North Coast 500, Coastal driving route in northern Scotland.

The North Coast 500 is a circular driving route through the Highlands of northern Scotland that begins and ends near Inverness. It follows narrow country roads along steep coasts, through moorland and between mountains, alternating views of the sea with sections through empty valleys.

The route was created in 2015 by a tourism initiative to bring travelers into remote areas of northern Scotland. Since then visitor numbers have grown sharply in some coastal villages and on the back roads.

The name refers to the route's 516 miles (830 km), launched in March 2015 by the Tourism Project Board of the North Highland Initiative to link Caithness, Sutherland and Ross-shire in one touring route. It was placed fifth in Now Travel Magazine's 2015 "Top 5 Coastal Routes in the World" and has been called "Scotland's Route 66".

You need between five and seven days to drive the whole route at a relaxed pace and plan stops along the way. It is wise to book accommodation in advance because many remote spots have only a handful of rooms available.

Mark Beaumont set the 516-mile cycling record in August 2015 at 37 hours 58 minutes, then reclaimed it in September 2022 in 28 hours 35 minutes. The running record belongs to Luke Ivory, who covered the route in 5 days 23 hours 4 minutes 17 seconds in July 2021.