SCOTLAND has some of the most stunning scenery in the world, drawing thousands of tourists to our shores every year.

In 2015, the North Coast 500 was launched, a 500-mile drive around the top of Scotland starting and finishing at Inverness.

On the way, it took in some of the country’s most beautiful spots and showcased our heritage and history.

It has been an unparalleled success and has sparked a wave of driving tourism exploiting Scotland’s natural beauty and dynamic roads.

Here, we look at some of the routes that have sprung up since including the latest – the Snow Roads.

Glenshee

Snow Roads

The Snow Roads run for 90 miles from Blairgowrie in Perthshire to the Highland village of Grantown-on-Spey, passing through the Cairngorms National Park.

As the name suggests the route include roads that in winter are often snow bound, as well as the highest public road in the UK.

Starting at Blairgowrie, you pass through Glenshee, one of Scotland’s most popular ski resorts, which is equally dramatic in the off-season with the hills towering above the road.

Balmoral Castle

It swings down to Braemar and Ballater, with Balmoral Castle and Crathie Kirk popular tourist attractions, before heading off along narrow and winding roads to Gairnshiel Bridge, the Lecht Ski Centre and Tomintoul.

Three art installations along the way make the drive even more interesting. The final destination, Grantown-on-Spey, offers you easy access to further drives along the Malt Whisky Trail, the nearby North East 250, which includes Aberdeen, and the NC500 itself.

Ailsa Craig

South West 300

The South West 300 is a 300-mile circular drive surrounding Galloway Forest Park on some of Scotland’s least travelled roads.

You can begin anywhere but might want to start just off the M74 motorway at the Crawick Pass and make a detour to Wanlockhead, Scotland’s highest village.

The route winds to the coast where, on a good day – and even a not so good day – you can see Ailsa Craig in the distance. The quarry there supplies the best granite for curling stones.

Portpatrick

Follow the road to the pretty village and harbour of Portpatrick and then down to the Mull of Galloway, Scotland’s most southerly point, before making your way to Whithorn to the shrine of St Ninian. Sweetheart Abbey near Dumfries is worth a look. It might not rival the Taj Mahal but it was founded in the 13th century by Lady Dervorgilla in memory of her husband, John Balliol.

Before making your way back to your starting point, a visit to Moffat is a must. This is where John McAdam – engineer, road builder and inventor of tarmacadam – died.

Abbotsford House

Borders Historic Route

From Moffat, it is a short drive to Gretna Green, the small town that marks the beginning of the 89 mile Borders Historic Route to Edinburgh – although of course you can drive it the other way.

Gretna is known throughout the world as the town to which couples elope to get married – at one time over the blacksmith’s anvil.

Blacksmith's anvil at Gretna

The road winds up to Hawick and Scotland’s textile region. Here you can stop and learn about the tweeds and weaves that people like Chanel, Dior and Vivienne Westwood source from here and later, at Lochcarron in Selkirk, watch tartan being woven.

Meanwhile, close to Melrose, you’ll find Abbotsford, the home of Sir Walter Scott, one of the fathers of the modern novel.

Detour here for Floors Castle and Traquair House before driving on towards Newtongrange and the National Mining Museum, stopping perhaps at Rosslyn Chapel made famous by Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, before arriving in the capital with all its incredible attractions notably Edinburgh Castle.

Culross Palace

Fife Coastal Route

In the east, the Fife Coastal Route is 77 miles long and runs along the Firth of Forth from the Kincardine Bridge in Fife to the Tay Bridge at Dundee.

The pretty 16th century village of Culross is worth a visit at the start of the drive. Much of it is preserved and keen eyes will recognise backdrops of the TV series Outlander.

A slight detour takes yo to Dunfermline Abbey where the body of Robert the Bruce is buried (his heart is in Melrose Abbey) and further along is Aberdour Castle, Scotland’s oldest standing castle.

Crail harbour

Drive past Kirkcaldy, home to famous Scots artist Jack Vettriano and on to Anstruther, where the Scottish Fisheries Museum is located and where you can stop for some great fish and chips.

Other notable and really pretty villages here include Crail, Elie, Kingsbarns, Pittenweem and St Monans – all worth a visit before you get to St Andrews, the home of Golf, with its ancient university and magnificent west sands where they filmed Chariots of Fire.

The drive finishes as you cross the Tay Bridge with its silvery waters immortalised by poet William McGonagall.

Glen Croe

Argyll Coastal Road

On the other side of the country, the Argyll Coastal Road is 129 miles long and runs from Tarbet at the top of Loch Lomond to Fort William in the Highlands.

Before you start, visit An Ceann Mor, a purpose built viewpoint that will give you a breathtaking view of Loch Lomond and some of the best scenery in the world.

Follow the A83 past the top of Loch Long and stop at the famous Rest and Be Thankfu l car park, where spectators used to watch cars competing in the hill climb through Glen Croe below.

On to Loch Fyne, past the acclaimed Oyster Bar, and then Inveraray, where you can be locked up in its historic jail and visit the nearby castle and gardens.

Connell Bridge near Oban

The road winds on through Auchindrain, with its living museum, to Lochgilphead, where the route turns right up the A816 with an incredible seascape, to your left.

Detour to Easdale Island for some great seagoing adventures to watch wildlife and birds, then go to the seafood capital of Oban before heading north past the Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary and on to Ballachulish, where a detour will take you to the eerie and strange atmosphere of Glencoe, before you head for a well deserved rest in Fort William.