NC500 the North East day Tour (February to October)
Enjoy a Private Group NC500; North East Day Tour. We leave from Inverness with local knowledge shared by the Inverness Tour Guides. Travel in style and comfort in our air conditioned vehicles. Tours priced for up to 7 passengers.
See some of fabulous locations on the NC500; Falls of Shin, Tongue, Strathnaver Museum, Castletown Harbour, Castle of Mey, John O Groats, and the pretty town and cathedral at Dornoch.
Departure
Collection from within 16 miles of Inverness included in the price
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£680.00 11 hours
NC500 far North East day Tour – Itinerary
For the North East day tour on the North Coast 500 (NC500) we head north through the Struie Hills. Great views of the Dornoch Firth from a mountain location. Next we make a stop at the beautiful Falls of Shin, because of the short but lovely walk to a viewing platform. Heading due north from Lairg we pass Ben Loyal, Loch Loyal and some wonderful bog scenery. Eventually we arrive at the coast at Tongue. Following the coast eastwards along the far north of Scotland we visit John O Groats, the most northerly point on the public road in the UK. There are fabulous views of the Orkney Islands. We then travel down the dramatic east coast road back towards Inverness, making time to visit the pretty town of Dornoch en route.
Falls of Shin
The River Shin cascades prettily down Achany Glen, and the largest cascade – the Falls of Shin – is one of the best places in Scotland to see Atlantic salmon leaping. The most likely time to see them attempt to leap up the Falls is between May and September. This is the main reason people like to stop here – but the site’s popularity has led to the establishment of gift shop and coffee shop too. As a result, this makes a very good location for a short break on the route north.
Tongue
Tongue is an attractive village on the Kyle of Tongue on the north coast. Being located in a limestone area, the surroundings are a little like a fertile oasis on the north coast – green fields and native woodland. The Vikings settled here and may have built nearby Castle Varrich. The village and castle then became the main centre of power for Clan Mackay. Tongue remained isolated from the national road network until 1828. Prior to that it’s only links were by sea.
Strathnaver Museum
Strathnaver Museum is located in the old parish church in Bettyhill. It is a fascinating stop, primarily telling the tragic story of the Highland Clearances. There are many other displays within its walls in addition, however. We enjoy the displays on the Picts, and in a totally different field the information on the ecology of the Peatlands. However there are also fine displays about crofting life in general and about Clan Mackay in particular.
Thurso
Thurso was originally a Viking town, the name meaning Thor’s River, and was later the principal sea-port in the north. From it, as long ago as the 13th century, great quantities of malt and meal (oats and barley) were annually shipped for the Baltic, from which wood and iron were imported in return.
Castletown Harbour
Castletown was once the capital of the Caithness flagstone industry. The sandstone rock splits perfectly into flagstones. By 1900 there was a workforce of 500 in Castletown alone, and 1,000 across Caithness. The Harbour here is completely constructed from flagstones – and if you ever go for a walk in the City of Westminster, look below your feet – you will be walking on Caithness Flag. Then in 1920 concrete was developed, and that, as they say, was the end of that.
Castle of Mey
Castle of Mey became famous as the Queen Mother’s summer home. When she first saw it, in 1952 it was in a terrible state. There were no bathrooms, and no electricity, and much of the heat from the massive peatfires in the fireplaces was escaping through yawning holes in the roof. Nonetheless the Queen Mother lovingly restored both castle and Gardens, and even though she has since passed on, the trust that she set up in 1996 still continues, and they open the castle to the public during the summer months.
John O Groats
John O Groats is the most northerly point on the UK public roads. Jan de Groot is the Dutchman who is reputed to have given his name to the village as a result of running a 15th century ferry to Orkney. His name derives from the small denomination (the groat) that served as the ferry toll. His seven sons proved troublesome and argumentative – and for a quiet life created an octagonal house, containing an octagonal table, and so no-one could be said to be at the head of the table. The site of this house was by the mound and flagpole on the site.
Dornoch
The very pretty town of Dornoch is located at the mouth of the Dornoch Firth. The buildings are an attractive honey-coloured stone, and the gardens are a blaze of colour through the summer. The cathedral dominates the centre of Dornoch – a magnificent building erected in 1224 by Gilbert de Moravia. It contains the organ where police found paparazzi hiding, before the christening of Guy Ritchie and Madonna’s son Rocco. The town has a great range of craft and gift shops as well as the beach and a famous golf course.
NC500 far North East day Tour – Price
£680 for the tour.
NC500 far North East day Tour – Departure
The tour departs from your Inverness accommodation, or any transport hub, such as bus station, train station or airport. You tell us, and we’ll be there.
FAQ
Can each person in the party pay separately?
Driver/Guide licencing in Scotland will only allow us to take one payment per tour, so if people in a party wish to split the cost then they arrange that amongst themselves and make one tour payment to us.
Are entries to the various visitor attractions included?
We don’t include entry to the attractions – and that way we leave the day as flexible as possible for you.
Will I need cash with me?
Most places will accept Visa or MasterCard and some will accept American Express. It is always prudent, though, to bring a little cash with you for unexpected eventualities. You will need GBP, not Euros or Dollars.
What will we be doing for lunch?
You are responsible for paying for your own food & drink during your tour. Lunch could be in a café, pub, restaurant or even a picnic at a beauty spot. Your guide can discuss and advise on options when you meet them.
Find all of our other FAQ’s here
Why Choose Us
Why Choose Inverness Tour Guides?
Our Inverness Tour Guides are a hand-picked team. As well as being accredited members of the Highlands of Scotland Tour Guide Association, they are all well-recognised as being at the top of their fields. They were chosen because they are great storytellers, are fun to be with, and are uniquely qualified to do what they do well. We are convinced that there is no better team of guides to be found. See their individual profiles here
Performance
Here at Inverness Tours we continually monitor performance. As a result we are confident that we offer long experience and expertise in providing quality, value and enjoyment.
Our Vehicles
Our vehicles are spacious and air conditioned, easily accommodating up to seven passengers. The reclining seats and tinted windows ensure touring in comfort and style.
Our Track Record
Inverness Tours has been taking visitors on world-class tours for more than fifteen years and has been striving to make its exclusive tour business the finest of its kind available in Scotland.
Our Customer Care
The Inverness Tours admin team are frequently complimented on responsiveness, flexibility and care.
Our Environment
Inverness Tours have offset the impact of visitor footfall in the Highlands by contributing financially to environmental and community projects.
Our Precautions
Our COVID19 precautions – Inverness Tours has always carried bacteriological and virucidal disinfectant sprays, disposable gloves and the necessary wipes etc. The vehicles are cleaned on a daily basis. We are investigating and instituting further measures to keep you safe at this current time and into the future.
Our Reviews
All the above contribute to our fabulous back-catalogue of reviews. Check out the TripAdvisor reviews here. You will find that over 98% of our reviews are five-star and as a result we have achieved TripAdvisor’s annual Certificate of Excellence and placement in their Hall of Fame!
What’s included?
The 7-passenger vehicle together with qualified driver/guide is included.
Summary terms and conditions:-
- All tours are exclusive and the same price for between one and seven people. Your booking is considered confirmed once we send out your confirmation.
- While Inverness Tours shall do everything reasonably possible to provide your tour itinerary and/or services as planned, we reserve the right to alter itineraries, guide, transport or accommodation if circumstances require us to do so. If we have to cancel a tour you receive a full refund of the amount paid and that is the extent of our obligation.
- Our normal Cancellation Terms as outlined in the point below have been temporarily relaxed. The relaxation is in relation to any booking which requires to cancel due to COVID-19. Our COVID-19 cancellation terms are outlined here.
- If you wish to change any part of your confirmed booking you should inform us in writing as soon as possible. We will do our best to assist you, but cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your request. If you cancel a booking up to 30 days in advance you receive a 75% refund of the total paid. Cancellations between 30 and 10 days before the tour receive a 50% refund. There is no refund if you cancel within 10 days of the tour or are not at the organised departure or pick-up point.
- We are happy for you to enjoy bottled water and hard candies while we travel. Other types of food and drink have proved previously to be quite hazardous (on Highland roads) both to yourselves and seat upholstery.
See our full terms and conditions here