Sailboats on Loch Leven at Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands, backed by misty mountains

The Scottish Highlands

Glens, lochs and Skye, toured by route with honest drive times

The Scottish Highlands

The Scottish Highlands are mountains, sea lochs, glens and islands, and the wildlife that goes with them: red deer, ospreys, red squirrels and dolphins.

This is route-based touring, and the distances are longer than the map suggests. I plan two or three bases rather than a new hotel every night, and I keep the driving days short.

Researched profile: this page is written from my planning research and partner knowledge rather than a stay of my own here, and when that changes, this line comes off.

What and Where It Is

The Highlands cover the north and west of Scotland. Inverness is the hub in the north-east, at the head of the Moray Firth. The Cairngorms National Park lies to its south, Glencoe and Loch Ness run down the Great Glen to the south-west, and the Isle of Skye sits off the west coast, reached by bridge.

What You Do Here

In the Cairngorms, look for red squirrels, red deer and ospreys, and walk in the old Caledonian pine forest. From Chanonry Point on the Moray Firth, bottlenose dolphins are often seen close to shore. Glencoe is the most dramatic glen to drive through and walk in. Skye is the island most people come for: the Quiraing, the Old Man of Storr, small villages and sea lochs. Castles, distilleries and estate days with walking or fishing fill in between.

Driving and Pacing

Highland roads are slow: many are single-track, with passing places, and the weather turns quickly. Edinburgh to Skye is a full day on the road. I keep drives to half a day where I can, and plan two or three bases, such as the Cairngorms or Inverness and Skye or the west coast, rather than moving every night. A private driver who knows the roads makes it a far better trip.

Best Time to Go

May to September brings the longest days and the most reliable weather. May and September are my picks: long light, fewer visitors, and none of the worst of the midges, the biting insects of the west coast in high summer. Scotland can be wet at any time, so I build in a spare day. Winter days are short, and many smaller hotels close for the season.

Month by month

  • January: Mixed.
  • February: Mixed.
  • March: Mixed.
  • April: Good.
  • May: Excellent.
  • June: Excellent.
  • July: Very good.
  • August: Very good.
  • September: Excellent.
  • October: Good.
  • November: Mixed.
  • December: Mixed.

Getting There and How Long to Stay

Start from Edinburgh by road or rail, or fly to Inverness. A week covers two Highland bases at an easy pace; ten days adds Skye and the west coast properly.

Where to Stay

In the Highlands I choose hotels, estate stays and private houses to match the route.

Pairs with: Edinburgh at the start or end, and the United Kingdom guide for the whole country.

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Culture & Sights

  • The Isle of Skye: The Quiraing, the Old Man of Storr and the sea lochs.
  • Glencoe: The most dramatic of the Highland glens.
  • The Cairngorms National Park: Red squirrels, red deer, ospreys and old pine forest.
  • Chanonry Point: Bottlenose dolphins close to shore on the Moray Firth.
  • Loch Ness and the Great Glen: The long loch between Inverness and the west.

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