The Highlands

The Scottish Highlands is the rugged North and North-Western part of Scotland containing some of Europe’s most extensive wilderness, and national parks. It is here that most thoughts of tartan kilts, bagpipes, and Braveheart are thought up!

The Scottish Highlands has some of the most stunning scenery in the world. The two main National Parks in this area are the Cairngorms National Park, and Loch Lomond & the Trossachs.

In areas of the Highlands, Scottish Gaelic is spoken by some locals, particularly in the Outer Hebrides. However, everybody speaks English fluently and is generally happy to converse in it.

Areas

The Highlands covers 2 whole regions, and many towns.

Regions – Argyll & Bute, and the Highlands & Moray

Cities – Inverness

Towns – Aviemore, Cambeltown, Dunoon, Fort William, Inveraray, Kyle of Lochalsh, Mallaig, Oban, Tain, Thurso, Ullapool

Transport

By Plane

The main airport serving the Highlands region is Inverness Airport, with scheduled flights within the UK. There are also smaller airports such as Cambeltown and Oban that offer flights connecting to Glasgow.

By Train

First Scotrail serves all rail journeys within Scotland. You can get to the Highlands by train from Glasgow and Edinburgh via Perth or Aberdeen. The West Highland Railway runs from Glasgow’s Queen Street Station to Oban, Fort William, and Mallaig. There are also services available to/from Fort William and Inverness to London’s Euston Station via Edinburgh.

By Bus

Scottish CityLink offers services along most major Scottish Highland highways from bases in Glasgow, Perth, and Inverness. West Coast Motors offers services trough the Argyll & Bute region, Raspons Coaches offer frequent regional services from Inverness, and some communities are served by the Royal Mail’s Post bus service.

By Car

One of the best ways to reach the Highlands is by car. There are numerous highways from Central Scotland to the area. One of the most scenic routes is a drive along Loch Lomond, then out to Oban, then north to Fort William, and along Loch Ness to Inverness.

Landmarks and Places of Interest

Wherever you roam in the Highlands you’ll find picture-postcard scenery, and sheer natural beauty. Particular highlights include Glen Coe, the Cairngorms National Park, Ben Nevis, Ardnamurchan, and Glen Affric amongst many others. It is also important to note that although the Highland’s is a stunning mountainous region, there are also miles of coastline and islands to explore and discover too! It is here you can have your own little deserted beach with nobody else to be seen for miles. There are also the amazing flat lands of Caithness and Sutherland. Here, you can see a great wilderness, dolphins, whales, eagles, deer, otters, and much more. The Highlands quite simply has an inspiring landscape.

If you are looking for something more active, there are many activities available here to suit the adventurous. Everything from climbing, mountaineering, off road biking, canoeing, and white water rafting is available here! There are so many things to do here for the active that the areas of Fort William and Lochaber proclaim themselves the “Outdoor Capitol of the UK”.

If you prefer something at a slower pace, the regions many historical sites, remote castles, distinctive culture, language, and welcoming towns provide a remarkable experience in their own right.

Glen Coe

Glen Coe lies in the southern part of Lochaber, and is considered one of the most spectacular and stunning areas of Scotland. Glen Coe is very popular with tourists, with most visiting the area via the West Highland Way. There are 3 official campsites in and around the Glen. Alternatively you can find accommodation in or near to Glencoe Village.

The Cairngorms

The Cairngorms are a mountain range in the eastern Highlands of Scotland.  Although the Cairngorms are within the Cairngorm National Park, they are only part of it. The Cairngorms are a beautiful part of Scotland, and are a fantastic place to go skiing in winter! There are also many spots for bird watchers and good treks here for anyone interested in that kind of thing.

Ben Nevis

Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles, and is located in the western end of the Grampian Mountains, in the Lochaber area of the Highlands (close to Fort William). Ben Nevis attracts approximately 100,000 ascents each year, which ¾ of are made using the well known Pony Track from Glen Nevis. Ben Nevis is particularly popular with climbers due to some classic “scramblers” and rock climbs of all difficulties in the area. It is one of the principal locations in the UK for ice climbing.

Ardnamurchan

Ardnamurchan is a 50 square mile peninsula in Lochaber. It is noted for being very unspoiled and undisturbed. The whole western corner of Ardnamurchan contains complex volcanic structures. This area is the underground structure of 55 million year old volcanic material. Geological research continues in the area to this day. There are also several areas of historic significance in the area dating back to the Vikings.

Glen Affric

Glen Affric is a glen south-west of the village of Cannich, approximately 15 miles west of Loch Ness. The area is a Caledonian Forest Reserve, National Scenic Area, and National Nature Reserve. It contains some of the largest ancient Caledonian pinewoods in Scotland, as well as lochs, moorland, and mountains.

Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond is a fresh water Scottish Loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest loch in Britain, and contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh water island in the British Isles. The Loch Lomond Golf Club lies on the south western shore, the West Highland Way runs along the eastern bank, and the Loch Lomond Cycle Path runs along the west. Loch Lomond is one of Scotland’s premier boating and water sports venues, and is open to everything including kayaks, canoes, wind-surfers, jet skis, speedboats, and cruisers. Loch Lomond Rescue Boat provides 24-hour safety cover on the loch.

Places to Go Out

There are many little traditional Scottish pubs, inns, and places to eat littered throughout the villages, towns, and cities in the Highlands. If you are looking for a pub crawl or night out in the area, then your best bet is to head to the city of Inverness.

Bakoo

39 High Street, Inverness. Independent club, Bakoo opened in 2003 and soon established itself as the coolest club in town (bear in mind there are only 3 nightclubs in the city). Drinks are reasonably priced, although they have a strict no trainer’s policy.

G’s Nightclub

9-21 Castle Street, Inverness. The longest running club in town, G’s is a popular nightspot with a 3am licence and not much competition. Drinks are quite expensive here (although cheaper mid-week), with the music here being predominantly commercial chart music at weekends.

Rags

Academy Street, Inverness. A much needed new addition to the city, Rags (formerly Becks) is a rejuvenated venue with a young cliental. The venue plays a mix of house, hip hop, indie, and rock. There is also a cool balcony upstairs to hang out in if you don’t feel like dancing.

Barbazza

5-9 Young Street, Inverness. Barbazza offers generous portions of food during the day and an energetic scene after dark. With its booth seating and central square bar, it is one of the more stylish bars in town. The music played here is predominantly retro and chart tunes. Expect to queue if you come after 10.30pm.

Harlequin

1 View Place, Inverness. It’s one of the few bars in Inverness with a good beer garden. A frequent haunt for locals, and with good pub food, the Harlequin is a great place to stop and recharge your batteries after a hard day shopping!

Dores Inn

Dores, Loch Ness. Lying eight miles south of Inverness, the tiny village of Dores boasts the very popular Dores Inn. Housed in a small white cottage, the bar is small, but the restaurant is cosy, with a log fire in winter, and a few tables outside overlooking the loch.

The Waterfront

70-71 Huntly Street, Inverness. This friendly, traditional pub on the waterfront is a great place to taste some Aviemore Real Ale, and some tasty pub grub.

Nicky Tams

9/12 Ness Bank. With its well padded armchairs, and lounge style bar, Nicky Tams is a great place to have a relaxing drink. They boast 3 local malts here no longer being produced – the Glenalbyn, the Millburn, and the Glen Mhor, for any whisky drinkers out there.