With so much to see and do in the ScottishHighlands, you don’t want to rush a tour.It is possible to take in the main sights ina week-long circuit, but our suggestedtour is a more leisurely 12 days.Beginning and ending in Edinburgh, you

can either fly there and rent a car for the trip or take yourown car, adding a day or two for the drive each way.

day 1 edinburgh

Distance: 0 milesExplore: Spend a day visiting Edinburgh’s sights.

Towering over the city is its world-famous icon, Edin-burgh Castle (www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk), and itmakes a great city tour starting point with its wonderfulrampart views, atmospheric dungeons and Great Hallamong highlights. The nearby Camera Obscura (www.camera-obscura.co.uk) is worth a visit,particularly for children, as is the National Museum ofScotland (www.nms.ac.uk). Stroll along the RoyalMile to Holyrood Palace(www.royalcollection.org.uk) – or the Palace of Holy-roodhouse, to give the official name.Take in the sweeping vistas of the city from Arthur’s Seat.

Overnight: Stay in a city-centre hotel and leave the car

there to explore Edinburgh on foot.

day 2 edinburgh-pitlochry

Distance: 70 milesDriving time: 1 hour 30 minutes plus stops

The drive:A short drive today takes you via Perth toPitlochry, perhaps stopping off en route to visit historicDunkeld. The Highland Perthshire area aroundPitlochry is beautiful, with lochs, rivers, waterfalls,glens and rugged hills. Pitlochry has many walks starting and ending in the

town centre, including one to the dam on Loch Faskallyto see the salmon ladder and hydro station. Go in autumnand you can catch the Enchanted Forest (www.enchantedforest.org.uk) sound and light show inFaskally Wood, which runs from October 5-27 this year.North of Pitlochry is Blair Castle

(www.blair-castle.co.uk), Scotland’s most-visitedhistoric house. You can also tour Edradour Distillery(www.edradour.co.uk) – Scotland’s smallest.Highlight: Close to Dunkeld, Loch of the Lowes(http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk) offers the chanceto watch nesting ospreys from the visitor centre hideand see cute red squirrels. Overnight: Pitlochry has several hotels, guest housesand B&Bs.

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With its stirring scenery of rugged mountains, deep lochs, forests and islands, not to mention its manyhistoric castles, the Highlands of Scotland make an evocative touring route. Join us for the ride…

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day 3 pitlochry-aviemore

Distance: 100 milesDriving time: 3 hours plus stops

The drive: Head north-west through Deeside via Brae-mar and past Scotland’s largest ski centre, Glenshee,through the Cairngorms National Park. This mountain-ous area was chosen by Queen Victoria as her holidayhang-out north of the border, and the Queen and othermembers of the Royal Family still spend several weeksof the year at Balmoral Castle. You can tour bothBalmoral (www.balmoralcastle.com) and Braemar(www.braemarcastle.co.uk) castles, which are onScotland’s Castle Trail.Visit the Braemar Highland Heritage Centre for a

taste of the Highlands and stop off at the village ofTomintoul, one of Britain’s highest, to visit its fascinat-ing museum about life on the edge of the CairngormMountains.Highlight:Visit Braemar on the first Saturday inSeptember to see the annual Braemar Gathering andHighland Games (www.braemargathering.org),featuring pipe bands, Highland dancers and sportsincluding caber tossing.Overnight:Aviemore has a range of accommodationoptions.

day 4 aviemore

Distance: Local drivingExplore: Spend the day exploring scenic Speyside.Take a ride on the Strathspey Steam Railway(www.strathspeyrailway.co.uk) and visit area attrac-tions such as the Highland Folk Museum(www.highlandfolk.com), the Loch Garten OspreyCentre (www.rspb.org.uk/lochgarten), for anotherchance to see these magnificent birds, and GlenmoreVisitor Centre (www.forestry.gov.uk), set in a nativepine forest at the foot of Cairn Gorm mountain. Closeby is the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre(www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk), where visitors canstroke and feed the resident reindeer.The Aviemore area offers lots of adventure activities,

among them dog sledding trips on purpose-built drylandtrails at the Cairngorm Sleddog Centre (www.sled-dogs.co.uk). There is also extensive walk-ing terrain, including on Cairn Gorm. Take theCairngorm Mountain Railway funicular (www.cairngormmountain.org) for a guided walk tothe summit or down to the base station. Overnight:Aviemore.

Distance: 100 milesDriving time: 3 hours plus stops

The drive: Follow the Malt Whiskey Trail and visitfamous distilleries such as The Glenlivet Distillery(www.theglenlivet.com), which offers a free guided

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most spectacular coastal routes.Carry on round to the Applecross Peninsula, driving

the stunning Bealach na Ba mountain pass, for a pit stopor optional overnight in Applecross village with viewsover the sea to Skye. Book ahead if you want a meal atthe award-winning Applecross Inn(www.applecross.uk.com/inn). Then tackle the passagain on your way to Skye via its road bridge. Highlight: Bealach na Ba, or Bealach nam Bo as it isalso known, is Britain’s only true alpine road. Zig-zagging to over 2,050ft (625m) from sea level in fivemiles, it is all single track and is not for the faint-hearted – as warning signs at the start point out.Overnight: Stay in Portree on the Isle of Skye; other-wise stop for the night at the Applecross Inn, which hasseven B&B rooms.

day 8 skye-fort william

Distance: 150 miles Driving time: 4 hours plus stops

The drive: Explore Skye’s Trotternish Peninsula firstthing, then hit the road back to the mainland. On theway, stop off to take a guided tour of Eilean DonanCastle (www.eileandonancastle.com) – one of Scot-land’s most iconic and beautiful castles, situated on anisland in Loch Duich and reached via a causeway.Fort William, at the southern end of the Great Glen, is

a major tourist centre with plenty of things to do and see.If you have the time, take the Jacobite Steam Train(www.westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/Jacobite_Steam_Train.html)on the spectacular six-hour round trip to Mallaig. The

train will be familiar to Harry Potter fans, as it was usedas the Hogwarts Express.Highlight: Ben Nevis looms over Fort William and youcan take the Nevis Range Mountain Resort gondola2,130ft (650m) up for panoramic views and mountainwalks or to dine on high in its restaurant. www.nevisrange.co.ukOvernight: Fort William has a wide range of hotels,including the luxury Inverlochy Castle Hotel(www.inverlochycastlehotel.com), as well as manyB&Bs.

day 9 fort william-tobermory

Distance: 140 milesDriving time: 5 hours 30 minutes plus stops (includingferry to Mull)

The drive: Instead of heading straight down the coastto Oban, take a detour at Loch Leven through Glencoeon the A82, looping back to the coast on the A85. Glen-coe not only has some of the most dramatic scenery inScotland, particularly if there are dark clouds above it,but it is also the scene of one of Scotland’s darkestmoments – the infamous massacre of MacDonald clans-men by British soldiers in 1692. Much of Glencoe is owned by the National Trust

for Scotland (www.glencoe-nts.org.uk) and a visitorcentre tells the story of the valley’s landscape andhistory. Take the chairlift up 2,200ft (670m) to the topof Glencoe Mountain Resort(www.glencoemountain.com) for stunning views ofGlencoe and desolate Rannoch Moor.

tour and tasting. See whiskey barrels being made atBritain’s only cooperage with a visitor centre, SpeysideCooperage (www.speysidecooperage.co.uk).Follow the tourist route skirting the Moray Firth to

Inverness, capital of the Highlands, which passes byCawdor Castle (www.cawdorcastle.com), of Macbethfame, and the Culloden Battlefield(www.nts.org.uk/culloden), where there is a visitorcentre and exhibition which details the bloody 1746battle and how it led to the breakdown of the Highlandclan system.Highlight: If you reach Inverness early enough, take anafternoon dolphin cruise to spot the world’s mostnortherly group of bottlenose dolphins. Alternatively,drive on around to the Black Isle for a close-up viewfrom the shore at Chanonry Point, the best time beingjust before high tide.Overnight: Stay in the centre of Inverness. Hotelsinclude the five-star Rocpool Reserve(http://rocpool.com).

day 6 inverness-ullapool

Distance: 200 milesDriving time: 5 hours 30 minutes plus stops

The drive: Head south to Loch Ness after stopping offto visit the Scottish Kiltmaker Visitor Centre(www.highlandhouseoffraser.com) in Inverness,where you can see exhibitions, watch kiltmakers at workand even buy your own made-to-measure kilt.Take a Loch Ness cruise to try and spot Nessie and to

visit the impressive ruins of Urquart Castle(www.historic-scotland.gov.uk). If you want to take inthe full majesty of the loch, do a circular drive, withviews on high from the rugged southern side.You can take the direct cross-country route to Ullapool,

stopping off to visit the Highland Museum of Childhood(www.highlandmuseumofchildhood.org.uk) in theold Strathpeffer station building. Or you can take theBeauly-Dingwall-Moray Firth tourist route which loopsround to Loch Fleet Nature Reserve, near Skibo Castle,before heading to west coast fishing communityUllapool – laid out by engineer Thomas Telford. Highlight: The Falls of Shin (www.fallsofshin.co.uk)are spectacular waterfalls and one of the best places inScotland to see salmon leaping. Late summer is primetime, although they can be seen between May andNovember. Overnight: Stay in a hotel or B&B in Ullapool.

day 7 ullapool-skye

Distance: 190 miles Driving time: 5 hours 30 minutes plus stops

The drive: Follow the coast south via Gairloch,where you can take a cruise for the chance to see resi-dent killer whales and seals, otters and migratinghumpback and minke whales. The stretch of roadbetween Dundonnell and Poolewe is one of Scotland’s

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day 5 aviemore-inverness

You could head up the Loch Linnhe coast to visit theScottish Sea Life Sanctuary(www.sealsanctuary.co.uk/oban1.html), which hasan aquarium and rehabilitates seal pups, before takingthe ferry from Oban to Mull.Highlight:Mull’s main town, Tobermory, is the mostpicturesque on Scotland’s west coast, with its brightly-coloured houses lining the harbour. Mull is a wildlifehaven and home to both golden eagles and white-tailedsea eagles.Overnight: Tobermory: accommodation ranges fromself-catering and B&Bs to hotels.

day 10 tobermory-loch lomond

Distance: 140 milesDriving time: 4 hours 30 minutes plus stops (includingferry from Mull)

The drive: Explore some of Mull’s heritage and sights,then board the ferry at Craignure for the 45-minutecrossing back to Oban. From there, follow the sceniccoast tourist route south to Loch Fynne, Scotland’slongest sea loch, and the beautiful and historic town ofInveraray. Among its attractions are the fascinatingInveraray Jail & County Court(www.inverarayjail.co.uk) and the magnificent Inver-aray Castle (www.inveraray-castle.com), home to theDuke of Argyll.Head on to Loch Lomond, skirting the Argyll Forest.

Highlight: Take a cruise on Loch Lomond fromseveral points. The largest lake in the UK, it measures27 miles (43km) long by up to five miles (8km) wideand has nearly 40 islands. Overnight: Balloch, at the southern end, is LochLomond’s main tourism centre and has most accommo-dation options.

day 11 loch lomond-stirling

Distance: 80 miles (including Trossachs loop)Driving time: 2 hours 30 minutes plus stops

The drive: The landscape of the Trossachs andLomond is among the most scenic and iconic in Scot-land, recognised by the creation of the Loch Lomond &The Trossachs National Park (www.lochlomond-trossachs.org) 10 years ago to

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scottish highlands driving facts

conserve its 720 square miles (1,865 sq km). The heather-covered hills and mountains are as typically Scottish ascene as the Highland cattle you encounter here.Take a leisurely exploration of the area, visiting places

including the Trossachs Discovery Centre and LochKatrine (www.lochkatrine.com), where you can cruiseon the steamship Sir Walter Scott. It is named after theauthor who romanticised the region and turned a local18th century outlaw, Rob Roy, into a global hero throughhis books. You can see Rob Roy’s grave in a churchyard atthe village of Balquhidder and learn more about him inthe Rob Roy & Trossachs Visitor Centre in Callander. Head on to Stirling via Dunblane.

Highlight:An imposing edifice, Stirling Castle(www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk) is a must-visit and itsposition atop an extinct volcano even rivals mightyEdinburgh Castle.Overnight: Take your pick from Stirling’s vast array ofplaces to stay.

day 12 stirling-edinburgh

Distance: 40 milesDriving time: 1 hour plus stops

The drive: Head back to Edinburgh on the A9 touristroute, passing the site of the Battle of Bannockburn,fought in 1314, en route.

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when to goSnow is possible in the Highlands right upuntil late spring and from autumn, butyou can also get very settled periods ofweather outside the main summertourist season.

driving distanceThe suggested circular driving route fromEdinburgh through the Highlands totals around1,250 miles (just over 2,000km), not including local driving. Getting toand from Edinburgh by car from London will add another 800 miles(about 1,290km) to the total. Or you can fly to Edinburgh and rent a car.

driving toursDriving in the Highlands is generally on good quality roads but major routescan be busy. Several companies put together personalised self-drive Highlandtours. They include Scotland Made Easy (www.scotlandmadeeasy.co.uk),Absolute Escapes (www.absoluteescapes.com) and Secret Scotland(www.secret-scotland.com).

InformationGet more information from sites including Undiscovered Scotland(www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk) and Scotland in a Week(www.scotlandinaweek.com), who also provide guide services.Tourism information sites include VisitScotland(www.visitscotland.com) and the official VisitScotland Highlands site(www.visithighlands.com).

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