Driving Through the Scottish Highlands

The Scottish Highlands are an area of natural beauty and fully deserve to be explored although it’s vast 10,000km coverage likely means a road trip won’t quite cut it if you want to see everything!

We aim to show you some of the key parts to show you where to visit in the Scottish Highlands. Whether you fly into Glasgow airport, Aberdeen airport, or anywhere else, you can be sure of a scenic drive in a beautiful country.

Arriving in The Highlands

Flying into Inverness would be the best way to start your visit to the Scottish Highlands, it is the main airport serving the area and is your gateway to a whole load of exploring. Pick up your hire car and enjoy a holiday with a difference as you visit distilleries, castles, mountains and countryside. Don’t forget your insurance though as with all that driving, you want to be fully covered against all eventualities. Speak to our team about holiday car rental excess insurance.

Inverness Castle

Leave the airport , check in to your hotel and then drive out to see a stunning waterside castle. With only the North side open to the public it is more of a photo opportunity than an historical trip but this 180-year-old castle does work wonders in creating a visual masterpiece for you and your partner, friends or family on the holiday. Despite the castle not being as old as many, the site this one stands on has had a succession of royal landmarks in place since 1057 but the ravages of weather, poor craftsmanship and conflict led to regular rebuilds and changes.

Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle

Jump back into the car and take the 30 minute drive from Inverness centre to see if you can find the famous Loch Ness Monster, a stunning picturesque drive allows you to take in rolling hills, snowy peaks and glorious open spaces. Once at the Loch, you can fully immerse yourself in the myth or legend of the famous underwater creature all the while enjoying the natural beauty that surrounds it. Before you leave for the next part of your adventure, don’t forget to check out the 1000-year-old Urquhart Castle, the ruins may be all that remains but for a small fee you can enter and climb the Grant Tower and enjoy possibly the best view you will find on your trip.

Ben Nevis

Getting back into the car for this next part of the trip once again allows you to witness the natural beauty the highlands have to offer and after 1hr or so in the car you will be at Fort William, the town closest to the base of the world-famous mountain. Whether you decide to climb it or not is purely down to you but why not just enjoy its beauty from the safety of one of the many distilleries, campsites or lower-level walks that the area has to offer. If you are considering the climb though, we must advise, pack accordingly, only attempt it if you feel safe to do so and be aware of how long it may take. On a clear, dry day, it can take about 4 hours to reach the summit.

Glencoe

With just a 30-minute drive, you can travel to the scene of Braveheart from Fort William and enjoy yet more stunning scenery but if one of the many hikes doesn’t appeal. There are plenty of other outdoor pursuits to enjoy, especially with skiing and snowboarding available at the Glencoe Mountain Resort. The beauty of Glencoe though is that you can enjoy it without getting out of your car. A drive through it providing hundreds of photo opportunities and stunning views to keep you satisfied.

Luskentyre Beach

Now we have saved this one until last for a reason. If you are planning to factor in all the above, then this journey does involve a little of going back on yourself. As you will end up exploring part of the Highlands that are quite possibly the most un-highland part you could visit. Taking on a 6 hour drive you’ll get to drive through the Isle of Skye before boarding a car ferry to take you over to the Isle of Harris where sandy beaches and vibrant blue waters replace the green and browns you may see at the Lochs. With cycling, hiking and plenty to explore, this can be a day trip or its own little holiday as you move from mainland to island exploring as you go.

However you plan your Scottish Highlands trip, make sure you are fully covered against all excess fees. Our holiday car hire excess insurance means that you won’t find yourself paying more than you need when trying to enjoy the beauty of the highlands in your car.

Speak to the team today to get a quote on any one of our plans.