email: [email protected] tel: +44 (0) 1479 420 020

Private Departure - North Coast 500 Highlights

Melissa, Chris, James, Katie, Chris and Liz

Monday 14^th July – Sunday 20^th July 2025

Number of Travellers: 6

Duration: 7 Days / 6 Nights

Overview

Ride the best sections of the North Coast 500, on this 7 day road cycling tour through the untamed beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Travel on our NC500 cycling holiday to experience a satisfying active journey – swap four wheels for two!

The North Coast 500, often described as Scotland’s Route 66, take in some of Scotland’s most impressive wild places, from the mountains and lochs of Wester Ross and Assynt to the rugged sea cliffs of Sutherland. The ever-changing landscape will take your breath away, leaving you eager to get back in the saddle wanting more every day.

At the end of each day, have a well-deserved rest in carefully selected accommodation, with mouth-watering local food and drink providing the perfect fuel for the next day of riding.

Day by Day

Day 1 - Monday 14^th July - West to the NC500

This morning you’ll meet your friendly Wilderness Scotland guides Finlay and Tom in Inverness. From there, a 1-hour transfer takes us to the tiny village of Achnasheen in Wester Ross. Here we have lunch and do a bike fitting before starting our ride – a leisurely route with more downhill than uphill, past beautiful Loch Maree to reach the coast at Gairloch. Here we settle into our hotel for the night and enjoy a welcome dinner.

Overnight: Gairloch | Myrtle Bank Hotel
Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

Day 1 - Guide Details - Finlay Sutherland Read More +

Name: Finlay Sutherland
Contact Number: +44(0)7907 135 861
Meeting Place: Inverness Train Station | Meeting Time: 10:00

Please do not contact your guides more than 24 hours in advance of the trip. If you require assistance before then please contact the Wilderness Scotland office team.

Day 1 - Guide Details - Tom Hutton Read More +

Name: Tom Hutton
Contact Number: +44 (0)7974 912 479
Meeting Place: Inverness Train Station | Meeting Time: 10:00

Day 2 - Tuesday 15^th July - North to the Gorge

Riding from the door of the hotel, we hug the coastline of Wester Ross, passing mountains, moors and wild scenery as we ride north and then east along the NC 500. We end the day’s ride at the impressive Corrieshalloch Gorge. From here, we jump in the van for a 15-minute transfer into the pretty port of Ullapool, thus avoiding a short section of busy road. Settle into the hotel and then explore the village with its scenic waterfront and good pubs and restaurants.

Overnight: Ullapool | Habour House
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3 - Wednesday 16^th July - The Mad Road

We start today with a cycle that takes you directly under one of Scotland’s most iconic small mountains, Stac Pollaidh. We reckon this is up there with one of the best day rides in Scotland! Explore the stunning Coigach peninsula with views across beautiful beaches backed by impressive mountains. We ride north along the coast to reach the port of Lochinver, where we’ll pause for lunch. We’ll then head north following ‘the wee mad road’. Your legs will soon realise why it has this name! We finish at a lovely hotel on the water’s edge. You can rest now – we’re here for 2 nights.

Overnight: Sutherland | Kylesku Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4 - Thursday 17^th July - Rest Day with Boat Trip

We’re at the halfway point so we take a day off riding to recover. A van trip north, followed by a short ferry ride takes us across to Handa Island, a stunning wildlife reserve with incredible views of the north-west coast of Scotland and its distinctive mountainous scenery. Handa is home to one of Europe’s largest seabird colonies, including important numbers of guillemots and razorbills. On the island’s moorlands look out for great skua or ‘bonxie’ and arctic skuas. Stroll among the ruins of the old village abandoned by the last inhabitants in 1847 and from the clifftops try and spot dolphins, whales or basking sharks. In the afternoon you can relax at the hotel, or perhaps enjoy a short walk along the coast.

Overnight: Sutherland | Kylesku Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 5 - Friday 18^th July - Reaching the North Coast

Riding from the door of the hotel, we set out on what is the most challenging day of the trip (remember that our support van is always available to give you a boost if required!). If you thought the scenery had been wild so far, it’s about to step up a notch! We’ll ride on rolling roads as we head north to reach the north coast at the tiny village of Durness. Turning east now, we weave around a couple of notable inlets before, just 10 miles from home, there’s a testing climb of 200m elevation gain. Make it to the top and it’s an easy coast down to the village of Tongue and our hotel for the night.

Overnight: Tongue | Tongue Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 6 - Saturday 19^th July - East to Thurso

A shorter ride today after the exertions of yesterday. We ride from the hotel, following the road east past lovely beaches and bold, isolated peaks. It’s a short but ‘lumpy’ ride, with several short but quite steep climbs, so your legs will be glad when we reach our hotel to check-in. With just a short ride to go tomorrow, we enjoy a celebratory dinner at our hotel.

Overnight: Thurso | Northern Sands Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 7 - Sunday 20^th July - True North and John O’Groats

Riding from the hotel door, we set out on the final leg of this journey. Rather than head directly to John O’Groats, we detour to a viewpoint on Dunnet Head, which is actually the most northerly point on the Scottish mainland. We then continue around the coast to reach John O’Groats, the most northerly village on the Scottish mainland. Here, we can pose next to the iconic mileage sign and share stories with any ‘LeJoG’ riders over a coffee. All too soon, it’s time to go and we transfer south back to Inverness, arriving late afternoon.

Meals Included: Breakfast and Lunch

Trip Details

Inclusions Read More

6 nights accommodation in small Highland hotels and guesthouses on a B&B basis.
All meals as stated in the itinerary.
The services of a professional and qualified Wilderness Scotland road cycling guide and support driver.
7 days of E bike hire.
All transport throughout the trip begins and finishes in Inverness.
Loch Cruise on Day 4.
24/7 In-Country Support from the Wilderness Team.

Exclusions Read More

Flights
Travel insurance
Meals not mentioned in the inclusions
Activities and entrance fees not mentioned in the inclusions
Gratuities for the main driver guides

Important Contact Numbers Read More

Your guide will meet you at Inverness Train Station at 10:00 am on the first day of your trip.

You will be returned to Inverness Train Station at 5:00 pm on the final day of your trip.

Important Additional Information Read More

Road Cycling Kit List – View Now
Scotland – View Now

Terms & Conditions Read More: Please see our booking terms here.

Accommodation

Myrtle Bank Hotel

Low Road | Gairloch | Wester Ross |
IV21 2BS | Scotland
Phone: +44 (0) 1445 712004
Web: themyrtlegairloch.co.uk

Habour House

Garve Rd | Ullapool | Highland |
IV26 2SX | Scotland
Phone: 01854 612222
Web: harbourhouse.uk

Kylesku Hotel

Kylesku Hotel | Sutherland |
IV27 4HW | Phone: +44 (0) 1971 910047
Web: kyleskuhotel.co.uk

Tongue Hotel

Tongue | Tongue | Sutherland |
IV27 4XD | Scotland
Phone: +44(0)1408 623 800
Web: tonguehotel.co.uk

Northern Sands Hotel

Dunnet | Thurso |
KW14 8XD | Phone: +44 (0) 1847 851 300 /270
Web: northernsands.co.uk

Meet Your Guides

Finlay Sutherland

Contact Number: +44(0)7907 135 861

I am a passionate mountain biker and mechanic of over ten years and have an enthusiasm for anything with wheels, having spent most of my adult life in education studying to be a graphics designer I decided to launch headfirst into the world of work and travel to New Zealand to work in a Primary School. After returning to Scotland I realised my true passion was in the outdoors which is why I moved to Fort William to study Adventure Tourism Management.

Since graduating last year I have been keen to cut my teeth in the world of guiding as well as facilitating my passion for all things bicycle-related. I’m super excited to work alongside some well-respected and renowned guides and hopefully hit a few trails along the way.

Full Web Bio

Tom Hutton

Contact Number: +44 (0)7974 912 479

I was born in the Cotswolds and raised in the southwest of England. After 20 years in a suit and tie, I threw it all in and became a photographer and writer, specialising in the outdoors, particularly mountain biking. Somehow, this morphed into guiding and instructing, and I’ve never looked back.