Things to do in Scottish Highlands & Isle of Skye

On the shore of Loch Ness, the ruins of Urquhart Castle include the Grant Tower, with panoramic views of the loch and the Great Glen, as well as a Great Hall, a prison cell and a full-sized trebuchet. Glen Coe's volcanic, glacier-carved mountains include eight Munros, and its free visitor centre has a giant 3D map and an exhibition on the 1692 massacre of Clan MacDonald; at Glenfinnan, the monument on Loch Shiel marks where clans gathered for the 1745 Jacobite Rising, with the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct nearby. Near Inverness, Culloden Battlefield, where the final Jacobite Rising ended, tells the story from both sides in a visitor centre with a 360-degree battle immersion theatre. Eilean Donan Castle sits on a small island where three sea lochs meet, the Highland Wildlife Park is home to Scotland's only polar bears, and on the Isle of Skye a steep path climbs to the rock pinnacles of the Old Man of Storr.

Good to knowUrquhart Castle tickets often sell out, and none are sold at the castle once online sales end, while Eilean Donan Castle sells tickets only on site on the day and closes on some winter days, so check its calendar. Parking at Glenfinnan is very limited, so consider coming by bus or train. For the Old Man of Storr, allow at least two hours up and back with supportive footwear and waterproofs, as the weather changes quickly, and note that motorhomes cannot use the main car park.