Organising your North Coast 500 road trip 

The North Coast 500, otherwise known as the NC500, is a scenic coastal route that spans 516 miles along the north coastof Scotland. You begin and end at Inverness Castle and cover endless landmarks along the way.

If you’re keen to see the very best of the north Highlands of Scotland, this is the trip for you. Here are some things to bear in mind when it comes to organising your trip.

Itinerary

Due to the sheer scale of the route, there are a range of itineraries to choose from. You can go for adventure-focused routes that include everything from white water rafting to canyoning, or choose an itinerary filled with historical and archaeological sites.

The Inverness Museum and Gallery and the Culloden Battlefield and Visitor Experience are popular choices for those interested in uncovering the area’s local history.

If you don’t have an itinerary in mind, you could miss out oncertain activities if you need to book in advance. Then, of course, you’ll need to book accommodation in line with your plans. Organisation is key if you want to get the most out of your trip.

Sharing driving duties

Once you’ve sorted out your itinerary, it’s a case of planning your route and any logistics along the way. Most visitors share the driving to make the experience less intense, allowing drivers to take a break. With this in mind, all drivers will need to take out temp car insurance before getting behind the wheel. This will give you all peace of mind knowing that you’re covered during your trip.

Sharing the driving means you can share a vehicle and save money on petrol too, which can help you make significant savings throughout your trip.

Snacks and drinks

Perhaps the most important part – snacks and drinks are a must for a road trip. While sweet treats are notorious on road trips, the reality is that you’ll need something more substantial. Long drives and sugar crashes aren’t an ideal combination after all – you want to be full of energy in between meals and particularly if you have more physical activities in your itinerary.

Examples of healthy, practical and filling snacks include:

• Energy bars designed for hiking

• Fruit (ideally without the need to peel)

• Nuts

• Popcorn

• Savoury snacks like pretzels and crackers

• Portable vegetables like carrot sticks and tomatoes

Meanwhile, some impractical snacks you might want to avoid include food that creates a lot of crumbs or that smells strong. Ideally, you’ll want to avoid food that comes in excess packaging too, otherwise, the car will get untidy in no time at all. You might want to bring a cool bag to keep your food and drink fresher for longer.