The Highlands, as the name implies, are the rugged northern portion of Scotland, and its 10,000 square miles of stunning beauty are sure to take your breath away. The region’s highlights include the mysterious and misty Loch Ness, the majestic Cairngorms National Park, and the idyllic Isle of Skye, which has been connected to the mainland via road bridge since 1995. The region’s lively capital, Inverness, sits in the center and makes for a superb base from which to explore.
You may fly into Inverness Airport from London or anywhere else in the United Kingdom, or you can hire a vehicle in Glasgow or Edinburgh and drive to the Highlands from there. But if you want to arrive in luxury, take the Caledonian Sleeper train from London Euston; it’s a chugging time machine where you may fall asleep to driving directions the sounds of black taxis and the bustle of the British city and awaken amid the red deer and enchanting glens of the Highlands. After leaving Fort William, the landscape becomes absolutely stunning as the train travels along the edge of a majestic series of lochs, then down through lush glens, and finally over the Glenfinnan Viaduct, made famous in the Harry Potter movie. If you want the whole Hogwarts experience, you should know that steam trains operate along this track in the summer.
Glasgow’s Kimpton Blythswood Square, a boutique property in the old headquarters of the Royal Scottish Automobile Club, and Edinburgh’s The Dunstane Houses, a pair of magnificently refurbished 19th-century townhouses, are just two examples of the many hotels available in the two largest cities.
Fife Arms in Braemar and Gleneagles in Perthshire are two of Scotland’s finest examples of the kind of historic country house hotels and rustic lodges that may be found all over the globe (the latter, nicknamed the “Glorious Playground” boasts three championship golf courses, its own dedicated train station, and the only restaurant in the country with two Michelin stars).
Glenapp Castle in Ayrshire, Inverlochy Castle near Fort William, Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry, and Stonefield Castle Hotel on Loch Fyne are just a few of the numerous Scottish castles that have been transformed into hotels and B&Bs in recent years.
You’ll be welcomed with open arms wherever you stay, and you may start your day with a hearty helping of Scottish porridge or a full spread of bacon, eggs, and haggis before exploring the country’s breathtaking landscapes.
for free. You
can too.