The North Coast 500 (NC500 )was ‘introduced’ as a tourist destination in 2015, although people have been travelling along some of its roads since time immemorial. However, it’s only been going as a ‘thing’ officially for less than a decade (at the time of writing in early 2024), so its rise as a must-see, bucket-list, world-class attraction is phenomenal. Its creators have very cleverly linked up an epic drive with many of Scotland’s landmarks and most beautiful landscapes into a package that can be sold and sold again. Genius. There can be no doubt that the NC500 is one of Europe’s finest road trips, rivalling the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland or the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland. The scenery is magnificent. The stories to be told along its way are full of wonder. The beaches are heavenly. The landscapes are incredible. In short, the NC500 is absolutely fantastic.Most people travel anticlockwise around the NC500, starting at Inverness and heading north on the A9. It isn’t the most exciting section, I will admit, but it hides some secrets, thousands of years of human occupation and the darker side to the Highlands’ more recent history, where a wander off the beaten track will reveal beautiful, empty glens and views fit for a millionaire.