Things to do in  The Scottish Highlands

Scotland's second largest island, covering an area more than twice that of Singapore, the Isle of Skye is a pocket of wilderness linked to the coast of the West Highlands by the Skye Bridge. With its dramatic sea cliffs, windswept valleys, theatrical rock formations, and glittering pools, waterfalls, and lochs, the island is a treat for nature lovers and film-makers alike.

Bordered by steep, waterfall-threaded mountains, dramatic Glencoe (Glen Coe) is the stuff of Scottish postcards. Though it has historical significance—it was the site of the 1692 Glencoe Massacre of the MacDonald Clan—and its very own ski resort, Glencoe Mountain Resort, the valley’s main draw is its spectacular scenery.

A village on the shores of Loch Ness, Fort Augustus is a popular destination in the Scottish Highlands. Once a garrison in the 18th century, the scenic village today attracts cyclists, hikers, and travelers in search of the Loch Ness monster. It’s also a gateway to the Great Glen Way, a 73-mile trail that runs from Inverness to Fort William.

Visitors flock to Loch Ness hoping to catch a glimpse of its most elusive inhabitant: the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie. But this lake in the Scottish Highlands is worth the trip even if you don't believe the rumors. Surrounded by magnificent scenery, it's a popular boating and sightseeing spot—and so deep that it’s Great Britain’s largest freshwater lake by volume.

One of the most photographed sites in Scotland, the Eilean Donan Castle dates back to the 13th century. Built as a defense against the Vikings and used during the Jacobite rebellions in the 18th century, this loch-side castle was restored in the 20th century and is now a popular destination for weddings and tours.

Stretching over 1,500 square miles, Cairngorms National Park is a popular destination for mountain bikers, nature lovers, sea kayakers, and hikers. The park has been named one of the world’s Last Great Places by National Geographic and is the perfect place to enjoy Scotland’s renowned wild landscapes of granite mountains and deep lochs.

A vast landscape of hills and mountains, lush valleys, mist-shrouded lochs, and shady woodland trails, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park makes an easy rural retreat from Scotland’s biggest city. Located just north of Glasgow, the park also serves as the gateway to the Scottish Highlands.

Chugging past the misty lochs and sweeping glens of the Scottish Highlands, the Jacobite Steam Train offers one of Britain’s greatest railway journeys, taking passengers on a nostalgic train ride between Fort William in Scotland’s West Highlands and Mallaig on the west coast. The 84-mile (135-kilometer) round-trip route passes Britain’s tallest mountain, Ben Nevis, and the Glenfinnan viaduct, made famous by the Harry Potter movies where the train stood in for the fictional Hogwarts Express.

The Culloden Battlefield was the site of one of the last battles to be fought on British soil. On April 16, 1746, Bonnie Prince Charlie and his army of 5,000 Jacobite Highlanders faced off against the Duke of Cumberland and 9,000 Hanoverian government troops. Though the Jacobites fought valiantly, they were ultimately defeated, resulting in the elimination of the Scottish clan system and the suppression of Highland culture. Today, the Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre retells the events of that fateful day through interactive exhibits that put travelers in the thick of the action.

Set on the shore of Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle (Caisteal na Sròine) attracts many visitors that come here in hopes of glimpsing Nessie, the loch’s fabled aquatic monster. The ruined medieval fortress, which was destroyed in 1762 to prevent it from becoming a Jacobite stronghold, now houses a visitor center that exhibits objects found amid the ruins.

The Clava Cairns—or the Prehistoric Burial Cairns of Balnuaran of Clava—are all that remains of what was once a much larger Bronze Age burial complex. Dating back 4,000 years, the evocative cemetery site retains original features, including passage graves, standing stones, and ring cairns (stone circles).

Rising 4,409 feet (1,344 meters) above sea level, Ben Nevis is Scotland’s tallest mountain and a premiere destination for climbers. Once a massive volcano that exploded and collapsed inward, the summit is frequently shrouded in mist. In Gaelic, it is called the “mountain with its head in the clouds” and also “venomous mountain.”

Travel to a tiny peninsula at the northern tip of Loch Awe to visit the ruins of Kilchurn Castle, one of the most photographed sites in Scotland. Abandoned since a fire in the 1750s, the ruins are open for exploration, which can include climbing to the top of its 4-story tower. There is no attendant at the door or souvenir shop, just the scenic castle ruins in the countryside.

Perched atop a hill by the River Ness, this Victorian-era red sandstone castle—built to replace the medieval fortress blown up by the Jacobites in 1746—is one of Inverness’ most prominent historic structures. Access to the castle, now occupied by government offices and law courts, is restricted but the grounds are open to the public.

Cawdor Castle is immortalized in literary history as the fictional home of the Thane of Cawdor in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The Highland castle, however, has little in common with its fictional counterpart as it wasn't built until the 14th-century, 300 years after the reign of both the real and fictional King Macbeth.