The Scottish Highlands (Scottish Gaelic: A' Ghàidhealtachd, "the place of the Gaels") is the rugged northern and north-western portion of Scotland. This is the Scotland conjured up by visions of tartan, kilts, Bonnie Prince Charlie and all.
English is predominant everywhere in the Scottish Highlands. Scottish Gaelic is spoken by a small minority of locals, especially in the west, but all of them speak English as well. Some road signs are bilingual, but Gaelic is less obvious here than Skye and the Outer Hebrides.
- Eilean Donan Castle, Dornie - is one of the most recognized castles in the world. It has appeared in many films including "Highlander" and James Bond film "The World Is Not Enough"
- Dunrobin Castle, Golspie - Gorgeous castle with fantastic exterior, gardens and falconry demonstrations M-Sa 11AM and 2PM. About an hour and a half north of Inverness. Adults £8, children £5, OAPs and students £7 for castle and gardens.
- Applecross - See the views from Scotland's highest mountain road on the way to Applecross at about 2000 ft! Isolated peninsula known for its rugged beauty. Seal trips with Calum's at Plockton guarantees seals on your excursion or your money back. Not far from Kyle of Lochalsh area.
- Inverewe Gardens, near Gairloch - Lovely National Trust For Scotland garden, an hour north of Kyle of Lochalsh. Wonderful NTS Gardens that take full advantage of the Gulf Stream to grow tropical plants at this very un-tropical latitude.
- Cape Wrath, north-west of Durness - the extreme north-west point of Scotland. It can be reached either by a long walk or by a ferry followed by a minibus along a road unconnected with any other.
- Loch Maree (correct spelling), between Gairloch and Torridon - possibly the finest inland loch in the Scottish mainland, surrounded by peaks of Torridonian Sandstone.
- Sandwood Bay, near Kinlochbervie - reckoned by Undiscovered Scotland to be the best beach in Great Britain.
- The Summer Isles - an archipelago of small islands near Achiltibuie
- Handa Island - wonderful bird reserve north of Kylestrome. Headware is advised in the breeding season as skuas are quite aggressive.
Handa Island - wonderful bird reserve north of Kylestrome. Headware is advised in the breeding season as skuas are quite aggressive.
A mountain above 3000 feet is called a Munro, and a mountain between 2500 and 3000 feet is called a Corbett.
There are far too many mountains in Scotland to cover them all here. Here are some popular mountains by group (pronunciations of difficult names in italics):
- Ben Hope
- Ben Loyal
- Foinaven
- Ben Stack - neither particularly high nor well known but a little gem.
Ben Hope
Ben Loyal
Foinaven
Ben Stack - neither particularly high nor well known but a little gem.
Mountains of Torridonian sandstone north of Ullapool.
- Quinag - An easy Corbett for beginners as it's possible to start well up from the main road south from Kylescu.
- Suilven - easier than it looks but its distance from roads makes it a challenge.
- Cul Mor
- Cul Beag
- Stac Pollaidh (pron. "Stack Polly") - Less than a Corbett but with an outstanding shape and rock ridge -unfortunately much eroded because of its proximity to the road.
Quinag - An easy Corbett for beginners as it's possible to start well up from the main road south from Kylescu.
Suilven - easier than it looks but its distance from roads makes it a challenge.
Cul Mor
Cul Beag
Stac Pollaidh (pron. "Stack Polly") - Less than a Corbett but with an outstanding shape and rock ridge -unfortunately much eroded because of its proximity to the road.
- An Teallach (pron. "An Tyallach") - a fairly hard ridge walk above Little Loch Broom.
- Slioch - on the 'non-road' side of Loch Maree.
- Bein Eigh - above the Loch Maree road and much of the road from Kinlochewe to Torridon.
- Liathach (pron. "Lee-a-hach") - above the village of Torridon.
- Beinn Aligin - above the minor road from Torridon to the Aligins and Lower Diabaig.
- Bein Bhann - otherwise known as the Applecross mountains.
An Teallach (pron. "An Tyallach") - a fairly hard ridge walk above Little Loch Broom.
Slioch - on the 'non-road' side of Loch Maree.
Bein Eigh - above the Loch Maree road and much of the road from Kinlochewe to Torridon.
Liathach (pron. "Lee-a-hach") - above the village of Torridon.
Beinn Aligin - above the minor road from Torridon to the Aligins and Lower Diabaig.
Bein Bhann - otherwise known as the Applecross mountains.
- Ben Nevis - the highest start from the distillery on the road north.
- The Mamores - a picturesque group of numerous Munros between Glen Nevis and Kinlochleven.
- Aonach Eagach (pron. "Annach Eegach") - a superb ridge above Glencoe.
- The three sisters of Glencoe - shapely peaks on the other side of the glen.
Ben Nevis - the highest start from the distillery on the road north.
The Mamores - a picturesque group of numerous Munros between Glen Nevis and Kinlochleven.
Aonach Eagach (pron. "Annach Eegach") - a superb ridge above Glencoe.
The three sisters of Glencoe - shapely peaks on the other side of the glen.
A range second only in height to the Nevis range, located east of the A9. There is a railway up Cairn Gorm (which is not the highest). However you make the height, it's relatively easy to walk more peaks, with excellent views. It is the only area in the UK where wild reindeer can be seen - re-introduced from Scandinavia after becoming extinct in Scotland. Red squirrels are also to be seen in the remains of the old Caledonian Pine Forests.
- Ben Macdhui
- Braeriach
- Lairig Ghru - not a mountain but probably the most spectacular mountain pass in the UK - making a fine and well known walk.
Ben Macdhui
Braeriach
Lairig Ghru - not a mountain but probably the most spectacular mountain pass in the UK - making a fine and well known walk.
Eilean Donan Castle, [[Dornie]] - is one of the most recognized castles in the world. It has appeared in many films including "Highlander" and James Bond film "The World Is Not Enough"
Dunrobin Castle, [[Golspie]] - Gorgeous castle with fantastic exterior, gardens and falconry demonstrations M-Sa 11AM and 2PM. About an hour and a half north of Inverness. Adults £8, children £5, OAPs and students £7 for castle and gardens.
Applecross - See the views from Scotland's highest mountain road on the way to Applecross at about 2000 ft! Isolated peninsula known for its rugged beauty. Seal trips with Calum's at Plockton guarantees seals on your excursion or your money back. Not far from Kyle of Lochalsh area.
Inverewe Gardens, near [[Gairloch]] - Lovely National Trust For Scotland garden, an hour north of Kyle of Lochalsh. Wonderful NTS Gardens that take full advantage of the Gulf Stream to grow tropical plants at this very un-tropical latitude.
Cape Wrath, north-west of [[Durness]] - the extreme north-west point of Scotland. It can be reached either by a long walk or by a ferry followed by a minibus along a road unconnected with any other.
Loch Maree (correct spelling), between [[Gairloch]] and [[Torridon]] - possibly the finest inland loch in the Scottish mainland, surrounded by peaks of Torridonian Sandstone.
Sandwood Bay, near [[Kinlochbervie]] - reckoned by Undiscovered Scotland to be the best beach in Great Britain.
- Long-distance walks include the West Highland Way from Milngavie to Fort William, 96 miles, and the Great Glen Way from Fort William to Inverness, 73 miles.
- Climb Ben Nevis, see Fort William for routes.
- Take a steam train excursion along the West Highland Line to Glenfinnan, Arisaig and Mallaig, or alongn the Strathspey Railway from Aviemore to Boat of Garten.
- Ski at Glencoe or on Cairngorm above Aviemore.
- Spot dolphins and whales in the Moray Firth: regular boat trips from Inverness.
- Hike in the Torridon mountains.
- Explore Cairngorms National Park - you might spot beaver, reindeer or even a wildcat.
Long-distance walks include the [[West Highland Way]] from Milngavie to Fort William, 96 miles, and the [[Great Glen Way]] from Fort William to Inverness, 73 miles.
The eating opportunities can be more restricted away from the towns, and some places may take last orders at 8pm or even earlier, so it may be worth planning ahead where you are going to eat.
There are a few breweries and several whisky distilleries in the Highlands.
After the Highlands, the next logical place to explore are the islands: the Hebrides, the Orkney Islands, and the Shetland Islands lie to the northwest and northeast.