Its fifty shades of green lured me into forests, brick bothies were captured with my cameras, and we explored the mountains in search of Highland cattle. I never thought I would say this, but I really enjoyed the little tourist town of Fort Augustus! Glencoe is one of the Highlands’ most beautiful regions, particularly famous for a group of three massive peaks called “The Three Sisters.” There are several turn-offs where you’ll be able to park and photograph the stunning landscape. It was sunny but still pretty chilly and windy. This impressive gorge is also home to the stunning Falls of Measach. This point is where you will find a pod of dolphins that come in every time the tide rises. We didn’t do much research before we came so we just figured we’d check it out! Even if you don’t give much weight to the legend of Loch Ness, it’s still pretty cool to sail around the loch, and the ship’s crew is extremely knowledgeable about local history. Europe - Planning A Trip To Scottish Highlands - Looking for recommendations for a 3-day stay in the Scottish Highlands. Date: July 17th to 26th… Considered the cultural capital of the Highlands, it’s the perfect place to rest after a long day and a convenient launching spot for tomorrow’s activities. People planning a Scottish Highlands itinerary generally plan to spend some time walking, hiking, or climbing on at least part of their holiday. Although Loch Ness might be the site most heavily associated with Scotland, Scots know that the Isle of Skye is their most breathtaking destination. Few adventures are as memorable as exploring the northern reaches of Scotland by road. The North Coast 500 road trip, created in 2015, has opened up the Highlands to a new breed of visitor, with their motorbikes, campervans and convertible cars. 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Rita and Susie are here to help give you the inside track. Here is my 5-day road trip itinerary to the Scottish Highlands. Follow the road past Dunvegan Castle and you will find a great view of this medieval castle and you may even spot a seal or two in the bay! It’s busy but the spectacular scenery will blow your mind!” The Scottish Highlands and Islands were included in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel list for 2019 – the only region in the UK to make the cut. We unfortunately got a bit of rain when we pulled into town so we hopped back in the truck and left. Glenfinnan is a small town just north of Fort William, and this is where you will find the famous bridge from Harry Potter, also known as the Glenfinnan Viaduct! Visit Dunnet Beach Strathy Beach Armadale bay Make camp around Tongue. Here’s how to plan a truly unforgettable road trip through the Scottish Highlands. This is the Route 66 of road trips guys. The traffic and buses tend to pile up after that time! During my Scottish Highlands expedition last winter I explored this region that was on my road trip wish list. Meg shares her route and top tips on what to see and do and where to stay. Our day on Skye started with bright beautiful sunny weather, so we drove to the Old Man of Storr for a hike! We researched Scotland’s North Coast 500 and decided this was our trip! The route takes you from Inverness to Fort Augusts and north towards Applecross, from there it continues east along the coast until John O’Groats and then back down to Inverness. Travelling the Scottish Highlands. A journey through the Highlands is a journey through the history of our planet, as the ancient rocks were … Of course in good old Scottish fashion, it poured on us so we hit the pub and had a couple drinks and lunch before heading back to Inverness to drop off our vehicle! The remote Isle of Skye is a complete destination in itself, and you could easily spend a few days losing yourself in the wilderness of Cairngorms National Park. For the first part of the journey, we’ll be retracing our steps on the A82 as far as Invermorrison. 1. Our Scottish Highlands road trip itinerary included a few distilleries, but there is even more to the Scotch whisky making process. Bluetooth speaker, cables and car charge port and more…. It’s the last large city you’ll be seeing for a while. With so many ancient towns, castle ruins, and imposing mountains scattered throughout this vast landscape, it can be tough to know where to start, or how to plan the most scenic route so you don’t miss anything. Keep your eyes peeled as the seals like to sunbathe on the rocks! There’s only one problem: the Highlands are huge. If Stirling Castle inspires you, you can even drive another 15 minutes north to visit Doune Castle, which you might recognize from the iconic opening scene of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. There was a little camp site located close to the point so we opted to stay there for warm showers and some sort of shelter from the crazy winds that night. You can also check out Balmoral Castle in the northeast of the park — one of the Royal Family’s holiday residences. We booked flight up to Inverness and decided to go on a Scotland road trip! about us. Planning Your Loch Ness Visit in the Scottish Highlands. Wandering Bajans uses cookies to improve your experience. That evening we ended up sleeping in a layby along the side of the main road, but a bit further on there are some lovely parks that are off the road and a lot more scenic! Travelling to the Scottish Highlands is going to be all of those experiences and more. Your email address will not be published. The largest national park in the British Isles, Cairngorms is home to castles, gardens, and a plethora of hiking and biking paths. Definitely worth a visit if you have time, the train passes around 10am and 3pm. Your email address will not be published. Comprising a slew of mountain ranges, this sparsely populated land is best seen by train on the West Highland Line. If you didn’t know, Scotland is home to Harry Potter and Glenfinnan is home to the famous Hogwarts Express! Our top tip would be to get there super early, we arrived around 8.30am. It was definitely worth it. The next highlight of our day was the best fish and chips we’ve ever had at a little food truck in Applecross! Drive an hour south from Glencoe, and you’ll arrive at Loch Lomond, a massive loch with several hiking trails. mobile app. When Coronavirus meant their overseas holiday was cancelled, they decided to go on a road trip to the Scottish Highlands. We arrived at John O’Groats around 4pm and went straight to Seaview Hotel for some fish and chips because the weather was so cold and windy! Here, Country Living speaks to VisitScotland's Chief Executive Malcolm Roughead, who shares his reaction to the news and the best places to visit the in the area. This includes numerous castles, lochs & the Harry Potter train, the Trossachs, Fort William, Oban & Glencoe as well as the islands of Skye & Mull. Unfortunately for us we were tired and cold so we didn’t have the patience to sit around for too long. On our most recent trip to the UK, we were lucky enough to spend a few days around Loch Ness. North Coast 500: the best Scottish road trip for the ultimate getaway. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. 1) Be very careful driving When driving in Scotland, you’ll drive on the left. Make sure you check out our guide to driving in Scotland as well so you can prepare yourself! After Glenmorangie we made a stop off at a castle! The same applies to Fort William, below Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland - another gateway or route centre, giving you further touring options. There might not be a ton to do on these far-flung isles, but the landscape is out of this world, and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’ve ventured pretty much as far north as you can go in Scotland. The scenery got better and better with every turn and we were able to cover Skye because we had extra time! Visit the Setting of Outlander. As you look out to sea the most iconic part of this location is the stacks out in the water! Whether you decide to hike the mountain or just stop for a few photos, continue south through Glencoe, a glen full of striking mountains and waterfalls. Visit Corrieshalloch Gorge Applecross Camp on Isle of Skye. Before setting out from Edinburgh, explore everything the city has to offer. 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