Should You Basecamp on the North Coast 500?
In this article we will discuss the pros and cons of basecamping on the North Coast 500 to see how good an option it is.
The North Coast 500
So what is the NC500?
The NC500 (for short) is a 500 mile long driving route around the North West of Scotland. 516 miles to be exact. It has become increasingly popular with people throughout the UK and further afield in the last few years. Founded by Tom Campbell in 2015 with the intention of showcasing the beauty of the North and West of Scotland, “Scotland’s Route 66” is now well established.
In general, most visitors look to make their way around the route section by section every day, with an overnight pit-stop at every location. We question if this is the right thing to do in this article.
Find out more about the North Coast 500 here!
What is Basecamping?
So what do we mean by basecamping?
In short, basecamping is staying in one location for a longer period of time than one night and doing day trips out to locations of interest in day trips. Could this be the ideal thing to do on the North Coast 500 route?
The Positives and the Negatives
There are upsides and downsides to doing the North Coast 500 route whilst basecamping.
The positives:
- No packing and unpacking of accommodation/cars every day
- Can take a day off driving if you want
- Can stay in your favourite accommodation longer
- Get to spend longer at points of interest as you aren’t worried about checking in to your next accommodation
- More chance to get friendly with people staying in the same place as you
The negatives:
- It can take longer to get round the route
- You don’t get to stay overnight in as many places (could be a positive dependent on perspective)
- You may be stuck in a place you don’t like for longer
- May not be looked at as proper NC500 spirit of travelling daily
The Verdict on North Coast 500 Basecamping
In conclusion, whether to basecamp on the North Coast 500 or not is totally down to personal preference. If you like the idea of driving every day and stopping somewhere new every night, bascamping probably isn’t for you. If you like the idea of a bit more of a relaxing trip, basecamping could be for you.
Should you decide to basecamp, we would recommend one three-night stay in the East, one three-night stay on the North and either one or two three-night stays on the West. We believe there is more to do and see on the West which is why we think you should stay a little longer here.
Whatever you decide, you’re going to love the NC500 route. We’d love if you could check in with us once you’ve done the route and you can tell us what you think! Enjoy!
