The Best Places to Visit in the Scottish Highlands

Discover some of the best places to visit in the Scottish Highlands. A luxury cottage holiday in the Scottish Highlands is an excellent choice if you are looking for a destination that’s blessed with dramatic and stunning scenery. It’s perfect for hikers, outdoor adventurers, wildlife enthusiasts, photographers and romantics alike.

While the main attraction has to be the beautiful landscapes and the opportunity to find tranquil places next to a loch or in a lush glen, there are many popular attractions and charming towns to discover too.

Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park forms a natural boundary that separates the Scottish Lowlands from the mountainous landscapes of the Scottish Highlands. It is one of the most popular places to visit in Scotland and can easily be incorporated into your luxury cottage holiday in the Highlands.

The area is fantastic for walking, climbing, fishing and mountain biking, but arguably the main attraction is Loch Lomond itself. Here, you can enjoy a scenic boat cruise or take to the water yourself with a range of water sports including kayaking and windsurfing. Meanwhile, throughout the wooded glens and open landscapes of the Trossachs, there are plenty of places to enjoy nature and spot wildlife.

As a popular tourist destination there are lots of things to do in Loch Lomond and many renowned attractions. Loch Lomond Shores shopping centre is the perfect place to spend a day, whether with family or friends. There is an array of shops, play areas for children, plus the Loch Lomond Bird of Prey Centre and SEA LIFE Loch Lomond Aquarium.

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Glencoe

Glencoe is a small village on the shores of Loch Leven and is also the name of the surrounding area. Set within the Lochaber Geopark, Glencoe is a place of deep valleys and towering munros, once part of an ancient volcano. It is one of the best places in the Scottish Highlands for spectacular scenery and there are breathtaking views in every direction.

If you begin to think it seems familiar, it’s probably because many blockbuster films have been shot on location here. These include James Bond: Skyfall, several of the Harry Potter series and Braveheart.

As a National Nature Reserve, Glencoe is a haven if you wish to reconnect with nature and the outdoors. Wildlife Land Rover Safaris are available where you may catch a glimpse of Red Deer or a Golden Eagle. Meanwhile, gentle strolls, hikes up peaks to viewing points and challenging mountain bike rides are all there for the taking. In winter, the Glencoe Mountain Resort offers skiing and snowboarding.

Glencoe is also steeped in history, particularly interlinked with Clan MacDonald. Over 300 years ago, hundreds of Highlanders lived in the glen and today you can visit a reconstruction of a traditional turf house and discover the tragic story of the Glencoe Massacre.

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Loch Ness

Hear the words Loch Ness and your first thought is bound to be of the world-famous Loch Ness Monster. Many a visitor secretly hopes to catch a glimpse of ‘Nessie’ for themselves and there are plenty of boat trips where you can give it a go, while admiring the stunning scenery.

Be sure to have your camera ready to snap the haunting ruins of Urquhart Castle. It is steeped in history and there’s something very alluring about its silhouette set against the pretty shoreline. If you love history, other Loch Ness attractions you might like, include the Clansman Centre at Fort Augustus, that focuses on 17th-century Highland Scotland.

If you’ve come for the picturesque settings, there is plenty of countryside to delve into and a number of waterfalls that are well worth visiting. The Falls of Foyers, south of the loch, is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the Scottish Highlands.

At 23 miles long, Loch Ness is a fantastic place to visit in the Scottish Highlands for water sports. From kayaking to paddleboarding, or, for the thrill seeker, RIB boat rides, there is plenty to enjoy in the summer months.

If you prefer dry land, there are trails for hiking, horse-riding, cycling and mountain biking in the wildlife-rich surroundings. Plus, Loch Ness is one of Scotland’s premier trout and salmon fishing locations.

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Cairngorms National Park

A luxury cottage holiday in the Cairngorms National Park offers opportunities to truly feel remote… if that’s what you want. It is the largest national park in the UK and is a place to seek peace, fun and adventure amongst the dramatic mountains, vast woodlands, pine forests, waterfalls and lochs.

Whatever time of year you visit, there is something different to see, and the area is popular with walkers, cyclists and photographers. Plus, there are plenty of activities to get the adrenaline flowing.

In winter, the Cairngorms National Park is a popular UK destination for skiing and snowboarding and much of the terrain is suitable for beginners. There are also activity providers offering everything from kayaking and gorge-walking to rock-climbing and the challenge of hiking up Cairn Gorm mountain.

If it’s a wildlife adventure that you’re after, the Cairngorms National Park is one of the best places in the Scottish Highlands to visit. Animals and birds, great and small, including Ospreys, Capercaillies, Golden Eagles, Red Squirrels and Pine Martens, all call the Cairngorms home. However, one of the most incredible sights (and sounds) is the Red Deer rut in the autumn when stags compete for females in various displays of bravado.

Meanwhile, stargazers can look forward to some incredible clear skies.

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