45 Best things to see & do in Scottish Highlands

The railway from Glasgow to Fort William and on to Mallaig is rightly regarded as one of the world’s great railway journeys. From the moment the train climbs out of the Glasgow suburbs to give views over the Clyde, it is a scenic delight, taking in Loch Lomond, the wilds of Rannoch Moor, Ben Nevis, Loch Linhe, the famous concrete viaduct of Glenfinnan (featured in Harry Potter films) and culminating in glorious sea views.

The railway offers a unique perspective on many of the roadless landscapes en route. The wild landscapes have hardly changed since the railway was built in the late 19th century.

If it weren’t for Nessie, this would be just another loch: admittedly the second largest in Scotland and the deepest, containing more water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined. But it’s the legendary Loch Ness Monster that put it on the map. There are ‘Nessie hunter’ boat trips available all around the loch.

Start your visit at the informative, award-winning Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition in Drumnadrochit for the low down, and to delve into the scientific findings. Then head off for some monster spotting, while taking in ruined castles, waterfalls and mountain trails.

The most photographed castle in Scotland and, many say, the most beautiful, punches above its weight in the tourist attraction stakes. Christopher Lambert stormed across the causeway to this tiny fortress, perched on an island where three lochs meet, in Hollywood blockbuster, Highlander.

Founded in the 13th century, it was the traditional stronghold of Clan Mackenzie and their allies the Clan Macrae. Clan Mackenzie and Clan Macrae sided with the Jacobites in the unsuccessful Jacobite Rebellion, leading to the castle’s partial destruction in 1719 by British government forces during the rebellion’s repression. It was rebuilt from 1919-32 by Lieutenant-Colonel John Macrae-Gilstrap, and is now recognised as a Scottish icon.

Scotland’s largest loch stretches for 24 watery miles of jaw-dropping scenic splendour – just a short hop from Glasgow.

Part of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (Scotland’s first national park), and sprinkled with no fewer than 30 islands, Loch Lomond offers a one-stop shop for water-based outdoor activities from sailing to canoeing, kayaking to windsurfing and more leisurely cruises across the water.

On its eastern shore rises Ben Lomond, the country’s most southerly – and popular – Munro, soaring to a height of 3,176ft.

Yes, this is the Harry Potter vintage steam train and it crosses the legendary 21-arched Glenfinnan viaduct, made famous by the films.

The Jacobite’s route up the west coast of Scotland is one of the world’s most spectacular rail journeys, an 84-mile round trip from Fort William to the little fishing village of Mallaig.

Starting in the shadow of Scotland’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, other sights to tick off along the way include the mainland’s westernmost train station, the deepest loch and shortest river and glorious sweeps of sand that appeared in other cinematic gems, ‘Local Hero’ and ‘Highlander’.

Optional extras include pre-ordered Jacobite High teas served on the homeward leg, champagne and chocolates.

The lush countryside of Speyside is home to more than half of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries, and the only malt whisky trail in the world.

The eight on the trail include bijoux Benromach, Glenfiddich (home to the most popular whisky in the world), Cardhu (a distillery pioneered by a woman) and The Glenlivet (the first licensed distillery in Scotland). The Glen Grant distillery, founded in 1840, has a beautiful Victorian garden threaded with paths and woodland walks and a small waterfall – a lovely place to meander. One of the eight – the Dallas Dhu distillery – is a historic distillery and is not operational.

There are tastings and insights into each distillery’s unique blend, plus the Speyside Cooperage where you can watch the ancient art of barrel-making.

It might be known affectionately as ‘the Ben’, but don’t think a tramp up Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles, is a walk in the park. Its summit, at over 4,400ft, can be clad in snow in summer, the weather changing in a second as you zigzag up the rocky Mountain Track. However, around 125,000 people make it each year and the sense of achievement – and the views – are second to none. ‘The Ben’ is the most challenging but rewarding Munro ‘to bag’.

Go prepared though, it can be cold on the summit even if it’s sunny below so take a fleece and waterproofs. On sunny days beware of dehydration, wind and sunburn.

The 500-mile loop skirting the north coast of Scotland is not new – but its name is; since 2015 it’s been known as the North Coast 500, dubbed Scotland’s Route 66, tempting those who had previously screeched to a halt at the Great Glen to explore the country’s empty, far-flung north.

A spectacular coastal route, clockwise or anti-clockwise north from Inverness, it careers along snaking mountain passes, across vast swathes of wild, windswept moorland and beside craggy cliffs and endless white-sand beaches. Travel by sports car, motorbike, campervan or bike and tick off ancient castles, whisky – and gin – distilleries and sites such as John O’Groats.

Also see our 5-day itinerary from destination expert Lucy Gillmore.

Contrary to cliched opinion, Scots don’t live on haggis (offal, onion and oatmeal encased sausage-like in a sheep’s stomach), neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes) – or deep-fried Mars Bars.

More and more chefs are celebrating the local produce with inventive modern Scottish cuisine alongside a growing field-to-fork movement. It’s all about provenance and food miles these days and the Scottish Highlands’ rich natural larder fits perfectly with this ethos.

The hills are home to red deer (for wild venison), Highland ‘coos’ (cows, for superb quality beef, notably Aberdeen Angus) and heather-grazed lamb; its rushing rivers and deep lochs are brimming with brown trout and salmon. Shellfish is another highlight from Loch Fyne oysters to hand-dived scallops off the west coast, rope-grown mussels, crab and crayfish.

The landscape is peppered with artisan smokehouses and charcuterie-makers, coffee roasters – and distilleries.

Once you’ve sampled the inventive tasting menus inspired by the fresh local produce what better way to end the evening than with a dram? The Highlands is whisky country and home to some of the most famous distilleries in the world such as Glenfiddich and the Glenlivet.

This picture-perfect, white-turreted fairytale castle has a history stretching back to medieval times – it was supposedly built in 1269. The ancestral home of Clan Murray and the historic seat of its chief the Dukes of Atholl, the castle contains 30 rooms filled with the fascinating legacy of 19 generations of the Clan: weapons, armour, paintings, furniture and even needlework.

You can climb the spiral stairs for a behind-the-scenes attic tour, follow a sculpture trail through the grounds, or wander the beautifully restored 9-acre Georgian walled garden, recognised as being of national artistic and historical significance. They include a walled garden, wooded grove, and red deer park. Look out for peacocks, red squirrels, and the famously shaggy Highland cattle.

This dramatic fortress hunkered into a volcanic crag and appearing to glower down on the town below, has real castle wow factor.

There’s no missing its might and impregnable magnificence – of key importance in medieval times. Set in a strategic location, two game-changing battles in Scotland’s fight for independence took place near here; Stirling Bridge in 1297 when William Wallace routed the English and Bannockburn in 1314 when Robert the Bruce did the same.

A painstaking restoration project recently focused on the castle’s centrepiece, a glorious 16th-century Renaissance palace.

Bagging a Munro sounds far more exciting than ‘climbing a mountain’ but that is essentially what it boils down to.

Munros are Scottish mountains over 3,000ft high, named after Sir Hugh Munro who first catalogued the peaks as ‘Munro’s Tables,’ in 1891. There are 282 munros in Scotland, the most famous, Ben Nevis, is the country’s highest peak at 4,411ft.

Bagging munros is a traditional Scottish activity, the ultimate goal to reach the summit of all 282. The first person to achieve this was A.E. Robertson in 1901 and since then over 6,000 ‘compleatists’ or Munroists have bagged them all.

Edward I of England first conquered Scotland in the 13th century, and for centuries to follow, Highland history revolved around the struggle for independence from the English, led by William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and Bonnie Prince Charlie, amongst others. Its legacy is a landscape littered with battlegrounds, grand castles, ruined crofts, and rich legend.

The bloody, hour-long Battle of Culloden in 1745 – the last pitched battle on British soil – saw the final defeat of the Jacobite rebellion to secure the House of Stuart to the British throne. The famous Clans were finally suppressed – even the wearing of the kilt was outlawed.

The state-of-the-art visitor centre brings that final battle to life – you listen to characters from the battle as you wander round the exhibition. Watch the battle immersion film that vividly projects the fighting onto the walls all around you, then step outside to tramp the actual battlefield with a guide.

Skye is the largest of the Hebridean islands (48 miles by 25) – and the only one attached to the mainland by a handy bridge.

Despite the fairly remote location, there are plenty of reasons to make a beeline here. The raw grandeur of the landscape, dominated by the dramatic Cuillins range, draws munro-baggers, hikers, mountain bikers – and movie-makers; its credits include Macbeth and blockbuster fantasy, The BFG.

The Trotternish Peninsula in the island’s north is home to some of the most striking landscapes in Scotland, easily accessible from the island’s ‘capital’, the wonderfully colourful village of Portree located on its eastern coast.

The Isle is also a place of pilgrimage for gourmet travellers schlepping to the Three Chimneys or Kinloch Lodge, the home of doyenne of Scottish cookbook writing, Lady Claire Macdonald.

And then there’s the history; Bonnie Prince Charlie famously fled over the sea to Skye after his defeat at the Battle of Culloden, and 13th-century Dunvegan Castle was the traditional seat of Clan MacLeod.

This eye-catching cathedral-like sea cave, rising 70m over the sea on the uninhabited island of Staffa, is made up of hexagonal columns of volcanic basalt that look as if they could have been moulded in a foundry. It’s a spectacular sight and a rare geological phenomenon.

It was formed by volcanic activity around 60 million years ago, when cooling lava fractured into these distinctive geometric shapes – at the same time and from the same lava flow as the Giant’s Causeway across the water in Northern Ireland.

It’s not exactly the Serengeti, but head out on a mountain safari with a kilted ranger on a 250,000-acre Highland estate and you can still notch up plenty of wildlife sightings, and get a sense of the sheer scale of one of Europe’s last great wildernesses.

As you bump down the mountain tracks, looking for magnificent red deer or golden eagles soaring overhead, your guide will also weave tales of the areas fascinating geology and history.

You can also go on foot – they offer a 4-hour guided wilderness walk with a safari ranger, which includes a picnic.

For centuries, the Highland Games have been taking place between the Scottish clans. Today, they are held from May to September and range from small local gatherings to big-spectacle events. Visitors roll up with a picnic to enjoy a great day out of caber-tossing, hammer-throwing, tug’o’war, traditional dancing and pipe bands.

Braemar is the most famous, drawing thousands of visitors every year. Queen Victoria attended the games here and today the Queen is their patron.

Some of the smaller events dotted around the Highland communities allow visitors to sign up as contestants on the spot (in events where spaces remain). If you’re athletic, and fancy stretching your legs (or arms), get stuck in.

This, the largest national park in the UK at 4,528sq km, covers almost 10 percent of Scotland. The land is blanketed in ancient Caledonian pine forest and heather-clad moorland, scarred by deep glens, and you’ll find five of Scotland’s six highest mountains here.

It’s a world-class adventure playground for skiers, munro-baggers and mountain-bikers, and is one of the best places in Britain for spotting wildlife, including Britain’s largest mammal, the red deer, plus golden eagles, ospreys, and pine martins.

Originally built for George, the 4th Earl of Caithness, this graceful turreted 16th-century castle was the traditional seat of the Earls of Caithness. Looking out towards the Orkney islands on the wild north coast – it’s the most northerly castle in Britain.

It was purchased by the late Queen Mother in 1952. She summered here for fifty years, restoring the castle to its former glory, and creating a beautiful walled rose garden, before bequeathing it to the Castle of Mey Trust upon her death. Listening to the personal anecdotes from her old staff as you wander around brings the place to life.

Today, Prince Charles works closely with the trust to continue the castle’s preservation. He’s an annual visitor, renting the castle for two weeks in summer.

A place of pilgrimage for Shakespeare scholars (Macbeth was the Thane of Cawdor), this ancient fortress complete with drawbridge, turrets and towers dates back to the 14th century and is furnished with rare Flemish tapestries, oil paintings and fine antiques. The walled gardens peppered with contemporary sculptures are also a highlight.

Today, Glencoe is an adventure playground for skiers, mountaineers (munro-baggers) and walkers but this magnificent brooding glen was once the scene of one of the bloodiest massacres in Scottish history.

Thirty-eight unarmed members of the MacDonald Clan were slain in 1692 by forces loyal to King William III. The treacherous soldiers had been fed and sheltered by the Clan for 2 weeks before suddenly turning on them – just one of the many fights and switching of allegiances in the feudal clans that held power in the day.

The state-of-the-art visitor centre has exhibits and displays that depict the gruesome event, plus information on the area’s geology, wildlife and mountaineering history.

This former medieval fortress, on the shore of the loch, once was the home of Scotland’s Grant Clan. Built in the 13th century, it was subsequently destroyed by the English in 1692 following the crushing of the Jacobite Rebellion at Culloden. You can watch a film of its history in the visitor centre.

Scotland is known as the birthplace of golf and is renowned for exceptional golf courses. It’s been played here for over 500 years, and today’s its home to some of the world’s top golf courses.

Scotland’s landscape of rolling hills, coastal dunes, and natural contours, provides an ideal setting. The climate, with its frequent rain and cool temperatures, ensures that the courses remain lush and green throughout the year.

Add to that a rich golfing tradition and history; Scotland has hosted some of the greatest golf tournaments in history and produced some of the world’s finest players. No wonder it’s a mecca for golf enthusiasts, and integral to the local culture.

Tramp up a mountain slope to see Britain’s only herd of free-ranging reindeer, re-introduced by a Swedish herder in 1952, roaming the Cairngorm National Park. It might sound family-focused, but it’s so unspoilt and charming – the reindeers’ velvety noses nuzzling you – that even the most hardened cynic will melt.

Guided hill tours last about 2 hours – it’s a 30-minute to get to the herd. For those who don’t fancy schlepping up a mountainside, there are a number of reindeer kept year-round in a paddock at the centre.

This 18th-century coastal fortress, still a working barracks, overlook the Moray Firth built after the Battle of Culloden to house the British army. You can wander around the complex, dipping into the regimental museum, checking out the historical tableaux depicting soldiers’ lives and climbing up onto the canon-peppered battlements.

This famous pool, fed by the River Brittle that cascades in via a series of enchanting waterfalls, is a popular destination for walkers and wild swimmers (prepared to brave the cold). It’s a 2.5km, 40-minute return walk from the nearest car park through Glenbrittle Glen. You can also walk to it from Dunvegan Castle.

Foodies have been making a pilgrimage to this legendary restaurant, founded by Scottish food heroes, Shirley and Eddie Spear, for over three decades for its famous eight-course tasting menu. There are comfy bedrooms if you want to stay.

A short drive north of Portree on the Trotternish Peninsula is the 720m-high ‘Storr’, a large rocky outcrop that dominates the landscape. On the Storr’s steeper eastern slope you’ll find the famous ‘Old Man’ of Storr – a 50m high rock ‘tooth’. Great for a drive-by, or stopping for a walk.

Another geological highlight of the Trotternish Peninsula is Kilt Rock, an impressive 90-metre cliff constructed of odd-unusual basalt blocks. Close by is the plunging Mealt Waterfall, fed by Mealt Loch. See them from the same observation point, 17km north of Portree and just south of the village of Staffin.

Queen Victoria’s favourite tipple was said to be Scotch whisky and claret. Nudging up to Balmoral, her beloved holiday home in Royal Deeside, this picturesque stone distillery, in the shadow of the majestic Munro, Lochnagar, was founded in 1826.

This fabulous fairytale castle was designed to resemble a fancy French chateau by Sir Charles Barry (who also designed the Houses of Parliament in London), with ornate formal gardens, modelled on those at Versailles, sloping down to the sea on Scotland’s north-east coast.

It’s the ancestral seat of the Dukes of Sutherland and with 189 rooms, it’s not on the bijou side. Continually inhabited since the beginning of the 14th century, it was used as a naval hospital during the First World War and boys’ boarding school in the 1960s.

The self-guided tour of the state rooms and older sections of the castle offers a wonderful insight into centuries of clan history.

The spellbinding daily falconry displays in the gardens – featuring peregrine, gyrfalcon as well as Harris hawks – are also well-worth hanging around for.

Hike up to the 165-feet high Falls of Foyers to see a famous optical illusion. Stare at the water then flick your eyes sideways to see the rock wall move upwards. The waterfall feeds into Loch Ness.

This annual three-day bash held in the rolling green grounds of Scone Palace gives you a real flavour of Scotland and unique Scottish traditions.

A great day out for traditional sports enthusiasts and families, pack a picnic and join the crowds watching the gundog and sheepdog displays, falconry, fishing, pipe bands, tug-of-war, sheep racing, terrier racing and stunt-riders. There are also cookery demos in the marquees and stalls to browse stocked with hunting, shooting and fishing paraphernalia.

A gem of a museum, offering a fascinating insight the history of whisky, how it was and is manufactured, who made it, sold it – and even smuggled it. It houses all kinds of memorabilia and whisky-making equipment. It’s also a great place for the latest tips on distilleries and where to get the best drams in Speyside.

This 13th-century castle – restored in the 19th century – was the traditional seat of Clan Macleod, one of the Highland’s most celebrated clans. It’s filled with Highlands clan history – portraits, weapons, and assorted clan memorabilia and heirlooms.

A true grain-to-glass distillery on a 2,000-acre independent family estate on the Angus coast. They grow all the ingredients on their farm for their award-winning spirits including the first climate positive gin made from peas, potato vodka and Scotland’s first rye whisky in 200 years. They’ve also recently launched a striking new state-of-the-art visitor experience and tasting room.

This chic craft distillery in Royal Deeside is Scotland’s first absinthe producer: local botanicals-loaded Murmichan is named after a wicked fairy. They offer micro tours, tastings and absinthe-making workshops. They also produce gin, of course, and haroosh – a moreish hand-crafted whisky, brambleberry and honey concoction.

This small artisan distillery produces award-winning Rock Rose seasonal gins and vodka made from Holy Grass (once laid on church floors to scent the air). The copper still is named Elizabeth in honour of the late Queen Mother who summered at the Castle of Mey nearby – and famously liked a G&T.

This foodie bolt-hole offers field-to-fork cookery classes in Highland Perthshire themed around ‘seasonal suppers’, ‘pickling, preserving and fermenting’ and ‘fire and foraging’. You can stay over in one of 12 luxury bedrooms, or book into the Grandtully Hotel, their sleek sister property nearby.

Famously ‘the end of the road’ and touted as the most northerly point on the UK mainland (although that’s actually Dunnet Head nearby), this once tacky tourist spot has now been spruced up. There are wildlife-watching boat trips from the little harbour and spectacular clifftop walks.

Pronounced ‘cheerum’ this atmospheric, 13th-century ruined fortress on a tidal island in Loch Moidart in Lochaber on the west coast has been uninhabited for around two centuries. Closed to visitors due to the dangers of crumbling masonry you can still wander across the sandy causeway to marvel at its ancient exterior.

This family-run, manor house hotel offers a combination of stylish comfort and warm hospitality from owner Isabel. If you don’t stay, then go for the outstanding gourmet food – using fresh local ingredients and traditional Highland recipes. There’s a whisky bar with over 120 different bottles.

Skye punches above its weight in terms of foodie enclaves and chef Michael Smith’s Scottish seafood restaurant in the village of Stein on the Waternish peninsula – is one of the Michelin-starred highlights.

This little shack up a bumpy track near Talisker Distillery is the place to go for freshly shucked oysters straight from the oyster farm in tidal Loch Harport. It’s rough and ready with a lean-to and picnic tables and a sea-loch-view to die for.

On the edge of Aviemore in the Cairngorms the rustic-chic Rothiemurchus Estate farm shop, cafe and deli sells beef and venison from their farm along with a range of local artisan produce – such as Inshriach gin.