Hitting the High Road
BY ED HODGE
4 MINS READ
“Business is good. The North Coast 500 helps keep us busy.” Sitting in a quaint Brora coffee shop with the October light beginning to fade, the answer to my question was perhaps… unexpected. The clocks were soon changing, winter nearing. Heck, a global pandemic was continuing to dominate and affect our everyday lives.
Yet, even this far north in the remote Scottish Highlands amid a challenging time for all, this cheery response to a simple enquiry about local coffee and toasted sandwich sales gladdened the heart. The now iconic North Coast 500 Route was continuing to reap reward.
Fortrose & Rosemarkie
Photo - Ross Cooper
Launched back in 2015, the route has firmly put the Highlands, well, on the map. A 516-mile (830 km) scenic route around the north coast of Scotland, starting and ending at Inverness Castle, which has been around for generations, but one brought to life with clever marketing.
The ‘NC500’ has gone global. Over 87,000 Instagram followers is testament to that. “The best road trip on the planet,” say some, “Scotland’s answer to Route 66,” say others, of a unique journey that links many features in the northern Highlands in one touring route.
Discover magical and mystical castles (Dunrobin Castle at Golspie for one), taste amazing local produce, explore wonderful distilleries and breweries, walk rugged mountain trails or take to the water and witness the wildlife (the shimmering sands of Dornoch beach for two). Quite simply, savour Scotland at its beautiful best. And… don’t forget the golf.
Brora and Golspie
Photos - Stuart Currie
The NC500 naturally follows the main roads along coastal edges, taking in the regions of Wester Ross, Sutherland, Caithness, Easter Ross, the Black Isle and Inverness-Shire. Many travellers head west first towards Kyle of Lochalsh, up the scenic west coast to Durness and across the most northerly stretch to John O’Groats then back down to Inverness.
Golf opportunities are therefore plentiful… and breathtaking. Rather fittingly, 18 courses are ‘officially’ part of a North Coast 500 ‘Golf Passport’ scheme, offering the perfect way to play courses and enjoy savings of up to 25% on the normal green fee price.
These include Scottish Open venue Castle Stuart, Fortrose & Rosemarkie (and perhaps a sighting of dolphins), a mix of links and parkland at Golspie and the 9-holer at Aigas, nestling spectacularly between Aigas forest and the peaceful river Beauly. Alness, Lochcarron and Ullapool are other courses in the scheme, far from household names in Scottish golf circles but worth the journey for the scenery alone.
Castle Stuart Golf Links
Photo: Ross Cooper
Indeed, whether you are a recreational golfer or single-figure handicap, there is something for everyone at each of the lay-outs. For overseas visitors, those on bikes or those with limited luggage space, some of the courses helpfully offer free club hire. Various other venues sit on the route, including Brora itself on the east coast, a James Braid- designed gem, with the championship links of Royal Dornoch 20 minutes south.
Before the 1980 Open at Muirfield, Ben Crenshaw flew up to play. When he returned, somebody asked the famous American how he had liked Dornoch. “I almost didn’t come back,” beamed Crenshaw. The Highlands has that kind of pull on people, with the hospitality off the course as friendly as the welcome on the 1st tee.
Complete your NC500 experience with stays in welcoming bed & breakfasts, charming guest houses or lovely local hotels. The Royal Golf Hotel, situated right next to Royal Dornoch’s opening hole, is a regular favourite. For a true Highland experience, the North Coast 500 ‘Golf Heritage Tour’ takes you on a trip that encompasses golfing history and cosy accommodation. Enjoy six courses and six nights in a bed & breakfast or hotel.
The Tour includes three further Braid works at Inverness, Muir of Ord and Reay, the most northerly 18 hole links course in the UK. On the north coast with another famed designer, Old Tom Morris, putting his name to Tain, a renowned links in the east and Strathpeffer Spa with its panoramic views on the south of the route. The stunning 9-hole test at Durness, the most northerly course on mainland Britain, and Gairloch on the west coast complete the heritage trail, two venues synonymous with Highland golf. The roads await on the NC500, as do the fairways.