Planning your dream Scottish Highlands tour and need a little inspiration? Inspiring Travel Scotland has you covered! We want this page to grow into a huge resource on the Scottish Highlands over time, as we add more advice, blogs, guides, and anything else we think might be helpful or inspiring.
We want to help some people understand many of the wonderful things they can do in the Scottish Highlands as part of one of our Customised Scotland Tours, but we also know that not everyone who finds this information useful will book a tour with us. Even if you don’t choose to tour Scotland with us, we hope you’ll recommend this resource to anyone else you know planning a trip to Scotland.
The Highlands of Scotland is a region in the northern part of the country that is divided from the Lowlands by the Boundary Fault Line. The geographical divide is also traditionally reflected in the cultural divide between these areas. In the Scottish Highlands, Gaelic was the dominant language and culture, while the English influence took over the Lowlands earlier. Today, the Scottish Highlands still offer a powerful cultural representation of Scotland’s past and future.
When most folks think of Scotland, it’s the Highlands they’re picturing. They’re thinking of dramatic scenery, the glistening lochs and mysterious glens that fill the landscape everywhere you look. They’re also thinking of the traditional Highland Games, the clan tartans, and probably the plentiful castles set amidst stunning estates.
All of this is the Scottish Highlands…and a trip to the Highlands can really be a dream come true.
Until you’re able to join us here in Scotland, be inspired by these articles all about taking a trip to the Scottish Highlands:
Taking a Scottish Highlands tour can highlight the significant places and people of this historic region. From the castles to the distilleries, the coastal towns to the hills and lochs…touring the Scottish Highlands is as much an adventure as it is paying homage to the significant contributions of the people who have called this place home.
The Highlands is not a clearly defined area of Scotland with any specific borderline. But you can still tell when you’re approaching the region. The hills fill the horizon and the topography gets definitively more dramatic. As you head north from the main cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, you’ll quickly start noticing a difference in the landscape…and in the culture.
At Inspiring Travel Scotland, we’re particularly fond of the Highlands. We like to bring our guests to a number of fantastic hotels in the Highlands that just ooze history and charm. The centuries and layers of history fill the castles and grand accommodations all around the Highlands. The stories that those walls could tell…
We also love to share special experiences in the Highlands, from distillery tours to playing on a variety of world-renowned golf courses. In the Scottish Highlands, you can truly feel the landscape itself is a part of the people and history.
Everywhere you look, the drama of the scenery can take your breath away. If you’re lucky, you may spot a stag on the hillside or a red squirrel scurrying in the trees, or perhaps a golden eagle soaring overhead. Scottish wildlife is just as precious and spellbinding as the very terrain itself.
If you’re keen to experience this magical place for yourself, we would love to create a tailor-made tour to show you everything you want to see and everything we know you’ll love about this extraordinary place.
If you’re interested in history, you can explore the clans, castles, battles, and neolithic sites all around the Highlands. If you enjoy whisky, the Highlands boast countless distilleries to tour and explore.
Film and TV fans can visit a wide variety of locations where their favourite scenes have taken place — or the real places they were based on. You can explore some of those options in our article on Scotland’s film and TV locations.
Folks who enjoy active pursuits will fall head over heels for this landscape and its possibilities. From trekking to kayaking, cycling to skiing and more; the Scottish Highlands are an outdoor adventure paradise.
The Scottish Highlands offer something for every type of traveller.
There’s always more we could say about the stunning Scottish Highlands, so we’ll be sure to keep adding to this page. Feel free to bookmark it for future reference and reach out if you have any questions about creating a tailor-made tour of Scotland.
