I seem to come on here every 5 years or so for help in planning my trips to the UK. It�s been a godsend every time so I�m back for more suggestions!

I have visited Scotland twice and driven it pretty extensively. One area I have missed is the northwest highlands and the Isles of Lewis and Harris. I�ve always wanted to see the Callanish stones so this trip I want to make sure I include them. I don�t have a time frame yet other than possibly Sep/Oct 2023. I will let the trip decide how much time I should take.

I can either do just the western most part of the NC 500 and ferry over to Harris from Ullapool, or do the entire NC 500 if those of you who have done it really think I would be missing out if I didn�t include the eastern part. I have found a really good price for a RT from SFO to Inverness so that�s my plan.

I am doing this trip solo so I will NOT be driving the Bealach Na Ba pass. I do not like heights or scary drop offs. I am a confident driver on narrow winding mountain roads, but that pass is next level! I drove to and on Skye during Hurricane Florence in 2018 and that tested me for sure. Had to pry my fingers from the wheel when we arrived at our BnB!

Part of me wants to see everything I can, but another part would like to be more relaxed than my past trips have been. I am leaning towards finding a place to stay on the western part and doing day trips out of there and then moving over to Harris to do the same. Rather than staying at a different place every night which I would have to do if I did the entire NC 500. BUT, I don�t want to miss out on wonderful sights either. I�m getting ready to retire and it will be less likely I will be able to do trips like this in the future.

Suggestions for places to stay, see and eat is much appreciated andI know the resident Scotland experts on here will chime in with excellent advice so I thank you in advance!

For other readers. NC 500 is the North Coast 500

Just a couple of quick comments for now.

How long do you plan for the trip? That would go a long way to determine how much of the NC500 would even be possible. But in general the best of the scenery is on the western bits.

I'd plan on as early in that time frame as possible -- October can be a lot more iffy weather-wise. I wouldn't be worried about driving it solo (the scheme has become so popular/famous it isn't nearly so isolated/lonely out there as in the past) but driving it - OR taking the ferries - when it is raining sideways ain't something one wants to do. No guarantees re weather any time of year, but the later in the year the worse it can be.

We actually preferred the east coast of the NC500. Quieter, and some lovely spots along it.
It is an incredibly busy route, a victim of it's own success. Places to stay book up fast, roads can be rolling traffic jams, much to the frustration of the locals who are just trying to live their lives, and all those wonderful places talked about along it can be pack to the gunnels if you time it wrong.
I'm glad we did it, but I wouldn't do it again.

I enjoy Lewis/Harris and will be going back. If has a laid-back atmosphere and the roads have very few cars.

I've done a couple trips to Lewis/Harris staying at this self-catering cottage that is almost within walking distance of the Callanish Stone Circle. Drive to Stornoway from the cottage is less than an hour.

https://luxuryhebrideancottage.co.uk/

On my trips there I've taken the Ullipool-Stornoway ferry. On the outer deck you should see a number of seabirds and if you are lucky wales or dolphins.

Note that if it gets really really windy the ferries may not runn but then planes also might not fly. Saw a lot of wind and rain in October but that is just Lewis/Harris.Lots of Rainbows too.

Luskentyre Beach is the main draw on Harris. I stayed at the Hotel Hebrides in Tarbert but it was on a photo workshop so I didn't have to pay for it. There is a good restaurant at the hotel plus a small grocery and delli within walking distance.

While on my own I've stayed at the Lingay House B&B in Leverburgh on Isle of Harris. Nice folks here. Besides breakfast they will also fix you supper if you need it. Note the rooms are small.

https://www.lingayhouse.co.uk/

Stornoway is the only real town on Lewis/Harris. There is a large Co-op grocery plus a smaller Tesco Superstore close the ferry terminal. There is an ATM at the Tesco store but I didn't check at the Co-op. The HS-1 Cafe Bar is good for lunch.

Lewis/Harris shuts down on Sunday including groceries and gas stations. Engebret gas station is the only place open in Stornoway. Besides fuel there is a small grocery there.

Thanks~ saved me a Google ⭐️

Would going in September be better for the crowds? I hate crowds and that would be no go for me

I am open to how much time I take. 10 days was what I was originally thinking. I would like this trip to be more relaxing than the past 2 which is why I�m leaning to choosing 2 places to stay and do day trips from rather than spending every day at a new place.

thank you so much for your recommendations! I will definitely keep them in mind. And thanks for the tip about Sundays!

Would the potentially 10 days cover everything (Home to the UK . acclimating/recovering from jetlag etc for a couple of days in Inverness, the NC500 and the Outer Hebrides, return home)? I know you said the trip's length isn't set -- but 10 days would be awfully rushed

With just 10 days (total) and having Lewis/Harris a a focus, what I'd probably do myself is forget about the NC 500 and do something like 2 nights (1 night minimum) in Inverness, 2 nights in/near Ullapool, 4 or 5 nights on Lewis/Harris (trying to avoid being in Lewis/Harris on a Sunday), ferry to Uig and back to Inverness. Depending on the ferry time Tarbert > Uig > Inverness can be done in one day but you might want to break the journey in Kyle or Plockton or somewhere.

September would be better than October - longer days, and at least the chance of better weather than October.

As you can see 10 days is not at all generous -- Even 2 full weeks would limit how much of the NC500 one could manage. Plus the NC500 by its very nature would require multiple 1 or 2 night stops. It isn't a 'stay over and do day trips' sort of region. Unless I had 2.5 to 3 weeks I'd personally concentrate on the Hebrides and visit Lewis, Harris, N & S Uist, etc.

We did the NC500 in the second half of August last year. We did not find anywhere to be so busy that it slowed us down or detracted from our trip. We loved the west coast, basing ourselves in Ullapool for 4 nights. We stayed at a B&B called Westlea House and highly recommend it. We ate at the Seafood Shack 3 nights out of 4. We did a lot of hiking: the WalkHighlands website is an amazing resource. The scenery on the west coast is much more rugged and just stunning compared to what we saw on the east coast. We did the clockwise route of the NC500, staying 1 night at Badcall Bay and 2 nights near Thurso.
I haven't been to Lewis and Harris but if you did those islands plus some of the west coast, I think 10 nights would be enough.