Ross and Cromarty
Places in Ross and Cromarty
Coach tours visiting Ross and Cromarty
Magical Skye and the Scottish Highlands
Where you’ll stay
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The Highland Hotel, Strathpeffer ★★★
The Highland Hotel is a large three-star Victorian hotel set above the spa village of Strathpeffer in the Scottish Highlands, north-west of Inverness. Standing in elevated grounds, it commands views over the village and surrounding hills and makes a convenient touring base for Loch Ness, the Black Isle and the wider Highlands.
Operated as a coach-and-tour friendly hotel by Compass Hospitality, it offers numerous en-suite bedrooms along with a restaurant, bar and lounge areas, and regular entertainment during the season. Its grand period architecture, spacious public rooms and value-oriented dinner, bed and breakfast style make it popular with group tours and independent travellers exploring the Highlands.
Address: Off A834, Strathpeffer, IV14 9AN
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🧳 Arrival
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🚌 Travelling
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🚌 Travelling
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🚌 Travelling
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🏡 Departure
Scottish Highlands North Coast 500 Route
by Shearings
Taking in just over 500 miles of stunning scenery in the Scottish Highlands, the North Coast 500 is one of the world’s most beautiful road trips.
Where you’ll stay
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Royal Station Hotel ★★★★
Book your coach tour stay at the Royal Station Hotel and enjoy flawless service, complimentary Wi-Fi, and convenient on-site parking from the moment you arrive. Settle into a comfortable guestroom, start each morning with breakfast on the premises, and unwind at the hotel bar. everything you need for a relaxing, memorable visit.
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Craiglynne Hotel ★★★
The Craiglynne Hotel is a 3-star Highland hotel on Woodlands Terrace in Grantown-on-Spey, Moray, set in its own gardens overlooking the town within the Cairngorms National Park. It lies around 12 miles from Aviemore and 33 miles from Inverness, making it a good base for the Malt Whisky Trail and Cairngorms outdoor activities.
Operated under the Bespoke Hotels banner, the hotel has 82 guestrooms, a restaurant and bar, and a conservatory with views across the neighbouring Cromdale Hills, along with on-site parking. Its setting suits walkers, golfers, whisky-trail visitors and touring guests exploring the Speyside and Cairngorms area.
Address: Woodlands Terrace Grantown-on-Spey, Moray, PH26 3JX
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🚌 Travelling
Local departure by coach or Home Connect service, then we journey north where we will spend our first night.
Meals: Dinner
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🧳 Arrival
Perthshire to the Scottish Highlands
After breakfast today, we set off to travel through Perthshire. We make a stop in ancient Perth where you will have time to visit the free museum which is home to the "Stone of Destiny" which has seated all the ancient Kings of Scotland. There is a lovely coffee shop to enjoy before we depart and travel north through the Cairngorms National Park. Enjoy spectacular scenery as we travel deeper into the Scottish Highlands to our hotel for overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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📸 Excursion
Inverness to Ullapool
This morning you will have some free time to explore Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands before we head for the North Coast 500 route via some stunning highland scenery. We call at Poolewe, a pretty fishing village situated at the sheltered south side of Loch Ewe, before continuing on with views of Gruinard Bay before reaching Ullapool.
Situated in one of the most unspoilt natural environments in the UK, the town boasts a wealth of things to see and do. There is a great choice of varied walks in the area and the harbour is filled with fishing boats of all sizes; spend some time watching the fishermen at work sorting out their catch for the day or perhaps enjoy them for lunch in a local restaurant. Ullapool is also an artist’s dream with many local painters, potters, musicians and free spirits residing or performing here.
We stay overnight in Ullapool.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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📸 Excursion
North Coast 500 Drive to Thurso
Sit back and relax as we journey up the eastern coast and marvel at the beautiful scenery. The coastline is stunning with the clear blue waters and white sandy beaches you may easily be mistaken for being in the Caribbean rather than Scotland. We then enjoy included lunch at Smoo Cave Hotel which is set in spectacular scenery close to the famous Smoo Cave and Cape Wrath, famous for puffins, fishing and golfing and in the heart of Scotland’s first Geopark.
After lunch, we continue to Thurso, where we stay for two nights.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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🚌 Travelling
Day at Lesiure
Today is a day at leisure. Relax and recharge in the hotel or for those wishing to explore there are plenty of lovely walks. Thurso is the northernmost town on the island of Great Britain and has scenic views of Thurso Bay and the Pentland Firth. It has a fine harbour and beach popular with surfers, that looks out to the island of Orkney and you can view the Old Man of Hoy. One of the attractions in Thurso is the Wolfburn Distillery which has been distilling Single Malt Scotch Whisky since 1821 and offers tours and tasting for visitors. A visit to Old St Peters Church is also popular. Dedicated to Saint Peter, it dates to at least 1125, and at one time was the principal church for the county,
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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☕ At Leisure
John O'Groats and Dunrobin Castle
After breakfast we begin our journey back south but not before we travel to the very tip of Britain and make a photo stop at famous John O'Groats. Get your cameras ready for a photo of the famous sign.
We then continue along the eastern part of the North Coast 500. En route, we call at the fairy tale Dubrobin Castle and admire the scenery of the Black Isle. Dunrobin Castle is the most northerly of Scotland’s great houses and the largest in the Northern Highlands. The castle is also one of Britain’s oldest continuously inhabited houses dating back to the early 1300s, home to the Earls and later, the Dukes of Sutherland. Entrance is included and visitors can take a self-guided tour through the state rooms on the first floor before making their way through the smaller rooms in the older parts of the castle plus formal garden and Victorian museum.
We then journey to our overnight hotel in the highlands area.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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🚌 Travelling
Pitlochry and Queen's View
We continue our journey south today through Scotland, passing through Cairngorms National Park making a stop at Pitlochry and Queen's View. One of the most photographed views in Scotland and considered by many as Scotland's finest view. Overlooking Loch Tummel, the view was a favorite of Queen Victoria.
We then journey on across the Scottish Border for an overnight stay in northern England,
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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🏡 Departure
Today, we depart our overnight hotel in Northern England and continue our journey home.
Meals: Breakfast
Places of Interest
Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan is a castle on a tidal island in the western Highlands. Accessible via an arched stone bridge, this highly photographed landmark is famous for its reflection in the surrounding sea lochs. Visitors can explore the banqueting hall and furnished rooms while learning about the castle's tumultuous history and its frequent appearances in movies.
Eilean Donan is likely Scotland's most photographed castle, perched on a tiny tidal island where the sea lochs of Duich, Long, and Alsh converge in the western Highlands near Kyle of Lochalsh. First built in the thirteenth century to protect the lands of Kintail, it served as a Mackenzie stronghold with the MacRaes acting as constables. However, during the Jacobite rising of 1719, the castle was occupied by Spanish troops and mostly demolished by naval gunfire, leaving it in ruins for nearly two centuries.
In the early 1900s, Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap dedicated himself to restoring the castle from its wreckage, and it finally reopened in 1932. Accessed via an arched stone bridge, the castle creates a stunning reflection in the water. Inside, visitors can wander through furnished rooms and the banqueting hall, while learning about its chaotic history and its frequent roles in famous movies.
Image Attribution
- Ross and Cromarty — (Photo by Malcolm Colegate on Unsplash )
- Ullapool — (Photo by Mark Foster on Unsplash )
- Eilean Donan Castle — (Photo by Sourav Bhaduri on Unsplash )
- Fort Augustus — (Photo by Neil Mewes on Unsplash )
- Isle of Skye — (Photo by Garvit Nama on Unsplash )
- Perth — (Photo by Mark Foster on Unsplash )
- Inverness — (Photo by Ben Wicks on Unsplash )
- Thurso — (Photo by Paul Chambers on Unsplash )
- John O'Groats — (Photo by Piotr Musioł on Unsplash )