Scottish Highlands Tours

About Scottish Highlands

The Scottish Highlands are a landscape on a scale that exists nowhere else in Britain. Vast glens carved by glaciers, mountains rising above 1,000 metres, sea lochs penetrating deep inland, and a human history of clan warfare, Jacobite risings, and the Highland Clearances — all set against some of the most dramatic scenery in Europe. Glen Coe is arguably Scotland's most dramatic valley. The A82 road cuts through a narrow pass flanked by towering volcanic peaks — the Three Sisters on the south side, Buachaille Etive Mor guarding the eastern entrance. This was the site of the 1692 Massacre of Glencoe, when government soldiers killed 38 members of the MacDonald clan in violation of the laws of hospitality. The National Trust for Scotland visitor centre tells the story with restraint and the surrounding walks range from gentle glen paths to serious mountain routes. Ben Nevis, at 1,345 metres (4,413 feet), is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It rises above Fort William — self-styled Outdoor Capital of the UK — and the main Pony Track is a serious 17-kilometre round trip taking 7 to 10 hours. The approach through Glen Nevis is spectacular even without attempting the summit. Eilean Donan Castle sits on a small tidal island where three sea lochs meet — Loch Duich, Loch Long, and Loch Alsh. It is the most photographed castle in Scotland, connected to the mainland by a stone bridge. The current building is a 20th-century reconstruction of the medieval original, destroyed in 1719 during a Jacobite rising, but it photographs beautifully and the interior is well-presented. Entry is approximately £13. The Glenfinnan Viaduct — famous from the Harry Potter films as the route of the Hogwarts Express — carries the West Highland Railway across 21 arches. The Jacobite Steam Train crosses from April to October; book at least 60 days in advance. The Glenfinnan Monument at the head of Loch Shiel marks where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard in 1745.