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Inside North East 250 as road trip route rivals world-famous North Coast 500

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Inside North East 250 as road trip route rivals world-famous North Coast 500

Since it was launched almost a decade ago, the North Coast 500 has brought visitors from all across the globe to the Highlands to take on the epic road trip. It has featured in a number of travel bucket list articles, thanks to the sheer beauty on hand throughout the 500-mile tour.

But in recent years, a smaller, but no less stunning, road trip has started to come to the fore. While not as renowned as its bigger cousin, the North East 250 can offer just as much.




It has featured in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel List as one of the top 500 unmissable global travel experiences, and boasts the rugged coastlines of the Moray Firth, the breathtaking wilderness of the Cairngorms, and the whisky enthusiast’s haven of Speyside, here’s all you need to know about this thrilling route.

The Route

This 250-mile circular road trip, which was first introduced in 2017, kicks off in the Cairngorms National Park before looping around the North East coast of Scotland, finishing down through the whisky region of Speyside.

Ideal for cars, campervans, and even cyclists, the route includes picturesque locations such as Peterhead, Banff, Buckie, Aberlour and Ballater Those keen to embark can start the route at three points – Glenshee, Aberdeen Airport and Ballindalloch.

Being a less travelled route compared to some of Scotland’s other road trips, it’s an excellent way to dodge the larger crowds now flocking to the NC500 while still savouring a road trip that’s equally rewarding in its own right.

The 250-mile route(Image: Google )
When is best to go?

Given Scotland’s unpredictable weather, there’s ample opportunity to enjoy the route throughout most of the year. The only periods probably worth steering clear of would be during winter, when some of the roads may be closed due to heavy snowfall.

From spring to autumn, specifically early April to late September, is the ideal time to experience the beauty of this magnificent region.

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