Best road trips in Scotland: Scenic drives to try

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. North Coast 500 open image in gallery The North Coast 500 route starts and ends at Inverness Castle Billed as the country’s ultimate road trip, this 516-mile route contains some of Scotland’s most amazing coastal scenery, including a wealth of charming fishing villages, rugged coastline and long stretches of golden sand. South West Coastal 300 open image in gallery The South West Coastal 300 route starts in the town of Dumfries The South West Coastal 300 is a route that aims to take in the majority of one of Scotland’s less-explored regions, extending for 300 miles through Ayrshire and the Dumfries and Gallowshire region. The full 167-mile road takes in two of the country’s main cities while also running along several of its most important landmarks; however, many people choose shorter routes, such as Glasgow to Glencoe or Oban. Argyll Coastal Route open image in gallery The Argyll Coastal Route finishes in Fort William, at the foot of Ben Nevis While this route may sound similar to the aforementioned A82 – it starts in Glasgow and ends in Fort William – it is a winding journey that goes west from Tarbet to Inverary and then south to Lochgilphead, before reaching Oban and carrying on up the coast.