Highlands trip - any tips?

[DietCokeGirl]

Returning to lovely, lovely Inverness at the end of May/start of June and plan to hire a car and drive aboot for a week, maybe 2 if work feel generous when I put in the leave request.
Any recommendations, tips, advice? At first was thinking of looping round the North coast but think it might end up being a bit rushed in a week. Basically looking for beautiful scenery, a drop of whisky, a total break from London.

 

[Pickman's model]

Find a distillery with accommodation

 

[heinous seamus]

When you say scenery do you want mountains / beaches / a mixture? Do you want to be near reasonably sized population centres or out in the wilderness?

How long is NC500 supposed to take?

 

[skyscraper101]

Take some holiday tunes in the car.

 

[DietCokeGirl]

When you say scenery do you want mountains / beaches / a mixture? Do you want to be near reasonably sized population centres or out in the wilderness?

How long is NC500 supposed to take?

Mountain more than beaches, wilderness is good, but flexible and open to any recommendatoons. Went to South Uist a few years back and loved it, so considering an Orkney or Shetland Island this time if there's time.

 

[DietCokeGirl]

Now I've got 5000 miles stuck in my head - arghhhhhh! !

 

[heinous seamus]

Okay, well in that case I am going to suggest you drive over to Ullapool and up to Assynt:

You can get a ferry to the Isle of Lewis from Ullapool if you fancy that. I think with only a week you'd be a bit pushed for time though (same goes for Orkney / Shetland).

A day trip to Handa Island might be more manageable?

 

[gosub]

Boating & Boat Hire on the Caledonian Canal | Scottish Canals

 

[Sirena]

If you're going down to the Trossachs, drop in on Aberfoyle and visit Doon Hill, the fairy hill where the Reverend Robert Kirk is imprisoned.

You can see his (empty, they say) grave as you walk up to the hill from the town. Go up at sunrise or sunset for maximum faery exposure

And read the Reverend's wee book first: The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns & Fairies Index

And, while you're in the area visit Roby Roy's grave in Balquhidder Church Cemetery, where Robert Kirk lived and preached for a while, and donated the church bell

 

[danny la rouge]

And, while you're in the area visit Roby Roy's grave in Balquhidder Church Cemetery, where Robert Kirk lived and preached for a while, and donated the church bell

I spent the night on that grave as a bet when I was a teen.

 

[danny la rouge]

Now I've got 5000 miles stuck in my head - arghhhhhh! !

The Pretenders? You've added 3000 to the total, I think.

 

[Idaho]

Pick a few classic walks and stay nearby to each. So for example, plan to do a big walk like the five sisters of kintail:
Five Sisters of Kintail (Walkhighlands)

Stay nearby for two nights. Then you can arrive in the evening, do the big walk the next day, pub for tea, then have the next day to recover your legs and make your way to the next spot (Skye not Skype... Stupid auto correction) taking in a few sights on the way.

 

[2hats]

Get a CalMac hopscotch ticket and invent a route.

 

[weltweit]

I have often driven through Glencoe, sometimes in awful weather, but the stories about the place and the massacre that happened in 1692 always intrigued me. When I next go north I would like to abandon the car and walk to the place the killings took place.

Massacre of Glencoe - Wikipedia

 

[kebabking]

another Assynt reccommendation - theres a superb Hostel at Inchnadamph, or a huntin, shootin, fishin Hotel just over the river. the food is excellent, and they are very good with children and dogs...

 

[Sirena]

I spent the night on that grave as a bet when I was a teen.

That's impressive. It's a remote and fairly mysterious place....

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Watch out for the evil midges.

 

[danny la rouge]

That's impressive. It's a remote and fairly mysterious place....

Well, there was no Netflix in those days so we made our own amusement.

 

[Idaho]

Watch out for the evil midges.

May June isn't so bad. And if you are generally on the move when outdoors, you won't see many. West is worse than East (generally).

 

[equationgirl]

Elgin is quite nice, and Huntly castle is well worth a trip too, although that's nearer Aberdeen than Inverness. Urquhart castle on the shore of Loch Ness is worth a visit too. You could head down to oban and visit cruachan power station at Loch awe - it's built inside the mountain and well worth a trip. Kilchurn castle is at the eastern edge of Loch awe too.

Glencoe is worth a trip but is a sad and mournful place due to the massacre, in my opinion, but if you like walking there are some reasonable walks in that area. There's also the Clachaig Inn for food and drink and as an overnight stopping area.

 

[DietCokeGirl]

Wow, spoilt for choice now, thanks everyone -- going to look into all your recommendations and plan a loose route. It's actually me and fellas honeymoon so hoping work will be kind and let me have a fortnight. Wish I could just take a couple of months and do it all.

 

[Sir Belchalot]

Corrieshalloch Gorge is worth a visit, did a lovely 2 day walk from Dundonnell to Poolewe.

 

[pogofish]

Beauly near Inverness is turning into a very nice little place to visit/base yourself. You could start there for a day or two, then move-on - All the suggestions above are good and I also love the Ullapool/Assynt- North way too, esp as it is exposed enough for the midgies not to be too bad at that time of year but TBH, you have great places to go in all directions from Inverness.

 

[geminisnake]

Watch out for the evil midges.

Get some bog myrtle oil online, mix some up with a base oil(4/5 drops per 10ml base oil) and that should deter the little sods

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Get some bog myrtle oil online, mix some up with a base oil(4/5 drops per 10ml base oil) and that should deter the little sods

Or a flamethrower.

 

[Throbbing Angel]

Midge Foreceast

 

[Wookey]

Papa Wookey lives in that Aviemore, which has some great walking around and about such as the Cragalachie Nature Reserve.

Best way to avoid midges would be to find a nice bar, sit at it and remain so.

 

[bubblesmcgrath]

I've only been to Scotland once ...and it was the best holiday of my life. Despite the rain and midges
The scenery is spectacular. Beautiful..
We drove all over the place.
We followed (roughly) the drive shown below. The only addition was a trip to Orkney. This was a 2 week trip overall....

 

[pogofish]

Get some bog myrtle oil online, mix some up with a base oil(4/5 drops per 10ml base oil) and that should deter the little sods

And keep some proper repellant handy..!

 

[farmerbarleymow]

And keep some proper repellant handy..!

Just go the whole hog and wear one of these whenever you venture outside. Make it easier for mountain rescue to find you if you get stuck up a mountain too.

Come and have a go if you think you're hard enough, bastard midges.