The name alone evokes thoughts of mountains, heather, bagpipes, castles, clans, romance and tragedy. And, indeed, the Highlands has it all. It is the combination of peerless scenery, enduring traditions and a sense of nostalgia (albeit for a rather idealized past) that gives the Highlands their irresistible allure. True, the weather is not always great, but rain brings out the best in waterfalls and adds artistic touches of mist! It’s a sparsely inhabited region, where you may still find single-track roads and more sheep than people. Life takes on a slower pace, and often hotels and restaurants work shorter hours, but the great compensation is peace. Little wonder that so many aspects of the Highlands have been adopted as symbols of the nation as a whole.
For more information on the Highlands, check out the regional website: www.highlandfreedom.com For suggested walks in the Highlands (see Walking Routes)-
Morning
Pack a picnic in Inverness. There are lots of marvellous picnicking possibilities on this route, so it would be a shame not to take one.
Leave Inverness by 10am to make the best of the day, taking the B852 to Dores and drive along the south side of Loch Ness – a beautiful and much quieter road than that on the northern shore. Try to stop off at the Foyers Falls (see Best-Kept Secrets) .
Enjoy the hill-country drive to Fort Augustus, and pop in for a coffee at the bustling Lock Inn, right beside the canal. Walk along the canal to view Loch Ness from the shore behind the old abbey.
Drive along the A82 on the north side of Loch Ness, (stop at Invermoriston to view the river pools and old bridge) and visit Urquhart Castle. Have your picnic lunch here.
Afternoon
Your picnic will, hopefully, have recharged your batteries sufficiently for a visit to one of the Loch Ness Monster visitor centres in Drumnadrochit – fascinating, and rather persuasive.
Refill your thermos in Drumnadrochit, then take the A831 to Cannich, and the minor road to Glen Affric.
Enjoy an hour’s walk in this renowned beauty spot, before returning to the bustle of Inverness via Kilmorack and the south shore of the Beauly Firth. A round trip of 115 miles (185 km).
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Spectacularly located beyond Britain’s highest mountain pass, this pub overlooks Skye. Local seafood is served, and there is music some evenings.
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This peninsula – with its rugged mountains, pretty villages and what is one of the most delightful roads in the country, ending in a parade of white sand – is as lyrical in nature as it is in name. Acharacle is a famed den of musicians (try the hall or Glenuig Inn), while Glenmore is home to a Natural History Centre with a “living building”. Wild deer sometimes graze on its roof. From Kilchoan you can catch a ferry to Tobermory on Mull.
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Britain’s highest mountain is 1,343m (4,406 ft) high and makes a great walk under good conditions (see Ben Nevis) . But the peak is frequently shrouded in mist, and the drive up Glen Nevis offers a more reliable reward, taking you to a lovely waterfall. Fort William lies below the mountain and is a major shopping town with plenty of attractions (see Fort William) . Its West Highland Museum has many Jacobite relics, and Treasures of the Earth exhibits glittering heaps of gems.
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A legendary haunt of walkers, this hotel offers a wide range of food but is best known for its bar – as essential to Highland trekkers as a first munro.
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Fresh seafood is served, a panoramic loch view and generous helpings. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the service efficient.
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16 April, 1746 – the last battle to take place on British soil and defeat for Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites (see Moments in History) . The slaughter by the “Bloody Butcher’s” (the Duke of Cumberland’s) Hanoverian army was quick and brutal. The battlefield is gradually being restored to its appearance at the time of the bloodshed. To walk here among the graves of the clans is still a peculiarly emotional experience. The story is well told and illustrated in the visitor centre.
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Another luxurious hotel dedicated to the highest refinements of eating and drinking. Monkfish and scallops with a courgette noodle stew sets the impeccable standard.
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Madonna chose it for her wedding and 16 earls of Sutherland requested it for their burials. An impressive 13th-century cathedral (now the parish church).
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A home befitting its wealthy landowners, the dukes of Sutherland. Towers, turrets and a palatial interior upon which no expense has been spared. Garden falconry displays too.
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Restaurant price categories
For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
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