After a Full Scottish breakfast in the Castletown Hotel, it was time to continue our road trip. During day 2 of the NC500 we had 71 miles to cover as we travelled westbound to Durness. We made a number of stop off’s along the way, read on to see where! If you didn’t read our Day 1 of the NC500 post, be sure to do that before doing so.
Skerray Harbour
This is one of the most remote spots that we stopped at during our road trip. We had the harbour to ourselves, so we were able to walk down the pier and take some photos of the blue sea and the rocky ridge that is open to the north. The harbour is a nice place to visit if you’ve got time, but if you’ve got no time to waste then we would recommend that you head straight for Castle Varrich after departing Castletown.
Castle Varrich
Situated near the village of Tongue, Castle Varrich overlooks the Kyle of Tongue and the village of Tongue. The castle’s precise origins and age are unknown, but it’s certainly a great viewpoint! We parked the car opposite Ben Loyal Hotel, and headed on a well maintained pathway to the Castle. All in all, the walk took around an hour which included plenty of time to stop and admire the breathtaking views. Once you’ve completed the walk to the Castle and back, treat yourself to some lunch at The Tongue Hotel.
Smoo Cave
Smoo Cave is a large combined sea cave and freshwater cave in Durness. The cave name is thought to originate from the Norse ‘smjugg’ or ‘smuga’, meaning a hole or hiding-place. Anyone is free to walk the caves waterfall chamber, free of charge any day of the year. However, for those wanting to see deeper into the cave, a geological tour is available. The tour entails taking a short boat ride to a point where you can walk into some of the caves recesses. The tour can only be paid for on the day as it is weather dependent.
Balnakeil Bay
Finally, to close off the day we took an evening stroll down the spectacular Balnakeil Bay, that was located just 5 minutes away from our airbnb. What better place to see the sun go down? Our airbnb was based on a Balnakeil Craft Village, the independent stores are worth your time, and you must go to the Village to visit Cocoa Mountain, where you can buy the best hot chocolate you will ever have!
Unfortunately when we visited it was too windy to go on the Durness zipline. The Golden Eagle zipline sends you down to one of the most beautiful beaches on the NC500, and is the most northerly zipline in the UK. It costs £12 and is said to be a fantastic experience on day 2 of the NC500.
Route Details
Castletown Hotel (KW14 8TP) – Skerray Bay (KW14 7TJ) 1 hr 10 mins
Skerray Bay (KW14 7TJ) – Castle Varrich (IV27 4XG) 20 mins
Castle Varrich (IV27 4XG) – Smoo Cave (IV27 4QB) 50 mins
Smoo Cave (IV27 4QB) – Balnakeil Bay (IV27 4PX) 10 mins
Where to Stay
We found accommodation to be very sparse in this location for non-campers, however, we stumbled upon an airbnb in the Craft Village that was perfect for getting a good night’s rest after completing Day 2 of the NC500. Booking.com may have some availability in the Durness area if you book in advance.
Thinking of spending a week completing the NC500? Check out our itinerary for the NC500 in a Week.
