FAQs

Many people take 5 to 7 days on average to finish the NC500, giving them plenty of time to travel at a leisurely pace and to enjoy the scenic vistas, historic landmarks, and quaint towns along the way. Some prefer the more in depth approach whereby they like to enjoy the adventure over 2 weeks or even more. This way you can see ALL the things you want to and not be rushed, and believe me there is so much to see and do along the way!

However, if you are pressed for time but still wish to see the best parts of the route, some travellers might decide to finish the NC500 in 3–4 days. Remember that a shorter distance would call for more concentrated driving and fewer breaks for longer periods of time.

Yes, we sincerely hope that your adventure will be enjoyable for you. Before you go, we can have a cuppa and a blether and go over your route together, offering advice based on both our own and some of our past customers' experiences. We would recommend looking at Campa, VisitScotland and the NC500 websites. They have some excellent recommendations.

It's really simple - don't be a dick. Follow the advice on Campa re where to park and empty your waste and everyone will be happy. There has been some bad press about some of the locals along the NC500 speaking unfavourably of tourists in campervans but I can assure you if you treat our country with the respect it deserves, you will have an absolute blast on your adventure. Make sure you use a raised fire pit if you plan to have one and don't char the ground below.

Remove all your rubbish and if you see anyone else's, why not pick that up too and bin it. The bad rep comes from a few disrespectful tourists - not the vast majority who are considerate, love our planet and want to keep it awesome for the future van fans to enjoy.

Enjoy the local facilities, adventures, food, drink and have the time of your lives. It's a fantastic country to holiday in, truly spectacular with some of the best people around.

Leave only foot prints, take only memories.

You can head to the ‘Book Now’ section on our website which will give you all the information about our vans and will take you to our Bookalet booking system. It will allow you to see what dates are available to rent and it will take you to the payment and confirmation.

On booking, a 50% deposit will be taken to secure your adventure and then the balance is required 4 weeks prior to the hire commencing. We will send you an invoice and payment request to remind you.

If you book within 4 weeks of the hire commencing then the full 100% will be paid at the time of booking.

Yes, there is a minimum hire length of 3 nights. This allows for the vans to be cleaned and turned around for the next guests hiring the van. The more nights you take the van for, the lower the price becomes.

We can drop the van off to you within a 30 minute journey of Inverness. We also offer to collect you from the airport, train station or town centre if it is helpful. A small fee will apply. Ask fiona@coocoocampers.co.uk if you would like further information.

Yes!! We have a furry friend of our own so we thought it was essential that our vans are pet friendly so you can bring yours too. Please note that we reserve the right to keep some of the £1000 security deposit for excessive hair/mess from dogs. We have a Pet Policy that you must read if booking with a pet. If you have any questions or queries after reading the pet policy, please contact us on fiona@coocoocampers.co.uk

Yes. Our vans include a toilet on board, in the shower room. It will need emptied and cleaned as well as possible on your trip before the van is returned to us. If the van is returned and the loo has not been emptied, there will be a £75 charge as we don't have black waste disposal at Coocoo HQ. To find out where you can safely dispose of your black and grey waste you should check out Campa or the NC500 website. This website also has a great blog section with tons of information on planning your trip, what to see and where to go, etc. Check it out!

Yes. Our vans are diesel fuel. You will receive your van with a full tank of diesel and we expect them to be returned with a full tank as well. There is a Shell garage on Old Perth Road, Inverness to refuel before being returned.

Shell, 36 Old Perth Rd, Inverness IV2 3RH

Yes, we have included Bed linen, pillows, towels. We also include all kitchenware, tea and cafetiere, cleaning products, a Marshall portable speaker and full instructions on how to use everything in the van. We have some optional add ons for you to choose from; hire of stand up paddle boards, local gift basket, BBQ and weekly shop collected for your departure. Check these out when making your booking.

Yes, they include a 100L water tank which will be filled for your departure. There is also a shower in the garage for washing bikes and dirty dogs!!

Yes!! We have a huge garage in the back of Big Ed for mountain bikes, paddleboards, luggage etc. Specifically designed for downhill 29ers so plenty of room in there for your pride and joy.

No. We do not tolerate smoking in the vans under any circumstance. If you are found to have been smoking in the van an extra charge of £100 will apply as this will require extensive cleaning to remove the stench. Just don't, please.

You can find the terms and conditions in the footer of the website alongside the pet policy and cookies policy.

We take a £1,000 security deposit before your van adventure begins, which is fully refundable upon safe return of the van. This is to cover the cost of any damage or repair required if you are involved in any accidents or incidents along the way. The security deposit should be paid by bank transfer or card payment and will be returned to you once the van is returned safely minus any charges which are to be deducted.

Awww Ed. Well, my first love was an ancient grey T4 called Eddie. He was like the stoned uncle who was just super cool and chill. I didn't name him, he came called that and named after Eddie VAN Halen. I knew he was to be mine as soon as I found out his name though as my absolute favourite is Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. It was a sign! Eddie was mine. But as he was an old boy, he had a few rust issues and he moved onto a retirement home nearby. Then I got a new grey van and Big Ed was born!

I saw Effie advertised online and she was a bright yellow DHL van, and we knew instantly that we needed her! The name 'Effie' comes from her registration number, EF, so we named her Effie to match Ed. She is a Mercedes sprinter, long wheel base so she has the perfect amount of space for your adventures!! Effie's interior design combines comfort and utility with a small but well-equipped kitchen, a shower and toilet wet room, a comfortable sleeping room, and lots of storage for equipment and personal items.

I really wanted to find a Scottish company that specialised in custom builds and I put a post on a facebook van page. There seemed to be loads in England but none up here. I had a reply from Alistair at Inspire Customvans, based near Motherwell. He directed me to his Instagram and I loved what I saw. Honestly, the workmanship is outstanding and although we had a few delays along the way I am so chuffed with Big Ed. I love that I got to pick everything in it - the exact layout I wanted, the tiles and wallpaper, the colour palette, the sliding bike rack, just everything as I wanted it to be. Our second van, Effie, was also created by these guys and they did an excellent job, she's a beauty!

According to the RAC the NC500 is slightly longer than advertised coming in at 516 miles from start to finish.