From Inverness the NC500 climbs over the Bealach na Bà to Applecross, follows the west coast through Torridon and Assynt, crosses the wild north coast past Smoo Cave and returns down the east coast by Dunrobin Castle. May, June and September are best; July and August bring crowds and midges.
Month by month
Best: May, June, July, August, September
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Avoid Poor OK Good Excellent Peak
Worth avoiding: January, February, March, November, December.
Shoulder season: September, good weather with typically fewer crowds and lower prices.
Weather and crowds
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Wet days | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5°C / 42°F | 1°C / 34°F | 15 | Quiet |
| February | 7°C / 45°F | 2°C / 35°F | 14 | Quiet |
| March | 9°C / 49°F | 2°C / 36°F | 15 | Quiet |
| April | 11°C / 52°F | 3°C / 37°F | 12 | Moderate |
| May | 15°C / 59°F | 7°C / 44°F | 14 | Moderate |
| June | 18°C / 64°F | 10°C / 49°F | 12 | Moderate |
| July | 19°C / 66°F | 12°C / 53°F | 15 | Busy |
| August | 18°C / 65°F | 11°C / 52°F | 14 | Busy |
| September | 16°C / 61°F | 9°C / 49°F | 14 | Moderate |
| October | 12°C / 54°F | 7°C / 45°F | 17 | Quiet |
| November | 9°C / 48°F | 3°C / 38°F | 17 | Quiet |
| December | 6°C / 43°F | 2°C / 35°F | 17 | Quiet |
Weather: averages of recent years from Open-Meteo historical data (CC BY 4.0). Crowds: estimated from the seasons and holiday periods, not measured.
How long to stay
6–9 days is the sweet spot.
Flight time
About 8.5h from the US East Coast, 2h from Europe, 11h from South Asia.
Good to know
- Much of the route is single-track road: pull into passing places to let others by, and never park in them.
- The Bealach na Bà is steep with hairpins; skip it in a large camper or in snow.
- Book places to stay ahead in summer and carry midge repellent from June to August.
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