Driving the North Coast 500 in a motorhome is a fantastic way to see the best sights on the NC500 road trip. In our opinion, it is the best, giving you the freedom to move around as you please and not be bound to a timescale whilst also having all your belongings with you everywhere you go, perfect for Scotland’s changing weather!
If you are new to driving a motorhome or a campervan or if you are hiring one for the first time, this guide aims to give you some tips on how to travel in a motorhome responsibly.
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Destination North Coast Map
Make sure you have all the resources you need to make the most of your trip to the North Coast of Scotland. Our Destination North Coast Map is the perfect addition to any traveller’s toolkit. With detailed information on all the best spots along the NC500, this map is your ultimate guide to exploring the rugged beauty of Scotland’s north coast.
Tips for Driving the NC500 in a Motorhome
If you are planning a road trip around the NC500, you will want to have a heads up on what to expect when you head to the north of Scotland, and what it will be like to explore in a motorhome or campervan. In this guide, we will be sharing our top tips to driving the NC500 in a motorhome.
Table of Contents
Planning Your Trip
We use the below booking platforms to plan our trips. We hope you find them useful too!
RENT YOUR MOTORHOME HERE
Dispose of Your Waste Responsibly
Over the past year, the NC500 has unfortunately had a lot of bad press due to the infrastructure not being built to meet the demand of visitors that have been touring there. This also hasn’t been helped by the minority not disposing of their waste responsibly and leaving a mess for others to clean up.
If you are new to driving a motorhome, you may not be completely familiar with the waste system. On a campervan or motorhome you have your grey water (the tank for dirty water) and your black water (your toilet). Due to the chemicals that are used in these waters, we need to ensure we are disposing of them correctly.
The best way to dispose of your black and grey water is at a named facility or a campsite. There are many great campsites on the NC500 that will allow you to pay a small fee, usually £5-£10, to dispose of your waste in their tanks. If you are wild camping around the NC500, this is the best way to do it to make sure you are camping responsibly.
If you are looking for a good bag for your NC500 trip, we can highly recommend the Wandrd Bag PRVKE 41L if you are carrying camera equipment around. If you are looking for a smaller backpack, The Nest by Tropicfeel is one of the most comfortable bags I have ever owned and perfect for a day of exploring.
Take it Easy on Single Track Roads
Keep in mind that motorhomes are large vehicles carrying a lot of weight. The NC500 has many single track roads where you will find yourself breaking often and pulling into passing places. You will also notice a number of cattle grids around the route as you share the road with wild animals. Look out for sheep, deer and even highland cows when you are driving in Scotland.
With this being said, take it easy on the narrow roads to avoid an accident.
Pull in to Allow Overtaking if Necessary
We don’t always want to drive at the speed limit in a motorhome, whether that’s because of the size of the vehicle or because you are soaking up the scenery on route. If you see a number of cars behind you, pull in and let them overtake as the chances are, they will try to at some point anyway. Pulling in at the next opportunity makes this safer for everyone.
Don’t Park in Passing Places
There are many single track roads around the north coast of Scotland. To help traffic flow on these narrow roads there are passing places. These are marked with a white sign and if it is on your side of the road, pull in to allow the other vehicle to pass. Passing places should not be used as parking spaces as this will result in the narrow road becoming blocked.
DON’T FORGET
Your trip to Scotland will be a lot more comfortable with a midge net and midge spray. These little biting bugs can be enough to ruin a trip if you don’t have the equipment to protect yourself from them. A repelling candle can also be helpful if you are sitting oustide.
Stock up for the West Coast
When you reach the west coast of the NC500, it becomes a lot more remote and shops become a lot more sparse. It is good to support the local shops, cafes and restaurants when you do come across them, however, if you are taking your time around the route, we would definitely recommend on stocking up in either Thurso or Ullapool so you won’t feel as rushed round the coast to reach a supermarket.
Plan Ahead for Campsites
If you are travelling the NC500 during the summer months, this is especially important. Have a rough idea of where you want to camp and decide whether or not you are staying at a campsite or finding a wild camping spot.
In Summer, campsites are extremely busy and will need to be booked far in advance. It is also worth noting, with the number of vans on the road, wild camping spots can also be few and far between come evening as everyone is parked up. Have some back up camp spots that you can go to if you’re number one isn’t a success.
NC500 Motorhome and Campervan Scheme
The NC500 Motorhome Scheme, officially known as the Highland Campervan and Motorhome Scheme, was launched by the Highland Council on July 1, 2024. This innovative initiative is designed to address the growing number of motorhomes and campervans traveling along the popular North Coast 500 (NC500) route, ensuring that their impact on the local environment and communities is managed sustainably.
The scheme offers a voluntary seven-day pass costing £40, inclusive of VAT. This pass grants motorhome and campervan users access to 12 designated overnight parking locations along the NC500 route, including scenic spots like Torvean Car Park in Inverness, Nairn Harbour, Dunnet Head Car Park, and Ullapool Latheron Car Park.
These parking spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis from 10 PM to 8 AM, with a 72-hour no-return policy at each location. This ensures that the facilities are used responsibly and that a larger number of travellers can benefit from them.
Overall, the NC500 Motorhome Scheme provides a structured and sustainable approach to motorhome travel in one of Scotland’s most scenic and popular areas. We think this is a great idea and encourage everyone to take advantage of it if you are looking to explore this road trip soon.
Read all about this new scheme in our complete guide to the NC500 Motorhome Scheme here.
For more information or to purchase a membership, travellers can visit the Highland Council’s official website.
Struggling to plan your North Coast 500 road trip?!
Before You Leave on the North Coast 500
Before you head off on your trip around the NC500, there are certain things you will need to get organised to ensure a smooth trip. These include how to get around the route, including being aware of single track roads, etc., what to pack for Scotland, where to stay along the route and what travel insurance to book.
Read more planning tips for the North Coast 500 in our full guide.
How Do I Get Around the NC500?
Given the remote location of the NC500 and the majority of the sights along the route, the best way to get around this road trip is by driving. There are of course other methods that are still popular, such as cycling and hiking, however, if you have a short amount of time on the route, neither of these are very suitable.
As for public transport, the use around the NC500 is understandably difficult due to how remote each location is, however, with the increasing problem of congestion along the route, this is a good option to research if you have time. If it is something that interests you, you can read a public formed itinerary of how to get around the NC500 by public transport over here.
If you are looking to rent a cosy, reliable and luxurious campervan for your trip along the NC500, we recommend hiring through Spaceships Rentals.
Browse the full range of vehicles on offer at Spaceships over here.
What Should I Pack for the NC500?
When it comes to packing for a trip along the NC500 there is one item of clothing that you are going to need all year round: a waterproof. It rains in Scotland on average 250 days a year, meaning that during your 7-day NC500 road trip you will probably experience at least a drizzle of rain. Due to this, the number one item on any Scotland packing list is a good waterproof jacket.
As for the rest of the year, the temperature in Scotland and the central heartlands is reasonably mild for most of the year. During the winter months, you will most likely experience snow, however, temperatures usually sit around freezing, so it is not too cold. For your reference, the average temperatures in Scotland are listed below during each season.
Spring (March, April, May) – 5-10 degrees C
Summer (June, July, August) – 15 degrees C
Autumn (September, October, November) – 5-10 degrees C
Winter (December, January, February) – 0-5 degrees C
As you can see, the weather never really gets above the teens, with anything over 25 degrees C considered a heatwave. The best way to pack for your trip to the highlands is with layers that can be added and removed as you need them. You will definitely need a hat and gloves during the colder months and will most likely need sunscreen to protect you on the long days in the open.
It is also important to stay hydrated, especially when you are out exploring in the marvellous landscape of Scotland. We use Water to Go water bottles to fill up with water from running streams when we are hiking.
Given the beautiful sights and scenery that you are no doubt going to see around Scotland, we highly recommend packing a good camera for your trip. If you want to read more about the cameras we use and why we love them, check out the link below.
Photography Equipment
Main Photography Camera – Sony A7v Mirrorless Camera and Sony A7iii Mirrorless Camera
Microphone – Sony Mic ECM-B1M
Main Lens – Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8
Zoom Lens – Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8
Camera Tripod – ZOMEI Z669C Camera Tripod
Gorilla Pod – JOBY JB01507-BWW GorillaPod
Action Camera – GoPro Hero 11 and Insta 360 One RS
Drone Camera – DJI Mavic Pro 3
Camera Bag – Wandrd PRVKE 41L and The Nest by Tropicfeel
Phone Tripod – Manfrotto MKPIXICLAMP-BK, Mini Tripod with Universal Smartphone Clamp
Sturdy Phone Tripod & Selfie Stick – ATUMTEK 61″ Selfie Stick Tripod, Sturdy Phone Tripod Stand with Wireless Remote
Hard Drives – LaCie Rugged Mini, 5TB, 2.5″, Portable External Hard Drive
SSD – SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable NVMe SSD
Travel Adapter –Worldwide Travel Adapter Universal Travel Plug with 4 USB Ports+Universal AC Socke
Where Should I Stay on the NC500?
The remoteness in the highlands of Scotland will leave you with little choice of accommodation in each location along the NC500, however, there are still enough options to choose from to ensure a comfortable trip. These are mostly in the shape of B&Bs, Airbnbs, converted cottages and other quirky accommodations.
Depending on how adventurous you are, there may be more accommodation choices than just the above, often with an even better view. Caravan and camping sites are abundant along the NC500, drawing camping enthusiasts from all over the world. For some of the most spectacular bedside scenery along the North Coast 500, we recommend packing a tent and getting in touch with nature for the week.
As we travelled along the North Coast 500, camped in our trusty Vango tent on a mixture of campsites and wild sites. Wild camping is a fantastic way to enjoy the beauty of the highlands, however, it must be done respectfully. Read our full guide to Wild Camping if you wish to give it a go so you know everything you need to for a comfortable and sustainable trip.
What is the Best Travel Insurance?
I know travel insurance is the least enjoyable thing to purchase and look at when you’re planning a trip, however, you wouldn’t want to be without it in the event that something happened. Accidents can happen anywhere and the extortionate medical bills will ruin your trip if you are not covered.
To ensure you have a stress-free trip with no worries about potential medical bills, make sure you cover yourself when you travel. We can recommend using SafetyWing, a backpacker-friendly and cheap insurance company that provides good coverage and support. It is also nomad-friendly, unlike most other insurance companies, meaning you do not need to worry about being out of your home country for too long.
Get a quote for your travel insurance right here and get covered!
So there you have it, our top tips for driving the NC500 in a motorhome. If you have visited the NC500 recently, let us know what you thought of it. If you have any suggestions let us know in the comments below.
As always, sharing is caring so make sure to share this photo guide with your family and friends and inspire them to head off on their own North Coast 500 adventure. If you are planning the trip for yourself, make sure you have a look at the rest of our Scotland content for more inspiration to our beautiful home country.
When you set off on your own adventure, be sure to tag us in your photos on Instagram and we will share them with the rest of our community. In the meantime, why not follow us over there to see what we are currently up to and keep up with us on our Instagram Stories.
Now Read:
- Must Read Tips for Responsible NC500 Wild Camping
- North Coast 500 Packing Guide – What You Will Need for the NC500
- 7-day North Coast 500 Itinerary – FREE, Detailed and Unforgettable!
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