Scotland’s NC500 voted the UK’s best road trip and the FIFTH best in the world

ROAD trips are one of the best ways to see the world and visit multiple locations in a short space of time.

No matter the time of year, with proper planning getting behind the wheel can give you the freedom and opportunity to explore new places that you may have missed if you were travelling by train, plane, or coach.

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There are plenty of wonderful routes that showcase the best sights in a local area and to help you get inspired for your next adventure.

The UK has incredible stretches of road dotted all around the country, which make the perfect destination for a car or van trip.

From coastal highways to picturesque inland tracks, there is plenty to see along some of the nation’s best routes.

Online insurance comparison giant Comparethemarket put together a list of the top UK and global road trips based on the average number of monthly searches.

And Scotland’s very own North Coast 500 came out top, the number one most searched for road trip in the UK and an astonishing fifth in the world-wide table.

With its impressive 516-mile stretch of magnificent coastal views, it’s not surprising it’s such a popular route for travellers looking to explore. From castles to distilleries there is something for everyone to enjoy.

The NC500 pulls in 40,500 Google searches a MONTH (correct in August 2022), a huge 18,300 more than its closest rival The Snake Pass – a hills pass Derbyshire section of the Peak District, crossing the Pennines between Glossop and the Ladybower Reservoir at Ashopton.

The single-track Hardknott Pass through the Lake District was named third most popular, with 12,100 monthly searches, with Buttertubs Pass in the Yorkshire Dales coming in fourth with 9,900 monthly searches.

Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coastal Route, which stretches 120 miles between Belfast to Derry and will immerse drivers in the sheer beauty and history that Northern Ireland has to offer, was fifth with 3,600 monthly searches.

The only other Scottish entry in the Top 10 was the Road to the Isles, which connects Fort William to the port of Mallaig, which came 8th with 1,300 monthly searches on Google.

The world-wide winner was the famous Route 66 in America with a staggering 673,000 monthly searches.

Also named ‘The Mother Road’ and “The Main Street of America”, it stretches over 2,400 miles from Chicago, passing through eight states and finishing at Santa Monica Pier in California.

Route 66 covers many famous American landmarks so be sure to bring your camera.

The 64-mile-long Hana Highway in Hawaii was second with 90,500 monthly searches and The Great Ocean Road, in Australia third with 60,500 monthly searches.

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California’s 17-Mile Drive, which connects the towns of Pacific Grove and Carmel-by-the-Sea came in fourth with 49,500 monthly searches.

Staying in in the state the Pacific coast Highway linking 600 miles from San Francisco to San Diego came fifth with 40,500 monthly searches – equally that of the NC500.