Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-140 3.5-5.6G ED

Our home for a week here at the Durness camp site of Sango Sands overlooking Durness Beach as seen on my previous photo. This is the type of accommodation used by probably the majority of North Coast 500 explorers. Our home was the first on the right here. From here we are only a short walk to the famous Smoo cave. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Having left Durness and its locality we head east to the Kyle of Tongue. On the way we see remnants of its history and gaze at the mountainous backdrop of Ben Loyal, a Corbett of 764m. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Rolling across the top of Scotland our route crosses the Kyle of Tongue via a combined bridge and causeway. Looking south down the Kyle from the end of the crossing we see the majestic outline of Ben Loyal described as an isolated mountain of 764 m in Sutherland. For us, I could have wished for better weather for my take but I was just happy that I could see it anyway. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Another view of ben Loyal with now a section of the Kyle causeway crossing is seen too. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

A short distance from the Kyle of Tonge crossing towards the village of Tongue stands Castle Varrich. It is a crumbling old tower house of the Mackays, in a beautiful rugged spot, near Tongue in Sutherland . The castle's precise origins and age are unknown. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Looking down the Kyle of Tongue as we head for the hamlet of Talmine. We see another view of the Ben Loyal on the left with a little of Ben Hope on the right side. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

...and so we arrive on the North East section of the NC500. We are at Thurso's Scrabster Harbour - one of the top fishing harbours of Scotland and an established gateway to the North of Scotland. It is a recognised cruise port with a modern ferry terminal and used for the fishing, oil and gas industry too. It is the Scottish mainland's most northerly port and has a varied history. The origins of Scrabster date back to the age of the Vikings. Its natural harbour was perfect for their longships, and the seafaring Norsemen frequently landed here in the 11th century. From here we were to sail to the Orkney Islands. (However that is really not for this NC500 Grand Tour.) The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

A short walk along Thurso's Scrabster harbour brings us to this splendid lighthouse. Just around the bay from Thurso on the western headland of Scrabster is Holburn Head Lighthouse. Close by in the harbour, ferries run from Scrabster to Stromness in Orkney. Another David & Thomas Stevenson design. A light was first exhibited at Holburn Head on 1st September 1862, displaying a flashing white light towards the Pentland Firth and Thurso Bay. A red light sector shone towards Scrabster Roadstead. Discontinued in 2003. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

At last we reach our next stopover destination here at the small village of Dunnet with a big sandy bay, seen here on arrival in the sea fret. A very interesting week of adventures awaits us. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

This is the view almost from our caravan window each evening for six days. We are looking at Dunnet Head, a place we would explore in more detail soon. The house on the top is one which the late Queen Mother often visited to see friends. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

A place for the most dedicated UK explorer here. Just out of sight at the end of the headland of Dunnet Bay where we are based is this splendid lighthouse. Another built in 1831 by the renowned engineer Robert Stevenson. It is said that “Seal song” is often heard drifting up to the lighthouse from Brough Bay below. Certainly a great spot I can testify to. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

As we continue east on this most north easterly point of the mainland we reach the Castle of Mey. The Castle of Mey was built between 1566 and 1572 and was used as an officers' rest home during the Second World War. In 1952, the estate was bought by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the widow of George VI. On 1 January 2019, stewardship of the Trust passed to The Prince's Foundation. The president of the Foundation is Charles III. During our visit inside the castle we were to see much memorabilia of that great lady. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Thurso has some wonderful headland cliffs on what is called Holborn Head. Populated by nesting seabirds it has some dizzying views. Its quite funny to see this fence jutting out over the cliff -maybe to stop birds from flying to the wrong cliffs :) The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

Well we have made it this far. After many detours we have travelled roughly 400 miles since Inverness traveling clockwise. Only 120 or so more back to our start-point Inverness again. Phew! The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

As we enjoy the remoteness of this spot we are joined by a group of cyclist. I suspect that this scene is mirrored many times each week up here as the end point of such charity find-raising events. John o' Groats is a village 2.5 mi north-east of Canisbay, in the historic county of Caithness, Scotland. It lies on Scotland's north-eastern tip and is popular with tourists, as the most distant point on the mainland from Land's End in Cornwall, England, 876 mi to the south-west. Wikipedia The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

A very fine walk from John O'Groats brings us to Dunscaby Head and its famous sea stacks. As well as the incredible views you can enjoy seeing a varied amount of wildlife and seabirds including Fulmars, kittiewake, guiliemots, razorbills and the Skua and also a few puffins. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

The Duncansby Sea Stacks captured from the Duncansby Head cliff-top path. A contre-jour shot and so much of the detail has been lost but I think this photo still conveys much of the atmosphere of this remote headland at the very top NE corner of the UK mainland. There were many interesting stacks around here and many sea birds too. The Stacks of Duncansby are some of the finest in the British Isles. The Great Stack towers are 60m high. Best viewed full screen to see the diving birds. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.

As we continue to walk along the top of these heady cliffs I glance down and see these Puffins. A long lens insures that they are not disturbed. According to the RSPB the Puffin is one of the world's favourite birds, it is certainly my favourite. The NC 500: The Scottish 'North Coast 500' is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips. A route of just over 500 miles (516) of stunning coastal scenery, white sandy beaches, rugged mountains, remote fishing villages and hidden gems.