Edinburgh, Glencoe, Skye and Loch Ness · United Kingdom
Scottish Highlands road trip
Edinburgh’s castle and old town, the glens of Glencoe, the cliffs and pinnacles of the Isle of Skye and the long dark water of Loch Ness. Seven days on a loop through the Highlands by car.
- 7 days
- $$ Mid-range
- Moderate
- Good with kids
- Couples
- Friends
- Families
- Road trip
- Nature
- Mountains
Day by day
The plan
Times are suggestions. Opening hours and seasons change, so check before you go. Once it’s in your trip, move anything you like.
- Day 1
Edinburgh
- 09:30
Edinburgh Castle
Activity
A fortress on an old volcanic rock, home to the Scottish crown jewels.
- 12:00
The Royal Mile
Activity
Walk downhill from the castle through the closes and courtyards of the old town.
- 13:00
Lunch: Scotch broth in the old town
Food & drink
A hearty barley and vegetable soup, good on a cool day.
- 15:00
Arthur’s Seat
Activity
A steady climb of about an hour up an extinct volcano in the middle of the city.
- 19:00
Dinner: haggis, neeps and tatties
Food & drink
Scotland’s national dish; vegetarian versions are easy to find.
- 09:30
- Day 2
North to Glencoe
- 09:00
Pick up the car and drive to Stirling
Getting around
About an hour; pick up the car on the edge of the city to avoid driving in the center.
- 10:00
Stirling Castle
Activity
A royal castle on a crag above the old battlefields of the wars of independence.
- 13:00
Lunch on the way at Loch Lubnaig
Food & drink
A long loch past Callander where you can stop by the water.
- 15:00
Across Rannoch Moor
Getting around
The road crosses a huge empty moor before dropping into Glencoe.
- 17:00
Stay in Glencoe or Ballachulish
Stay
Villages at the bottom of the glen, your base for two nights.
- 09:00
- Day 3
Glencoe and Glenfinnan
- 09:00
Three Sisters viewpoint
Activity
Three steep ridges lined up along the glen, right beside the road.
- 10:00
Lost Valley walk
Activity
A rough, rocky walk of about three hours into a hidden valley between the Sisters.
- 13:30
Lunch in Glencoe village
Food & drink
Warm up with soup and a sandwich after the walk.
- 15:30
Drive to Glenfinnan
Getting around
About an hour past Fort William and the foot of Ben Nevis.
- 16:30
Glenfinnan Viaduct and Monument
Activity
A curved railway viaduct above Loch Shiel; in summer a steam train crosses it.
- 09:00
- Day 4
To the Isle of Skye
- 09:00
Drive toward Skye
Getting around
About two and a half hours through Glen Shiel, with good places to stop along the way.
- 10:30
Eilean Donan Castle
Activity
A castle on a tiny island joined to the shore by a stone bridge, where three lochs meet.
- 13:00
Lunch: seafood in Portree
Food & drink
Mussels, scallops or langoustines from the surrounding waters.
- 14:30
Stay in Portree
Stay
Skye’s main town, with a harbor of colored houses, base for the next two nights.
- 16:30
Sligachan Old Bridge
Activity
A stone bridge with the jagged Cuillin mountains rising right behind it.
- 09:00
- Day 5
The Trotternish loop
- 08:30
Old Man of Storr
Activity
A steep path of about an hour up to a tall rock pinnacle; go early for parking and quiet.
- 11:00
Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls
Activity
Sea cliffs with pleated rock columns and a waterfall dropping straight into the sea.
- 12:00
The Quiraing
Activity
Walk a little way along the landslip ridge for views of pinnacles and green hollows.
- 13:30
Picnic lunch near Uig
Food & drink
Shops are few on this side of the island, so bring food from Portree.
- 14:30
Fairy Glen
Activity
Small grassy cone-shaped hills and a rocky outcrop that kids love to climb.
- 08:30
- Day 6
Loch Ness
- 09:00
Drive from Skye to Loch Ness
Getting around
Back over the Skye Bridge and east through the glens, about two and a half hours.
- 12:00
Urquhart Castle
Activity
Ruins on a point jutting into Loch Ness, the classic place to scan the water for Nessie.
- 13:30
Lunch in Drumnadrochit
Food & drink
A small village on the loch shore.
- 15:00
Drive to Inverness
Getting around
About half an hour along the north shore of the loch.
- 16:00
Stay in Inverness
Stay
The Highland capital; walk along the River Ness and over to the Ness Islands at dusk.
- 09:00
- Day 7
Through the Cairngorms to Edinburgh
- 09:00
Drive south on the A9
Getting around
The main road back to Edinburgh, about three and a half hours without stops.
- 10:00
Cairngorms National Park
Activity
Stretch your legs on a lakeside walk at Loch Morlich, among old Scots pine forest.
- 13:00
Lunch in Pitlochry
Food & drink
A Victorian town halfway home, with a salmon ladder on the river.
- 16:30
Return the car in Edinburgh
Getting around
Drop it at the airport or on the edge of the city.
- 09:00
Good to know
Tips
Driving in the Highlands
Traffic keeps left. Many roads on Skye are single-track with passing places: pull in on your left to let others by, and never park in them.
Book Skye early
Rooms on the Isle of Skye fill up months ahead in summer. Book there first, then plan the rest of the route around it.
Weather and midges
Expect rain and sun on the same day, even in July. From June to August tiny biting midges come out on still evenings, so bring repellent.
August in Edinburgh
The festivals fill the city in August and prices rise. Book early if your dates fall then, or add a day to enjoy the shows.
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