Dunrobin Castle

Where to go and what to see on a road trip around Scotland’s famous NC500 – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Lucy Gillmore.

Magnificent mountain scenery slashed by silvery lochs and peppered with brooding castles: all laden with rich Scottish heritage, history and tradition.

This regular host of the Scottish Open is a cracking modern links in north-eastern Scotland, with widescreen views over the Moray Firth and beyond.

An atmospheric, historic battlefield with a state-of-the-art visitor centre that brings the bloody events of 1745 to life.

Sail through Scotland’s mesmerising Highlands along the dramatic Caledonian Canal, taking in spectacular landscapes, craggy castles, whisky distilleries and glassy lochs, as well as the islands and waterways of the Inner Hebrides.

Lucy’s summary of typical foods, ingredients and flavours to try in the Scottish Highlands – and some of the best ‘foodie’ experiences,

Wild, isolated and spellbindingly beautiful, Royal Dornoch is the third oldest in the world, with turtleback greens creating some real challenges.

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.

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.