After a month spent in the Polish mountains and another month on the road trip in Greece I was ready for an adventure - the camper-van trip along 500 North Coast of Scotland.
Cool Poland, hot Greece and Cold Scotland. The weather didn’t really matter considering the uniqueness of the lanscape, vegetation and general vibe. The western northern site of Scotland is rich in mountains, sea bays, beaches, dunes, villages, trekking trails. Fantastic for a wild camping. In fact many campers and tents owners were dominating the west north coast of Scotland. Traveling in a camper-van was the best way to visit that part of Scotland. Strong windy and chilly coast wasn’t inviting for a swim but definitely for a beautiful walks and views. The highlight of the 500 north coast of Scotland was Durness. Beautiful beaches such as:
Ceannabeinne Beach
A838, Lairg IV27 4QE
https://goo.gl/maps/LdtCqWvM6mEmmuFa6
Sango Bay view point
Lairg IV27 4PR
https://goo.gl/maps/oQ3cedsuWJi6FAHs8
Sango Sands Durness
2010 A838, Lairg IV27 4QA
https://goo.gl/maps/jhftki2JeJinvk8b7
Durness
Lairg
https://goo.gl/maps/3eMXKtrvKqGwKDRN6
My favourite beach where we stayed over night was:
Balnakeil Beach
Lairg
https://goo.gl/maps/wWWE1Ai9iY1x6XAZ7
Such a great spot for run, walk, swim if it’s warmer and stay for the night by the cemetery.
I went for a morning run as I usually do along the most incredible dunes. The dunes were never ending and the wind was so strong that I could hardly run. The sand was blowing into my eyes, but the power of it was extraordinary. After half an hour of run I’ve reached such a beautiful beach on the other side of the Balnakeil bay. The sea was quite and the sun was raising up. It was calling me to swim. Eventually I didn’t take a chance and went ahead until I ran down towards the second beach following Balnakeil Beach. The turquoise water of the northern sea view with the green mountains and cows was impressive. I stoped to take a sip of the clean sea air and contemplated on the beauty of the north west coast of Scotland. I couldn’t be bothered about the cold, strong wind or not being able to swim.

I was grateful for traveling with my friend in his camper-van and doing the wild comping. There is some beauty in not having to plan anything to do and anywhere to go.
My friend and I were taking each day as it came. We had on our phones the 500 North Scotland app and the paper map. The internet connection was a proper treat. We could use the app off line but without being able to check the GPS. Then the traditional map was doing its justice. In fact if I have to be honest it was nice to have no reception whatsoever. The only restriction of time and the internet connection I had on the 9th, 10th and 11th of September when I had to run the zoom yoga and meditation classes for corporates (30/45min each day). Our road trip was getting to the end on the 11th if September.
On the 5th of September we were in the middle of our trip. We drove from London to Iveness (Stathpeffer) (500 miles) on the 31st of August. We visted my friend’s sister, where we spent our first night in camper-van.
The next morning I went for a run on the field of golf. It was sunny and chilly with very wet grass. There were a couple of staff members cutting the grass and I was running across it. It felt nice and soft to run on such a good quality surface. Definitely it was great for my screwed knees.
When I found a perfect spot to practice some yoga I was all happy to start my practice in a beautiful setting. All suddenly I realised that I was bitten by the sand flies.They were all over me. I couldn’t stay there any longer and I ran back to the B&B of my friend’s relatives. I was pleased to have a nice hot bath and full English breakfast. It was such a treat after 11 hours of drive from London to Scotland on the empty stomach the day before. After we refilled our stomachs and had bath we were ready for our 500 North Coast Scotland adventure.
We went to watch the jumping salmons in the waterfall near by my friend’s sister. We didn’t see any jumping salmons but the waterfall was very nice, large not too high. We went for the mushrooms haunting but without a big success. I only found 2 which I cooked the day after with the eggs for breakfast.
As the van had a limited space, though was very practical, I cooked only once a day around 1/2pm after some light breakfast (wholemeal cereals with some fruit, milk and honey) after my 2 hours morning activities of run and yoga. Then we visited spectacular places and picked up some nice spot for supper. I cooked mainly eggs mixed with either vegetables or meats and cheese, followed by salad, any fresh fruits.This was the main dish of the day. Occasionally I overcooked some pasta with sea food (lobster). After arguing about the quantity of meals a day and time of their consumption my friend would cook the dinner. For both of us strong minded individuals it was very important what we were eating, how and what time. We were ending up in endless arguments about silly and meaningless things...
31 Aug 2020
My friend’s sister b&b
https://www.booking.com/app_link/hotel/gb/strathview.en-gb.html?checkin=2020-09-03&checkout=2020-09-04&room1=A,A,&no_rooms=1&group_adults=2&group_children=0&req_adults=2&req_children=0&aid=898224&app_hotel_id=1768649&label=hotel_details&from_sn=ios
Inverness
https://goo.gl/maps/JZufsuyLB33jbwWU8
Leckmelm
My friend’s mum house:
Tanglewood House, Ullapool IV26 2TB
01854 612059
https://goo.gl/maps/KdFB7FY7KqMGHhbf7


Ullapool
https://goo.gl/maps/EChS9m8CVjWv2h7i8
Pies place
The Mucky Pheasant
https://maps.google.com?q=58.1547618,-5.2384032&hl=en-GB&gl=uk
This is where we were:
Kyle of Durness Viewpoint
Lairg IV27 4QF
https://goo.gl/maps/uEUfcUeEJwN75umv7


And this is what happened before:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Morecambe_Bay_cockling_disaster
Durness
Lairg
https://goo.gl/maps/7QQ9fui5cawE936z8














Bettyhill Beach
Thurso KW14 7SZ
https://goo.gl/maps/wpH665AT6K7M6Wu16


Balnakeil Craft Village
21E Craft Village, Balnakeil, Durness, Lairg IV27 4PT
https://maps.google.com?q=Balnakeil%20Craft%20Village,%2021E%20Craft%20Village,%20Balnakeil,%20Durness,%20Lairg%20IV27%204PT&ftid=0x4890399ad1238663:0x70aa2ca3da1ec491&hl=en-GB&gl=uk
Elliot Houses - Balnakeil
Balnakeil Farm, Durness, Lairg IV27 4PX
01896 850204
https://maps.google.com?q=Elliot%20Houses%20-%20Balnakeil,%20Balnakeil%20Farm,%20Durness,%20Lairg%20IV27%204PX&ftid=0x48903997617048ef:0xd271c2e2669800ce&hl=en-GB&gl=uk
Golden Eagle Zip Line in Durness
Ceannabeinne Beach, Durness, Lairg IV27 4QE
01971 511404
https://goo.gl/maps/Wjz6y5qoWBJXajuq8
Sangomore Beach
Lairg
https://maps.google.com?q=Sangomore%20Beach,%20Lairg&ftid=0x4890392d9a41225f:0x10ca9de467a212d5&hl=en-GB&gl=uk
5th September 2020
We reached the pick of the North East Coast of Scotland. We thought there was nothing interesting to see but it wasn’t true. After we passed the most northern part of GB-shit whole, we drove to the town of Wick to visit the ruins of the most beautiful castle on the rock:
Castle Sinclair Girnigoe Car Park
Wick KW1 4QT
https://goo.gl/maps/GKLw3oqC9981K3A56
Lybster Harbour
https://maps.google.com?ftid=0x4885331cc92b18d7:0x5636d49032276d08&hl=en-GB&gl=uk








Dunbeath Castle
Dunbeath KW6 6EE
01593 731308
https://goo.gl/maps/vcVPsofEkivVf4zu8



Brora Golf Club
43 Golf Rd, Brora KW9 6QS
01408 621417
https://goo.gl/maps/QKVZLTdprE9dtZ8x7

Dunrobin Castle & Gardens
Golspie KW10 6SF
01408 633177
https://maps.google.com?q=Dunrobin%20Castle%20%26%20Gardens,%20Golspie%20KW10%206SF&ftid=0x488ff56c3e55825f:0x96c224f848c0abbf&hl=en-GB&gl=uk





Dunrobin Castle was a very beautiful spot to park for the night to do the wild comping in a van. Beautiful hill to watch the sunset from. I went for a long evening walk along the coast and came back quite late in a darkness. Likely there was a lighthouse signing my way back home. My friend was worried that something happened after we had an argument about some silly stuff. I have eventually returned and went to sleep in peace. The nights in the camper van in a cold Scotland weren’t too bad. Even with the top roof lifted it was not too cold. It was nice, cosy and comfy. The luck of shower and toilette forced us to be creative especially in the morning at the daylight when we needed to hide to do the wild toilet.
During the night it was windy and rainy as during the most of our road trip. When I got up around 8:30am I went for my usual run. My morning runs were quite magical and powerful.
Tarbat Ness Lighthouse
Tain IV20 1RD
https://goo.gl/maps/Rdh84VnezeTcHE6v8
Rockfield Castle was a very beautiful private castle renovated by an architect. It was seating by the Atlantic Ocean on the north east coast of Scotland.

Near Tain IV20 1RF
https://goo.gl/maps/z59BevWrXDjCwU1XA
Beautiful harbour on 500 North (west):
Strathcarron IV54 8YR
https://goo.gl/maps/gmKEE4L96C3BzQBX6
Beautiful hiking with an amazing scenery of the sea and the mountains (1:15min walk one way)














The Storr Portree IV51 9HX
https://maps.google.com?q=The%20Storr,%20Portree%20IV51%209HX&ftid=0x488dcd47018d8697:0x69288a895e431915&hl=en-GB&gl=uk
Overnight stop on Skye
https://goo.gl/maps/AhDMNCHWo9hdoeDB9

Fyrish Monument
Alness IV17 0XJ
07809 244807
https://goo.gl/maps/68rbSoZEPka2Wxji7
The trip along remote and wild north coast of Scotland was special with beautiful views, cliffs, beaches, dunes, waterfalls, rivers and spectacular mountains. Having freedom of traveling in the camper-van anywhere we liked and anchoring in the most beautiful locations was such a reward for our difficult and funny personalities we had to manage.
Next time it would be good to reverse our trip from east to west north coast of Scotland!
Thank you Leo for this spectacular trip!




































