my guide to the scotland highlands
everywhere I ate, saw highland cows + allllll my tips
this trip totally rocked my world. it’s long been on my bucket list to see a highland cow, so I guess you could say we traveled all this way just to see one. before I even found any accommodations, I found cow viewing points. and it was definitely a journey to see a highland cow (I foolishly thought they would just be everywhere but it was quite the opposite) and while there are tours you can book to pet and see them, I didn’t come all this way to go the easy route !!
unbiasedly this is the kind of guide I wish I had when I went because there’s just so many different routes you can go with this trip and I had no idea how many days every stop needs, how long it takes to drive between and just in general all the small details - like maybe don’t plan an entire leg of the trip around a puffin tour that has a high chance of being cancelled due to weather (!!!) or at least have a back up idea and reservations (because otherwise you’re eating fish and chips on a stoop)
but truly, this was one of my favorite trips I’ve ever been on. from the charming city of edinburgh to the rolling mountains and breathtaking setting of skye - the scenery is unlike anything I have ever seen. our mouths were literally on the floor half the time. so after spending 8 days out in the highlands, these are just my 2 cents on planning your trip and pretty much an exact route of what we did, packing recommendations, suggestions etc. I’ll also share what we didn’t have a chance to do but came highly recommended!
general things you should know:
one of my biggest call outs about this type of trip is there is a lot of driving. like a lot. not only getting between each town but even once on the islands - they’re very big and sights are quite far from one another. we often thought we could fit more into a day than we actually did simply from how far away some sights are from each other. I highly reccommend getting a SUV/4 wheel drive for these roads
Volvo UK actually lent me an XC90 Hybrid for the duration of our trip and it was the perfect car - I previously drove it on my trip with them in Sweden/Denmark, and as a nervous driver, the lane keeping aid (wheel auto adjusting to keep you within bounds) and 360 degree camera made me feel so comfortable
it also has a really expansive touchscreen that made following these insane roads so much easier as well as a display on the windshield with key info (optional) to keep your eyes on the road !! the Bowers & Wilkins sound system also makes for 100/10 road trip belting to be quite honest
on that topic, I would recommend doing this with a strong driver in your group.
these roads are no joke with an occasional dirt road that feels like you shouldn’t be on it despite maps sending you that route, windy roads, very pot holey (sometimes with sheep laying in them at night) and A LOT of single-track roads - aka two way travel on a very narrow road, with areas to pull over to let the opposing car pass.
plus obviously, you’re on the opposite side of the car and road. I didn’t drive at all but I’m certainly not a strong diver. alex mentioned “you have to be very locked in” for this kind of driving. I know there’s also Rabbies that offers van tours, but I like doing things on my own clock.
in the summer time the sun literally sets at like 10pm so you end up having a decent amount of time in the day to actually go out and do things. it’s so surreal being outside after dinner at 9pm and it still being light outside
if highland cows are a top priority for you - expect to add driving time/pivoting to your daily schedule to go searching for them
honestly, even though we probably spent way too much time just driving from potential viewpoint to viewpoint it added such an element of fun and hope (??lol) to our days, and once we finally spotted them it was the best moment of my life!!!!!!
the popular viewpoints I had saved from my research were mostly unsuccessful but I found a few of my own viewpoints that are a bit out of the way of things so if you choose to venture to those - just manage your time and expectations. you may or may not see them - but try to just enjoy the ride!!