Why we love Scotland

Our North Coast 500 itinerary & report

We took 10 days to drive the North Coast 500 route. Read our itinerary and detailed report here.

8 September 2017 #Scotland
The North Coast 500 route, an overview

The North Coast 500 route is a long-distance road-trip in the Scottish Highlands. Get an overview about this epic route here.

3 September 2017 #Scotland

Maaike has been going to Scotland for over 7 years now, first falling for the charms of Scottish nature, the people, the whisky in 2010. The Isle of Skye especially has a place in her heart. When Oliver came into the picture, it was just a matter of when not if, they were going to Scotland together. Maaike took Oliver to the Isle of Skye in 2014, and even though he doesn’t like cold weather, he had to admit the island was something special! They’ve taken more trips to Scotland after that one (and Oliver sort of got used to the weather).

Face the weather with a smile

Speaking of the weather, it’s not as bad as you think. Weather is a given, the attitude with which you face it matters more. As long as you prepare for at least some rain (and in a bad case, a lot of rain), you will be fine. Statistically speaking, you should go to Scotland in either May or September if you want as little rain as possible; no guarantees though! An added benefit of going in either of these months is that you avoid the crowds. Scotland is getting more popular by the year, the Isle of Skye especially so in summer months.

The common enemy: the midge

Then there is the matter of the midge, a very small fly that never comes alone, but brings at least a million friends. The reason of their get-together is that they like to party on your body. You can try Smidge (a midge repellent), a head-net (yep, really), or smoke a cigar, but the fact remains that midges are bloody awful. They’re active at dusk and dawn when there’s little to no wind. In May, there are usually no midges yet, another reason to go to Scotland in this month.

All this might sound pretty awful to some…Midges that attack you, the high probability of bad weather…why do people even bother going to Scotland? Well…the beauty of the landscape is out of this world. You truly feel quite small when you take it all in. These beautiful landscapes are everywhere; it doesn’t really matter where in Scotland you go: highlands, islands, cities or anything in between. You will never be finished walking the trails, going to the pubs and trying out all the whisky. Be sure to talk to Scottish people too, they’re a very friendly bunch.

In each article about Scotland, we will give you tips for memorable activities.

Our North Coast 500 itinerary & report

The North Coast 500 route, an overview