5 Bucketlist Scottish Road Trips
Can you imagine the adventure of packing up your car or campervan and heading off into the unknown. Touring the ancient and fascinating highlands of one of the world’s oldest and most beautiful countries, Bonnie Auld Scotland. Well, when it comes to road trips in Scotland you are simply spoiled for choice, with a whole host of adventures to choose from.
The ultimate way to explore the best of what Scotland has to offer is to go on a road trip. This incredible country is full of stunning scenery and jaw-dropping locations that will leave you wanting more. If you have the time, we would advise giving yourself a good amount of time to get around these routes and don’t rush them. Each road trip has its own unique beauty to explore and the worst thing to do is leave yourself feeling rushed.
This guide lists all of the best Scottish road trips that this country has to offer, including the location, the history, and the top sights of each road trip. Get inspired to explore the incredible country of Scotland with this road trip guide now!
The North Coast 500 (NC500) Road Trip
One of Scotland’s most popular highland tourist routes lies along the very northern coast of the country, drawing tourists from all over the world to the remote highlands and for good reason. As you venture north through the wilderness of the highlands, the sights, sounds, and landscape around you begin to transform into that of a fairytale.
This circular road trip is 516 miles, starting and ending in Inverness. This route around the northern coast of Scotland offers beautiful white sandy beaches, along with a rugged coastline and dramatic mountains. You can drive the route clockwise or anticlockwise, many preferring the anticlockwise route due to the west coast often being preferred for spectacular views.
This road trip was branded by the North Coast 500 in 2015 and since then it has burst onto the scene in popularity, with many travellers wanting to get a glimpse of what this beautiful part of the world has to offer.
The top sights on this road trip are the historic castles and Smoo Cave. Smoo Cave has a very interesting history, dating well back to the first days of the Viking settlers in the UK. As you enter through the 50ft opening to Smoo Cave (one of the largest Sea Cave entrances in the UK), you enter into the story for the ages of this part of the country.
We would recommend spending at least 7-10 days on this road trip as there is so much to see and do. This is one of our favourite Scottish road trips and I know that our book and map combo will help you to plan the perfect adventure!
The Isle of Skye Road Trip
The Isle of Skye is one of Scotland’s largest and most picturesque islands. The rugged coastline and skyscraping mountains make the Isle of Skye a bucket list destination for many, which is reflected by the thousands of tourists who visit the island every year. It is the perfect place to visit at the end of your NC500 road trip as if you are travelling anti-clockwise, you will be passing by Kyle of Lochalsh where you can take the road bridge across to the island.
Whether you are a fan of ancient castles, rugged mountains, fascinating geological formations, crashing waterfalls or quaint, babbling streams, the Isle of Skye has it all. You can spend your morning wandering in the mystical Fairy Glen, the afternoon admiring glacial remains and the evening dancing the night away at your local pub. We absolutely love it.
One of our favourite things to do on the Isle of Skye is to climb the Old Man of Storr. On a clear day, the views across to the Isle of Raasay and mainland Scotland are fantastic.
We would recommend spending at least 4 days on the Isle of Skye. There is so much to see on the island and we suggest that if you don’t want to miss out on plenty of the best sights, you get a guidebook to help you plan the best trip.
The Heart 200 Road Trip
The Heart 200 is a brilliant touring road trip, 200 miles around the centre of Scotland. This route takes you through the history of Stirling through the old capital of Scotland and to the beautiful scenery around the Trossachs. The Heart 200 can be explored in sections for weekends away or as one full road trip.
Prepare yourself for some of the world’s most beautiful landscape and some of Scotland’s oldest sights and scenery. Filled with nature and history, adrenaline rushes and tranquil rivers, the Heart 200 is a road trip to be enjoyed by anyone and everyone of all ages. The best part of this central tour of Scotland is the sheer number of incredible activities around the 200-mile route.
Given the central location of the Heart 200 and the vast number of sights that this part of the country has to offer, it is possible to spend weeks touring the Heart 200 and you will never get bored.
If you love the thrill of adventure, one of our top things to do on this tourist route is visiting Highland Fling Bungee. Overlooking the incredible landscape in Pitlochry, the team at Highland Fling Bungee will make your day a lot of fun in the highlands whether you choose to go for the full bungee jump or the highland swing. Even if you don’t plan on taking part in the activities here, the River Garry is still a gorgeous place for a walk, especially during the autumn months.
We recommend spending at least 5-days visiting all of the sights around the Heart 200, however, if you have time then 2-weeks is the optimal time to spend touring the Heart 200.
The North East 250 Road Trip
The North East 250 road trip is a circular 250-mile round route showing off the many historical castles, the rugged north sea coastline and through the Cairngorms National Park. This road trip also includes a visit to the Granite city of Aberdeen. This part of Scotland is not as commonly visited, therefore, it is likely you will have a quieter trip than if you were driving some of Scotland’s other road trips.
Due to being a loop you can start this road trip wherever is easiest for you and drive it either clockwise or anticlockwise.
The route is home to many historical Scottish castles including Balmoral Castle, the Royal Family’s Scottish home since 1852. This impressive castle is definitely worth a visit whilst you are in this part of Scotland. It is open during the summer months to the public and we would recommend whilst you are there, taking a walk up to the Balmoral Pyramid, a fascinating and unique sight in the region.
We would recommend spending at least 4 days on this road trip to ensure you have enough time to experience the tours and local sights. If you have the time, we would recommend giving yourself a wee bit longer to allow plenty of stop-offs around the loop.
The South West Coastal 300 (SWC300) Road Trip
The South West Coastal road trip takes you on an adventure through the Dumfries & Galloway region of Scotland and also includes Ayrshire. This is a circular road trip that follows quieter off the beaten track roads through the forested countryside and also the coastal roads on the south west of Scotland.
You may have heard of the famous Scottish poet Robert (or Rabbie) Burns who wrote the well-known poems Auld Lang Syne and To a Moose. When you pass through the town of Alloway, you can learn all about the history and life of this well-known writer by visiting Burns Cottage or Burns Birthplace Museum.
We would suggest enjoying this road trip over a week as there is so much to see around this part of Scotland, including beautiful beaches and coastal scenery as well as quaint fishing villages.
Where will your Scotland Escape take you on this adventure? Let us know!
