10 Best Things to Do in the Scottish Highlands

Loch Ness is a freshwater lake that’s known the world over as the reputed home of the famous, dinosaur-like Loch Ness Monster, more affectionately known as Nessie.

Stretching for almost 23 miles and reaching depths of over 650 ft, Loch Ness sits south of Inverness at the heart of the Scottish Highlands, and it figures high on the itinerary of most visitors to Scotland. It’s possible to walk or cycle all the way around Loch Ness in a few days, but if you’re pressed for time, you can head out on a boat tour for some Nessie-hunting of your own.

Travelling across the Scottish Highlands by train is an excellent way to take in the region’s abundance of unmissable views. The scenic West Highland Railway Line connects Glasgow with the town of Fort William and the ports of Oban and Mallaig. The scenery is worth the ride alone, and you’ll catch plenty of glimpses that just can’t be had other than by train thanks to a total lack of roads.

The route also passes some of the most low-key and isolated train stations in the UK, and Harry Potter fans will be thrilled with the chance to pass over the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, just as the Hogwarts Express has so many times. 

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While not everyone knows it by name, Eilean Donan Castle is quite simply an iconic image of Scotland. The framing of this privately owned 13th-century castle takes the term ‘picturesque’ to extremes, set on its own small island, surrounded by lochs and mountains, and even with views of the Isle of Skye.

The Eilean Donan Castle – the name of which translates as the Island of Donnán, after a Celtic saint – has had a rich history since being founded as a monastic cell. It was ultimately destroyed during the 18th century’s Jacobite uprisings, and what you see today is actually a 1930s reconstruction of the ruins.

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It’s not all wilderness in the Scottish Highlands – the region’s historic capital city of Inverness is as worthy of a visit as any of its other attractions. Highlights for culture lovers include Inverness Cathedral, which dates to the 19th century and is the UK’s first built after the English Reformation. There’s also the more modern Inverness Museum and Art Gallery.

The expansive indoor-outdoor Inverness Botanic Gardens are also well worth a look, while the Victorian Market’s 19th-century shopping arcade is a great choice of picking up gifts and souvenirs. 

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Ben Nevis is where it’s at when it comes to serious British mountain climbing. It is, after all, the tallest peak to be found anywhere in the UK. This monster of a mountain soars 4,412 ft above sea level and forms of part of the Three Peaks Challenge, which involves climbing Nevis plus England’s Scafell Pike and Wales’ Snowdon – all within 24 hours.

Ben Nevis’ 2 main tracks are suited to walkers and climbers with different levels of experience. The mountain is part of the Grampian range and was first climbed in 1771. These days, some 125,000 people still make the ascent each year.

The River Lochy Falls are picturesque waterfalls that you can access by way of Strone Hill, a spot that has long since served as a resting stop. It would be easy to pass right by the falls, but you’d be missing out.

Strone Hill sits between the River Lochy and the road that runs from the village of Tyndrum to the port of Oban. It follows the short Waterfall Woods Trail – one of 2 alongside the An Darach Ruadh Trail – delivers you to an unforgettable viewpoint from which to gaze at the falls in all their might. 

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Rugged, fantasy-like landscapes are the order of the day on the Isle of Skye, the Inner Hebrides archipelago’s biggest island despite having a population of just 10,000. Skye sits off the northwest coast of Scotland but is linked to it by a bridge over Loch Alsh to Eilean Bàn. Mountains dominate the Isle of Skye’s inland area, but there are also plenty of lochs and dramatic coastline scenery.

Boat trips from the village of Elgol are a great way to spot wildlife on Loch Coriusk or smaller nearby islands like Raasay and Rona. Back on firm ground, the town and de facto capital of Portree has several boutiques for souvenir shopping. 

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The small village of Glencoe has a population of less than 400, but that doesn’t stop it and the surrounding valley from pulling in the crowds with its show-stopping landscape. Head out on the water of triangular-shaped Loch Leven, which sits alongside the Glencoe valley – the castle that once held Mary, Queen of Scots even sits on one of the islands in the loch – or embark on the area’s challenging Lost Valley hiking trail.

Back in the village itself, make time for the Glencoe Folk Museum, which sits in an attractive row of white-stone and thatch-roofed cottages. 

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If you washed up on one of the Scottish Highlands’ pristine beaches, you’d be forgiven for believing you were somewhere else, far away. That’s the nature of these windswept stretches of sand – they really are the kind of landscapes you’d usually associate with the Caribbean or parts of Southeast Asia.

Among those especially worth seeking out include the remote but fantastically wide Strathy Bay, the dune-fringed Sinclairs Bay with its drop-dead-gorgeous white sand, and the challenging-to-reach but equally rewarding Sandwood Bay. 

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