving north from the rest of the UK and can be joined at Lockerbie, within a 20 minute drive of the Scottish border.

The route is also easily accessible from Glasgow Prestwick Airport, or from Glasgow International Airport if you fancy a few days in the cultural and welcoming city at the start or end of your visit to Scotland.

Our itinerary assumes you will travel south from Prestwick along the coast, but this route can be driven either way – at times it also crosses the Galloway Tourist Route which runs through the middle of Galloway Forest Park

Dip into Galloway Forest Park , the only Dark Sky Park in Scotland, and a top spot to see the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights.
Our favorite beach on this road trip, the small but perfectly formed Dunure Beach has dark sand and shingle with great rock pooling and stunning views of Ailsa Craig from the ragged ruins of Dunure Castle.
Admire the dramatic clifftop Culzean Castle , designed by Robert Adam in the late 18th century and full of treasures, opulence, and history.
Climb to the Robert Louis Stevenson-designed Mull of Galloway lighthouse , at the southernmost tip of Scotland on the wild Rhins of Galloway peninsula. Go at dusk for spectacular sunsets.
Visit the charming Isle of Whithorn (no longer an island) to see the ruins of the chapel built by St Ninian, who founded the first Christian church in Britain around AD390.
Spend a day in lively Kirkcudbright (pronounced kir–coo–bree) and follow the Arts and Crafts Trail. Home to generations of creatives, ‘the artist’s town’ has a flourishing community of painters and craftworkers. You might also hear bagpipes here as they have lots of parades.
Head for Kirkbean to walk on the vast empty expanse of Southerness beach, with breathtaking views across Solway Firth to the Lake District. Visit Southerness Lighthouse at the western end of the beach, one of the oldest in Scotland.
Find your inner child at Moat Brae , the inspiration for JM Barrie’s famous character, Peter Pan. The author lived in Dumfries from 1873 to 1878 and called the gardens ‘enchanted lands’.
Stop off in Moffat for a spot of hiking on the scenic Southern Upland Way or the most northerly point on the Annandale Way, both of which pass through this pretty and historic town.
Visit the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory at Dalmellington to use their powerful telescopes to observe the night skies – stargazing without light pollution is an incredible experience.

Culzean Castle, a must see on any Scotland driving holiday

Don’t forget your road trip essentials! Our free road trip checklists help you remember everything, including road trip snacks , podcasts and road trip songs for the journey!

The Argyll Coastal Route & Loch Ness

Glasgow – tarbet – inverary – lochgilphead – oban – glencoe – fort william – glenfinnan – inverness.

Distance: 263 miles
Duration: 7-10 days

Scottish road trip map showing some of the best roads to drive in Scotland

The official Argyll Coastal Route ends in Fort William, but we couldn’t leave you there, with the magnificent Glenfinnan to the west and the superb A82 to the east, waiting to take you to Inverness.

From sea shores, loch-sides, and mountain tops, the ultimate west coast of Scotland road trip is for seafood gourmets, sunset lovers, and those who want to get under the skin of Scotland and feel its turbulent history in the air and glens of the incredible landscapes.

Starting in Glasgow and finishing in Inverness allows you to make the most of this linear west coast Scotland route as you cross the Highland Boundary Fault and enjoy the gentle lowlands giving way to the dramatic and wild highlands.

Be intrigued by the gritty, yet cultured, Victorian city of Glasgow. Must-sees include medieval Glasgow Cathedral and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, for a dose of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the Scottish artist and designer.
Visit the viewpoint at An Ceann Mor , in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park , to get a sense of the sheer size and incredible beauty of Loch Lomond.
Enjoy fresh seafood at some of the best restaurants in Scotland along this route. Of particular note, the original Loch Fyne Oysters Ltd have been selling fresh oysters at the roadside since 1978 and you can now enjoy them in the bar or to take away from their delicatessen.
Stop off at Inveraray to visit the Inveraray Jail and Inveraray Castle , home to the Duke of Argyll and Chief of Clan Campbell.
Learn about Scotland and some of the Highland’s darkest hours at Auchindrain , a living museum and Scotland’s last inhabited Highland farming township before the Highland Clearances, which took place between 1750 to 1860.
Visit Kilmartin Museum to find out about the 800 cairns and monuments that dot the landscape of Kilmartin Glen and see fascinating 2,000-year-old artifacts from local archaeological digs. In the glen itself, you can enter some of the cairns, see carved gravestones, and reach the top of what remains of Dunadd Hill Fort , where the first kings of Scotland were inaugurated.
Spend a fantastic day wildlife watching from Easdale Island. With whale spotting trips, excursions to the Corryvreckan Whirlpool, and a tour of a local seal colony there’s lots to do, as well as keeping your eyes peeled for porpoises, dolphins, eagles, and otters along the way.
Oban Distillery is one of the smallest and oldest distilleries in Scotland and makes whisky that reflects the character of its coastal location – definitely worth a stop!
Stopping to take photographs of Castle Stalker , from the shores of Loch Linnhe. Located on a tidal island to the north of Port Appin, this iconic castle and its surroundings make for atmospheric and moody photographs.
Explore Glen Coe , the site of the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692, when members of the Campbell clan murdered members of the MacDonald clan on the orders of the English Crown. Or follow the Glen Coe Geotrail to learn more about the ancient volcanic history of this other-worldly place. Shaped by glaciers and fiery volcanic explosions millions of years ago, Glen Coe is a landscape full of natural wonders.
Spend some time in the Lochaber area , dominated by Ben Nevis and known as the outdoor capital of the UK. Activity lovers will be in their element here; you can mountain bike, hike, climb, abseil and enjoy all manner of water sports on the loch.
Be in awe of Neptune’s Staircase , the longest staircase lock flight in Scotland. This flight of eight locks on the Caledonian Canal is an amazing feat of engineering that raises the canal by 19m over 1/4 mile. It takes around 90 minutes for a boat to travel the locks. This is the perfect spot to practice your ‘gongoozaling’ – the activity of watching boats and activities on canals for pleasure!
Visit the magical Glenfinnan Viaduct . Made famous by the Harry Potter films, this railway viaduct has carried trains on the West Highland Line since 1897. Glenfinnan is also the spot in which Bonnie Prince Charlie called for the local clansmen to assemble in 1745, proclaiming the throne of Great Britain to be denounced and rightfully returned to his family, the Stuarts.
Head east and pick up the legendary A82 road. Around the Bridge of Orchy, you’ll drive a section of the infamous Skyfall road, from the Bond film of the same name, and one of the most dramatic and scenic drives in Scotland. Time for a photo opportunity!
Make a stop at the very pretty village of Fort Augustus, the gateway to Loch Ness and the most southerly tip of this famous body of water. It is also the point where the Caledonian Canal leaves Loch Ness, cutting through the small village on its way south.
Visit Urquhart Castle at Drumnadrochit, halfway up Loch Ness. Once one of Scotland’s largest castles, Urquhart saw much conflict during its 500 years as a medieval fortress, especially during the Wars of Independence.

Castle Stalker, a must see on any Scottish Highland tours

Other UK Travel Ideas

Atlantic Highway: An Epic Devon & Cornwall Road Trip

Belfast in A Day: Itinerary, Map & Tips

Causeway Coastal Route: The Best Road Trip In Ireland?

Cornwall Road Trip: The Best Itinerary, Map & Tips

North Coast 500 Route Planner + Itinerary, Map & Tips

Winter Destinations Europe: 23 Amazing Wintry Places

Road Trip England – 10 of the Best Routes

Europe Road Trip – 24 Incredible Routes

The Best One Day London Itinerary + Map, Guide & Tips

One Day Cardiff Itinerary – Map, Tips & Guide

motorhome driving on a road through green mountains in Wales

Motorhoming & Campervanning in Wales – Complete Guide

The Ultimate Guide to Motorhoming & Campervanning in Scotland

Wales Road Trip: The Best Route & Itinerary + Map

Motorhomers Choice – Top 10 Motorhome Campsites UK

A South England Road Trip to Dorset & The New Forest

UK Road Trip – 18 Unmissable Routes

Isle of skye, ardelve – broadford – portree – trotternish – duntulm – dunvegan – armadale – mallaig.

Distance: 276 miles
Duration: 3-5 days
Drive Time: 6 hours

Skye road tip map with some of the best scenic drives in Scotland

Surrounded by sparkling seas where towering cliffs defend the island from crashing waves, Skye is a real balm for the soul and one of the best places to visit in Scotland by car.

This road trip surely has to be one of the most picturesque in Scotland, with jagged mountains, heather-carpeted moors, and myths and legends aplenty. There are lots of things to do on Skye too, so expect to be busy on this road trip, even though it’s a short route!

You can drive to Skye from Inverness in around two and a half hours. From Glasgow, it will take five to six hours. Just getting to Skye is an incredible trip in its own right, maximise your time by flying into Inverness and out of Glasgow (or vice versa).

Check out the Argyll Coastal Route and North Coast 500 itinerary for ideas of what to do on the way to the Isle of Skye.

Use the Skye Bridge to cross Loch Alsh, or go over the sea to Skye the old-fashioned way and get a CalMac ferry from Mallaig . Our itinerary assumes you will drive from Inverness over the bridge and get the ferry back to the mainland, but you can follow the route in either direction.

Skye has to be one of the busiest places in Scotland in summer, so go out of season or head out of the main tourist areas of Portree, Trotternish, and Dunvegan to find solitude and space.

Top 11 Highlights

Not on Skye, but just a few miles before the Skye Bridge, is Eilean Donan Castle , one of Scotland’s most iconic images and one of the most photographed castles in the country. Situated on an island at the point where the three great sea lochs of Alsh, Duish, and Long meet, the striking castle is surrounded by magnificent scenery and is full of history.
The 2.3 mile hike up to the Old Man of Storr on the Trotternish peninsula is one of the must-dos on Syke. The ‘Old Man’ is a large spike of rock that stands high and can be seen for miles around. Created by an ancient landslide, the Storr is one of the most photographed places in Scotland.
Off the beaten track and much less known, but no lesser for it, is Rubha nam Brathairean (Brothers’ Point), a dramatic headland that marks the easternmost point of Trotternish. Not far from here, you’ll also find Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls – epic views that you can get to within a few minutes of walking from the free parking.
Visit The Quiraing for a great 4.5 mile hike with spectacular landscapes and beautiful views, or get a feel for this strangely named area from the car park.
The Fairy Glen is a curious rock formation just inland from Uig. Formed by an ancient landslide and shaped by glaciers over thousands of years, the Fairy Glen is best photographed from above to fully appreciate the weird and wonderful shapes of the landscape.
Visit Skye’s most famous historic building, Dunvegan Castle , the seat of the chief of Clan MacLeod. In a beautiful position at the edge of Loch Dunvegan, the castle gardens are a hidden oasis of beautiful plants.
Catch an amazing sunset from Neist Point , where there is also a lighthouse of the same name. The most westerly point on Skye, this beautiful spot also affords fantastic views of the Outer Hebrides.
Stop off at the world-famous Talisker Distillery for a tour that finishes with a wee dram of their peaty single malt.
Try a spot of wild swimming (we would advise a wet suit!) in the bracing Fairy Pools, beautiful crystal clear pools, and waterfalls at the foot of the Cuillin mountains, on the river Brittle. Take the 1.5 mile walk from the small parking lot to find this series of magical pools, formed 50-70 million years ago!
Take one of the most scenic Scotland roads from Broadford to the village of Elgol, for incredible views of the dark and brooding Cuillin mountains.
Get out on the water in a canoe or take a boat trip to get acquainted with local wildlife. You’re likely to see seals, dolphins, porpoises, and lots of different species of sea birds, as well as find hidden coves, cliff waterfalls, and sea caves.

RELATED POST: Why We Think These Are The Best Driving Roads in Europe

Isle of Skye, a wonderful driving tour of Scotland

Borders Historic Route

Edinburgh – dalkeith – galashiels – selkirk – hawick – langholm – gretna green.

Distance: 88 miles
Duration: 2-3 days
Drive Time: 3 hours

The Borders Tourist Route map, a great road trip to Scotland

This Scotland road trip from Edinburgh will take you through the lush and hilly countryside of the lowland Scottish Borders, through charming villages and small towns to famous Gretna Green, and the border with England.

Learn about Scottish industrial heritage and the vibrant arts and crafts scene, still alive and kicking in this mostly rural region.

This road trip is the best option if you plan on spending time in historic Edinburgh and want to see a bit of Scotland as part of your trip. If it’s a one-way drive, Newcastle Airport is an hour and a half away by car from Gretna Green, making this an ideal linear route.

Visit historic Edinburgh , the capital city of Scotland. With wonderful medieval and neoclassical architecture and a great vibe, this is a city in which to spend at least a full day. Take a city center guided tour to see Edinburgh Castle, Calton Hill, the National Museum of Scotland, and the famous Royal Mile, the main road through Edinburgh’s old town, where you can shop for tartan and enjoy locally made fudge.
Harry Potter fans will want to visit Victoria Street. With its unusual shape and collection of quirky shops, it’s said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the J.K. Rowling books.
Enjoy a locally brewed craft beer at Stewart Brewing , an independent craft brewery on the outskirts of Edinburgh. You might even see the team hard at work brewing while you enjoy your beer!
Stop at Dalkeith Country Park for easy walks and bike rides on the trails through the natural beauty of the 1,000-acre estate and working farm. You might spot Roe deer, otters, buzzards, foxes, badgers, hares, and rabbits here.
Visit Lady Victoria Colliery, one of the best and last surviving Victorian collieries in Europe, and now the National Mining Museum of Scotland . Explore the machinery used to mine and take coal to the surface, imagine what a miner’s life was like, and experience the sights and sounds of a working pit on a fantastic tour of the pit head.
Go back in time to Robert Smail’s Printing Works in the pretty village of Innerleithen. Try your hand at typesetting, and discover the origin of everyday phrases such as ‘mind your Ps and Qs’ as you discover how printing was carried out by highly skilled printers, with individual letters of type set by hand, presses operated with foot treadles and power generated by a waterwheel.
If you love gardens, then Harmony Garden in Melrose is a horticultural delight and a tranquil escape from life on the road. With colorful borders, beautifully manicured lawns, and a thriving kitchen garden, Harmony is perfectly in tune with nature. An added bonus is the superb views of Melrose Abbey and the nearby Eildon Hills.
Admire the creativity and skill of the glassblowers at work in Lindean Mill Glass . This innovative glass studio was established in 1978 by David Kaplan and Annica Sandström, whose work has been exhibited at the National Museum Scotland in Edinburgh and the V&A in London.
Take a mill tour, a great way to see Scottish tartan being woven from scratch, at Lochcarron of Scotland in Selkirk, one of the biggest names in the Scottish Borders’ textile industry, which has been weaving high-quality tartan for over 100 years. The Dress Act of 1746 attempted to bring the warrior clans under government control by banning the tartan along with other aspects of Gaelic culture.
Continue your textiles education at the Borders Textile Towerhouse and discover more about the area’s role as a producer of sought-after fabrics. Designers such as Chanel, Dior, and Vivienne Westwood have used fabric produced in the Borders in their designs for many years. The gift shop here is perfect for finding a unique present or Scottish souvenir.
Discover exciting and tumultuous borderlands history at Gilnockie Tower , a fine example of a defensive peel tower that dates from the 16th century. Located on the River Esk, it’s home to the Clan Armstrong Centre, the ancestral home of the Armstrong Clan, and is packed with fascinating clan heritage.

RELATED POST: Edinburgh One Day Itinerary – Map, Tips & Guide

Edinburgh, a great place to stop as you travel Scotland

Stirling – Trossachs Pier – Killin – Blair Athol – Pitlochry – Perth – Kinross – Crief – Stirling

Distance: 232 miles

The new kid on the Scottish road trip map is Heart 200, a two-hundred-mile-plus romp around the center of Scotland. This route offers the best of all the other routes combined as you travel through Scotland’s iconic, ever-changing landscapes.

Chuck in the historic cities of Perth and Stirling, and you’ve got a road trip perfect for first-time visitors to Scotland, or those that want to see the best of this glorious country.

Divided into six sections, this road trip covers the forests of the west, the Highlands to the north, the rivers of the east, and the historic south, along with Stirling and Perth.

Along the route are places of historical interest, world-class golf courses, ancient castles, loch and river-based water sports for adrenalin seekers, and a few whisky distilleries, of course!

You’ll explore the remarkable history and culture of the region, from antiquity to the modern day, and learn more than a few surprising insights along the way.

Over millennia, Scotland has made its mark on history thanks to famous figures ranging from the ancient Celts and the Roman Empire to King Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots, via Bonnie Prince Charlie, Rob Roy MacGregor, Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Queen Victoria, all of whom have connections to the heart of Scotland.

For a longer trip pick up the Fife Coastal Route, which follows the shore of the Firth of Forth from Kincardine to Dundee, where you can head back inland to Perth. This route takes in pretty fishing villages, historic golf courses, castles, and distilleries along 77 miles of meandering coast road – well worth adding to your itinerary

Top 13 Highlights

If you fly into Edinburgh Airport, make a quick stop to see the magnificent Kelpies at Helix Park in Grangemouth. The Kelpies are 30-metre-high horse-head sculptures depicting kelpies, a mythical shape-changing aquatic spirit of Scottish legend, and will start your Heart of Scotland road trip off on the right note.
Whilst in the area, explore the Falkirk Wheel, the world’s only rotating boat lift that connects the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal in a half-turn that takes only five minutes!
Stirling is the first stop and at the heart of the old town is medieval Stirling Castle, dominating the city from its craggy volcanic rock. Other attractions not to be missed are the 19th century National Wallace Monument that overlooks the site of the 1297 Battle of Stirling Bridge, where William Wallace (famously played by Mel Gibson in the film Braveheart ) defeated the English, and the Battle of Bannockburn Experience has interactive 3D displays on the history of the 1314 conflict.
Visit the imposing Doune Castle , a popular film set. Used as a set for Monty Python and the Holy Grail, as Castle Leoch in Outlander, and as Winterfell in Game of Thrones, this medieval stronghold could tell a few stories!
Find out everything you ever wanted to know about sheep and wool at The Scottish Wool Centre in Aberfoyle, with live sheep shows and hands-on demonstrations of spinning and working sheepdogs.
Stop at Killin, a small village at the southern point of Loch Tay. Famous for the Falls of Dochart, a spectacular series of rapids where the River Dochart rushes towards the Loch at the confluence of the rivers Dochart and Lochay, the best view is from the Bridge of Dochart in the village. This is also a great place to base yourself for local hiking.
Take in the iconic Queen’s View along Loch Tummel, which is named after Queen Victoria, who visited the region in 1866. The vantage point at the Forestry Commission’s Visitor Centre offers a breathtaking vista of Schielhallion, one of Scotland’s most famous mountains.
Visit in August for the Kinloch Rannoch Highland Games, which always take place on the third Saturday of the month. Hosted by the local community, you can watch caber tossing, hill racing, and lots more traditional Highland games events, as well as listen to the bagpipes being played.
Aberfeldy makes a good base for exploring local attractions including the Tay Bridge, Black Watch Monument, 16th century Castle Menzies, Cluny House Gardens, Lundin Farm Stone Circle, and Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery.
A mecca for thrill-seekers, the white water rapids on the River Tay at Grandtully offer opportunities for kayaking, rafting, and canyoning, with lots of local companies providing access and equipment, whatever your level of skill or knowledge.
Historians should stop at the Gorge of Killiecrankie, the site of one of the bloodiest battles during the Jacobite Risings in 1689. Take a walk up to the viewpoint at Soldier’s Leap, where a Redcoat soldier is said to have jumped 18 feet across the ravine to escape the pursuing Jacobites. Salmon can often be seen jumping around the falls here and keep an eye out for red squirrels and woodpeckers which are quite prolific during fall , when the colors are spectacular.
Admire the listed historic house of Scone Palace , situated near the village of Scone and the city of Perth. Scone Palace was the crowning place of Scottish kings where Macbeth, Robert the Bruce, and Charles II were once crowned. Nowadays, this red sandstone palace is among the very finest surviving examples of the late Georgian Gothic style in the United Kingdom.
Visit the wildlife at Blair Drummond Safari Park, near Stirling. Widely acknowledged to be one of the best safari parks in the UK for breeding and conservation (and the only one in Scotland), the park is set across 120 acres and is home to 350 animals including lions and southern white rhinos.

Want to plan your own road tri p? Get our step-by-step road trip planning guide to help you organize the perfect trip, or check our our favourite Europe road trips for ideas and inspiration!

Kennacraig – Tayinloan – Isle of Gigha – Machrihanish – Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse – Campbeltown – Carradale – Kennacraig

Distance: 115 miles
Drive Time: 5 hours

Another newcomer to the Scottish road trip scene is Kintyre 66, or K66, as it’s becoming known. If you’ve ever watched Paul McCartney and Wing’s video of the song ‘Mull of Kintyre’ and been inspired by the landscape, then this road trip in Scotland is for you.

An easy hop from Glasgow Airport, the K66 is perfect for a long weekend. Start in Tarbert, a pretty village at the top of Kintyre. Just a narrow strip of land a mile wide connects the peninsula to the mainland, making Kintyre Scotland’s only mainland island.

The landscape and beaches are pristine and unspoiled, the seas huge, the night sky clear and the wildlife abundant – this really is a trip for outdoor lovers. Kayaking in the turquoise waters is a popular pastime and hiking some of the incredible trails, with their spectacular views, is a must.

Local produce and food are also a highlight of this trip, with seafood at the top of the list. You’ll also find whisky and gin distilleries and several breweries in Kintyre, making sure that local food and drink sustain all your activity!

The official K66 is, unsurprisingly 66 miles long, but we’ve added on the far south of Kintyre to include the iconic Mull of Kintyre lighthouse.

The single-track route there meanders over the rolling moors before helter-skeltering down a steep cliff to the lighthouse – don’t be put off, it’s an amazing drive with breathtaking views right across to Ireland.

A visit to the Beinn an Turc Distillery near Torrisdale to sample their Kintyre gin is a must! This sustainable distillery, which uses its own power generated by a hydroelectric plant, creates a delicious gin using botanicals and water from its own land.
Head to Saddell Bay to see GRIP, a cast iron sculpture created by British artist Antony Gormley to mark the Landmark Trust’s 50th anniversary. The human form stares out over the Kilbrannan Sound to Arran from the rocks below Saddell Castle. Originally, the sculpture was placed for just a year, but thanks to a generous donation, it will remain indefinitely.
Visiting the glorious beaches of the peninsula is a real treat. Unspoiled and often with no one else around, some of the best beaches in Scotland can be found here. Our favorites are Carradale Bay and close-by Torrisdale Bay.
At the very north of Kintyre is the colorful and lively harbor town of Tarbert. With plenty to do, including Tarbert Castle, which sits high above the town, this is a great place to spend a day
The enchanting Isle of Gigha can be reached in just 20 minutes on a ferry from Tayinloan and is a fantastic day trip destination. Kissed by the gulf stream, the beautiful Achamore Gardens feel exotic, whilst in contrast, a hike up Creag Bhan, the highest point on the island, showcases the best of the raw and wild landscape.
Westport boasts a sandy beach, perfect for surfing. There is a surf school in the village where you can hire equipment and take lessons if this is your first time on a board. You’ll need a wet suit, whatever the weather – the water in these parts is pretty chilly!
The next stop just down the coast is Machrihanish, a village most famous for its iconic beach-side golf course.
An absolute must-do is a visit to the Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse, on the very far southwest tip of the peninsula. The views are pretty special and the drive there is dramatic, but not for the faint-hearted.
The ruins of Skipness Castle lie at the far north of the peninsula. The castle was originally built in the early 1200s by the MacSweens. It later fell to Clan MacDonald and has been rebuilt several times over the centuries.
The seafood caught, prepared, and served on Kintyre is out of this world. Fresh from the boat in the morning, you’ll find scallops, mussels, lobsters, crabs, langoustines, and clams on every menu. Another local taste is Gigha halibut, which you can enjoy in the West Loch Hotel, on the A83 out of Tarbert.

Scotland Practicalities

When to take a scottish road trip.

Scotland’s weather is generally moderate but changeable. As the topography of Scotland varies greatly, you’ll notice differences between highland and lowland weather, as well as coastal influences.

Late spring is a great time for planning a trip to Scotland. The countryside comes alive with wildflowers and baby animals as the warmer weather beats back winter.

With good weather and summer averages of around 20°c, this is one of the best times for touring Scotland. The downside is that popular routes, attractions, and hotels will be busy, so a road trip of Scotland in the summer months will require a little more advance planning.

July and August are also the worst months for the infamous biting midges, especially if you’re planning on camping in a motorhome or tent on the West Coast, where they are generally at their worst.

A wonderful time for driving holidays in Scotland, the fall colors are some of the most dramatic in the world. Autumn is also deer rutting season, with lots of opportunities around the Highlands to see this mighty display.

Plan trips to Scotland during the colder months for winter sporting opportunities, dramatic scenery, and the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights, or ‘Mirrie Dancers’ as they are sometimes called in Scotland.

There are an average of 15-20 snow days a year, rising to over 100 snow days in the Highlands – head to Aviemore in the Cairngorms if you’re looking for the white stuff, or just enjoy this fantastic winter destination for the scenery.

Scottish Outdoor Access Code

Whenever and however you visit Scotland, always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code . The code helps you to get the best from your Scotland itinerary and ensures that the flora and fauna of this beautiful country are not harmed.

Getting to Scotland

Scotland has six main airports, and the good news is that one of them will be the perfect starting point for your ultimate Scottish road trip itinerary. We recommend booking through Skyscanner for live deals and the best prices.

Edinburgh Airport (pronounced Ed-in-bruh if you want to sound like the locals!) for the Borders Historic Route and Heart 200 .
Glasgow International Airport for the South West Coastal 300 , Argyll Coastal Route , Isle of Skye and Kintyre 66 .
Glasgow Prestwick Airport for the South West Coastal 300 .
Aberdeen Airport for the North East 250 .
Inverness Airport for the North Coast 500 , Isle of Skye and Argyll Coastal Route .
Dundee Airport for the North East 250 .

You can hire a car at any of these airports and be on your chosen Scotland driving tour route within a one hour drive. Book your rental car well in advance and use a car hire booker like Rentalcars.com who will provide the best deals from all the top car hire companies. How? Because they have such a large market share, they’ve got way more buying power than individuals and can negotiate much harder on price.

For a real adventure , hire a motorhome or campervan in Scotland. We recommend Motorhome Republic , an aggregate booking site who pull together all the best deals from a number of rental agencies, to offer you a wide choice of options alongside an excellent English speaking expert motorhome Concierge Team.

For those planning a Scottish staycation from the rest of the UK, get public transport like the train or even coach from London to Edinburgh and hire a car from there, or drive yourself to Scotland.

Driving in Scotland

Whether you roadtrip Scotland in a car, camper, or motorbike, make sure you’ve got all your documents handy and your spare tire is in good condition.

If your Scotland road trip itinerary is longer than a few weeks and you’re planning on using your own vehicle, you may want to consider a service before you go, and breakdown cover is probably a good idea.

Remember to drive on the left during your UK trip!
Drivers from non-EU countries may require an International Driving Permit. The general rule is that if your license is not in English, then an IDP will be required. Check with your hire company or embassy if you’re in doubt.
If you’re not a British citizen, you should carry your passport or ID card at all times as you road trip around Scotland.
You must have at least 3rd party insurance for your vehicle. Update August 2021 – you no longer require a green card to prove you have vehicle insurance cover when if your vehicle is registered outside the UK.
Your car must be considered legal and roadworthy in the country in which it is registered.
Your headlights must be adapted for driving on the right if your vehicle is registered outside the UK.
Unlike France, the UK does not have laws that require you to carry certain equipment in your car, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. Being prepared in the event of an accident or a breakdown is invaluable. The best way is to carry a reflective jacket, a warning triangle, a first-aid kit, and a fire extinguisher.
If you’re hiring a car, book well in advance and use a care hire booker like Rentalcars.com who will provide the best deals from all the top car hire companies. How? Because they have such a large market share, they’ve got way more buying power than individuals and can negotiate much harder on price.
Understand insurance options, mileage limits, and fuel policies before booking.
Check the car for damage on collection and make sure anything you spot is noted, and the same again when you drop it off.

RELATED POST: Driving in Europe – Everything You Need to Know

Are you looking for more road trip inspiration? Check out these top posts…

Stelvio Pass: The Best Mountain Road in Italy?

Spain Road Trip: 8 Amazing Routes for an Epic Trip

Croatia Road Trips: Five Incredible Routes

Dolomites Road Trip: Explore the Best of Northern Italy

Great Dolomites Road: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know!

Route des Grandes Alpes: An Epic French Road Trip

Love it pin it.

Destinations
Where to Stay
See & do
My dashboard
Planning tools
What's nearby
My favourites
Log your travels
Weekly journal

Touring the southern Coast of Scotland In Partnership with Scotland Starts Here -->

In Partnership with Scotland Starts Here

Touring the Southern Coast of Scotland with Scotland Starts Here

Paid Partnership with Scotland Starts Here

The beauty of smaller nations is the sheer difference a mile can make. With so many thriving communities and cultures occupying the same landmass, you do not need to travel far for ‘there’ to be entirely different to ‘here’. Scotland’s diversity is a testament to this: geographically and socially, every mile takes explorers to an entirely fresh experience.

Spanning over 6000 miles in total, the Scottish coastline is an incredibly varied area to discover. While the rugged landscapes of the Highlands may draw the eye, the quiet beauty of the southern coast is equally worthy of exploration. Long stretches of sandy beaches cover much of the eastern shore, bringing with them a profoundly historical maritime tradition. Meanwhile, the abrupt indentations to the west create breath-taking natural formations, and from them grow communities that are almost symbiotic with the land itself.

Touring the southern coast of Scotland is an incredibly rewarding experience, but it’s crucial to have at least a skeletal route planned. From east round to west, this article highlights ten unmissable spots across the journey.

There are 207 lighthouses operating throughout Scotland, but few can compete with the grandeur of St Abbs . From atop its jagged cliff-face perch, the windswept lighthouse has guided ships traversing the North Sea since it began service in 1862. Along with the light itself, the ruggedly picaresque cliffs form the St Abbs Head National Nature Reserve, an area reached easily via the Berwickshire Coastal Path. Taking the path, walkers can breathe in the crisp sea air while admiring the thousands of birds nestled within the rocky folds. Just a stone’s throw from the crags themselves also lies rolling beds of wildflower, painting the scene a gorgeous blend of colours.

Renowned engineering brothers Thomas and David Stevenson, the former of whom would eventually father author Robert Louis Stevenson, were the original designers of St Abbs. The adventuring spirit of Stevenson’s writings echo throughout the steep slopes and staggering views, culminating in an unforgettable experience for visitors. Although entry to the lighthouse itself is not possible, it nonetheless acts as an incredible centrepiece to the nature reserve and a must-see landmark for any tour of Scotland’s coast.

Eyemouth Harbour

A brief journey from St Abbs Lighthouse lies the historic Eyemouth Harbour , the next stop for many ships using Stevenson’s light. Records of Eyemouth’s past date back to the 12th century, however, given the convenient nature of the location many assume it has been populated for much longer. This history – from the earliest settlements to the Great Disaster of 1881 and onwards through its 20th-century evolution – is told extensively in the nearby Eyemouth Museum.

The harbour offers 24-hour access for mooring and docking, meaning Eyemouth is constantly a thriving maritime hub. Watching the entire operation go underway is fascinating, but there is more to the town than just the ships. For example, the harbour is overlooked by the intriguing Gunsgreen House. Designed by celebrated Scottish architect John Adam, the building hides a multitude of secrets inserted by the man who built it – infamous smuggler John Nisbet. Bearing countless hidden passageways and even a one-of-a-kind Tea Chute, Gunsgreen House is a treasure-trove of surprises that highlights the important part Eyemouth itself played in Scottish history.

Coldingham Bay

Much of the eastern coast of Scotland comprises long brushes of sandy beaches enclosing the nation’s many inlets and firths. Spread across a full kilometre of length, Coldingham Bay is a perfect example of a less-consumerized-rural beach, even scooping the Blue Flag award in 2010. A dedicated team keeps the space clean and environmentally sustainable, as well as stationing lifeguards to patrol on busier days.

The beach faces east, giving early morning visitors a chance to watch the sun climb over the horizon. Given its temperate climate and quality surrounding grasslands, it is no surprise that Coldingham Bay also maintains a diverse ecosystem. Visitors can spot various species of crab in the rocky pools themselves, with fishing equipment available nearby. Countless wildflowers dot the nearby fields in every different shade. Elsewhere, the beach provides a fantastic view of nearby St Abbs’ nature reserve and the thousands of seabirds that commandeer the airspace.

Dunskey Castle

Where the east is characterised by long stretches of regular shoreland, Scotland’s west coast twists and turns at random for nearly its entire length. Standing atop one of the most southern of these indents is the ruined Dunskey Castle , where it has watched over the Irish sea for 800 years.

Official charters and architectural residue indicate that what remains of Dunskey Castle is just a shadow of what it once was. Buried in time is an entirely separate castle, destroyed sometime in the 16th century, that accompanied the large tower-house that still stands today. It’s because of, not in spite of, this dereliction that Dunskey has been a site of such romantic ideation. Each crumbling stone implies a further layer of mystery, building an incredibly haunting atmosphere. Studios have frequently used the castle as a filming location and, although it is now closed to the public, the ruins of Dunskey still hold an undeniably cinematic aura.

Mull of Galloway

The Mull of Galloway is the single most southern point of Scotland; the fingertips of the mainland stretching towards Ireland. Visitors can even view the neighbouring island from atop the 26-metre-tall lighthouse, whose restored foghorn is the only one operating in the country. Surrounding the lighthouse are the tireless individuals of the Mull of Galloway Trust, the group responsible for the area’s preservation and historical classification.

The Mull of Galloway is a true merging point of human history, natural wildlife, and geographical wonder. Despite it being one of the smallest reserves in Britain, the variety of seabirds and other wildlife present is incredible. Also perched by the cliffs is the cosy Gallie Craig coffee house. Run by locals with decades of connection to Galloway, a sheet of turf even roofs the café in order to camouflage into the land and minimise visible impact. Offering a generous selection of home-baked treats and fresh coffee, Gallie Craig is a wonderful way to enjoy the scenic views that enclose the Mull of Galloway.

Portpatrick

The curved rows of pastel houses making up Portpatrick tint the waters ever so subtly, creating a picaresque celebration of parish life. In previous centuries, the town served as a place of transience between the Scottish mainland and Northern Ireland. Although the historical docks remain in service, the formerly bustling maritime hub has significantly slowed down over the years. Now noted primarily for its tranquillity, Portpatrick has become a stunning holiday village on the western coast. Despite the seemingly windswept location, the presence of the Gulf Stream gives the area a surprisingly warm climate all year round.

Beneath the quiet veneer, however, there is still a thriving community within the town. As well as the extraordinary hospitality that comes with being a holiday destination, Portpatrick also holds multiple annual festivals in celebration of folk music, Lifeboat week, and more. The ruggedly idyllic setting unites with a genuine spirit of community in Portpatrick, the combination of which paints the town as a genuine microcosm of Scottish society.

Killantringan Lighthouse

Although it has been fully decommissioned for several decades, the longstanding beauty of Killantringan Lighthouse is another testament to the talent of David Stevenson. Over its eighty-year functional lifetime, the light mainly acted as a waypoint for the Irish sea, often serving ships bound for the nearby Portpatrick.

The building itself is now privately owned, but visitors are more than welcome to explore the surrounding areas. Its remote location and general obscurity make Killantringan a gloriously peaceful space to walk through. Especially on hot summer days, visitors can appreciate the deceptively complex ecosystem sustained throughout the area. Wildlife like pine martens, natterjack toads, and even red deer can all be spotted wandering in the huge lighthouse’s shadow. Given the short journey time from Portpatrick to Kilantringan, taking advantage of this scenic walk should be a staple of any coastal tour.

Isle of Whithorn

A continuous source of confusion for visiting tourists and historians alike, Isle of Whithorn is situated several miles south of the royal burgh of Whithorn. Now a part of the same landmass, Isle of Whithorn was recorded as a ‘true’ island as recently as 1821 on the maps of John Ainslie. Scholars also point to evidence of a causeway connecting the isle to the mainland as an explanation for the nominative confusion.

Cartographical debates aside, the area’s history provides fascinating insights into the religious evolution of Scotland. Whithorn was the birthplace of the country’s first canonical saint – St. Ninian – whose work in converting the Celtic population is renowned across Christendom. A chapel on the Isle of Whithorn was erected in his memory, and its ruins are still explorable today. The chalk-white Isle of Whithorn Tower is another piece of critical local history. Having already been used as a waypoint for centuries, the building was also the site of anti-aircraft training during the Second World War.

The town has also played a vital role in the Scottish cultural arts. One of the country’s most acclaimed films, 1973’s The Wicker Man, included several scenes filmed on the Isle of Whithorn. Attentive fans can recognise many of the nearby clifftops used throughout the film, while the atmospheric depths of St Ninian’s cave featured in the movie’s dramatic climax.

Kirkcudbright

Lauded with nicknames like ‘The Artists’ Town’, the last 600 years have seen Kirkcudbright develop into a thriving community of fisherfolk, artists, and much more. As with many Scottish settlements, we presume the history of Kirkcudbright to be far longer than records can indicate. However, chronicles typically track the town back as far as Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, whose body was temporarily stored there and whose cross now flies as Kirkcudbright’s flag.

Family-run stores, accommodations, and cafes fill the town with vibrant and welcoming energy. Alongside the scenic Scottish surroundings, many of the buildings are coated in pastel paint, coalescing into a dreamlike fairy-tale setting. This eccentricity reflects the creativity buzzing throughout Kirkcudbright. Over 100 artistic venues are open at a time, all of which you can visit during the annual Art and Crafts Trail – a four-day festival celebrating all things creative. Every nook and cranny of Kirkcudbright hides another fascinating secret, making it a town you cannot tire of exploring.

Scotland is in a constant state of transformation, and the southern coast is no different. To highlight every worthy location here would be impossible, especially when riding the coast further north and experiencing the hidden treasures all along it. Nevertheless, each of the places described above represents the sense of adventure brimming in every corner of the nation. The Scottish coast truly is a microcosm of the country within it – spots of natural beauty such as Isle of Whitorn are one of the many places that capture the wildness of the Caledonian outdoors, while bustling town centres such as Eyemouth are reflective of the nation’s dedication to community and hospitality.

This article is produced in Partnership with Scotland Start Here

No listings with this search

HIDDEN SCOTLAND

Your journey awaits

Join our mailing list to receive our weekly journal, where a journey of discovery awaits.

The Magazine
My Travel Stories
Where to stay
Things to do
Tours to take
Exclusive Use Venues

A 2 NIGHT STAY

AT THE GART MANSION

This prize includes a champagne reception, three course meal and a breakfast hamper on both mornings. And is worth over £10,000.

Already have an account? log in here

You are now signed up for the Hidden Scotland Journal, a free weekly email. Would you also like to gain free access to the full features of Hidden Scotland? To find out more sign up below.

Join Hidden Scotland Today

Already have an account ? Log in here

By entering your email, you agreee to recieve marketing emails from Hidden Scotland

or sign up with email

Sign In To Hidden Scotland

Don't have an account ? Sign up here

18 Best Road Trips in Scotland You Can’t Miss

February 21, 2024

Scotland is one of the world’s best road trip nations.

The country has countless scenic drives, a massively diverse landscape, stunning lochs , endless remote adventures, and lots of charming towns, cities and villages . But more importantly than that, Scotland’s road trip infrastructure is great, with a surprising number of well-planned and perfectly-waymarked official road trips .

So in this article, I’ve brought you the best of them, along with a small few other routes I like.

I’ve included in my list both short trips and long trips, so there’s an adventure you can enjoy no matter how much time you have.

For each road trip, I’ve recommended some top things to do and see along the way, and a guideline for how long each one should take.

Anyway, enough of all the introductions. Here they are: the top 18 road trips in Scotland.

1. The North Coast 500

2. north and west highlands route, 3. the heart 200, 4. the south west coastal 300, 5. highland tourist route, 6. argyll coastal route, 7. deeside tourist route, 8. the arran ring road, 9. perthshire tourist route, 10. the trotternish loop, 11. galloway tourist route, 12. the snow roads scenic route, 13. moray firth route, 14. forth valley tourist route, 15. fife coastal route, 16. angus coastal route, 17. borders historic route, 18. clyde valley tourist route, before you go.

Kylesku Bridge along the NC500 in Northern Scotland

The big boy. The top dog. The number 1.

The North Coast 500 is by far the most famous Scottish road trip. If you’re only going to do one road trip in the nation, make it this one. The other ones are great, they’re just not this great.

I love the North Coast 500. I’ve done it twice, and I’d be happy to tackle it ten more times. A 500 miles (800km) loop through the most northern parts of the Scottish Highlands, the route includes some of the best mountains, lochs , beaches, cliffs, scenery and villages you’ve probably ever seen.

Most people tell you to do this in 2-5 days. Don’t listen to those people. You could probably spend a month on the NC500 , and still want to spend more.

If you like walking, you should be particularly slow. Along the way, there are loads of beautiful hiking spots. All of my favorites are the hikes along the northern part of the west coast, in and around places like Ullapool, Torridon and Gairloch. If you only do one hike along the NC500, make it Stac Pollaidh.

Itinerary: Loop beginning and ending in Inverness (or Applecross)
Distance: 500 miles/800km
Time: 5-21 days
Highlights: Ullapool, Torridon, Lochcarron, Durness, the Bealach na Bà and much, much more

Sunset over Ullapool, North West Scotland

If you don’t have time to do the entire North Coast 500, but want to enjoy (most of) the best bits, ride the North and West Highlands Route instead.

That said, because this route isn’t a loop, it’s nearly as easy to just complete the entire North Coast 500. So my advice is, unless you have some huge reason to not do the NC500 instead, you should do the NC500 instead.

But the North and West Highlands Route is still great.

You start in Ullapool, one of the world’s most endearing port towns, and you end in the iconic John O’Groats. Along the way, you still get all of the northern coast, most of the best bits of the western coast, and plenty of hikes, hills, beaches and tiny towns.

Itinerary: Ullapool to John O’Groats
Distance: 158 miles/254km
Time: 4-10 days
Highlights: Ullapool, Durness, the mountains and the beaches

The Crannog in Loch Tay, a peaceful stop on the Heart 200 Scottish road trip

One of the newest official road trips in Scotland, the gimmick here is that the route goes right through the so-called heart of the nation.

This road trip itinerary takes drivers in and around Perth, Stirling, the southern tip of the Cairngorms, the eastern tip of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs, and some other lovely places.

It’s a pretty unique route, because it takes drivers through a remote, rural and unexplored area sandwiched between lots of massively popular places. It’s a weird little no-man’s land where few tourists go, but way more should.

The Heart 200 narrowly misses Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and some of the nation’s most popular hiking spots, but it hits lots of under-the-radar stuff. So if you want to see the hidden gems of a relatively accessible area of Scotland, the Heart 200 is a really good choice.

And as a sweet little bonus, the route passes through loads of lovely towns and villages including Pithlochry, Callander and Bridge of Allan.

Itinerary: Loop starting and ending in Perth or Stirling
Distance: 158 miles/320km
Time: 3-7 days
Highlights: Perth, Striling, Bridge of Allan, Loch Tay, Loch Tummel, and the eastern tip of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs

Sunny day on the Mull of Galloway and its lighthouse, South West of Scotland

Another loop, this one takes drivers through the southwest of Scotland, and to some of the most underrated parts of the nation. You probably haven’t heard of Stranraer, Moffat and Ayrshire-but after tackling this scenic drive, you’ll wonder why.

It’s a good choice if you don’t want to be surrounded by lots of other tourists. Rides such as the North Coast 500 and the Trotternish Loop, though brilliant, are always ridiculously busy. But the South West Coastal 500 is exactly the opposite. So if you like quiet drives, undiscovered terrain, and secluded experiences, you’ll absolutely love it.

It’s also a good option if you don’t have time to head too far north-the most easterly point of the loop is right beside the English border.

The relatively straight stretch of coast between Ayr and Stranraer is lovely, while just south, you’ll find Mull of Galloway lighthouse, the most south westerly point in Scotland. Other highlights include towns and villages Girvan, Portpatrick and Whithorn, and the hikes and hills of Galloway Forest Park.

Itinerary: Loop starting and ending in Dumfries
Distance: 300 miles/482km
Time: 7-14 days
Highlights: Ayr, Stranraer, Mull of Galloway, Moffatt, Galloway Forest Park, and huge stretches of coastline

Cawdor Castle and gardens near Inverness, Scotland

The name of this route is sort of misleading.

The most famous tourist spots in the Highlands are Loch Ness, Fort William, Glencoe, and all the other places you’ve already heard of.

So you’d assume this drive goes through all of them.

It doesn’t. It actually runs from Aberdeen to Inverness, on an inland route through some of the lesser-known parts of the Highlands.

You cross through some of the Cairngorms, the biggest national park in the UK, where you can get involved in loads of hiking and nature-spotting.

But the real highlight here is all the historical stuff. You drive past four brilliant castles (including Cawdor Castle and Fort George), and you hit Culloden Battlefield, an immersive experience unpacking a massive battle between the British and the Jacobites.

If you want insights into Scottish history and heritage, this is one of the best road trips in Scotland.

Itinerary: Aberdeen to Inverness
Distance: 116 miles/187km
Time: 3-5 days
Highlights: Cawdor Castle, Fort George, Culloden Battlefield, Aberdeen, Inverness and Grantown-on-Spey

Oban Harbor on the Argyll Coastal Route, Scotland

This route runs 129 miles (208 km) between Fort William and Loch Lomond, two of the most popular spots in the Highlands.

But it doesn’t go inland. As you probably worked out from the name of the route, it hugs the western coast for the majority of its length.

The Argyll Coastal Route is a good choice for foodies, as it takes drivers past some of Scotland’s best (and most famous) seafood eateries, including Loch Fyne Restaurant & Oyster Bar, Iverary’s Samphire, and the Green Shack in Oban.

A huge highlight is the town of Oban itself. One of the most popular tourist spots on Scotland’s west coast, the crescent-shaped settlement is ridiculously pretty.

Considering how short the route is, it’s unbelievably diverse. You get lochs, coasts, tourist towns, some of Scotland’s biggest mountains, and several of its most well-known spots. If you want an introduction to all that Scotland’s famous for , it’s brilliant.

Itinerary: Tarbet to Fort William
Distance: 129 miles/208km
Time: 4-7 days
Highlights: Oban, Fort William, Ben Nevis, Loch Lomond, Tarbet and all the food

Highland cow calf, near Ballater in Scotland

This inland ride from Perth to Aberdeen, like a lot of the routes we’re featuring, takes you through some of Cairngorms National Park.

But because it travels through one of the more remote regions of the Cairngorms (and that’s saying something), you get to see lots of the area’s lesser-known sites. There’s also a huge amount of wildlife-so take your time and you might see deer, eagles, pine marten and more.

You’ll pass through Blairgowrie (most famous for its fruit-growing fields and farms), hit the two lovely cities of Perth and Aberdeen, and drive through and beyond loads of mountains and forests. If you want a remote inland adventure on the eastern side of Scotland, the Deeside Tourist Route is a brilliant little solution.

Itinerary: Perth to Aberdeen
Distance: 108 miles/174km
Highlights: Braemar, Ballater, Perth, Aberdeen, and the quieter Cairngorms

A red deer stag and Lochranza Castle in the Isle of Arran, Scotland

This drive around the island of Arran is one of my favorite Scotland experiences.

Arran is the perfect size for an island adventure. And even better, it’s like someone took all the best bits of Scotland, squashed them together, and shipped them off to an island.

Not too big, not too small, you can do all of Arran’s best bits, hidden gems and everything in between in around a week. So if you’re a pedantic completionist (like me), you’ll find the place appealing.

And luckily for us, there’s a big ol’ ring road that basically runs around the entire perimeter of the island. The road is only 56 miles (90 km), but you’ll see plenty to stop and explore.

Important: this route is actually part of a 5-drive collection of road trips called ‘The Coig.’ Making up the 5, you have the Arran route, a route running around the perimeter of Bute, a route running around the perimeter of Great Cumbrae, a 138-mile (222km) circular trip around the western coast of Scotland, and another 55-mile (88km) loop just north of its bigger brother.

Itinerary: Loop beginning and ending in Brodick
Distance: 56 miles/90km
Time: 2-7 days
Highlights: Brodick, Goatfell, Lochranza, Eas a’ Chrannaig, and all the coastal views

Dochart falls in Killin Scotland under the Bridge of Dochart, one of the stops on the Perthshire Tourist Route

The Perthshire Tourist Route is a tiny trip that runs through a similar area to the Heart 200. So if you want a flavor of the ride without committing to the full thing, it’s a great option.

Running in a near-straight line just west of Perth, it clocks in at only 43 miles (69km), so it’s a lovely little option for a day trip. That said, it still packs lots of excellent highlights into its relatively diminutive dimensions, so you can easily stretch it out to two or three days (or even more!) if you want to.

If you like woodlands and forests, you’ll love this one-there are loads of easily-accessible wooded trails you can explore on excellent hikes. In and around these woodlands, you can often spot deer, squirrels, golden eagles and mountain hares.

If you want to feel remote without really being remote, this is one of the best road trips in Scotland.

Itinerary: Greenloaning to Ballinluig
Distance: 43 miles/69km
Time: 1-3 days
Highlights: Gleneagles, Innerpeffray Library, Highland Safaris near Aberfeldy, and all the woodland

Vibrant sunrise over the Quiraing hills on the Trotternish peninsula on the Isle of Skye, Scotland

This isn’t an official road trip, but it’s one of my absolute favorite on-road Scottish adventures.

The Isle of Skye is made up of a little central portion along with lots of explorable peninsulas. The most famous of them, the Trotternish peninsula, is the most northern part of Skye. It’s home to some of the most iconic places on the island, including the Quiraing, the Old Man of Storr, Mealt Falls and more. And at its southern tip, there’s the colorful capital of Portree.

So if you want to see some of Skye’s most famous attractions (and loads of other lovely places too) , the Trotternish Loop is a perfect solution. Even better, the drive itself is absolutely phenomenal.

Most people complete this in a day, but I recommend longer. The well-known highlights are brilliant, but the other stuff is even better.

Itinerary: Loop beginning and ending in Portree
Distance: 50 miles/80km
Time: 2-4 days
Highlights: The Quiraing, the Old Man of Storr, Mealt Falls and Portree

The Raiders Road in the Galloway Forest Park during the autumn season

Just like the South West Coastal 500, which we’ve already covered above, this ride is in the massively underrated region of Dumfries and Galloway. But while it’s in the same area as its longer neighbor, it’s a slightly different experience.

Firstly, it’s not a loop. Secondly, a large part of the ride runs along the eastern perimeter of Galloway Forest Park, one of the least-explored adventure areas in Scotland. If you like woodland walks, you can access loads of them via this route. While the South West Coastal 500 is mainly coasts, seas and shores, the Galloway Tourist Route is all hikes, hills and secluded woods.

One of the least-populated regions in southern Scotland, you get lots of peace and seclusion along this route.

The ride starts in the elopers’ paradise of Gretna Green, and ends with an endearing coastal finalé in Ayr.

Itinerary: Gretna to Ayr
Distance: 92 miles/148km
Time: 3-4 days
Highlights: Gretna Green, Galloway Forest Park, Robert Burns Birthplace Museum and Ayr

Corgarff Castle on the Snow Roads Scenic Route in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

The Snow Roads Scenic Route takes drivers through the highest public road in Britain. It’s named so because this road is usually the first in Britain to be covered in snow . So, inevitably, the route is packed with snow-capped peaks, lofty mountains, heathery moors and wide-open bogs.

The vast majority of the ride is in the Cairngorms National Park. So you get loads of forests, Scottish heather , endless peaks and summits, and lots of cute towns and villages. The infrastructure along the Snow Roads Scenic Route is also great: there are designated ‘photo-posts’ along the way, offering the best views, and the best places to watch the landscapes change.

Because you drive over lots of passes, you hit lots of tight switchbacks, blind turns and towering summits. If you like driving on (relatively) challenging roads, you’ll love this ride. The highest point is Cairnwell Pass, which measures in at around 670 meters.

For lofty panoramas, this is without doubt one of the best road trips in Scotland.

Itinerary: Blairgowrie to Grantown-On-Spey
Distance: 90 miles/144km
Highlights: Cairnwell Pass, Braemar, Tomintoul, Corgarff Castle, and all the lofty roads

Rogie Falls Waterfall in the Scottish Highlands near the Moray Firth Route

If you’re staying in Inverness (or if you live in Inverness!), this is a great option for a short but beautiful trip. The semi-circle route starts (or ends) in the city, and takes drivers through some of Scotland’s least-explored Highland landscapes.

What’s great about the route is that it heads north, in a similar area to the North Coast 500. But instead of following the same route, it instead heads inland, offering a more remote part of an already-remote part of the world. Two highlights are Easter Ross and Sutherland, a pair of rural, rugged, untouched Highland regions.

If you visit between May and November, make sure you go to the Falls of Shin. You’ll see loads of salmon diving upstream.

Considering its short length, The Moray Firth Route is a pretty diverse ride, offering coastlines, lochs, great waterfalls , and lovely towns.

Itinerary: Inverness to Loch Fleet
Distance: 80 miles/128km
Highlights: Inverness, Beauly, Rogie Falls, Falls of Shin, Easter Ross and Sutherland

If you don’t have much time to explore and you’re looking for an easy road trip out of Edinburgh, the Forth Valley Tourist Route is a great choice. It takes drivers between Edinburgh and Stirling on a relatively remote ride which avoids the direct M9 motorway route.

Measuring in at only 43 miles (69 km) you can easily do this as a day trip if you’re short on time.

If you like architecture and engineering, you’ll love this route. You come across lots of famous buildings, statues and monuments, including the Forth Bridge and Antonine Wall, a pair of UNESCO-listed heritage sites . The second is one of Scotland’s most significant Roman sites, sort of like a mini Hadrian’s Wall.

You end your ride in Stirling, a friendly city bustling with charm and dominated by a huge castle.

Itinerary: Edinburgh to Stirling
Distance: 43 miles/69 km
Time: 1-2 days
Highlights: The Forth Bridge, Antonine Wall, The Falkirk Wheel, Edinburgh and Stirling

Beautiful house with lobester decorations in Crail, Scotland

An excellent option for people who like beaches, under-the-radar adventures and slightly shorter road trips, the Fife Coastal Route is a lovely ride along one of Scotland’s most underrated coastal spots.

And because the southern tip of the route is just north of Edinburgh, it’s a good choice if you want an adventure close to Scotland’s capital-or if you don’t want to travel very far north.

Starting just short of Stirling and coming really close to Dundee, the route runs along a pretty populated part of Scotland. So if you like fishing villages, beautiful houses, coastal towns and lots of conveniences, you’ll probably prefer this drive to some of the country’s more remote and rural road trips.

Elie, Crail and Pittenweem are all pretty cosy and alluring, while Kirkcaldy, Anstruther and St Andrews are three of the bigger settlements along the way. The last of them, you’ve probably heard of-it’s one of the world’s most famous golfing destinations.

For an accessible adventure, this is one of the best road trips in Scotland.

Itinerary: Kincardine to Newport-on-Tay
Distance: 77 miles/124km
Highlights: Elie, Crail, Pittenweem and St Andrews

Arbroath Abbey on the Angus Coastal Route, Scotland

Another short coastal option, this ride runs between Dundee and Aberdeen.

It starts just north of the most northern point of the Fife Coastal Route (which we just covered above). So if you want to combine those two smaller routes into one longer route, you can!

Even if you don’t, you’ll love the Angus Coastal Route. When they’re looking for bigger settlements, most tourists visit Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness. But both Dundee and Aberdeen are beautiful, and not enough tourists visit them-or the towns and villages between them, such as Stonehaven and Montrose. It’s an underrated part of Scotland, and it’s a lovely route.

For the majority of this ride, you have mountains to the west and the sea to the east, so you get lots of brilliant views and vistas.

Itinerary: Dundee to Aberdeen
Distance: 68 miles/109km
Highlights: Dundee, Aberdeen, Arbroath Abbey, Stonehaven, and the Grampian Mountains

View across Scottish Border Hills, while walking up to Heip Hill on the outskirts of Hawick

When most people visit Scotland, they head to the Highlands, the coast, or the big cities, but Scotland’s border region is brilliant. Nowhere near enough people explore the most southern stretches of Scotland.

On the Borders Historic Route, you start in Northumberland, in the very north of England, and make your way to Edinburgh via an inland route taking in some of southern Scotland’s least-explored areas.

The coastal stretch between Edinburgh and Northumberland is great, but the inland stretch (which this route follows) is way less busy. So if you want remote, rural and southern, you’ll absolutely love the Borders Historic Route.

Some highlights along the way include the small towns of Hawick, Selkirk and Galashiels. And Edinburgh is pretty good too.

Because I’m from Northumberland, I might be biased, but I think this route is incredible.

Itinerary: Scots Dyke to Edinburgh
Distance: 89 miles/143 km
Highlights: Hawick, Selkirk, the remote rolling hills, and Edinburgh

Autumn view of Corra Linn waterfall in the Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve, Scotland

If you’re in Glasgow and you’re looking for a short and speedy road trip from the city, the Clyde Valley Tourist Route is a great choice.

A quick-one day adventure, the ride is perfect if you’re traveling with kids. It’s not Scotland’s most rural or intrepid adventure, but it’s a lovely drive south of Glasgow that takes you past loads of excellent day trip destinations .

The route runs (almost) parallel to the M74 motorway, so it’s a good way to see secluded spots in a busy, built-up area.

Stop-off options along the way include ancient castles, forests, country parks, a bird of prey center, waterfalls, wildlife reserves, and much more.

Itinerary: Abington to Hamilton
Distance: 38 miles/61 km
Time: 1 day
Highlights: Lanark Loch, Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve and West Forth Forest

Thanks for reading my guide to the best road trips in Scotland!

If you want to know anything else about one of my favorite nations on the planet, we have plenty more stuff on our site. Check out our guides to the best road trips from Edinburgh , the best road trips from Glasgow , the best hikes in Scotland , the best cliffs in Scotland , and the best coastal walks in Scotland .

And again, if you want to explore Scotland’s best road trip, here’s my full guide to the North Coast 500 .

For more road trips in the UK head over to my selection of the best road trips in England , the best road trips in Wales , and the best drives in Northern Ireland .

And don’t forget to check out my extensive list of the best road trips in the UK .

About the author

Senior Travel Reporter

Paul is a handsome and hilarious travel writer and travel journalist from the UK. He's hiked, hitchhiked and laughed his way through more than fifty countries, and he's always looking for a new place to call home. Originally from Newcastle, he's lived all over the UK, spent more than three years in Asia, and most recently lived in Vietnam and then in Georgia.

Image Shows Reopened Scottish Railway Line on Side of Mountain?

The photo was said to show a train navigating a tricky route through the county of fife., nick hardinges, published april 23, 2024.

About this rating

On April 16, 2024, the Facebook page Abandoned Places Story posted an image purportedly showing a train navigating a tricky stretch of track on a mountainside along a reopened railway line in the county of Fife in Scotland, U.K.

The photo's caption read: "Scotrail have today announced the re-opening of the Northern Line, traditionally only used during the summer months. The route, from Kirkcaldy to Dundee through the beautiful mountain region of Fifeshire, shaves hours off the coastal route."

Similar posts could be seen elsewhere on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and X (formerly Twitter) . Together, the posts had amassed thousands of interactions at the time of this writing.

Many social media users appeared to believe the veracity of the picture, with one writing on X: "This train journey is probably & will be safer than it looks but still looks frightening being right up there & the train being so close to the wall let alone the other side!"

However, the image appeared to originate from an animation posted on Instagram by an account called @therealnaturelove , which wrote in its bio that it posts high-definition videos showing "natural animation."

It made no mention of the clip showing a railway line in Scotland.

The Instagram page contained thousands of posts, many of which were similar in style to the animation of the train on the side of the mountain.

Snopes has approached the page for comment and will update this article if we receive a response.

The image of the train was also posted in a Facebook group named Travel Scotland Goals Group , which shares content that "may not be 100% accurate."

Travel blog Pipeaway published an article on April 11, 2024, addressing the falsity of the photo.

Searching for "mountain train Fife Scotland" on Google Images produced no evidence of such a trainline existing.

Instagram . https://www.instagram.com/p/C4-bdIDxo5N/?hl=en. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

--- . https://www.instagram.com/therealnaturelove/?hl=en. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Kralj, Ivan. 'The Rise of Fakebook: Flood of AI Pictures in Your Feed'. Pipeaway , 11 Apr. 2024, https://www.pipeaway.com/ai-facebook-pictures/.

By Nick Hardinges

Nick Hardinges is a London-based reporter who previously worked as a fact-checker at Reuters.

Article Tags

International edition
Australia edition
Europe edition

‘You can walk virtually everywhere in England by using the train’: the man connecting rail-based walks

A new website aims to offer a wide network of walking routes from British train stations, and is calling on hikers to add their favourites. Our writer accompanies the founder on a ramble to Bath Spa station

A British railway station can be many things. A place of tended flowers and toytown paintwork. A concourse of shuttered ticket booths and overpriced pasties. A terminus, a meeting spot, a gateway to escape. It can be heart-lifting or drab, bathed in birdsong or heaving with commuters. It can also be the starting point for a properly good walk.

National Rail serves 2,593 stations, their locations scattered across the map like cartographic confetti. Many of them sit directly on longstanding hiking trails or within a short distance of paths worth exploring. In a large number of cases, it’s possible to walk between two stations following rights of way, rendering a car or taxi redundant.

Steve Melia in countryside on a footpath, leaning on a gate

Such routes are frequently scenic but often little-known, giving value to the prospect of a dedicated database of station-to-station walks. Might a disembarkation at Ffairfach, Whatstandwell or Crianlarich be the passport to your next hike? Quite possibly – which is where the recently launched Railwalks.co.uk comes in. Its aim is to create a crowd-sourced national network of rail-based walking routes, mostly ranging from two to 20 miles.

“If you’d asked me 20 years ago how much of Britain you could walk through while using public transport, I would have imagined, like everyone else, not very much,” says founder Steve Melia, an academic, author and one-time Lib Dem parliamentary candidate who gave up flying in 2005 and driving in 2009. “I discovered that that’s not true. You can walk virtually everywhere in England by train – and bus, but mainly trains – and a lot of Wales and Scotland.”

I meet Steve near the station in the Wiltshire town of Bradford-on-Avon, from where we’re taking a nine-mile countryside walk to Bath Spa station. It’s one of the first truly fine days of spring, a breezeless morning of sunshine and plum blossom. Twenty four hours earlier we’d have got drenched, but today the skies are blue, the blackbirds are fluting and the dandelions are blinding. We head to the banks of the Kennet & Avon canal, bear west and begin.

Steve first had the idea for the website, which was unveiled in January in partnership with like-minded walking organisation Slow Ways , when he moved to Bristol in 2009 to teach transport and planning at the University of the West of England. “I started doing public transport-based walks each weekend,” he says, as the canal path leads us past narrowboats and banks of forget-me-nots. Waggy-tailed terriers zigzag the other way. “I like to walk somewhere different every time I go out, and the fact I was able to do that for 15 years and still find new routes made me think there was more to this than people realise.”

Soon we reach a path across open fields. A herd of friesian cows graze in the middle distance. The route we’re following is one of many that Steve has plotted (he’s a fan of poring over paper maps) then uploaded online as a GPX file ( which can be found here ). He’s one of four volunteers managing Railwalks, an umbrella website that has gathered together relevant regional webpages listing local rail-based hikes. These include a wide variety of sources (with a varying level of detail) from walking and community groups to local authorities and individuals such as Steve. His collection of walks near Bristol ( greentravelwriter.co.uk/rail ) sit alongside other day-walk itineraries everywhere from the South Downs to the Scottish Highlands.

The route took in the towpath of the Kennet & Avon Canal.

This, however, is just the beginning. By partnering with Slow Ways – which is midway through creating a web of walking routes that connect all Britain’s towns, cities and national parks – Railwalks aims to eventually offer a comprehensive, searchable, national network of rail walks, a mixture of station-to-station routes and circular hikes. And like Slow Ways itself, it needs your help.

“We’re asking people to add new walks,” says Steve. This involves signing up to Slow Ways via the Railwalks website or, for those already registered with Slow Ways, adjusting their profile settings to incorporate Railwalks (instructions for both options can be found at railwalks.co.uk/how-to-help ). “The idea is that our network will eventually go into a separate section of the Slow Ways site,” says Steve.

The concept at its core is admirable. Few pleasures are more simple than cross-country rambling with a trail at your feet and hours at your disposal. Our route to Bath winds up and down across the hills. We pass through pretty limestone villages with old-world names – Avoncliff, Limpley Stoke, Monkton Combe – and stop at the 16th-century Inn at Freshford for liquid sustenance. On the trail, wrens trill and the scent of wild garlic hangs on the woodland verges.

after newsletter promotion

Bath Spa railway station at the of our author’s walk.

Steve acknowledges that relying solely on trains can pose problems for hikers – not least the cost – but he and his fellow volunteers are passionate about spreading the word that rail-based walks aren’t only feasible but can also be deeply enjoyable.

Now in his early 60s, Steve goes walking at every opportunity. As we descend towards Bath down a long green meadow, the city’s Georgian crescents glinting in the afternoon sun, I notice his boots. They look as if they’re carrying the dust of a decade-long pilgrimage and I mention the fact. “What, these?” he laughs. “I only got them a few months ago.”

Three more station-to-station walks on railwalks.co.uk

Torquay to Teignmouth , Devon Distance: about 12 miles. Tracing a section of the South West Coast Path along a scenic stretch of the Devon coastline.

Cynghordy to Llandovery , Carmarthenshire Distance: about 7 miles. An undulating route between two stations on the Heart of Wales line, finishing in the market town of Llandovery.

Bempton to Filey , Yorkshire coast Distance: about 10 miles. A clifftop walk along the North Yorkshire Coast, with the chance to spot breeding seabirds on Bempton Cliffs in spring.

railwalks .co.uk

Walking holidays
Rail travel
United Kingdom holidays
Public transport trips
Wiltshire holidays
Bath holidays

Most viewed

IMAGES

The Scottish N500: The Scenic West Coast of Scotland
Scotland Road Trip: 8 Incredible Routes for an Epic Trip
The 5 most beautiful road trips in Scotland
Scotland’s North Coast 500 Route
Experience the beauty of driving along the North Coast 500
The Ultimate Map Of Things To See When Visiting Scotland

VIDEO

Scotland road trip part 2
Route A830 Scotland #scotland #travel #travelshorts #uk #subscribe #viral #travelvlogs #traveling
Driving Scotland Coldingham to Dalkeith by coastal route Scotland
K7AGE Ham Radio 2M Portable in Gold Beach Or
The most beautiful places coastal tourist hotels in Libya Tripoli A distinguished tour
New Adventure, On the Southern Coast line Of Scotland heading West To The Mull Of Galway Lighthouse

COMMENTS

Scotland's 15 Most Scenic Drives & Routes
The South West Coastal 300 is a wonderfully scenic route around one of Scotland's most picturesque coasts. If you want stunning scenery, pristine coastline and plenty of things to see and do, this is the road trip for you. Length of route: 300 miles (482.8 km) Start and finish: Ayr. Time to drive: 5-6 hours.
Scotland Road Trip Itinerary Planner & Route Map
500 miles / 805 km. Location. Inverness - Inverness. The North Coast 500 is Scotland's answer to route 66 and one of the most beautiful coastal touring routes in the world (well, we think so, anyway!). Bringing together just over 500 miles of stunning coastal scenery, the route follows the main roads along the coastal edges of the North ...
North Coast 500
NC500 Champions. Bringing together a route of just over 500 miles of stunning coastal scenery in the far north of Scotland, the North Coast 500 is one of the world's most beautiful road trips. Explore opulent castles, sample a dram of whisky or take an exhilarating wildlife safari, enjoy a truly unique touring experience.
The Ultimate Scottish Coastal Route
And then there is the Ultimate Scottish Coastal Route as I like to call it, covering almost every road on the Scottish west coast, including three islands, from Stranraer to Durness via the Isle of Arran, the Isle of Mull and Isle of Skye. That particular route, my personal choice, is 549 miles (884kms) long with a total road travel time of 20 ...
Scotland Road Trip Itinerary Planner & Route Map
VisitScotland. Scotland's Road Trips. Back. Angus Coastal Route. Length. 68 miles / 109 km. Location. Dundee - Aberdeen. Curving gracefully along the east coast, the Angus Coastal Route links the cities of Dundee and Aberdeen, passing a range of charming towns, beautiful nature reserves and more than a few great attractions.
10 MOST SCENIC Drives in Scotland (Map + Tips + Photos)
Content. 10 Most scenic drives in Scotland - Map & Overview. #1 - Glen Coe on A82 - Best drive in Scotland. #2 - The Road to the Isles A830 - Scenic drive from Fort William. #3 - Road to Skye via Glen Shiel on A87 - best driving route. #4 - Wester Ross coastal road on A832 (part of North Coast 500)
Argyll Coastal Route
Argyll Coastal Route. If you're looking for a breathtaking coastal drive in Scotland, the Argyll Coastal Route should be at the top of your list. This scenic route spans over 129 miles along the west coast, offering incredible views of rugged cliffs, tranquil lochs, and picturesque villages. Along the way you can explore charming towns like ...
Scotland Road Trip Itinerary Planner & Route Map
It is one of five routes to make up The Coig. Discover 13 of Scotland's most spectacular driving routes, from the Fife Coastal Route to the epic North Coast 500. Interactive planner with routes, distances and must-see attractions on the way. Get off the main roads and tour Scotland the scenic way now.
The West Coast of Scotland
Here's how I would spend a week road tripping the West Coast of Scotland: Stop 1: Glencoe. Stop 2: Fort William. Stop 3: Glenfinnan Viaduct. Stop 4: Arisaig, Camusdarach, & Morar. Stop 5: Isle of Skye. Stop 6: Isle of Raasay. Stop 7: Kyle of Lochalsh. Stop 8: Plockton.
SWC300
The South West Coastal 300 is the perfect road trip for lovers of Scotland. So much more than just a driving route, it offers gorgeous scenery, breath-taking coastline as well as lots to see and do along the way. The SWC300 is a circular route that hugs Scotland's south west coast of Dumfries and Galloway and South Ayrshire.
Ultimate Guide To The Fife Coastal Path
The Fife Coastal Path is a 183km official waymarked walk along the coastline of Fife, on the east of Scotland. Walking the path is a popular way to explore along the coast, with its historic towns, coastal villages, castles, beaches, and seafood. It is also Scotland's longest continuous coastal path. Whilst it is by no means off the beaten ...
10 Scenic Coastal Breaks & Getaways in Scotland
Located at Portknockie, Bow Fiddle Rock perches impressively on the Moray Firth coastline. Follow the Moray Coastal Path to see this unique rock formation, which is named after its resemblance to the tip of a bow. Follow the Buckie to Cullen section of the Moray Coast Trail to explore the enchanting coastline. Find out more about Bow Fiddle Rock.
Argyll Coastal Route: An Epic Guide
A western coast road trip which shows the best of Scotland's loch and islands between Loch Lomond and Fort William. The Argyll Coastal Route covers 129 miles of sheer beauty. ...
Angus Coastal Route: A Locals Road Trip Guide
The Angus Coastal Route is a 68-mile detour route from Dundee to Aberdeen or vice versa. Dundee is a fascinating city with a rich industrial heritage with maritime traditions and ...
Scotland's North Coast 500 Route Planner, Map & 1-Week Itinerary
For the purpose of this North Coast 500 route planner, I won't include the days spent travelling to and from Edinburgh. Our North Coast 500 Itinerary was as follows (including the days not spent on the NC500): Day 1: Home to Edinburgh. Day 2: Day in Edinburgh. Day 3: Edinburgh to Inverness. Day 4: Inverness to Dunnet Head.
Best Scotland road trip itinerary (10, 14 & 18 day options)
Our detailed Scotland road trip itinerary includes many of the most popular destinations, scenic routes, landmarks and sights when touring Scotland. Over 18 days explore cities, Highlands, islands and part of the popular North Coast 500 route. Options to reduce to a 10 day or 14 day Scotland road trip itinerary are also included.
Scotland Road Trip Itinerary Planner & Route Map
Discover 13 of Scotland's most spectacular driving routes, from the Fife Coastal Route to the epic North Coast 500. Interactive planner with routes, distances and must-see attractions on the way. ... Deeside Tourist Route. Choose this route for - views of the stunning Cairngorms National Park, castles and Royal connections. 77 miles (124 km)
Scotland Road Trip Itinerary Planner & Route Map
Begin route. Discover 13 of Scotland's most spectacular driving routes, from the Fife Coastal Route to the epic North Coast 500. Interactive planner with routes, distances and must-see attractions on the way. Get off the main roads and tour Scotland the scenic way now.
Welcome to the North East 250
THE ROUTE. The North East 250 explores everything for which Scotland is famous in a unique Scottish road trip taking you through the whisky distilleries of Speyside, the spectacular mountain passes of the Cairngorms National Park, the famous castles of Royal Deeside, the Granite City of Aberdeen, the rugged North Sea coastline to the east, and ...
6 Gorgeous Scenic Drives To Experience In Scotland
6. Highlands Tourist Route Northeast Scotland. Starting in the coastal city of Aberdeen, this highland route takes you west to Pitfichie Forest where you can see Craigievar Castle, a fairy tale pink castle that is said to have inspired Walt Disney to create his Cinderella castle. The castle opens to visitors from January till September.
Scotland Road Trip: 8 Incredible Routes for an Epic Trip
Considered by many to be one of the best road trips in Scotland, the North Coast 500 really is the ultimate Scottish Highlands road trip, taking in windswept beaches, ancient ruins, beautiful views, and historic castles in stunning landscapes.. The Highland Tourist Route is one of the few road trips in Europe that is as much about the destination as the drive, Scotland's very own Route 66.
Touring the southern Coast of Scotland
Spanning over 6000 miles in total, the Scottish coastline is an incredibly varied area to discover. While the rugged landscapes of the Highlands may draw the eye, the quiet beauty of the southern coast is equally worthy of exploration. Long stretches of sandy beaches cover much of the eastern shore, bringing with them a profoundly historical ...
18 Best Road Trips in Scotland You Can't Miss
Time: 4-10 days. Highlights: Ullapool, Durness, the mountains and the beaches. 3. The Heart 200. The Crannog in Loch Tay, a peaceful stop on the Heart 200 Scottish road trip. One of the newest official road trips in Scotland, the gimmick here is that the route goes right through the so-called heart of the nation.
Image Shows Reopened Scottish Railway Line on Side of Mountain?
Travel blog Pipeaway published an article on April 11, 2024, addressing the falsity of the photo. Searching for "mountain train Fife Scotland" on Google Images produced no evidence of such a ...
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for $3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.
'You can walk virtually everywhere in England by using the train': the
An undulating route between two stations on the Heart of Wales line, finishing in the market town of Llandovery. Bempton to Filey , Yorkshire coast Distance: about 10 miles.

The Ultimate Scottish Coastal Route – Driving the Entire West Coast of Scotland

The Ultimate Scottish Coastal Route

Stranraer to Oban

Oban to Mallaig via Mull and Ardnamurchan

Mallaig to Shieldaig over Applecross

Shieldaig to Durness

Visiting Cape Wrath

Ferry and Fuel Costs

Interesting Detours:

More useful links

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Our Book Tip

Recent Blog Posts

Recent Comments

10 MOST SCENIC Drives in Scotland (Map + Tips + Photos)

10 Most scenic drives in Scotland – Map & Overview

The 10 best drives in Scotland – Map & List

Is driving in Scotland difficult?

Driving Times

Best time to enjoy those most scenic drives in Scotland

Planning a road trip in Scotland

Plan your dream trip in Scotland thanks to my guide

Need to rent a car in Scotland?

#1 – Glen Coe on A82 – B est drive in Scotland

How long to plan

Best stops / places to see

Where to stay

Map of the drive

#2 – The Road to the Isles A830 – Scenic drive from Fort William

#3 – Road to Skye via Glen Shiel on A87 – best driving route

#4 – Wester Ross coastal road on A832 (part of North Coast 500)

I don’t drink coffee

#5 – Trotternish Peninsula on the Isle of Skye

#6 – Drumbeg Loop B869 – Best driving road in Scotland (twisted)

#7 – Side road through Glen Etive

#8 – Loop around the Trossachs National Park – typical Scotland road trip

#9 – Borders Countryside & Abbeys

#10 – Old Military Road in Cairngorms National Park

Plan your dream trip to Scotland with my guides!

SCOTLAND ROAD TRIP

What to see on the Argyll Coastal Route…

1. Loch Lomond and the Inveruglas Pyramid

2. Inveraray Jail

3. Auchindrain Living Museum

4. Kilmartin Museum

5. Mccaig’s Tower

6. Castle Stalker

7. Glencoe Museum

Loch Lomond – Scotland

Inveraray – Loch Fyne – Scotland

Kilmartin_Stones_-road-trip

Oban-Mccaig’s-Tower

SWC300 – The Road Trip for Lovers of Scotland

SWC300 – The Road Trip for Lovers of Nature

SWC300 Accommodation

Angus Coastal Route: A Locals Road Trip Guide

Barry Buddon

Craigmill Den

Arbroath

Arbroath Abbey

Seaton Cliffs Nature Reserve

Auchmithie

Lunan Bay

Boddin Point

Elephant Rock

Scurdie Ness Lighthouse

Montrose Basin

St Cyrus Nature Reserve

Den of Finella

Crawton Waterfall

Dunnottar Castle

Stonehaven Harbour

Scotland’s North Coast 500 Route Planner, Map & 1-Week Itinerary

Scotland’s North Coast 500 Route Planner, Map & 1-Week Itinerary

North Coast 500 Route Map

North Coast 500 Route Planner & Itinerary

Day 1: Edinburgh

Day 2: Edinburgh to Inverness

Day 3: Inverness to Dunnet Head