North Coast 500 crowned UK’s top road trip destination

Scotland’s North Coast 500 has been crowned the UK’s number one road trip destination.

Beginning and ending at Inverness Castle, the 516-mile route snakes through the Highlands and takes in John O’Groats and Dunrobin Castle.

Second place went to the Outer Hebrides and the North Yorkshire Moors were third in the poll of 2000 motorists.

The Atlantic Highway, which goes through the south west of England to Cornwall, and Northern Ireland’s Coastal Circuit completed the top five.

Although the North Coast 500 was the runaway leader for staycation road trips, the iconic Route 66 and Pacific Coast Highway in the US were voted the top worldwide.

The survey also found 47% are planning to take a road trip in the UK now restrictions have been lifted, with 74% of these wanting to head to the country’s picturesque coastline.

The poll, commissioned by Continental Tyres, also showed one in four of those planning a road trip are eager to take the ‘road less travelled’, while 45% claim great company is what makes a road trip memorable.

Peter Robb from Continental Tyres said: “It is fantastic that so many are planning on exploring the country in their vehicles.

“The restrictions over the past 18 months have prevented many people from getting away and with the summer holidays just starting, it is great that so many people are keen to get behind the wheel again and create incredible memories on a road trip.

“It is really interesting that more than a third of people are considering hitting the road in an electric vehicle.

“It is a clear indication that many of us are seriously considering how we can take the activities we know and love and making them more sustainable.

“That’s one of the main reasons why we are supporting Extreme-E, it’s the perfect example of what can be achieved without leaving an impact on the planet.”

Top five UK road trip destinations

1. North Coast 500, Scotland
2. The Outer Hebrides, Scotland
3. North Yorkshire Moors, England
4. The Atlantic Highway, England
5. Coastal Circuit, Northern Ireland

Top five world road trip destinations

1. Route 66, USA
2. Pacific Coast Highway, USA
3. Great Ocean Road, Australia
4. West Coast and Milford Sound, New Zealand
5. The Atlantic Way, Ireland
6. The Black Forest, Germany
7. Cabot Trail, Canada
8. Highway 61, USA
9. The Garden Route, South Africa
10. Trollstigen (‘Trolls Path’), Norway