Seven days is the classic way to drive the North Coast 500, and with a dog it is brisk but fair. You will average about 74 miles a day, which leaves time for one proper walk and a beach most days, but not for everything. The trick is to pick one or two things each day and let the rest go.
This itinerary runs anticlockwise from Inverness: up the east coast first, where the driving is easiest, then along the north coast and down the west. Driving times are for the road only, without stops. On the single-track sections, allow more.
| Day | Route | Miles | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inverness to Dornoch | 43 | 1 hr 30 min |
| 2 | Dornoch to Dunnet | 92 | 2 hr 30 min |
| 3 | Dunnet to Durness | 82 | 2 hr 45 min |
| 4 | Durness to Lochinver | 63 | 2 hr 45 min |
| 5 | Lochinver to Gairloch | 97 | 3 hr 15 min |
| 6 | Gairloch to Applecross | 58 | 2 hr 15 min |
| 7 | Applecross to Inverness | 84 | 2 hr 45 min |
Not sure a week is right for you? How many days do you need for the NC500 with a dog compares five, seven, ten and fourteen.
Day 1: Inverness to Dornoch
Start slowly. With only an hour and a half of driving there is time to cross the Kessock Bridge onto the Black Isle and walk out to Chanonry Point, one of the best places in Europe to watch dolphins from the shore. Go around high tide. Then give the dog a run on Rosemarkie Beach before the drive north.
One firm rule at the point: no swimming and no ball games. The currents are dangerous and dogs have been swept in.
Our mileage uses the small Cromarty to Nigg ferry, which runs from April to the end of September. If it is not running, drive back round by the A9, which adds about 25 miles.
Arriving the night before? See dog friendly Inverness for where to eat and walk.
Day 2: Dornoch to Dunnet
A long day with more on the list than you will fit in. Our pick is Dornoch Beach first thing, the wooded Big Burn gorge at Golspie, and then Sinclair's Bay north of Wick: nearly 5 km of sand between Reiss and Keiss, and the best beach run on the east coast.
Finish at the sea stacks of Duncansby Head, lead on throughout because the cliffs are only partly fenced, and settle in near Dunnet Bay.
Day 3: Dunnet to Durness
The north coast begins properly here, one sandy bay after another. Places to eat are scarce west of Thurso, so plan lunch. Bettyhill Beach is the stop to build the day around, with the short climb to Castle Varrich above Tongue if legs need stretching.
From April to July, ground-nesting birds use the dunes along this coast, so keep your dog on a short lead there. The last stretch round Loch Eriboll is single-track and slow. Arrive in Durness with time to walk down to Smoo Cave, where dogs can go down the path and into the main chamber.
Day 4: Durness to Lochinver
Start on the white sand of Balnakeil Bay, a mile from Durness. Then choose. The walk in to Sandwood Bay is about four miles each way across moorland and takes most of a day, so on a seven-day trip Oldshoremore Beach gives you the same empty feel for far less effort.
South of Kylesku Bridge, the Drumbeg road is steep, narrow single-track. If you cannot comfortably reverse your vehicle on a narrow road, stay on the main road and reach Clachtoll and Achmelvich from Lochinver instead.
Day 5: Lochinver to Gairloch
The longest day at the wheel, so set off early. Stac Pollaidh is the big walk if you want one; the path circles the hill and climbs to the ridge, and the ridge is as far as you and the dog need to go. Otherwise wear the dog out on Ullapool Hill, straight up from the back of the town, and eat lunch outdoors on the harbour.
South of Ullapool, Corrieshalloch Gorge is a short stop with a suspension bridge that sways a little, which nervous dogs may not enjoy. Gruinard Beach is the afternoon run: keep the lead on from the car, because parking is beside the main road.
Stopping longer in the town? See dog friendly Ullapool.
Day 6: Gairloch to Applecross
Give the dog a big run on Big Sand Beach, which is usually close to empty, then follow Loch Maree to Kinlochewe. The Loch Maree shoreline walk is the gentle option through old pinewood. The Beinn Eighe Mountain Trail from the same car park is steep and rocky, and one for fit, agile dogs.
From Torridon, take the coast road round by Shieldaig to Applecross. It is single-track, with Raasay and Skye across the water.
Day 7: Applecross to Inverness
Run the dog on the beach at Sand before you leave. Then climb the Bealach na Bà, which rises from sea level to about 630 metres in hairpins. It is not advised for caravans, large motorhomes or learner drivers, and it is often shut in winter; if that is you, go back out by the coast road. On a clear day, the summit plateau is worth a stop, with the dog close for sheep and deer.
Break the drive home at Rogie Falls, a short woodland loop near Contin, and you are back in Inverness by evening.
Where to sleep each night
Book ahead from June to September. Dog friendly rooms and pitches are limited in the north-west, and the best go early.
Camping or in a van? Dog friendly campsites on the NC500 lists where to pitch near every overnight stop.
Want a roof? Where to stay on the NC500 with a dog covers cottages and hotel rooms.
Rules for the whole week
- Leads on near livestock. Sheep graze right up to the beaches on the north and west coasts.
- 1 April to 31 July is nesting season. Keep dogs close and on paths on moor, dune and shore.
- Check for ticks every evening. Our guide to dealing with ticks explains how.
- Top up fuel at half a tank. Stations are sparse in the north-west and some close early.
Choosing your dates? See the best time to do the NC500 with a dog.
Final thoughts
A week on the NC500 suits people who are happy to drive most days and choose their stops with care. You will see the whole loop, walk a beach most days and get one or two longer walks in. What you will not get is time to sit still, and two days in particular, to Dunnet and to Gairloch, ask a lot of a dog in the car.
If you can find three more days, take them. If you cannot, follow the plan above, pick one thing a day, and save Sandwood Bay for next time.
More on the NC500 with a dog
- The dog friendly NC500: an overview: Van setup, the main stops and a 10-day outline.
- Dog friendly campsites on the NC500: Where to pitch round the route, and each site's dog rules.
- Dog friendly beaches on the NC500: Twelve beaches worth stopping for, east coast to west.
- Dog friendly Inverness: Where to eat, drink, walk and sleep at the start of the route.
- How many days do you need for the NC500 with a dog?: Five, seven, ten or fourteen days compared.
- Where to stay on the NC500 with a dog: Cottages, hotel rooms that take dogs, and campsites.
- Dog friendly Ullapool: Bars, cafés, walks and boat trips in the west coast's main town.
- The best time to do the NC500 with a dog: Midges, ticks, lambing and nesting season, month by month.
- Dog friendly campervan hire for the NC500: Hire firms that take dogs, and what to check before you book.