Highlands, Écosse, United Kingdom
North Coast 500 et nord-ouest des Highlands
The notebook of North Coast 500 et nord-ouest des Highlands
Make room for maritime detours.
Coastal road of large spaces, cliffs, beaches, passes, isolated villages and open Atlantic landscapes.
At your own pace
Identity summary
5 to 10 days
Spring · Summer · Autumn
Recommended car
Coast · Mountain · Nature · Countryside
Limited accessibility
Modular rhythm
General presentation
North Coast 500 et nord-ouest des Highlands
Coastal road of large spaces, cliffs, beaches, passes, isolated villages and open Atlantic landscapes.
Durness, Smoo Cave and Bealach na Bà give the most telling landmarks of North Coast 500 and northwest of the Highlands. Together, they make up a destination where the coastline, mountain reliefs, natural spaces and the countryside meet, with atmospheres that change over the course of the stages rather than just one uniform decor.
See all
For a stay of 5 to 10 days, it is better to balance visits and travel times. Also to be anticipated: long distances and narrow roads. A car is usually the easiest way to connect different sectors. However, some sites require more walking, elevation or preparation.
Strengths and constraints
Strengths
- Durness
- Smoo Cave
- Bealach na Bà
Before you choose
- Long distances
- Close roads
- Accommodation to be booked early
Places worth visiting
A selection to start dreaming and organizing the stay — not an exhaustive list of everything there is to see.
World Heritage
Le Flow Country
In the northern Highlands, the Flow Country features a vast landscape of peatlands, dark pools and razed moors. Wetland birds find a valuable refuge there, while the peat accumulated under the steps tells a slow natural work, sensitive especially in changing times, when water and the sky seem to respond.
Cave
Smoo Cave
Smoo Cave surprises by its monumental entrance, its inner water and its rare mixture of marine cave and underground flow. The visit is short but very atmospheric, with humid steps and changing light when opening the cavity.
Cotier village
Durness
Durness gives a very northern face of the Highlands, between clear beaches, cliffs, moors and scattered houses. The village serves mainly as an anchor point to explore Smoo Cave, Balnakeil and the open shores, in an atmosphere of end of road.
Panoramic road
Bealach na Ba
Bealach na Ba is a spectacular, narrow and winding mountain road that climbs to Applecross with immense views in clear weather. It is intended for drivers at ease on exposed roads; in bad weather, the experience can quickly become tense.
Practical tips
This information helps know if the destination matches the planned trip before starting a fuller search.
To go further
More activities
Restaurants, walks, culture, leisure and outings to search without leaving the destination card.
The nearest destinations
The closest ideas on the map, to extend your trip.
Similar destinations
Same landscapes and the same pace of travel, elsewhere in the world.
