Southern Highlands & Islands

The impossibly complex coastline of Scotland’s southwest harbours some of its most inspiring corners. Here, sea travel is key – dozens of ferries allow you to island-hop from the scenic splendour of Arran to majestic Mull or Tiree's lonely sands, via the whisky distilleries of Islay, the wild mountains of Jura, the scenic delights of diminutive Colonsay and Oban's sustainable seafood scene.

On fresh water too, passenger ferries, vintage steamboats, canoes and kayaks ply Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, a memorable concentration of scenery that’s very accessible but possessed of a wild beauty.

Wildlife experiences are a highlight here, from the rasping spout of a minke whale to the 'krek-krek' of a corncrake. Spot otters tumbling in the kelp, watch sea eagles snatch fish from a lonely loch and thrill to the sight of dolphins riding the bow-wave of your boat.

Explore Southern Highlands & Islands

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Southern Highlands & Islands.

  • Ruins

    Finlaggan

    Three miles from Port Askaig, tumbledown ruins of houses and a chapel on an islet in a shallow loch mark what remains of the stronghold of the Lords of…

  • Historic Building

    Iona Abbey

    Iona's ancient but heavily reconstructed abbey is the spiritual heart of the island. The spectacular nave, dominated by Romanesque and early Gothic vaults…

  • Historic Building

    Mount Stuart

    The family seat of the Stuart Earls of Bute is one of Britain's more magnificent 19th-century stately homes, the first to have a telephone, underfloor…

  • Castle

    Kilchurn Castle

    At the northern end of Loch Awe are the scenic ruins of the strategically situated and much-photographed Kilchurn Castle. Built in 1440, it enjoys one of…

  • Historic Building

    Hill House

    Built in 1902 for Glasgow publisher Walter Blackie, this is perhaps architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh's finest creation – its timeless elegance still…

  • National Park

    Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park

    Two areas of great natural beauty, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, became the heart of Scotland's first national park, created in 2002. The park extends…

  • Ruins

    Oronsay Priory

    If the tide is right, don't miss walking across the half-mile of cockleshell-strewn sand linking Colonsay to smaller Oronsay. Here you can explore the…

  • Historic Site

    Bonawe Iron Furnace

    Bonawe Iron Furnace is one of the region’s most unusual historical sights. Near Taynuilt (not Bonawe), and dating from 1753, it was built by an iron…

  • Distillery

    Bruichladdich

    A couple of miles from Port Charlotte, Bruichladdich (brook-lad-dy) is an infectiously fun distillery to visit and produces a mind-boggling range of…

  • Museum

    Hamilton Toy Collection

    The Hamilton Toy Collection is a powerhouse of 20th-century juvenile memorabilia, chock-full of dolls houses, puppets and toy soldiers. It's an amazing…

  • Castle

    Duart Castle

    The ancestral seat of the Maclean clan enjoys a spectacular position on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Sound of Mull. Originally built in the 13th…

  • Castle

    Brodick Castle

    This elegant castle 2 miles north of Brodick evolved from 13th-century origins into a stately home and hunting lodge for the Dukes of Hamilton. You enter…

  • Village

    Ellenabeich

    On the west coast of Seil island is the pretty conservation village of Ellenabeich, with its whitewashed cottages. It was built to house workers at the…

  • Museum

    Kilmartin House Museum

    This museum, in Kilmartin village, is a fascinating interpretive centre that provides a context for the ancient monuments you can go on to explore,…

  • Castle

    Castle Stalker

    One of Scotland's most spectacularly sited castles, Castle Stalker perches on a tiny offshore island – Monty Python buffs will recognise it as the castle…

  • Distillery

    Springbank

    There were once no fewer than 32 distilleries around Campbeltown, but most closed in the 1920s. Today this is one of only three still in operation. It is…

  • Distillery

    Kilchoman

    Likeable Kilchoman, set on a farm, is one of Scotland's smallest distilleries. It grows and malts some of its own barley here and does its own bottling by…

  • Gardens

    Achamore Gardens

    Subtropical plants thrive in Gigha's Achamore Gardens, the island's principal sight. Rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas take advantage of the…

  • Castle

    Rothesay Castle

    The splendid, ruined 13th-century Rothesay Castle, with seagulls and jackdaws nesting in the walls, was once a favourite residence of the Stuart kings. It…

  • Distillery

    Isle of Arran Distillery

    The Isle of Arran Distillery produces a light, aromatic single malt. The tour is a good one; it’s a small distillery and the whisky-making process is…