Scotland

Scotland's Highlands: A Self-Drive Guide for First-Timers

The Scottish Highlands span approximately 9,500 square kilometres across the north and west of Scotland, but what matters to a driver is this: Inverness to John o' Groats is 150km; Inverness to Fort William is 65km; and the North Coast 500 circuit totals 830km of primarily single-track road through terrain that changes radically every 20 minutes. Plan for an average of 60kph—not 80—because single-track roads with passing places, sheep, and weather collapse any pretence of speed. A realistic Highland road trip requires either seven days for a compact circuit or ten to fourteen days if you're committing to the North Coast 500 route properly.

Henrik Vinter