The North Coast 500 passes more than 20 properly spectacular beaches – from the dolphin-watching bays of the east coast, to the wild surfing beaches of the north, to the turquoise-and-white-sand coves of the west. This is my guide to the best of them, organised by region so you can plan stops as you drive.
Below you’ll find what each beach is best for (swimming, surfing, dog-walking, wildlife, photography), which are quickest to access from the road, and which are worth the longer detour.
Planning your wider trip? Read my complete guide to the North Coast 500 and my 7-day NC500 itinerary.
Planning your North Coast 500 adventure?
- The complete guide to the North Coast 500
- A 7 day North Coast 500 itinerary
- Where to stay on the North Coast 500
Map of North Coast 500 beaches
Find your favourite North Coast 500 beach on the map:
East coast beaches
Starting in the City of Inverness, driving up the east coast of Scotland to the very top of the UK, visiting some of the best NC 500 beaches and spotting dolphins and amazing castles along the way.
Rosemarkie Beach / Chanonry Point
Best for: dolphin watching, walks | Access: easy, car park at Chanonry Point | Dogs: welcome on lead around wildlife
Your first beach stop on the NC500 is located near the village of Rosemarkie on the Black Isle Peninsula, with stunning views across the Moray Firth. Visit the “Fairy Glen,” a wooded gorge that leads to a waterfall and Chanonry Point — one of the best places to spot dolphins in Scotland.
Portmahomack
Best for: quiet, history, harbour walks | Access: easy detour off the NC500 via Tain | Dogs: welcome
To the east of Tain is the Easter Ross peninsula, a quiet, windswept haven away from the world rushing by on the NC500. Discover Portmahomack with its lovely beach and harbour before visiting the Tarbat Ness Lighthouse, then drive the Pictish Trail to find the beautiful sculptural Easter Ross Standing Stones.
Dornoch Beach
Best for: walking, golf, families | Access: easy, free parking | Dogs: welcome
A pretty Victorian seaside town with a lovely beach and links, Dornoch is also home to the famous Royal Dornoch Golf Course, a championship links course with incredible views over the Dornoch Firth — see if you can spot Dunrobin Castle from the shore! More NC500 beaches near Dornoch include Golspie Beach and Brora Beach.
Reiss Sands / Sinclair’s Bay
Best for: walking, castle views | Access: easy, near Reiss village | Dogs: welcome
Located near the village of Reiss in Caithness, Sinclair’s Bay is bookended by two magnificent castles — Old Keiss Castle to the north and Castle Sinclair Girnigoe to the south — along with the restored Ackergill Tower, now a guest house.
North Coast 500 beaches – north coast
Your next destination – the far north coast of Scotland to John O’Groats and the incredible Duncansby Head Stacks, then to Scrabster and Thurso discovering white sand beaches, before exploring the huge Smoo Cave, and trying the famous hot chocolate at Cocoa Mountain at Durness. Here are the best North Coast 500 beaches on the north coast.
Bay of Sannick
Best for: wildlife, quiet walks, escaping crowds | Access: easy, near John O’Groats | Dogs: welcome on lead around nesting birds
Located between John O’Groats and Duncansby Head Lighthouse, the Bay of Sannick is a good spot to see seabirds and seals out to sea. One of the best NC500 beaches to escape the crowds.
Scotland’s Haven
Best for: curiosity, tidal pools, history | Access: short walk from the road | Dogs: welcome
A natural harbour, these tidal pools once served as shelter for Scotland’s north coast fishermen.
Peedie Sands
Best for: seclusion, off-the-beaten-track | Access: 20-minute walk from Dwarwick Pier, Dunnet | Dogs: welcome, careful on rocks
One of the best kept secrets of all the NC500 beaches. Clamber over the rocks to reach Peedie Beach, about a 20-minute walk from Dwarwick Pier near Dunnet village.
Dunnet Beach
Best for: surfing, SUP, families | Access: easy, large car park | Dogs: welcome
A huge white sandy beach which is great for surfing and stand-up paddleboarding.
Thurso Beach
Best for: surfing (experienced) | Access: easy, in Thurso town | Dogs: welcome
With big Atlantic swells, Thurso Beach is one of the best places to go surfing in Scotland. More things to do near Thurso.
Melvich Beach
Best for: photography, quiet walks | Access: short walk from the A836 road | Dogs: welcome
One of the north coast’s most stunning NC500 beaches. Just a short walk from the road.
Strathy Point Beach / Strathy Point Lighthouse
Best for: wildlife watching (dolphins, whales in summer) | Access: car park near lighthouse | Dogs: welcome on lead around cliffs
A great spot to see dolphins and whales in the summer months.
Ceannabeinne
Best for: families, adventure (zip line nearby) | Access: short walk from the road | Dogs: welcome on lead
Visit a highland clearance site on a short walk with beautiful sea views and a great beach. Above the beach is the Golden Eagle Zip Line, the most northerly zip line in the UK (weather dependent).
Balnakeil Beach
Best for: long walks, views toward Cape Wrath | Access: easy, past Balnakeil Craft Village | Dogs: welcome
Located near Durness, Balnakeil Beach has sands stretching over a mile with views overlooking Cape Wrath.
Best beaches on the North Coast 500 – west coast
Turning south down Scotland’s stunning west coast, you will travel through the otherworldly landscapes of Lochinver and Assynt and drive along a coastline pepper-potted with incredible white sand beaches with turquoise blue seas to Wester Ross. Then drive through the huge Torridon mountains, past fiord-like lochs to the beautiful Applecross Peninsula where you end your trip driving the famous Bealach na Bà – completing the Scotland Route 66. Here are the best beaches on the North Coast 500 – west coast.
Sandwood Bay
Best for: remoteness, photography, sea stacks | Access: 4-mile walk each way from Blairmore | Dogs: welcome, long walk
Accessible via a 8-mile round trip hiking trail, Sandwood Bay is a secluded beach that demands a bit of effort to reach. At the beach’s northern end is the striking sea stack known as “Am Buachaille”. Allow 4-5 hours for the full out-and-back walk plus time at the beach.
Oldshoremore Beach
Best for: swimming, dunes, families | Access: easy, small car park near the beach | Dogs: welcome
A pristine expanse of golden sands backed by rolling dunes. One of my favourite beaches in Scotland — it’s worth strolling over the dunes to neighbouring Pollin Beach.
Scourie Beach
Best for: paddling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding | Access: easy, in Scourie village | Dogs: welcome
A beautiful sandy bay which is great for paddling, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
Clashnessie Beach
Best for: quiet, waterfall nearby | Access: via the Drumbeg Loop (single-track, not for large motorhomes) | Dogs: welcome
The first of the famous NC500 beaches on the Drumbeg Loop (otherwise known as the “wee mad road”), Clashnessie is probably the quietest. There’s also a waterfall beside the beach.
Clachtoll Beach
Best for: swimming, snorkelling, turquoise water | Access: easy, Clachtoll Campsite car park | Dogs: welcome
Near Lochinver, Clachtoll has turquoise waters and white sands — a popular spot for water sports. Ideal for kayaking and snorkelling. Stay at Clachtoll Beach Campsite right on the beach.
Achmelvich Beach
Best for: swimming, kayaking, families | Access: easy, Achmelvich Campsite car park | Dogs: welcome
Near Lochinver, Achmelvich has turquoise waters and white sands — popular for swimming, kayaking, snorkelling and diving. Stay at Achmelvich Campsite just beside the beach.
Achnahaird Beach
Best for: views of Wester Ross mountains, quiet | Access: easy detour off the A835 | Dogs: welcome
With views of Wester Ross’s mountains and the Summer Isles, this is a lovely sweep of sand worth a detour off the main NC500 route.
West coast beaches — Wester Ross and Applecross
Mellon Udrigle Beach
Best for: families, dunes, calm swimming | Access: easy detour off the A832 | Dogs: welcome
Backed by dunes, this is one of the NC500’s best beaches and definitely worth the detour off the main route.
Big Sands, Gairloch
Best for: long walks, views to Raasay and Skye | Access: easy, Sands Caravan & Camping car park | Dogs: welcome
A huge stretch of sand just outside Gairloch, with views across to Raasay and Skye.
Red Point Beach, Gairloch
Best for: red sands, photography, peace | Access: single-track road beyond Badachro | Dogs: welcome
Beautiful red sands at the end of a quiet single-track road. Combine with a visit to Big Sands or the Gairloch town beach.
Gairloch Town Beach
Best for: easy stop, amenities nearby | Access: in Gairloch village | Dogs: welcome
Gairloch sits on the spectacular Loch Gairloch, and the town beach is the easiest to reach — useful if you have families, want cafés nearby, or are making a short stop.
Applecross Sands
Best for: photography, views across to Skye | Access: 10km walk from Applecross village (along the peninsula) OR the road to the north end of the peninsula | Dogs: welcome
One of my favourite NC500 beaches. The view across the Inner Sound to Raasay and Skye is mesmerising. The beach is a 10km walk from Applecross village along the peninsula — or drive to the northern end of the peninsula for easier access.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best beach on the North Coast 500?
If I had to pick one, it would be Achmelvich — turquoise water, white sand, and easy to reach from the road. If you’ll walk for it, Sandwood Bay is the most spectacular (4 miles each way). For families, Dunnet Beach has space, facilities and safe swimming. For photography, Mellon Udrigle or Clachtoll.
Can you swim at NC500 beaches?
Yes, though the water is cold year-round — even in August, you’re looking at 12–14°C. The best swimming beaches are Achmelvich, Clachtoll, Oldshoremore and Scourie on the west coast, where the water is clear and the sand shelves gradually. Always check for rip currents and avoid swimming alone on remote beaches.
Are NC500 beaches dog-friendly?
Most NC500 beaches allow dogs off-lead outside the summer nesting season (roughly April to July, when ground-nesting birds are vulnerable). Keep dogs on leads around sheep, on cliffs, and near sea-bird colonies. Dunnet Beach, Achmelvich and Gairloch beaches are particularly dog-friendly.
Which NC500 beaches have the best surfing?
The north coast — Thurso Beach and Dunnet Bay are the best-known surf spots in the UK, with Atlantic swells and proper reef breaks. Thurso East attracts professional surfers. For beginners, Dunnet Bay is gentler. Wetsuits are essential year-round.
Are there toilets and facilities at NC500 beaches?
Most remote beaches have no facilities — plan accordingly. Beaches with toilets, parking and often a café nearby include Dornoch, Dunnet Bay, Thurso, Durness/Balnakeil, Achmelvich and Gairloch. Further-flung beaches like Sandwood Bay, Peedie Sands and Oldshoremore have no facilities at all.
Planning your North Coast 500 adventure?
- The complete guide to the North Coast 500
- Where to stay on the North Coast 500
Love from Scotland x
