North Coast 500 Travel Guide: Explore Easter Ross
The North Coast 500 is Scotland’s ultimate road trip, stretching 516 miles through some of the Highlands’ most breathtaking scenery. While completing the full route is an incredible achievement, you don’t need to cover every mile to experience its magic. Even a few days exploring a single section of the NC500 can be an unforgettable adventure, filled with dramatic landscapes, fascinating history, local flavours and memorable moments.
In this blog series, we’re breaking the route into six distinct regions so you can enjoy each one at a relaxed pace. Our first blog explored Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands, followed by the beautiful Black Isle.
In this third part of the series, we’re heading a little further along the route to explore Easter Ross.
Easter Ross and the North Coast 500
Easter Ross is a striking peninsula, stretching between the Cromarty and Dornoch Firths, and a rewarding stop along the NC500 route. This corner of the Highlands is rich in history, with Pictish stones, charming villages, and historic towns waiting to be discovered. The landscape is equally captivating, from scenic coastal views to seals basking along the shoreline, making it a haven for wildlife watchers and anyone seeking a peaceful Highland escape.
Whether you’re wandering along quiet beaches, exploring the villages, or simply taking in the wide open landscapes, Easter Ross is a place that invites you to slow down, explore, and really soak up the atmosphere.
Things to See in and Around Easter Ross
The Fyrish Monument
Perched above Evanton, the Fyrish Monument offers sweeping views over the Cromarty Firth and surrounding Highlands. Built in 1782, this striking stone folly is a memorable landmark on the Easter Ross stretch of the NC500. A short hike rewards you with breathtaking panoramic scenery.
Portmahomack Beach
Portmahomack Beach is a peaceful sandy stretch on the Tarbat Peninsula, often visited by seals basking along the shoreline. Its gentle waves and open views make it an ideal spot to soak up the coastal atmosphere. A quiet walk along the beach gives a true sense of the Highland seaboard.
The Mermaid of the North
The Mermaid of the North is a striking bronze sculpture sitting on a rock called Clach Dubh (meaning “black rock” in Gaelic) on the shore at Balintore. Created in 2007 as part of the Seaboard Sculpture Trail, she reflects local coastal folklore. A quirky and memorable landmark, she makes a perfect photo stop in Easter Ross.
The Neil Gunn Monument and Viewpoint
The Neil Gunn Monument at Heights of Brae, Strathpeffer honours one of Scotland’s most celebrated writers, Neil Miller Gunn (1891–1973). Set in a peaceful, elevated spot, it features a stone monument, a short circular pathway, and a viewpoint with sweeping Highland scenery. Selected quotations and images on the stonework offer a glimpse into Gunn’s literary legacy.
Tarbat Ness Lighthouse
Standing at the tip of the Tarbat Peninsula, Tarbat Ness Lighthouse is one of the most iconic sights in Easter Ross. The white tower contrasts beautifully with the rugged coastline and often serves as a home for resting seabirds.
Things to Do in Easter Ross
Glenmorangie Distillery
Located in Tain, Glenmorangie Distillery is one of Scotland’s most famous whisky producers. Visitors can enjoy tours of the distillery and learn about the whisky-making process at their visitor centre. Tastings of their renowned single malts make it a must-visit for whisky enthusiasts.
Tarbat Discovery Centre
Nestled in the charming fishing village of Portmahomack, Tarbat Discovery Centre is a fascinating heritage and activity centre on the Tarbat Peninsula. It’s one of Britain’s earliest Christian sites and the only known Pictish monastic site in Scotland, often called “The Iona of the East.” Inside, you can explore spectacular Pictish artefacts, while nearby cross slab stones at Hilton, Shandwick, and Nigg showcase some of 8th-century Europe’s finest carvings.
Liquid Footprints
Liquid Footprints is a small, family-run business offering adventure activities along the Easter Ross Peninsula just off the NC500. With their local Highland knowledge, they provide canoeing, sea kayaking, mountain guiding, gorge scrambling, and family-friendly experiences. It’s a brilliant way to explore the area actively and see the Highlands from a unique perspective.
RSPB Nigg Bay Nature Reserve
Nigg Bay is a vast stretch of mudflats, saltmarsh, and wet grassland along the NC500, within the Cromarty Firth Site of Special Scientific Interest. From the well-placed hide, you can spot wildfowl, waders, and curlews while enjoying spectacular views across the bay. The saltmarsh also supports a variety of plants, making it a peaceful and scenic stop for nature lovers.
Photo taken by Andy Hay
Places to Eat in Easter Ross
Dalmore Farm
Dalmore Farm’s bright and spacious restaurant serves a lovely menu of home‑cooked food, delicious cakes and their own Dalmore Roast Coffee from the Inverness Coffee Roasting Co. Outside, picnic benches on the grass are the perfect place to soak up beautiful views across the Cromarty Firth to the Black Isle and The Sutors. After eating, you can browse their farm shop for local produce, gifts and treats to take with you.
The Storehouse
The Storehouse is a self-service restaurant popular with both locals and visitors, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and coffee with cake. Using fresh, seasonal produce, their menu changes daily, ensuring variety and quality. You can relax inside by the cosy fire or enjoy the outdoor seating with views across the Firth, and on a good day, you might even spot grey seals along the shore.
Ben Wyvis Hotel
The Ben Wyvis Hotel in Strathpeffer offers seasonally inspired dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. The Jacobite Restaurant serves hearty mains and evening specials, showcasing classic Highland flavours, while the Strathview Lounge & Bar is perfect for lighter bites, coffee, or afternoon treats.
Pipers Coffee House
Pipers Coffee House in Tain is a cosy, family-run café serving delicious homemade food made with locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. Everything is prepared in-house, from their fresh daily menu to small-batch homemade kombucha. Proudly family- and dog-friendly, it’s a welcoming spot to relax in Easter Ross.
Places to Stay in Easter Ross
Camping Adventures
For those who love the outdoors, Easter Ross offers some fantastic camping options where you can wake up to fresh Highland air and beautiful coastal or countryside views:
- Balintore Bothy Drying Green Campsite sits beside Balintore Harbour on a historic site once used for drying salmon nets. It offers beautiful views across the Moray Firth, including the nearby Mermaid of the North and Shandwick Bay.
- If glamping is more your style, Delny Glamping offers six luxury pods (bothies) sleeping up to four or six guests, as well as unique whisky barrel stays for two. Surrounded by rolling Highland scenery and wildlife, it’s a special place to sleep under the stars with the Cromarty Firth as your backdrop.
- Newmore Highland Pods offer a luxurious yet cosy glamping experience surrounded by beautiful Highland scenery and wildlife. Each spacious pod features a private enclosed deck with a hot tub, overlooking the nearby forest and lochan for a peaceful and relaxing stay.
Delny Glamping
Scenic Stays
These scenic stays combine comfort with stunning surroundings, making them perfect for relaxing after a day exploring the NC500:
- Snug on the Bay is a beautiful self-catering cottage in the seaside village of Shandwick. Sleeping four guests, it offers a peaceful retreat with stunning views across Shandwick Bay and the Moray Firth.
- Ina’s Cottage in Portmahomack sits just metres from the sandy shores of Portmahomack Beach. Pet-friendly and featuring a hot tub and games room, it also offers panoramic views across the Dornoch Firth.
- Castlecraig Clifftops offers four luxury self-catering cabins set high above the Moray Firth. Each cosy cabin features a private hot tub and a large glass entrance designed to make the most of the spectacular coastal views – perfect for dolphin spotting.
Snug on the Bay
Guesthouses and B&Bs
Easter Ross has a great range of guest houses and B&Bs where you can experience true Highland hospitality.
- Cuillich Mill B&B offers quality accommodation and a warm Highland welcome in a peaceful countryside setting. After a restful night’s sleep and a home-cooked breakfast, guests can enjoy stunning walks right from the doorstep and explore the surrounding area.
- If you’re looking for a touch of luxury, Kiltearn House offers an elegant and welcoming stay. This family-run, 4-Star Gold VisitScotland and Michelin-listed guest house combines high hotel standards with a personal touch.
- Beechwood Lodge is a charming guesthouse offering a cosy home-away-from-home stay. Hosts Gunta and Kristine provide a warm welcome along with homemade breakfasts and evening meals. Its location on the Struie Road also makes it a popular stop for cyclists exploring the area.
Kiltearn House
Exploring the North Coast 500 by Region
Exploring Easter Ross is a fantastic way to experience the North Coast 500 at a relaxed pace. From its charming coastal villages and historic Pictish sites to stunning beaches and abundant wildlife, there’s plenty to see, do, eat, and enjoy in this beautiful Highland peninsula.
Next in our series, we’ll continue north into Caithness to discover its rugged landscapes and unique coastal highlights.
