Essential Travel Guide – Articles

The Scottish Highlands Travel Guide explores further the Scottish Highlands, synonymous with the picture-postcard images of Scotland incorporating the magnificent scenery, wild wildernesses, imposing mountains and forests. The Scottish Highlands do have those characteristics and its own distinctive character and charm that visitors will find is present to many areas in the UK. The Highlands offer a distinctly Scottish flavour and many see them as Scotland at its most resplendent.



ADVERTISEMENT

Scottish Highlands Guide

Overview and Attractions
Scottish Highlands Hotels
Scottish Highlands Map
Scottish Highlands Weather
Flight Search



Overview and Attractions

The capital of the Highlands and the only major centre in the entire region is Inverness, many visitors use this as a base upon which to explore the surrounding areas further. Wherever you happen to be in the highlands you are sure to encounter natural beauty such as the Cairngorms National Park, Glen Affric and Ben Nevis to name but a few. This is a mountainous area with many miles of coastline to see and explore too. There is also some flatter land such as is found in Sutherland, where visitors are treated to one of the wilderness spectacles in Europe. With these surroundings, landscape and environment, wildlife truly flourishes here, wildlife enthusiasts can see whales, dolphins, otters and eagles among others. Photography fans would be advised to ensure bringing their camera, the combination of the scenery, environment and wildlife make for a photographer’s paradise.

The awe inspiring landscape, peace and tranquillity and feeling of open space is undoubtedly one of the main attractions of the Highlands. However for the active and adventurous there are a wealth of activities that you can take part in ranging from mountaineering and climbing to water sports to off-road biking, and many others. Fort William and Lochaber are particular hot spots in this area and have been said to be the Outdoor Capital of the UK. Those seeking an altogether slower pace of life are catered for with many historical sites, castles, towns and distinctive culture. For further information please see:

Visit Highlands

At the southern end of the Highlands is Fort William, it is a centre for touring the West Highlands. The area is famed for the rugged landscapes notable for their mild Atlantic climate. The Lochaber area includes some of Scotland’s best mountain scenery that shows Highland grandeur at its best.

Aviemore is popular with visitors with its mountains, slopes and wide river valleys. The high plateau of the Cairngorms provides views that are ever-changing throughout the day as sun and shadow move across the hills. There are pinewoods, rocky passes and moorlands to see here. Inverness, the city in the Highlands is a thriving city that is the main settlement in the region and the centre of a transport network leading to and from all parts of the Highlands and further to the rest of the UK. Here there are excellent shopping choices including the well known retail high street brands. Although there are variations in the Highlands landscape the mountain profiles of Skye create perhaps the greatest sense of the wow factor. They have drawn visitors to the island for a long time. Skye is joined to the mainland by the Skye Bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh. Back on the mainland Lochalsh is rugged hill country but still has a wow factor to it. Skye and Lochalsh also have a good number of other places to visit that include including museums and castles. No-one who travels here can fail to be struck by a sense of being somewhere different. The sheer atmosphere of these northlands makes a big impression.

The Northern Highlands offer splendid variety, you will find quiet remote wildernesses along with ancient archaeological sites of Caithness. The Northern Highlands have sublime landscapes great for walkers and climbers. There are lochs to the delight of anglers who like peace and quiet.

Ballindalloch is one of the best known and beautiful castles in Scotland. It has become known as the Pearl of the North, it is located in Speyside, close to near to some famed whisky distilleries. The Castle is surrounded by hills and with Rivers Spey and Avon flowing through the grounds, the setting is resplendent. Ballindalloh is a privately owned family home, it has been home to the Macpherson-Grants have resided at the castle since 1546. As a family home, it has family related memorabilia and an excellent collection of 17th century Spanish paintings. For further information please see:

Ballindalloch Castle

Lochalsh Woodland Garden is worth a visit, where visitors can enjoy quiet walks by the loch-side alongside the oaks, mature Scots pine and beeches. There are collections of rhododendrons, ferns, bamboo and hydrangeas. There are sub tropical plants from both Australia and New Zealand to enjoy, Lochalsh Woodland Garden is spread over 13 acres giving visitors plenty to enjoy. For further information please see:

Lochalsh Woodland Garden

Whisky connoisseurs are well catered for in the Highlands and the Glenmorangie distillery has since 1843 been producing its world famous malt here on the shores of the Dornoch Firth. Many of the traditions remain and Glenmorangie is still handcrafted today by the Sixteen Men of Tain using the well tried and tested methods that have proved so successful from generation to generation. Visitors from around the world visit and discover the way the malt whisky is made as well as being able to taste the whisky and meet the people who made the whisky. For further information please see:

Glenmorangie Whisky

The West Highland Museum is situated in Fort William. Known for its Jacobite collections, there are collections of local history, archaeology and geology. Other collections include the Alexander Carmichael Collection and the Charles Hepburn Jacobite Bequest. The museum back in 1922, the museum shop has a variety of books, old and new. There are also postcards, prints, toys and gifts. For further information please see:

The West Highland Museum

The Cairngorms National Park has a large mountain range and is home to 25 percent of the threatened species in the UK. This beautiful wilderness gives visitors the feeling of space, tranquillity and the opportunity to appreciate and admire the natural beauty that Scotland has. In the park you will find a mixture of forests, rivers, lochs, Glens and moorlands thus there is a rich and varied landscape to enjoy. Nature enthusiasts will enjoy the rich biodiversity present in the park, visitors will be able to see a wide range of wildlife such as the magnificent golden eagle, deer and wildcats. The national park aims to ensure a sustainable and responsible use of the natural resources and there is much conservation work done to one of the jewels in the Scottish highlands remains and continues to thrive. For further information please see:

Caringorms National Park Authority

For those that enjoy outdoor activities, the Scottish Highlands is fast gaining a reputation as one of the best places in the UK to indulge in your passion. The Ardenbeg Bunkhouse & Outdoor Centre is one activity centre that is worth considering. The centre is a hostel providing accommodation and is based in Grantown-on-Spey near Aviemore, it provides a great base to explore the area further and also to take part in the outdoor activities on offer. The activities can be based in the mountains, forests and on the rivers and visitors can enjoy the clean air whilst surrounded by beautiful scenery. The activities on offer include climbing & mountaineering in the Cairngorm, walking in the mountains and on forest trails, canoeing & kayaking on the lochs and rivers, skiing & snowboarding at Cairngorm Mountain, cycling and mountain biking on forest trails. For further information please see:

Ardenberg Bunhouse & Outdoor Activity Centre

There is a range of accommodation available for visitors to stay when visiting the Scottish Highlands. Accommodation can be found to suit all budgets from the budget end to five star hotels. One thing to remember is to ensure your hotel is not too far away from where you need to get to, the travelling time each day to and from your hotel can take up a lot time, particularly in this region with its vast open spaces and mountainous terrain. It is highly recommended to do your research and ensure your hotel is actually located at a convenient location for your trip and offers the facilities that you require. There are a number of fine budget, mid range and exclusive hotels available in the Scottish Highlands, for further information please see:

Scottish Highlands Hotels


The Scottish Highlands travel guide has shown that the scenic and spectacular Highlands have plenty to offer visitors. Whilst some visitors to Scotland to not venture north in to the Highlands, it is worth noting that there is much to see, do and admire here from the wide open spaces, tranquil surroundings to seeing awesome natural sights to the distinctive colourful culture and characteristics of the Highlands, visitors are unlikely to be disappointed.

Scottish Highlands Travel Guide

Useful Links:

Essential Travel Guide Home Page
Online Travel Guides
City Guides
Online Travel Articles

Flights
Car Hire
Cheap Holidays
Online Hotel Booking
Last Minute Travel Getaways
Restaurants

Business Culture
Cheap Travel Insurance
Travel Planning

International Flight Tracker
World Travel Blogs
Travel Podcasts
Online Travel Videos
Advertise on EssentialTravelGuide.com
Contact Us
SiteMap


Resources:

Scottish Highlands Map
Use the + and – on the map below to zoom in and zoom out. Hold curser over map to scroll across, up and down.



Scottish Highlands Weather




Search for Cheap Flights with SKYSCANNER Flight Search

Find Cheap Flights from the UK and beyond with the Skyscanner flight search. Click on the Search tab to begin your search.