Route from Skye to Scrsbster

If you are talking about doing the Applecross loop and then heading up to Durnessa and Scrabster you are looking at at least ten hours driving and that is without any stops...It is around 300 miles and the roads are slow to drive.

Depending on what time your ferry leaves Scrabster you will need to allow two days to do this - or even three if it is a morning ferry...

A quicker route which can be done in a long day but which misses out Applecross and Durness, is to head across to Dingwall and Bonar Bridge. You now have the choice of continuing up the coast to Scrabsrter OR cutting across the middle of Scotland to Melvich on the north cost and then picking up the NC500 to Scrabster. (Plot it out google maps) This route is about 200 miles and you need to allow 8 hours PLUS stops. The coastal route is more or less the same distance but will be quicker to drive (6-7 hours plus stops) as it is a faster road.

If using google maps, it is recommended to ADD 25% on to their driving times plus time for stops.

There aren't that many roads to choose from in that part of Scotland as it is an isolated area with little settlement.

Revised plan. Leave Skye and do Applecross loop, drive to Ullapool for the night. Take A894 along coast to A838 to Durness and on to Scrabster for the night. Is this doable in one day. We are comfortable to drive 6-7 hours in a day.
Thank you so much for your help.

Your second plan is more realistic. I’d say you’re looking at 5 hours from Ullapool to Scrabster.

You don’t say when you’re planning this trip but near in mind that the NC500 gets incredibly busy with visitors in the summer, many of whom are in camper vans. Impatience and bunching where people tailgate into passing places leads to clogging up of the passing places with more vehicles than can fit into the passing places, which in turn makes progress both slow and frustrating as the flow of traffic is stopped. You’ll want to make sure you know how to drive on single track roads, including how to use passing places and the rules on letting faster traffic pass.

You’ll. also need to book the ferry well in advance.

I will put a plug in for the Crask Inn formerly run by the Church of Scotland.
The Crask feels like the emptiest part of Scotland ,won't be too much traffic on the run up to Tongue

If you have the time, stop at the wonderful Strathnaver Museum in Bettyhill to learn about the Highland Clearances.

The Crask Inn is run by the Scottish Episcopal Church, as opposed to the Church of Scotland- having been gifted to them. An unusual (possibly unique) pub in that it has a little Chapel.

As opposed to Pitlochry Dunkeld or Dunblane (both are small Cathedral towns) could be alternatives.