Roughly 762 miles of full blown, unfiltered Scottish winter brilliance... ​ From arriving at our first hotel on the 28th December, through all of the campsites, tracks and permissive access and right until departing our final hotel on the 9th January, this tour will be quite likely prove to be the best 4x4 winter tour available in the UK right now. ​ You and your vehicle will absolutely need to be prepared for the Scottish wilderness. Scotland doesn't normally shout "challenging test of endurance" especially if you're in a car. And under normal circumstances you'd be right to think that. But factor in only 6ish hours of daylight each day, the potential for a lot of snow, we will be camping near the village with the joint lowest recorded temp in the UK (-27.2C not including wild chill.....) unexpected road closures and of course there's the possibility of some substantial winds!!! It can soon turn into a proper adventure. ​ But lets not get too carried away. The far north of Scotland in winter can also be fine sunshine, crisp mornings, calm sea's and the most perfect place to stay the night. It's not at all uncommon to find the weather is about as perfect as you can get, plus there's far less campervans on the roads... ​ Whilst it is a tour aimed at 4x4's you won't need anything special to complete this tour. It is primarily along surfaced roads with maybe 5-10% of the total distance being along tracks or broken tarmac. We only ask that as a minimum you don't have low profile tyres, that they are suitable for winter driving and you have a full size spare with you. ​ Day 1 of the tour starts with us all meeting up at The Garth Hotel in Grantown on Spey. Here we will have a very nice evening meal, no doubt sample a few local drams before staying in one of their fine double or twin rooms for the night. Day 2 kicks off with a hearty and delicious full breakfast before we jump in our 4x4's for the first days drive. We'll tackle a couple of river crossings and narrow coastal routes as we weave our way north past Inverness and onto Invergordon (the home of the Worlds Strongest Brothers). Here is our last chance for supplies for today, so time to stock up. It's then on to our wildcamp for the night overlooking the Cromarty Firth. Day 3 see's us keep heading north and begin our time in the true wilds of Scotland. We stay pretty much on the east coast for today, sampling a few tracks and water crossings along the route. This is a fairly steady day behind the wheel as the east coast is traditionally less likely to be covered in snow and also usually has the gulf stream bringing in slightly warmer weather. But that's "usually" and who knows what may happen... Tonight's wildcamp is tucked away just off the official NC500 route and with almost uninterrupted views over the North Sea. Day 4. New Years Eve. No trip to the far north of mainland Scotland would be complete without the obligatory John o Groats signpost picture, so that's one of todays goals. But so is taking a stroll along the high cliffs of Duncansby to see the fabulous natural rock sea stacks and beach. We end the day at our next overnight spot at the most northerly settlement in mainland Britain. A proper campsite, a firepit and a glass of bubbly to see in the new year. Day 5. Quite possibly a later start today... But that's fine, its been planned for. Today is a chance to relax a bit as we concentrate on all the little nooks and crannies of this part of the Scottish coast. The first port of call though is the RSPB reserve of Dunnet Head, its lighthouse and to have a mooch around the most northerly bit of mainland Britain to help blow away the cobwebs of the previous nights shenanigans. The afternoon is a steady, incredibly scenic drive (with stops) along the NC500 route and to our next wildcamp site. This is when things can begin to get cold!!!!! Day 6 see's us head inland for the next couple of days. Proper single track roads that are regularly snow covered throughout winter, notoriously remote and usually devoid of other vehicles. This next 48 hours or so could well be the bit that proves to be by far and away the most difficult to finish. The aim is to spend the night at the location of the coldest recorded temperature in the UK. Day 7 is a continuation of the previous day in so far as its inland, narrow roads and remote. But also like the previous day, the scenery is absolutely breath-taking. The aim for tonight is to be at a proper campsite in a sheltered bay back up on the north coast. *Days 6 - 7 will require an element of self sufficiency as there are no fuel stations, shops or planned water stops along the route. Day 8. After the possible challenges of the previous couple of days, today should be a relative walk in the park. True NC500 route, with a cheeky detour or 2 along the way to find a few hidden winter gems. Tonight's stopover is again a wildcamp, but with a bit of a twist... Day 9 and its time to effectively start our journey south. We don't rush though, as this is the section that most regard as "The Proper Scottish Coastline". The wild, Atlantic battered west coast of Scotland. The plan for today (and for the next couple of days) is to explore the plethora of tiny little side roads that take us down to hidden coves, natural harbours and stunning white sand beaches. Who knows what lays ahead... Plus tonight's overnight stay is a bit of a surprise, we're very confident you'll like this one. Day 10. We continue along the rugged and beautiful west coast kind of following the traditional NC500 route, but with a few 4x4 required points along the way. We spend time exploring the Rubha Mor peninsula before heading south and our next overnight campsite that's almost on the beach. Day 11 and today is all about traditional picture postcard Scotland as we head along Loch Maree and onto Torridon before ending the day at our campsite nestled in the shadows of 1000m tall mountains. There will be a few detours along the way to get to the better vantage points, but this is a chilled day to just take in and enjoy the truly world famous scenery. Day 12 & 13. Possibly the longest of the driving days, purely because of what we try to fit in as we head onto the Isle of Skye for our last nights camping. These 2 days are all about box-ticking stunning locations. We could list all of the places we'll be visiting but it'd be a huge list and probably spoil the fun of finding out when you get there. Our final night is spent at a genuinely stunning location overlooking the shores of Loch Awe. A fine evening meal and a few drams to end the day, before retiring to a sumptuous king size bed for the night. Day 14. After an award winning breakfast and no doubt a stroll down to the loch shoreline, its time to say our goodbyes. ​ ​