Top Things to do in Scottish Highlands
Top Hotels in Scottish Highlands
- 1. The Onich Hotel
- 2. Premier Inn Inverness Centre River Ness
- 3. Travelodge Inverness Fairways
- 4. The Garrison Hotel
- 5. Best Western Inverness Palace Hotel & Spa
- 6. Ness Walk Hotel
- 7. The Morar Hotel
- 8. Craigmonie Hotel Inverness by Compass Hospitality
- 9. Premier Inn Inverness East hotel
- 10. Premier Inn Thurso hotel
Top 10 Things to do Adventurous in Scottish Highlands, Scotland
The moody, romantic Scottish Highlands start at Loch Lomond just north of Glasgow. Comprising a slew of mountain ranges, this sparsely populated land is best seen by train on the West Highland Line. Mountains, lochs, bright heather and rhododendrons give way to white sand beaches and rugged coves as the train nears Mallaig. For a more active take on the region, hike the West Highland Way or visit the Trossachs National Park. Ben Nevis, a popular climbing spot, looms over the town of Fort William.
Restaurants in Scottish Highlands
1. Buachaille Etive Mor
2. Duncansby Head
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 687 reviews
Reviewed By StuartP73 - Westhoughton, United Kingdom
The turn for Duncansby Head is just a few hundred metres up the road from John O'Groats in the direction of Wick. After a couple of miles you arrive at a car park (free)near a lighthouse. A short 10-15 minute walk across fields will bring you to the most amazing view of Duncansby stacks. Well worth a visit just for the stacks however we also got to see seals and some great nesting birds on the cliffs.
3. Ice Factor
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 717 reviews
A must visit for adventure seekers of all ages. World's biggest indoor ice climbing wall, Rock Climbing and New Aerial Adventure Course. Taster and skills classes every day.Free children's play area, cafe, cosy climbers bar/restaurant, sauna and steam room. 4 star activity centre, 5 times winner of top tourism award for tourism excellence
Reviewed By jamesb111111 - Bristol, United Kingdom
Brilliant couple of hours tuition with Anne Rebecca who was an excellent instructor - very personable, great encouragement for the kids and really good instruction/feedback all round for improving the technique. Also really helpful guidance on a few rock climbing routes later on in the day. Thank you! Great day out.
4. Steall Waterfall
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,434 reviews
Reviewed By I4996RBjoannap - Brough, United Kingdom
Drive down a single track road until it comes to an end which is a small free car park so arrive early; there was another car park at beginningof road however it charged for parking and would be quite a walk to get there. We arrived at 9am and had no issues with parking. A great walk along the river with mini waterfalls coming over the path which then opens up to see Steall Waterfall. There is a wire bridge to get closer to see it however there is a great view without crossing. We were lucky enough not to have midges even though it was warm and dry.
5. Caithness Seacoast Ltd
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 122 reviews
Join the Geo Explorer for an exciting tour of the East Caithness coastline. Exploring caves, Whaligoe Haven, castles, geos, natural arches and much more. Close up views of seasonal nesting birds and marine wildlife. Informative commentary throughout.
6. Handa Island Wildlife Reserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 130 reviews
Handa Island is one of the most important seabird colonies in northern Europe. Home to over 100,000 seabirds in the summer, including internationally important populations of Guillemot, Razorbill and Great Skua. Small numbers of Puffin and Arctic Skua amongst other seabirds also nest. The island is also superb for botany and for spotting whales, dolphins, seals and the occasional otter. The scenery and geology is also fantastic.The reserve is owned by the Scourie Estate, and managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust. There are few facilities on the island, just a small visitor shelter, composting toilet and shop. The reserve is reached by a ferry boat from Tarbet, near Scourie, and runs from April to September (Phone to check dates). The ferry runs on demand Monday - Saturday from 9.00am, with the last boat out to the island at 2pm. Returns available all day with the last one being at 5pm. Ferry charges £12.50 for adults, £5 for children (ages 5-14), under 5's are free. Please note, the ferry does not run on Sunday or in severe weather.
Reviewed By WalczakMarcin - Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Placed in a quite remote part of North-West Scotland near Scourie, and just 3 miles off the famous NC 500 route, this is a real treat as much for bird watchers as casual tourists seeking for a great day out. Arriving at the pier in Tarbet there is a car park with enough space to accommodate tourists willing to cross to Handa Island. After purchasing tickets from very friendly staff the boat takes up to 12-15 tourists on board. The travel time from the pier to the island is about 10 minutes and it costs £15 per adult and £5 per child. As far as I am concerned the first boat leaves at around 09:00, while the last one takes tourists to the island at around 14:00. The latest return boat is 16:45 but staff should make sure that nobody stays overnight at the island. It might take anytime between 2.5 and 4 hours to walk around the island but to explore it properly more time should be allowed. Therefore, I would recommend to arrive as early as possible to avoid any disappointment. There is a path to follow and it is not recommended to walk off the path, especially during the birds' breeding season. The period between May and July is the best for bird watchers, though anytime before and afterwards it would be still great time to observe sea life and enjoy amazing views this island offers. The only issue to experience during visit this summer was that the shelter with toilet was shut due to Covid-19 pandemic. I would strongly recommend visiting Handa Island, and put as a must visit place for anyone coming to not only into this area but to Scotland as the country.
7. Glen Coe
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,423 reviews
The National Trust for Scotland cares for Glencoe National Nature Reserve, a 14,000 acre estate with 60 kilometres of footpaths for you to explore, marvel at the panoramic mountain views and spot internationally-renowned wildlife. Glencoe is a natural wonder, the remnants of a 'caldera' or super-volcano, formed many millions of years ago and later shaped by glaciers during numerous Ice Ages. Its history is a poignant one, most famed for the 'Massacre' of 1692 and more recently as a playground for pioneering mountaineers and climbers. Find out more or support the conservation work of Glencoe's Ranger team at the NTS Glencoe Visitor Centre at the western end of the Glen.
Reviewed By AlanMcCleish - Glasgow, United Kingdom
Stunning landscape rich in wildlife and natural beauty.History is also a major asset to this place although some of it is a wee bit dark.Some of the hills look like they deserve a lot of respect when venturing into them up high.
8. The Skye Ferry
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 276 reviews
The Skye Ferry closed for 2020.
Reviewed By cecilyg2015 - Glasgow, United Kingdom
This is the perfect Zen experience! Anticipation as you watch the small ferry making its crab-like way through the fast currents in the Sound of Sleat. Take photos as she twirls into the slipway at Glenelg, turntable at the ready. She can load up to 6 cars including 12 passengers then quickly off for the ten minute journey to Skye across the waters . The ferry has been refurbished recently by the enterprising community of Glenelg-Skye and gives great pleasure to tourists and an efficient service to commuters who would otherwise have a much longer drive to the bridge between mainland and Skye.
9. In Your Element Scotland
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 243 reviews
In Your Element is a mobile outdoor adventure activity company offering amazing outdoor adventures across Scotland, with bases in Inverness, Aviemore, Loch Tay and at Loch Lomond . We offer a range of outdoor experience for families, stag/ hen groups, corporate or charity groups including canoeing, gorge walking, archery, aerial adventure courses and much more. We're the largest canoe and kayak hire operator in Scotland, with a large fleet of boats available for individuals, small groups and adventure events. With a flexible shuttle service and comprehensive outfitting service we should be your first port of call.
Reviewed By J_Black1987 - North Ayrshire, United Kingdom
Me and my sister decided to try something different, so we thought we'd try the Segway Adventure at Loch Lomond. It took us some time to find the place. After arriving at the main car park we walked round to the shopping centre area. We were walking around for about 15 minutes looking for the place and checked the maps and it wasn't marked on it. We asked some people for directions, but no one seemed to know where In Your Element or the 'Segway place' was. At this point we were feeling a little panicked thinking we might miss out if there's a group of people waiting to head out. We called the number on their website and they directed us - it's located on the shore next to the canoes and bikes, behind the Sea Life Aquarium. If you get lost just ask in at TreeZone for directions as they appear to be part of the same company. When we finally arrived, we were greeted with a warm welcome. It was just me, my sister, and the instructor. We were pleasantly surprised there wasn't a big group. The instructor went over all the safety information and showed us how to use the Segways. We then had a little practice and when we were comfortable we went round to another practice area with hills. We practiced going down a hill a couple of times and then he took us over to a bigger hill where me and my sister attempted to go up it. We failed a few times to make it up to the top of the hill, having to do a 180 and go back down. My sister nearly fell off it once on the hill, but she was unhurt and still in happy spirits. We eventually managed to get up the hill with a couple more practice runs and felt comfortable enough to take the speed cap off. When in the practice areas you are limited to 6mph, which is then increased to 12mph if you feel comfortable enough doing so. I recommend taking the cap off as some of the hills require more speed than the capped 6mph to get up, and you are always in control of the speed by using your balance anyway, so you can slow down if you wish. After the cap was taken off, we zoomed along a grassy area which was fairly muddy. At times it felt like it was skidding, but it is designed for all terrains and we never fell off - trust the Segway! We then went through a wooded area a couple of times, and down to another part of the shore where we stopped to take photos. Our instructor happily took some photos of us with Ben Lomond in the background. This is a great spot for photo opportunities as the views are amazing, so make sure you have a phone or camera handy. We then continued and throughout the adventure went through a lot of forest areas, where you can mostly zoom about really fast, however there are tighter areas where you'll need to drop your speed so you don't end up flying off into the Loch or hitting a tree! We also went to the shopping centre area and into TreeZone where you can see the adventure course above you. This area is more technical with sharper turns, so watch your speed here! Our instructor took us around these different areas a few times and by the end of the adventure we felt like pros! We had never been on a Segway before, but it was the most fun we had both had in a long time! The instructor was lovely, and very patient with us beginners. The adventure lasts about an hour, but you have so much fun you won't want to come off it! We will definitely be going back to Loch Lomond to do this again in the future and highly recommend it to everyone to try, even beginners.
10. Bealach na Ba Road
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 940 reviews
Reviewed By Whatbob - Glasgow, United Kingdom
A lovely drive - many superb views - driving requires care - we had a war crisp day with snow and frozen waterfalls - really enjoyed it - road was quiet for us - could be a hassle if busy.- all single track - it is all sealed.
