Scottish Highlands road trip: epic adventure guide

The “Highlands” refers to most of the region in Scotland’s north and west, from Fort William all along the west coast to the Isle of Skye, then around the northern coast to John o’Groats coast. From there, the Highlands cover the region towards Inverness, then east to Newtonmore, Aviemore and the Cairngorms National Park. Our Scottish Highlands road trip takes in as much as possible of the region in an easily navigated loop.

Mountains, lochs, breathtaking coastline, Britain's largest national park and highest peak… This region is a must-see. Make your road trip even more amazing by knowing the top spots in advance with our Scotland Highlands road trip guide.

Best road trip around the Scottish Highlands: 10 destinations you can’t miss

The North Coast 500 route is a popular way to explore the Highlands (check out Scotland’s NC500 road trip guide for more detail), but there’s loads more to enjoy in this beautiful region. Here’s our Scottish Highlands road trip taking in 10 must-see destinations.

Total distance: 673 miles | Recommended days: 10 to 14 days | Best time to do the route: between May and October | See route in Google Maps

1. Newtonmore

One of the beauties of a Scottish Highlands road trip is that there are so many stunning destinations to choose from as a starting point. We’ve opted to start at the historic village of Newtonmore – not only is it close to the very centre of Scotland, but it’s also the setting of the Highland Folk Museum and its exhibits on the region and its history. The Clan MacPherson Museum is here too for travellers researching their Highlands ancestors!

Newtonmore’s setting in the Cairngorms National Park and the upper reaches of the Spey Valley means it’s a haven for outdoor activities. Fishing is popular, as are walking and cycling on the many local routes, and mountain biking in the surrounding forests and hills. Climbing, whitewater rafting, canyoning and abseiling are all available too.

If you’re travelling with children, a must-do is Newtonmore’s The Wildcat Experience, where a marked trail weaving around the village offers over 130 wildcat sculptures to spot. Pick up a trail map at The Wildcat Centre, mark the wildcat locations, then call back to the centre to claim a certificate and prize.

2. Tomintoul

​​Drive east into the Cairngorms National Park to our next Scotland road trip itinerary stop, the village of Tomintoul. On the northern slopes of the Cairngorm Mountains, Tomintoul is the highest village in the Highlands and is one of eight destinations on the Speyside Whisky Trail. The Glenlivet Estate, with waymarked walks, an adventure playground and a mountain bike centre, surrounds the village; the Tomintoul Museum and Visitor Information Centre at The Square has info on the estate and area.

The journey fromNewtonmore to Tomintoul is only 44 miles but aim for a leisurely drive getting there to give plenty of time to explore. The route passes Glenmore, a beautiful glen and National Nature Reserve home to Glenmore Forest Park, Loch Morlich and the UK’s only freely grazing reindeer herd (find out more at the forest visitor centre and the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre).

Another bucket list destination along the way is the town and tourist resort of Aviemore, a popular base for Cairngorms hillwalking and winter sports. Like many other destinations in the Highlands, Aviemore has been used as a film location – here, for the 2019 James Bond film No Time to Die.

3. Lossiemouth

To the coast now and the fishing town of Lossiemouth, so scenic that it’s often referred to as “the jewel of the Moray Firth”. It’s the most northerly point of the Firth’s south coast, at the mouth of the River Lossie, and is a gorgeous spot for a day or two’s exploring.

The town has two beaches, one backed by towering sand dunes, and plenty of opportunities for sailing, surfing, sea fishing and boat rides for dolphin spotting; make sure to call into the little Fisheries Museum on Pitgaveny Street too. Lossiemouth is also known as a golfing centre – the famous Moray Golf Club has two championship 18-hole courses and has hosted many tournaments. Other options include a walk to Covesea Lighthouse & Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Heritage Centre, or a hike among the pine trees and World War 2 defences of Lossiemouth Forest to the town’s east – take one of the tracks from the car park towards the beach.

Lossiemouth was originally the port belonging to nearby Elgin, Moray’s county town, where we also recommend a stop! (Tomintoul to Lossiemouth via Elgin is 43 miles.) It’s also on the Whisky Trail, with the Glen Moray Distillery on the west of town. Other options are Elgin’s museum, old cathedral, golf club and range, jazz club, gallery and theatre.

4. Culloden

Three miles from Inverness is the small village of Culloden, and three miles from there is the scene of the last pitched battle fought on British soil, the 1745 Battle of Culloden. The site is now managed by the National Trust for Scotland, which in 2008 added a much-visited centre and immersive battlefield experience telling the story of the battle and commemorating the lives lost there. There’s also a museum, café and a shop, selling Culloden whisky plus jewellery crafted from the flowers of the battlefield.

Again, this is a short journey but with loads to see along the way! The 39-mile drive fromLossiemouth to Culloden passes Forres, one of Scotland’s oldest small towns, a former royal burgh with 16th-century Brodie Castle a few miles outside. Nearby River Findhorn is excellent salmon and trout fishing as well as whitewater kayaking. From Forres, drive to Nairn, a seaside resort with award-winning beaches and two golf courses.

5. Dunnet Head

Heading north now and onto the famous North Coast 500 route, next up is stunning Dunnet Head, the most northerly point of mainland Scotland and the island of Britain as a whole. It’s part of Dunnet Bay, a two-mile white sand beach backed by sand dunes, where dramatic waves make a fantastic surfing spot.

Dunnet Head is a haven for seabirds – spend some time on the viewing platform to look out for puffins, great skuas, fulmars, guillemots and kittiwakes, plus gannets and herring gulls over the sea. Three miles from Dunnet Head, Dunnet Bay Distillery brews award-winning gin and vodka using locally foraged botanicals.

It’s a 121-mile drive along the coast fromCulloden to Dunnet Bay, passing the seaside town of Dornoch on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, well worth a stop for its miles of golden sand beach and the Royal Dornoch championship golf course. Also stop at Dunrobin Castle, the most northerly of Scotland's great houses and the biggest in the Northern Highlands.

Or detour fromDingwall to Fortrose (total journey distance: 136 miles) to spot bottlenose dolphins from Chanonry Point, or drive fromCulloden to Dunnet Head via John o’Groats (135 miles), for a selfie at the world-famous signpost or a summer ferry trip to Burwick on South Ronaldsay in Orkney.

6. Durness

From Dunnet Head, continue along the North Coast 500 to Durness, the most northwesterly village in the British mainland. The cliffs, mountains and moorlands around here make it a top Scottish Highlands destination for hillwalking and mountain climbing – definitely more suited to the fitter traveller!

One famous Durness destination is Smoo Cave, a sea cave set into limestone cliffs. It has one of the highest entrances of any sea cave in Britain at around 50 feet and can be explored either by boat or on foot via the car park. Also take some time for nearby Balnakeil Beach, a white-sand expanse with stunning sand dunes. The bay faces west, so arrive here in the evening for spectacular sunsets.

Dunnet Head to Durness is 84 miles. Stop at Thurso along the way for shopping, restaurants and the Caithness Horizons visitor centre, or surfing and kayaking: both the European Surfing Championships and Scottish Surf Kayaking Championships have been held nearby. Another recommended stop is the coastal village of Tongue, one of several crofting townships in the northern Highlands.

7. Torridon

Torridon is a small village in a mighty setting. It’s surrounded by the Torridon Hills which are often hailed as among the most spectacular mountain scenery in the UK, and is on the shore of Loch Torridon, a 15-mile sea loch dotted with salmon and mussel farms. Hiking, climbing and hillwalking are all popular here.

The main climbing mountains in the Torridon Hills are Beinn Alligin, Liathach, Bein Eighe and Beinn Dearg, or the smaller hills on the south of the loch shore such as Ben Shieldaig, Beinn Damh and Beinn na h-Eaglaise. For less energetic activities, follow the loch from its north around the coast to the Craig bothy, or take the old track from Torridon Hotel to Badan Mhugaidh. A nature reserve is at Bein Eighe.

TheDurness to Torridon direct route is 133 miles, but that misses out on a few magnificent west coast stops! Instead, detour to the pretty fishing port of Lochinver for beaches, mountain views, guided summer walks (via Assynt Visitor Centre) and the nearby walk from Inverkirkaig to the Kirkaig Falls.

You’ll also pass Ullapool, the biggest settlement in the Highlands apart from Inverness. From this lochside town, you can take a ferry to the island of Lewis and Harris, or stay on the mainland for strolls around Loch Broom.Durness to Torridon via Lochinver and Ullapool is 156 miles, or 175 miles if you also want to includeGairloch.

8. Dunvegan Castle and Gardens

Any Highlands tour of Scotland has to include the Isle of Skye, the biggest island in the Inner Hebrides. Among its many highlights is Dunvegan Castle, a 13th-century fortress on a rock summit jutting out onto a beautiful bay. The oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland, the castle has been the ancestral home of the Chiefs of Clan MacLeod for the past 800 years and is open for public tours. Leave plenty of time for the walled, round and water gardens as well as the castle interior.

From Dunvegan Castle, travel further west to reach Neist Point Lighthouse, best viewed via the 45-minute marked trail. We also recommend Skye capital Portree, the village of Uig for the ferry port to the outer Isles of Uist and Harris, and a walk to the Old Man of Storr rock landmark, one of the island’s most iconic sights.

TheTorridon to Dunvegan Castle leg of our road trip is 94 miles including the drive over Skye Bridge. This passes Lochcarron village and Loch Carron sea loch, both perfect for spending some extra Highlands time. But one of the most famous destinations near Skye is the Applecross Peninsula and the Bealach na Bà single-track mountain pass – the journey totals 106 miles with this detour.

9. Ben Nevis

The UK’s highest mountain Ben Nevis is yet another world-famous stop on your Highlands road trip! Rising 1,345 metres above sea level at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in Lochaber, this is also the highest land in any direction for over 450 miles.

Ready to climb it? Take the Mountain Track from the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre, or head for the sheer cliffs of the north face to try rock climbing, scrambling or ice climbing. Not ready to climb it? Enjoy glorious mountain sights on a Nevis Range mountain gondola ride, or visit the Ben Nevis Distillery at the foot of the mountain.

There are heaps of driving options for this part of the trip. You could get toBen Nevis from Skye via Glenfinnan (106 miles), a must for Harry Potter fans as the Glenfinnan Viaduct features in the films as part of the journey north of the Hogwarts Express. This route also passes the scenic coastal villages of Mallaig and Morar. To see spectacular Glen Coe, detour south just before Ben Nevis.

Or, if you have extra time to explore, why not go via the port town of Oban, for a ferry trip to the Isle of Mull? The mainly inland route from theIsle of Skye to the Isle of Mull capital Tobermory is just under 200 miles including the ferry, leaving out Glenfinnan but passing the outdoor activities centre of Fort William. Or go mostly by sea – the shorter124-mile route takes the ferry from Mallaig to Armadale, then the Tobermory ferry from Kilchoan.

Another awesome detour from Skye is Loch Lomond, to the south of Ben Nevis in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park.

10. Drumnadrochit

From mountain climbing to monster spotting, now for the final part of the road trip, a 51-mile journey fromBen Nevis to Loch Ness and the village of Drumnadrochit. Set on the west shore of Loch Ness at the foot of Glen Urquhart, Drumnadrochit is a perfect base for exploring this legendary loch as well as the Highlands and the surrounding Great Glen.

Start in the Loch Ness Centre & Exhibition for more information on the famous monster, or take the kids – or yourself – to the Nessieland attraction to delve into local legends or book a Loch Ness cruise. Horse riding, cycling, fishing and sailing are also available – and don’t forget a trip to Urquhart Castle, where you can climb the Grant Tower, see the great hall and exhibits, and take in the loch and Great Glen views from the café.

From Drumnadrochit, you can then drive 16 miles north to Inverness, or round off your trip with a 61-mile drive looping back into the Cairngorms National Park and your starting point of Newtonmore.

Organising your Scottish Highlands road trip

Now you have your road trip map and destinations, time to start arranging your trip! Need to organisecampervan hire in Scotland? To find your perfect van, simply search by van type, date, price and more.

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