The North Coast 500 has now become a highly acclaimed route around the north of Scotland and I was curious to find out for myself, if it is all that it is cracked up to be or is it all hype.

The North Coast 500 route itself starts and finishes in Inverness. As it’s a round trip, I decided to do it clockwise and leave the heavier golf schedule to the second half of the trip down the east coast.

DAY 1 – Inverness, North Coast 500

North Coast 500 Day 1 started in Inverness but as I’d done a 3.5 hour drive from Edinburgh that same day, I was happy to stretch the legs and take a wander. I was staying at the Royal Highland Hotel, next to Inverness train station, which was a great central base for all I wanted to do.

If you were going to spend more than a day in Inverness then you’d probably want to head down to Loch Ness (not on the North Coast 500).  Alternatively, you could even hit some balls at Loch Ness Driving range or 18 holes at Loch Ness Golf Course.  Inverness also has a new golf course at the Kings Golf Club, Inverness. It was originally Torvean Golf Club but a new layout, designed by Stuart Rennie, has given Inverness a new 18 hole Championship golf course.  In addition to the new course,  there is also a new clubhouse, driving range and practice area.

I opted for a walk along the River Ness and headed to Inverness Castle, as this marks the start of the North Coast 500. The castle has a number of rooms to visit and information videos running on a loop. However, the main attraction is walking up the spiral staircase to the top and catching the view across the whole of Inverness.

DAY 2 – Inverness to Ullapool (via Applecross & Gairloch), North Coast 500

• driving time = 5 hours 13 mins (not taking into account any stops)
• 193 miles / 304 km

Day 2 was always going to be the tough driving day on the North Coast 500 but the sun was shining and there wasn’t a breath of wind. My first stop was only 15 miles from Inverness at Muir of Ord Golf Club – a James Braid designed, heathland course.

There is gorse, heather and plenty of trees to keep you focused. Also grabbing your attention, on a handful of holes, is the railway line that runs through the course.

The course looked in immaculate condition and it didn’t surprise me, when I heard that it had won ‘Scottish Golf Club of the Year’ at the Scottish Golf Awards in 2016. It is one I will definitely head to next time I am in the area.

Next stop on the North Coast 500 took me to Lochcarron, a 50 mile drive from Muir of Ord Golf Course. Lochcarron Golf Course is located in a beautiful spot, right on the edge of the loch. It is a short (1800 yds) 9 hole heathland type course, with small greens and heather lined fairways – very tricky on a windy day but very scenic indeed!

The clubhouse (Tee-Off Café) is a great place to stop off for a coffee break whether golfing or not. You may need a break here before tackling Bealach na Ba – the mountainous route over to Applecross!

Take the 7-8 mile journey from Lochcarron to Loch Kishorn (cracking views) before starting the single track, hairpin bends and blind corners and summits of Bealach na Ba! This is likely to be one of the most dramatic roads you’ve driven and one that you’re unlikely to forget.

The key thing on this 12 mile journey to Applecross is to take your time, use the passing places and soak up the views. There is a large parking bay (10-12 cars) at the top of the climb where you have breath taking views over the Islands of Raasay and Skye.

Once you get to Applecross and have let your nerves settle, you then have a couple of options.
1. double back on yourself and go right back over Bealach na Ba again or
2. keep the water on your left hand side and drive around the coast and pick up the main road at Shieldaig.   I took option 1….!

If you’re not on a tight schedule you may want to stop over at Applecross – unfortunately I had to plough on and get myself up to Gairloch. This journey took just short of 2 hours and was about 60 miles.

On arriving at Gairloch Golf Club I was expecting to find a 9 hole, parkland course, built into a hillside but what was in front of me was anything but. My first impression was that I had arrived at a long establish seaside links course and I wasn’t too far wrong. The views down onto the beach and out to Loch Gairloch were just stunning.

I was very fortunate to have Allan Perris, President of Gairloch Golf Club to take me around the course. This is a great 9 hole course – it is short by today’s standards but it has 18 different tees, providing different angles and lengths to your second 9 holes.

There wasn’t much of a breeze when I visited but I suspect when the wind blows it is a completely different challenge. Holes 6, 7, 8 & 9 were certainly the stand out holes for me but then I’m a real sucker for a damn good view! Put Gairloch Golf Club on your North Coast 500 list!

My final stop on Day 2 of the North Coast 500 was Ullapool Golf Club. It’s only been open for 20 years, which surprised me as the course felt more embedded than that. However, it transpires that it (or part of it) had been a private course many years ago. I will try and find out more for a later visit!

The course has a heathland feel to it with heather and gorse defining most holes. The lack of any trees gives great views over Loch Broom and the surrounding scenery.

MISTAKES I made; things I LEARNED & a few TIPS from Day 2

• Don’t take on too much driving in one day
• take note of photo stops, as this will save you hours later i.e. trying to work out which loch is which!
• the West Coast is awesome – spend more time here
• Don’t rely on your phone always having a signal
• most hotels, B&Bs have WIFI which will be fine for emails and social media
• If you’re hiring a manual car or camper van for the 1st time DON’T tackle Bealach na Ba on Day1
• Take a physical map  i.e. don’t just rely on Google Maps & GPS

DAY 3 – Ullapool to Bettyhill, North Coast 500

• driving time = 4 hours (not taking into account any stops)
• 138 miles / 224 km

The aim of today was to get up to Durness Golf Club and play the most northerly 9 holes on mainland Britain.  However, there was a bit of ground to be covered before that treat.

First stop was Loch Assynt, where the ruins of Ardvreck Castle sit. From here, the North Coast 500 route hugs the north side of the loch as it heads west to Lochinver, Clashnessie and Drumbeg, where views over Eddrachillis Bay are worth stopping for.

From Drumbeg it was onwards to Durness, with photos stops at Scourie and the Kyle of Durness.

As you drive into the car park at Durness Golf Club, the views of Balnakeil Bay and its beach are astounding. The water was aqua blue and together with the white sands of the beach, you’d be forgiven if you thought you were in the Caribbean, Australia or the Maldives….needless to say, the Scottish temperature in April dispels those thoughts fairly quickly!

I had the pleasure of meeting up with Alistair Morrison, the head greenkeeper at Durness Golf Club – he is also the sole green keeper and does an incredible job of maintaining this superb course.

As if Alistair’s job wasn’t hard enough, maintaining the most northerly 9 hole course on mainland Britain single handed, Durness GC is on a Scottish Natural Heritage site and is also on a European Special Area of Conservation site. It’s no wonder that Alistair won the BIGGA Young Greenkeeper of the Year Award at the National Greenkeepers Awards in Harrogate in January 2018 – great achievement!

The course sits raised up with fabulous views over Balnakeil Bay. Holes 1, 2 (tee), 8 & 9 are your sea view holes, the rest head inland but you’ll still come across water at the 6^th hole, which works its way around Loch Lanlish.

The course was in excellent condition for this time of year (April) and the greens were running true. I got the course on a mild day, however, I can only imagine, my score would double when it’s blowing a gale!

Many thanks to Alistair for his time and his in depth knowledge of the course; I’ll definitely be back.

A couple of things I should have done in Durness but didn’t, were firstly, pick up a chocolate gift box from Cocoa Mountain for my wife and secondly, visit Smoo Cave – both will been done on my next North Coast 500 trip!

Day 3 finished with the 42 mile journey to the Bettyhill Hotel – it should only have taken me about 1 Hour 20 mins but with my persistent stopping for more photos, it took a bit longer.

Bettyhill Hotel was a lovely place to stop at, with yet again breath taking views, this time down to Torrisdale Bay. The hotel was very clean and it was evident that it is very well maintained. Thanks to Carl Jeffries, his family and team for a great stay.

MISTAKES I made; things I LEARNED  & a few TIPS from Day 3

• Plan the non-golf things that you’d like to do beforehand i.e. castles, caves, etc
• Carry cash – not everyone has a card machine but most do
• Should’ve gone to Smoo Cave
• Should have used the tripod a lot more for sharper photos
• Listen to the locals – they know their surroundings
• Book accommodation/meals in advance, if you can, particularly May to September
• Top up your fuel tank frequently – try not to let it go below half full

DAY 4 – Bettyhill to Dornoch, North Coast 500

• driving time = 3 hours 22 mins (not taking into account any stops) –
• 132 miles / 212 km

 

First stop on Day 4 of my North Coast 500 trip was meant to be Reay Golf Club, however, I got diverted and couldn’t help but stop and take a few snaps of these guys above.

Swiftly moving on, as I finally stood at the clubhouse of Reay GC, the view of the dunes was reminiscent of Wick Golf Course, Fraserburgh Golf Club and to a slightly lesser extent Trump Aberdeen & Cruden Bay –  you get the idea.

The 7^th hole is possibly one of the toughest par 3s you’ll play – I don’t mean on this course, I mean, anywhere! It’s 196 yds to an elevated green, over water, with an ever present Scottish breeze. If you’re left, right or short, you’re in trouble and possibly reloading – enjoy!

This is a distinctive course, where the straw coloured rough contrasts starkly with the green of the fairways, giving it a classic links course look. If you’ve come this far north, you have to play Reay Golf Course!

Next up was Thurso Golf Course, only 15-20 mins along the road. In contrast to Reay, Thurso is very much a lush, tree lined, parkland course. The course is relatively flat and has some short par 4s/5s but what it gives in length, it takes in terms of gorse, heather, trees, out of bounds and….the wind.

As I headed from Thurso, it was straight to Dunnet Bay Distillers, home to Rock Rose Gin – I had forgotten to pick up chocolates for my wife at Cocoa Mountain, I couldn’t forget the Rock Rose Gin!

This place was a delight, with a lovely stone built tasting room just off the retail shop. Their ceramic gin bottles are exquisite – wonder what everyone does with their empties?

Next stop on the North Coast 500 was along the road to tick the ‘John O’Groats’ box and after that I then started the short journey south, to Wick Golf Club. This was a course I visited last year but the weather was foul – thankfully this time the sun was out in full force.

I’d been kindly invited to Wick Golf Club by head greenkeeper, Dougie Thorburn, earlier in the year, so I was delighted to take up his offer and get my clubs out whilst the sun was shining.

The outstanding feature of Wick Golf Course is the sand dunes that run the length of the course – Dougie told me that Ronan Rafferty had a hand in the design of the last few teeing areas within the dunes themselves.

You get great views from the new 17^th tee – however, concentrating on your tee shot can be tricky, with sand dunes in front of you, crashing waves just below you and amazing views over Sinclair Bay, out to the Noss Head peninsula and its lighthouse!

I would encourage all golfers to head that little further north to play one of Scotland’s truly hidden gems. This is a great links course challenge that I will happily return to!

Next on the North Coast 500 list was the 9 hole, Lybster Golf Course, a 30 min drive south of Wick. It’s a short course and at £10 for a day ticket, you know you’re not playing Royal Troon.  However, ideal for the opportunity to play golf without it costing a fortune.

Next stop was Brora Golf Club, which is only 35 miles away from Lybster – this is a course I’ve played a number of times but not for 10-15 years. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to play Brora on this occasion but I did walk around a good part of the course and, as always, it looked in great condition.

In ‘True Links’ an excellent book by George Peper & Malcolm Campbell, they state “Brora Golf Club has one of the finest examples of authentic links golf anywhere.” I’m not sure I can add much more to that, other than to say, don’t miss it out.

The next golf course was Golspie, however, just before that I would have to recommend stopping in at Dunrobin Castle.  It is a French chateaux style of castle with over 700 years of history behind its doors.

When I first saw it a number of years ago, it reminded me of the castle in the film ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ – not your traditional Scottish castle but it’s only a mile north of Golspie and really worth a visit.

For over 125 years, golf has been played at Golspie Golf Course! The course is a mix of links and parkland/heathland and will test your golfing strategy. It’s a James Braid designed course and it certainly has a variety of holes.

The first six holes will have you think that you’re playing a links course before the 7^th hole leads you inland where gorse, heather and trees give great definition to the course. The last few holes open up again and the sea views return. Golspie Golf Course is a gem of a course and should definitely be added to your golfing ‘to do’ list on the North Coast 500.

My destination for the night was the Royal Golf Hotel in Dornoch, 11 miles from Golspie. This hotel could not have been better – a fab conservatory dining area, over looking the first tee at Royal Dornoch Golf Club, accompanied by some great food and a glass or two of wine – golf blogging doesn’t get much better.

I am very fortunate to have played Royal Dornoch Golf Course many times and decided not to play it due to time constraints. Additionally, plenty has been written about Royal Dornoch and nothing I write will change or influence its reputation as one of the finest courses in the world – it’s got to be on your bucket list though – enough said.

 

MISTAKES I made; things I LEARNED & a few TIPS from Day 4

• John o’ Groats is not the most northerly point on mainland Britain
• Dunnet Head is the most northerly point on mainland Britain
• Explore more
• Don’t rush from point to point, just so you can tick off boxes
• use passing places correctly, let faster cars pass you, stay calm in tail backs & keep smiling!
• take suncream, as well as waterproofs
• pack layers of clothes because we can have four seasons in a morning
• pack snacks, water, juice – handy to keep energy levels up

 

DAY 5 – Dornoch to Inverness Golf Course, North Coast 500

• driving time = 2.5 hours (not taking into account any stops) –
• 85 miles / 135 km (via Portmahomack & Fortrose & Rosemarkie)

 

First stop on Day 5 of the North Coast 500 journey, was the fabulous course at Tain Golf Club, only 10 miles south of Dornoch.  I have to say, this course has serious character and it’s been a favorite of mine since I first played it 20+ years ago.

It’s an Old Tom Morris designed links course that over looks the Dornoch Firth. It has everything that you would expect from a top quality course in this region; undulating fairways, heather and gorse, a meandering burn, sea views and greens that are in great condition.

There are a number of stand out holes – the 11^th hole (Alps) may remain in your mind, depending on how you deal with your blind approach shot, over two sand dunes, onto the green with water behind. The 12^th hole (Glenmorangie) has a view over the water to the distillery; unfortunately the Glenmorangie whisky barrel on the tee was empty!

As you finish off your round, there are two great par 3s waiting for you at 16 & 17. The Aldie Burn awaits any errant tee shot on both sides of the 16^th green and you have to cross it twice on the 17^th before it works its way up the right hand side of the green.

Thanks to the pro, Stuart Morrison for his time and to his assistant Gus for taking me around the course – I’m already looking forward to my return visit!

Leaving Tain, I had a 25 minute drive eastwards to Portmahomack. Portmahomack (Tarbat) Golf Course is a short 9 hole golf course with character.

Having walked the course, I can confirm that it is well maintained and the greens seem in great condition for the month of April – it is slightly set back from the coast but it does have a links feel to it. I didn’t get the chance to play it on this occasion but will definitely make time for it on my next visit.

Invergordon Golf Club was next on the cards, 20 miles away on the edge of the Cromarty Firth. Despite being right next to the water, this course is very much a parkland course, with trees aplenty. The views over the Cromarty Firth and surrounding scenery are spectacular.

Next up was a 45 minute trip to the stunning Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club, only 14-15 miles north of Inverness. The car park was the busiest I’d pulled into on my whole trip, which is always good to see.

This course is recognised as the 15^th oldest club in the world.  It has recently won ‘Scotland’s Best Golf Experience’ at the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards in 2017 and ‘Golf Club of the Year for Scotland 2018’ at the Luxury Travel Guide Lifestyle Awards. High praise indeed.

This really is a unique course, which sits on a peninsula, surrounded by the Moray Firth. Fort George lies just across the water, Chanonry lighthouse sits at the end of the course and dolphins are often spotted around the peninsula all year round; add these things to an immaculate, award winning links course and a recently refurbished clubhouse and you have a superb golfing experience ahead of you!

As scenic courses go, you don’t want to miss the opportunity of playing Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club, so don’t pass it by. You’ll be well looked after by Mike MacDonald and his team, so be sure to book in advance because this course is popular.

I had one more stop on the final leg of my North Coast 500 trip before my 3.5 hour drive back to Edinburgh and that was at Inverness Golf Club. I hadn’t been to this course before so it was good to get a feel for what it was like. Judging by the amount of cars in the car park, this is clearly a popular course as well.

It’s a tree lined, parkland course and looked well manicured from what I saw. As there was a competition on, I decided not to wander out around the course, so I left this one for a return trip.

MISTAKES I made; things I LEARNED & a few TIPS from Day 5

• Be prepared to drop something from your plan as opposed to rushing through everything
• 5 days just wasn’t long enough but then I had perfect weather; would I have done less in bad weather? Don’t know!
• I’ll factor in 7 days next time
• Parking Bays (not passing places) are there for a reason, so pull in, there’s probably something worth seeing or knowing about
• Check out the North Coast 500’s website (www.northcoast500.com) before heading off

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Well, this was an incredible journey around the North Coast 500 and I can conclude that it DEFINITELY is all it’s cracked up to be.

My initial focus was on the golf courses around the North Coast 500 but after the first 24 hours, I realised that this was going to be so much more than a 5 day golf trip!

As a result, I left myself short of time towards the end of the trip.  To fully appreciate the North Coast 500 and also play golf, 5 days just aren’t enough.

The 9 hole courses are well spaced out along the more scenic west coast but I would be more selective with which courses I play/visit on the east course as there a too many to do in such a short space of time.

This is definitely a trip for everyone and make of it what you will – you can walk it or cycle it; you can drive it in a Robin Reliant or Lamborghini, motorbike or camper van; eat the finest delicacies, grab some pub grub or have cold beans from a tin by a loch; you can camp or caravan, B&B or stay in a castle, the choice is always yours – enjoy the North Coast 500, one of the best driving routes in the world.

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