NC500 in May — What's Open, What's On, and Why It's the Best Month to Go
May doesn't get the attention it deserves on the NC500. Most people plan their trip for July or August, when the weather feels like a safer bet and the long Highland days make the driving easier. What they don't account for is the crowds, the queues, and the midges — all of which are at their worst in peak summer and essentially absent in May.
We've been open on the north-west stretch since late March. Here's what May on the NC500 actually looks like, and why we'd pick it over July without hesitation.
The roads
In May the NC500 is still quieter than peak summer. Not deserted — it's a popular route and there are always people on it — but the difference between May and August traffic on the single-track roads of the north-west is significant. In May you can pull over for a view without finding three campervans already parked there. You can arrive at a food stop without a 45-minute wait. You can drive the Bealach na Bà without a queue of cars in front of you.
If you're doing the route for the landscape rather than the social experience of being on a famous road, May is the right month.
The midges
There are rarely midges yet in May on the north-west coast. This is not a small thing. The Highland midge is a genuine deterrent to outdoor dining, walking, and generally standing still anywhere in Scotland from June onwards, and the north-west coast is not exempt. In May, you can sit outside, eat slowly, and not regret it. Come July, that changes.
The light
May days in Sutherland are long — sunrise before 5am, sunset after 9:30pm by the end of the month. The quality of light on the north-west coast in late spring, particularly in the evenings, is something that's difficult to describe accurately and easy to photograph badly. The low angle, the colour of the Atlantic, the way the moorland looks after the winter — it's worth being here for.
Handa Island — May is peak puffin season
Handa Island, just north of Scourie, is a nature reserve managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. In May it's home to over 200,000 seabirds nesting on the cliffs — puffins, guillemots, razorbills, great skuas. May is peak season for puffins specifically, which arrive in spring and are at their most visible in May and June before the breeding season winds down.
Boat trips run from Tarbet, a few miles north of Scourie, at around £20 per person — check current prices when you book as these can vary season to season. The crossing takes about ten minutes. There's a walking trail around the island and no need to book in advance outside peak weekends.
Handa is also where Adam hand-dives for our scallops. There's a direct line between that island and the scallops on the menu at Crofter's Kitchen, which is worth thinking about when you're eating them.
Scourie Beach
Scourie Beach is metres from Crofter's Kitchen — follow the signs down to the bay and you're there. It's partially sandy, faces west into the Atlantic, and is good for swimming and paddling in May if you're the kind of person who doesn't mind cold water. The North Atlantic at this latitude in May is bracing rather than warm, but people swim here and enjoy it. The beach is quiet in May — you'll often have it largely to yourself.
It's the kind of beach that makes you want to stay longer than you planned, which is a reasonable description of Scourie generally.
What's on the menu in May
May is one of the most interesting months on the menu at Crofter's Kitchen because the seasonal produce is at a particularly good moment.
Wild garlic grows on the north-west coast of Sutherland through April and into May, and right now Grant is making a hand-foraged wild garlic pesto served with gnocchi and a fresh salmon fillet. Wild garlic has a short window — softer and more herbal than cultivated garlic, with a flavour that's specific to this landscape and this time of year. It won't be on the menu past May.
Scallops from Adam at Handa Island are on the menu. Hand-dived, landed locally, served simply.
Langoustines and lobster from Paul and Sandy at Badcall Bay. The langoustine catch is typically good in May — the water is cold and the quality reflects it.
Oysters from Patrick and Lucy at Bow, near Durness. On the menu right now.
Kylesku crab, lamb from Elphin, and wild venison from Inchnadamph round out the 30-Mile Menu.
Everything is sourced within 30 miles of the croft. The menu changes with what's been landed and what's in season — what's listed above is what's on right now, in May 2026.
Opening hours in Mag
Crofter's Kitchen is open in May, including bank holidays. Monday to Saturday, noon to 7pm. No booking required.
We're at Croft 17, Scouriemore, IV27 4TG — follow the signs to Scourie Beach and we're on the left. Get directions.
It's worth checking our Instagram or Facebook on the morning you're travelling in shoulder season, just in case anything has changed. We post updates if hours vary.
Why May beats August on the NC500
To put it plainly: in May you get the same landscape, the same seafood, and the same route — with quieter roads, no midges, longer evenings, puffins on Handa Island, wild garlic on the menu, and the genuine feeling that you've found something rather than joined a queue for it.
August has better odds of warm weather. May has everything else.
Practical notes for the NC500 in May
Petrol: Fill up before you leave Inverness. Fill again in Ullapool if you're heading north-west. There is a petrol station in Scourie. Don't assume fuel is available when you need it on the remote stretches.
Mobile signal: Limited to non-existent on the north-west stretch between Ullapool and Durness. Download offline maps before you leave.
Weather: May in Sutherland is changeable. It can be warm and clear; it can also be cold and horizontal rain. Pack for both and don't let a grey morning put you off — the light after rain on the north-west coast is frequently the best of the day.
Accommodation: May is shoulder season so availability is generally better than July or August. Book ahead for the most popular spots but you have more flexibility than in peak summer.
Crofter's Kitchen, Croft 17, Scouriemore, IV27 4TG. Open Monday to Saturday including bank holidays, noon to 7pm, late March to October. No booking required.