The North Coast 500 in a Motorhome: A Complete Guide

The North Coast 500 loops roughly 500 miles from Inverness, round the far north through John o' Groats, down the west coast past Ullapool and Applecross, and back along the east side. It is the UK's best-known campervan road trip, and for good reason: sea stacks, white-sand beaches, single-track passes and villages that feel a world away from city life. It also demands planning.

Why it suits motorhomes

Campervans and motorhomes are the natural vehicle for this route. The pace is slow, the scenery is constant, and the ability to pull over for lunch with a sea view is the whole point. Vans under 7 metres are easiest on the single-track sections; anything longer still works, but you'll want to be comfortable reversing into passing places.

Planning the loop

• Give yourself at least seven days, and ideally ten if you want to walk any of it.
• Decide your direction early — most people drive clockwise from Inverness, so anticlockwise is noticeably calmer in peak season.
• Book campsites for June to September; the far-north sites sell out months ahead.
• Fill fuel, water and food in Inverness or Dingwall before the top section.

Where to stay

The route mixes caravan parks, farm pitches, community-run sites and a growing number of dedicated motorhome stopovers with service points. Around Applecross, Gairloch and the north-west you'll find some of the most memorable pitches in the country. Water and waste points get scarce the further north you go, so use your onboard tanks sensibly and top up whenever you find a service point.

When to go

May, June and September are the sweet spots: long daylight, the midges at their least vicious, and sites far less full than July and August. The winter months are spectacular and empty, but the weather is genuinely harsh — check the forecast every day and be ready to sit out a storm.

The single-track sections are beautiful, but the pull-ins exist for a reason — always let faster traffic and oncoming vehicles through.

What to pack

Warm layers, waterproofs, midge repellent and a plan for weather that can swing from sun to sleet in an hour. If this is your first big trip, our Scottish Highlands route guide covers the wider region, and you can find vans suited to these roads on our search.