The Cairngorms
This place features a drive-through safari park as well as animal enclosures offering the chance to view rarely seen native wildlife, such as wildcats,…
Must-see attractions in Central Highlands
Highland Perthshire
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Scotland, magnificent Blair Castle – and its surrounding estates – is the seat of the Duke of Atholl, head…
Central Highlands
When George Bullough, a dashing, Harrow-educated cavalry officer, inherited Rum along with half his father’s fortune in 1891, he became one of the…
The Cairngorms
The Rothiemurchus Estate, which extends from the River Spey at Aviemore to the Cairngorm summit plateau, is famous for having one of Scotland’s largest…
Fort William
The Jacobite Steam Train, hauled by a former LNER K1 or LMS Class 5MT locomotive, travels the scenic two-hour run between Fort William and Mallaig…
Pitlochry
Opened in 2017, this architecturally stunning visitor centre is perched above the dam on the River Tummel, and houses an exhibition that details the…
Pitlochry
This is proudly Scotland’s smallest and most picturesque distillery and one of the best to visit: you can see the whole process, easily explained, in one…
Inverness
The main attraction in Inverness is a leisurely stroll along the river to the Ness Islands. Planted with mature Scots pine, fir, beech and sycamore, and…
Glen Affric National Nature Reserve
Inverness & the Great Glen
The upper reaches of Glen Affric are designated as the Glen Affric National Nature Reserve, a scenic wonderland of shimmering lochs, rugged mountains and…
The Cairngorms
Built for Queen Victoria in 1855 as a private residence for the Royal Family, Balmoral kicked off the revival of the Scottish Baronial style of…
Inverness & the Great Glen
This impressive visitor centre has everything you need to know about the Battle of Culloden in 1746, including the lead-up and the aftermath, with…
The Cairngorms
West of Braemar spreads the National Trust for Scotland's Mar Lodge Estate, one of the country's most important nature conservation areas, covering 7% of…
Highland Perthshire
Waymarked walks lead upstream from Dunkeld Cathedral through the gorgeous grounds of Dunkeld House Hotel, formerly a seat of the dukes of Atholl. In the…
Loch Ness
Commanding a superb location 1.5 miles east of Drumnadrochit, with outstanding views (on a clear day), Urquhart Castle is a popular Nessie-hunting hot…
West Highlands
A minor road from Morar village, 2.5 miles south of Mallaig, leads to scenic 11-mile-long Loch Morar, which, at 310m, is the deepest body of water in the…
Highland Perthshire
Situated on the grassy banks of the River Tay, Dunkeld Cathedral is one of the most beautifully sited churches in Scotland; don’t miss it on a sunny day,…
The Cairngorms
The national park's most popular attraction is this funicular railway that will whisk you to the edge of the Cairngorm plateau (altitude 1085m) in just…
West Highlands
The final 6 miles of road from Kilchoan to Ardnamurchan Point end at this 36m-high, grey granite tower, built in 1849 by the 'Lighthouse Stevensons' –…
Inverness & the Great Glen
One of the finest artillery fortifications in Europe, Fort George was established in 1748 in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden, as a base for George…
Ardnamurchan Natural History & Visitor Centre
West Highlands
This fascinating centre – midway between Salen and Kilchoan – was originally devised by a wildlife photographer and tries to bring you face to face with…
Loch Ness
This Nessie-themed attraction adopts a scientific approach that allows you to weigh the evidence for yourself. Exhibits include original equipment – sonar…
Pitlochry
The beautiful, rugged Pass of Killiecrankie, 3.5 miles north of Pitlochry, where the River Garry tumbles through a narrow gorge, was the site of the 1689…
Land, Sea & Islands Visitor Centre
West Highlands
This centre in Arisaig village houses exhibits on the cultural and natural history of the region. A small but fascinating exhibition explains the part…
The Cairngorms
This open-air museum comprises a collection of historical buildings and artefacts revealing many aspects of Highland culture and lifestyle. Laid out like…
The Cairngorms
The Strathspey railway runs steam trains on a section of restored line between Aviemore and Broomhill, 10 miles to the northeast, via Boat of Garten…
The Cairngorms
Ruthven Barracks was one of four garrisons built by the British government after the first Jacobite rebellion of 1715, as part of a Hanoverian scheme to…
West Highlands
Fans of the movie Local Hero still make pilgrimages to Camusdarach Beach, just south of Morar, which starred in the film as Ben’s beach. To find it, look…
Highland Perthshire
Castle Menzies is the 16th-century seat of the chief of clan Menzies (ming-iss), magnificently set against a forest backdrop. Inside it reeks of…
Inverness & the Great Glen
Set in 70 hectares of parkland, Brodie Castle has a library with more than 6000 peeling, dusty volumes, wonderful clocks, a huge Victorian kitchen and a…
Fort William
This small but fascinating museum is packed with all manner of Highland memorabilia. Look out for the secret portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie – after the…
Loch Ness
At Fort Augustus, boats using the Caledonian Canal are raised and lowered 13m by a ‘ladder’ of five consecutive locks. It’s fun to watch, and the neatly…
The Cairngorms
Ten miles up Glenesk from Edzell is a former shooting lodge that houses a fascinating collection of antiques and artefacts documenting everyday life in…
Inverness & the Great Glen
This castle, 5 miles southwest of Nairn, was once the seat of the Thane of Cawdor, one of the titles bestowed on Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The real Macbeth –…
West Highlands
The Commandos were an elite unit of the British armed forces, formed in 1940 to carry out raids behind enemy lines in German-occupied Europe. In 1942, a…
West Highlands
This fascinating little museum records the epic tale of building the West Highland railway line. The famous 21-arch Glenfinnan viaduct, just east of the…
West Highlands
This tall column, topped by a statue of a kilted Highlander, was erected in 1815 on the spot where Bonnie Prince Charlie first raised his standard and…
Inverness & the Great Glen
A forestry car park 3 miles south of Tomich is the starting point for a short (800m) walk to pretty Plodda Falls. A restored Victorian viewing platform…
Highland Perthshire
At the eastern end of Aberfeldy, the home of the famous Dewar's blend offers a good 90-minute tour. After the usual overblown film, there’s a museum…
The Cairngorms
In the wild hills of the eastern Cairngorms, near the A939 road from Cockbridge to Tomintoul, is the impressive fortress of Corgarff Castle. The tower…
Hugh Miller’s Cottage & Museum
Inverness & the Great Glen
This thatch-roofed cottage is the birthplace of Hugh Miller (1802–56), a local stonemason and amateur geologist who pioneered the study of fossil fishes…
