Conquer the Virtual Scottish North Coast Loop: A 500-Mile Highland Circuit
Loop the wild northern coast of Scotland, virtually. The Scottish North Coast Loop is an 811 km (roughly 504 mile) circuit out of Inverness, around the far north Highlands and back down the east coast, inspired by the famous North Coast 500 road trip. Route Rally turns every synced ride, run or walk into progress around the loop, so you can take on one of Scotland's great journeys from wherever you train and finish back where you started.
- Route: Scottish North Coast Loop
- Distance: 811.1 km
- Elevation gain: 9300 m
- Epic Highland loop with strong completion appeal
- Best for: Cyclists and runners wanting a longer route, and multi-month rallies of your own
Planning your challenge
A cyclist averaging 150 km/week finishes in five to six weeks; runners at 40 km/week treat it as a longer project of several months.
This is a Long route by Route Rally distance bands, so it suits riders and runners who want a substantial, scenic loop with a satisfying return to the start.
Works well when you want a famous Highland route with strong completion psychology, returning to Inverness where you began.
Create your own rally for your own Highland loop target, solo or with a group sharing one leaderboard.
Why this route
- The Scottish North Coast Loop is a circuit of the far north Highlands from Inverness, inspired by the famous North Coast 500 (NC500) road trip.
- The Route Rally route runs about 811 km (504 miles) out along the rugged west coast, across the wild north and back down the east coast to Inverness.
- Because it is a loop, it carries strong completion psychology: you finish exactly where you started, having circled one of Britain's emptiest and most beautiful corners.
- As a virtual challenge you cover the distance in your own time, so local rides and runs all count towards closing the loop.
- The scale and the well-known NC500 association make it a strong cyclist-retention route and a memorable shared goal for clubs and teams.
Highlights
- Start and finish in Inverness, the capital of the Highlands
- Ride out along the dramatic west coast through Torridon and Ullapool
- Cross the wild far north past Durness and Thurso
- Return down the east coast to close the loop back at Inverness
Common questions
How does my riding count towards closing the loop?
One connection to Strava or Apple Health is all it takes: from then on each ride, run or walk you log carries you further round the circuit from Inverness. Because this is a loop rather than a crossing, progress is measured as the share of the circle you have closed, and at 150 km a week the circle closes in five to six weeks.
Do I have to be in the Highlands to ride it?
No. The circuit is a number of kilometres, not a postcode, so flat Midlands commuting counts as much as a climb out of Ullapool. You will miss the west coast weather, which few people mourn, but you still have to cover the same 811 km and you still finish where you started.
Is this the NC500?
It is a virtual loop inspired by the North Coast 500, covering the same wild stretch of the Scottish Highlands from Inverness. We use the descriptive name Scottish North Coast Loop, and the route is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NC500 brand.
How long is the virtual loop?
The Route Rally route covers about 811 km, or roughly 504 miles, looping out of Inverness around the north Highland coast and back, in keeping with the famous 500-mile circuit.
How long does it take to complete?
At a steady 150 km a week on the bike it works out at five to six weeks. Ride 250 km a week and the loop closes inside a month, while runners often treat it as a multi-month project. You decide the deadline when the rally is created.
Can a club or team take it on together?
Definitely. Start a rally for a club, a workplace or a group of friends, and all their synced rides and runs move round the same Highland loop towards the finish back at Inverness.
Start your Scottish North Coast Loop Conquest
Joining is free. Connect Strava or Apple Health once and every ride, run or walk you record syncs automatically, moving you along the route without anything else to log.