THE North Coast 500 (NC500) — Scotland’s very own Route 66 — has teamed up with travel guidebook publisher Rough Guides to create the ultimate guide to the iconic Highland road trip.

Available to download as an e-book, The Rough Guide to the North Coast 500 is the definitive guide to the route which has been described as one of the world’s top road trips. With more than 80-pages packed with practical information, inspiration and advice, it offers everything visitors will need to get the most out of their NC500 adventure.

Gaelle Delagrave, head of brand and communications at the North Coast 500, said: “From awe-inspiring mountain ranges, to white sand beaches, fairy tale castles and haunting ruins, the North Coast 500 has it all.

“It’s a place where you’ll discover hidden gems and a wealth of unforgettable experiences — a true bucket list destination.

“This new e-book offers the ultimate guide to planning your North Coast 500 adventure, from one of the best-known and trusted names in world travel. For those planning their NC500 trip, it will be an indispensable travelling companion.”

Greg Dickinson, author of the guide, is confident they’ve covered everything worth seeing and doing along the 500-odd mile stretch of stunning coastline.

“The North Coast 500 delivers on some definitive Scottish experiences. Summiting muscular Munros, sampling wee drams at international whisky distilleries, exploring those fairytale castles from the brochures,” he said.

“We’ve got these covered, in depth. But in The Rough Guide to the North Coast 500 we were just as interested in covering everything that lies in between. The secret coves on the west coast, the micro-distillery growing botanicals in its garden, and — of course — advice on how to master the art of the single-track road.

“While researching this guide I met a huge variety of road trippers — from amateur wildlife photographers with arm-length lenses to “sea-foodies”, reeled in by tales of langoustines and hand-dived scallops — but the thing linking them all was a fiery spirit of adventure.

“In this Rough Guide we offer advice for every budget and interest, but one tip transcends the lot: take it slow, and reap the rewards.”

Rough Guides include recommendations from budget to luxury and cover more than 120 destinations around the globe, from Amsterdam to Zanzibar, all regularly updated by a team of roaming writers.

The Rough Guide to the North Coast 500 can be purchased from www.northcoast500.com/shop for £4.99. It’s also available for free to all NC500 Explorer Members and Gold Members.

Earlier this month the North Coast 500 unveiled a new premium clothing line, specially designed for those tackling the 516-mile road trip around the North Highlands.

The North Coast 500 collection includes quilted jackets, shirts, t-shirts, polos, hoodies and hats, and was created in conjunction with major European clothing brand, Jack & Jones.

Featuring high-quality performance materials, the range’s classic designs sport the NC500 brand, as well as photography from the spectacular coastal route.

Managing director Tom Campbell, said: “The NC500 is ranked as one of the world’s most beautiful road trips, and people have flocked from all over the globe to enjoy the scenery and hospitality. We want everyone to feel that they are part of the global phenomenon that is the NC500.”

And earlier this year, research by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) showed that the popularity of the route could lead to the creation of around 200 jobs in one of the remote parts of the country.