North Coast 500 or Wild Atlantic Way?
North Coast 500 or Wild Atlantic Way? Both routes compared: length, driving time, best season, tolls and road limits, with our recommendation.
| North Coast 500 | Wild Atlantic Way | |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Inverness → Inverness | Galway → Seaside campsite, Dingle |
| Suggested days | 5 | 4 |
| Distance | 499 km (310 mi) | 277 km (172 mi) |
| Driving | 6 h 54 min | 3 h 49 min |
| Stops | 7 | 8 |
| Best time to go | May–September | May–September |
| Tolls and vignettes | None expected | ≈ €2 |
| Good to know | – | – |
Our recommendation
Choose the North Coast 500 for a five-day loop of about 499 km from Inverness around the top of Scotland: Ullapool, Assynt, Smoo Cave, Durness beaches and Duncansby Stacks. Much of it is single-track with passing places, and fuel is sparse. Pick the Wild Atlantic Way if four days and about 277 km suit you better: the Burren, Doolin’s music pubs, the Cliffs of Moher and the Slea Head loop near Dingle; skip the steep Conor Pass in a large motorhome. Both are best May–September, you drive on the left, and July and August are busiest.
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