Destination Guide to the Scottish Highlands
The North of Scotland and the Scottish Highlands are a vast and untouched wilderness, home to dramatic and breathtakingly beautiful natural scenery.
Covering a vast but sparsely populated area, the North of Scotland, much of which is considered the Scottish Highlands, reaches from just north of Edinburgh and Glasgow to the most northerly point on the British mainland at John O Groats and is a region characterized by a dramatic natural geography.
Providing some the UK’s most visually spectacular landscapes, the Highlands are home to towering mountain ranges and shimmering lochs set in deep valleys from the dizzy heights of Britain’s highest mountain peak at Ben Nevis to the Great Glen and the depths of the world-famous Loch Ness. And in between you’ll find eerie desolate moors, craggy rock formations, gushing crystal clear rivers and glorious heather swept hillsides all waiting to be discovered and inviting you to snap some unforgettable pictures.
The wild, untouched countryside offers invigoratingly fresh air and an unrivalled tranquillity ideal for those seeking a peaceful retreat. Each landscape provides the natural habitats for wildlife to thrive from fresh water fish such as the famous Scottish salmon in the rivers to dolphins, whales and seals off the coastlines. The thick woodlands of the Grampian Highlands are teaming with red squirrels, wild deer can be spotted on the moorlands and the bird-life thrives from coastal sea-birds to stunning birds of prey.
The Highlands are home of a rich Scottish Heritage and are dotted with ancient castle ruins, tumbledown former settlements and impressive baronial manors. Waiting to be discovered here are Scottish icons such as Eilean Donan Castle and Urquhart Castle, the Glenfinnan Viaduct and the Queen’s favourite retreat at Balmoral. The area played host to much of Scotland’s tempestuous history, once the stomping ground of Scottish heroes such as Rob Roy and Bonnie Prince Charlie, sites are still marked of the infamous clan battles and massacres such as those at Glen Coe and Culloden Moor. These northern areas of Scotland also make the ideal place to enjoy a wee dram of finest malt whisky with a number of world-famous distilleries found throughout the Highlands including Oban and Glenfiddich.
Whilst they are sparsely populated, the centres of population in the Highlands are certainly worth visiting in their own right as well as ideal bases for touring. Fort William is the outdoors capital of Scotland and an ideal spot from whence to enjoy outdoor pursuits. Aberdeen, the Granite City, is a proud maritime city and now prospers from the North Sea Oil industry. Oban, also known as the Gateway to the Isles, is the picturesque town and sea port on the beautiful west coast whilst Inverness, known as Capital of the Highlands, straddles the river Ness and is home to its own castle, museum and gallery. And not to be missed is the quaint Victorian town of Pitlochry in the heart of the region.
Captivating scenery, spell-binding wildlife, an abundance of national icons and rich national history make the Highlands an integral part of your Scotland experience.