Scottish Highlands 9-day Itinerary
United Kingdom (UK)
Where to go and what to see in the Scottish Highlands to get the most from your trip – a 10-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Lucy Gillmore.
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Overview >Bucket list experience:
Culloden Battlefield
Last updated: 09 November, 2022
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.
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Price from: £11
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
The battlefield is a 10-minute drive south of Inverness, and can be accessed all year round.
When to do it
The visitors’ centre is open all year round, seven days a week.
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Private - Culloden, Clava Cairns Day Tour from Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Spend the day traveling through some stunning Scottish Scenery. Hear how the ordinary people lived in the Highlands in the times of the Jac...
£595 | Rating 4.9 / 5 [10 ratings]
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Boath House
Nairn, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)[20.5 miles]
Elegant Georgian mansion, now gourmet hotel, with an extensive art collection and gorgeous gardens.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (UK)
Magnificent mountain scenery slashed by silvery lochs and peppered with brooding castles: all laden with rich Scottish heritage, history and tradition.
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Overview >Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Experience
Cawdor Castle & Gardens
Cawdor, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)[11.3 miles]
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.
Best for ages: 8+ | £14
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Overview >
Experience
Fort George
Inverness, Scotland, United Kingdom (UK)[11.8 miles]
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.
Best for ages: 13+ | £10
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