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NC500 Route Planner

Plan your motorhome journey with fuel estimates, distances, and motorhome-specific warnings for every leg of the NC500.

Route Segments

Click a segment to highlight it on the map. Total distance: 516 miles.

Inverness to Tain

1/12
📏 37 mi ⏱ 0h55m 🛣 A9

Head north on the A9, crossing the Beauly and Cromarty Firths. Pass through the Black Isle and Easter Ross with long vie...

Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

Tain to Helmsdale

2/12
📏 40 mi ⏱ 1h0m 🛣 A9

Follow the A9 up the dramatic east coast. Pass Dunrobin Castle at Golspie. The road hugs the coast with sea views all th...

Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

Helmsdale to John O'Groats

3/12
📏 55 mi ⏱ 1h15m 🛣 A9/A99

Continue through Caithness. Pass the cliff-top stacks at Duncansby Head for the finest coastal scenery on the east coast...

Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

John O'Groats to Thurso

4/12
📏 20 mi ⏱ 0h35m 🛣 A836

Head west along the dramatic north coast. Detour to Dunnet Head — the true most northerly point of mainland Britain....

Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

Thurso to Tongue

5/12
📏 45 mi ⏱ 1h10m 🛣 A836

The north coast proper begins here. The Kyle of Tongue causeway is a highlight — a thin strip of road across a stunnin...

⚠️ Single-track sections west of Bettyhill.
Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

Tongue to Durness

6/12
📏 40 mi ⏱ 1h10m 🛣 A838

Head south into Strath More then back north to Durness. The landscape becomes increasingly wild. Smoo Cave is 1 mile eas...

⚠️ Very remote — no services for 40 miles. Fill up in Tongue.
Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

Durness to Kylesku

7/12
📏 45 mi ⏱ 1h30m 🛣 A838

Head south along Loch Eriboll then west through Assynt. Some of the wildest landscape in Europe. Lochinver is a worthwhi...

⚠️ Extremely remote. Fill up in Durness. Drumbeg road (B869) too narrow for large motorhomes.
Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

Kylesku to Ullapool

8/12
📏 50 mi ⏱ 1h30m 🛣 A894/A835

South through Assynt past Stac Pollaidh. Ullapool is a lively fishing port on Loch Broom with good shops, restaurants an...

⚠️ Spectacular but slow. Allow much more time than you think.
Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

Ullapool to Torridon

9/12
📏 55 mi ⏱ 1h40m 🛣 A832

South through Corrieshalloch Gorge then west via Beinn Eighe. The Wester Ross coastline is arguably the most beautiful i...

⚠️ Some single-track sections. Slow going but magnificent.
Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

Torridon to Kyle of Lochalsh

10/12
📏 45 mi ⏱ 1h30m 🛣 A896/A890

South through Lochcarron. AVOID the Bealach na Bà — use the A896 coast road via Shieldaig instead. Equally beautiful ...

⚠️ AVOID Bealach na Bà in any motorhome. Use A896 via Shieldaig instead.
Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

Kyle to Eilean Donan

11/12
📏 12 mi ⏱ 0h25m 🛣 A87

Cross to the mainland and head east along Loch Duich. Eilean Donan Castle appears around a bend — one of the most phot...

Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

Eilean Donan to Inverness

12/12
📏 55 mi ⏱ 1h20m 🛣 A87/A82

East through Glen Shiel with the Five Sisters of Kintail, then north through the Great Glen past Loch Ness back to Inver...

Scenic: ⭐⭐⭐ · Difficulty: 🔴🔴

⛽ Fuel Cost Estimator

Estimated fuel for 516 miles:
ÂŁ143.08
92.3 litres ¡ 20.3 gallons

💡 Typical motorhome MPG: 20-30mpg. Highland fuel is often 5-15p more per litre than cities. Fill up at Inverness for the best prices.

⛽ Fuel Stations Along the NC500

Listed in order around the route. Always fill up when you can — some stretches have no fuel for 50+ miles.

⛽

Tesco Inverness

Mile ~0.0 ¡ Inverness ¡ 24hr

⛽

BP Tore

Mile ~12.0 ¡ Tore

⛽

Dingwall Fuel Stop

Mile ~18.0 ¡ Dingwall

⛽

Contin Fuel Station

Mile ~28.0 ¡ Contin

⛽

Tain Service Station

Mile ~50.0 ¡ Tain

⛽

Brora Service Station

Mile ~68.0 ¡ Brora

⛽

Helmsdale Filling Station

Mile ~80.0 ¡ Helmsdale

⛽

Lochcarron Fuel

Mile ~100.0 ¡ Lochcarron

⛽

Gairloch Fuel Station

Mile ~125.0 ¡ Gairloch

⛽

Ullapool Fuel Station

Mile ~145.0 ¡ Ullapool

⛽

Lochinver Fuel

Mile ~190.0 ¡ Lochinver

⛽

Scourie Fuel

Mile ~235.0 ¡ Scourie

⛽

Durness Spar & Fuel

Mile ~275.0 ¡ Durness

⛽

Tongue Fuel

Mile ~295.0 ¡ Tongue

⛽

Bettyhill Store & Fuel

Mile ~305.0 ¡ Bettyhill

⛽

Thurso Shell

Mile ~315.0 ¡ Thurso

⛽

Wick Morrison

Mile ~350.0 ¡ Wick

Motorhome Driving Tips for the NC500

⚠️ Critical Route Warnings:
• The Bealach na Bà (Applecross Pass) is NOT suitable for motorhomes over 6 metres. Take the A896 via Shieldaig instead.
• The B869 Drumbeg Road is NOT suitable for large motorhomes. Stay on the A894/A837.
• Many roads are single-track with passing places. Pull into them to let faster traffic pass.
• Never park in passing places, even briefly for photos.

Drive slowly and enjoy the scenery. The NC500 is not about speed — it's about the experience. Allow plenty of time for each leg, as you'll want to stop frequently. Many sections have a 40-50mph speed limit anyway, and driving a motorhome on single track roads requires patience and care.

Fill your water tank before leaving major towns. Empty your waste tanks at designated facilities (most campsites offer this). Support local communities by shopping at local stores and eating at local restaurants. Keep all camping activity within your vehicle when parked informally.