ultimate scotland

Delve into Scotland’s fascinating history in the footsteps of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce with a visit to its ancient capital, Stirling, or strike northwards reliving the magic of Outlander on your journey into the Highlands.

Encounter Britain’s largest national park to reach gloriously verdant Speyside, the powerhouse of Highland malt whisky and home to much lauded big hitters, Macallan and Glenfiddich.

From Firth to Firth, cross the Moray to charming Cromarty and the Black Isle before pitching up at delightful Dornoch where tales of the last witch burning in Scotland still smoulder.

An epic drive across one of Europe’s last great wildernesses and UNESCO World Heritage Site to the most remote and uninhabited corner of Britain’s mainland. Traverse this ice-scoured landscape in comfort at the wheel of your Land Rover.

Raw and elemental, Assynt with its plethora of peaks, lochs and deserted beaches never disappoints. Be it on foot, on four wheels or on water, this is an outdoor playground like no other waiting to be explored.

Trundle south to unspoilt Ullapool, its vibrant harbour on the cusp of Loch Broom from where lifeline ferries ply between the far-flung Outer Hebridean islands and the mainland and the jumping-off point for Lewis and Harris.

Take millennia sized steps back in time to explore these weirdly conjoined islands with their distinctive Gaelic culture, prehistoric standing stones, ancient churches and Caribbean-esque beaches strewn across a unique and arresting landscape.

Voyage back to the mainland to drive beside a truly superlative stretch of Scottish coastline, pivotal in World War II history. Famed for its sandy beaches, whitewashed cottages and glorious island views set against a jagged mountainous backdrop.

Take on arguably the most classic drive of the NC500 by conquering the Bealach na Ba pass, an old drovers’ road peppered with Highland cattle. Stop for the best seafood lunch at a humble blue cabin on route to the magical island of Skye.

Mystical Skye is an intriguing mix of moody mountains, fairy pools, peaty malts and fabulous fruits de mer. Admire the pretty pastel buildings of Portree, sample a wee dram at the Talisker Distillery or freshly hand-shucked oyster at the Oyster Shed.

Float back in style to the mainland by Kylerhea’s legendary turntable ferry or crest the Skye Bridge to Scotland’s most photographed castle, Eilean Donan. Glimpse the Jacobite Steam Train at Glenfinnan Viaduct to end your day in peaceful Port Appin.

Mosey down to Oban for a mooch around this Victoriana town or a tour of one of Scotland’s oldest whisky distilleries before making the short ferry hop to the Inner Hebridean Isle of Mull.

Easily accessed and ridiculously Instagrammable, this seductively attractive island is diverse, culturally rich and worthy of a day’s exploration or longer to reach Hebridean gems of hallowed Iona and Staffa and the fantastic Fingal’s Cave.

Sail back to Oban to embark on a drive into the gloriously rolling landscapes of the Trossachs, at the heart of which languishes romantic Loch Lomond, inspiration to many a poet, artist or enraptured traveller.

Relax on an exploratory boat ride in the shadow of Ben Lomond around this vast beguiling loch with its host of tiny islands and resident ospreys and sea eagles before heading back later to the city.