Scotland, with its enchanting Highlands, historic castles, rugged coastlines and serene lochs, is a dream destination for road trip and nature enthusiasts. This blogpost shows you all the places we visited and can recommend, a few more spots we could’ve visited, but didn’t have the time for and lots of tips to help you with your own trip. So, get inspired and feel free to create your own route from my recommendations for your road trip through Scotland.
Table of Contents
Day 1: Exploring Edinburgh
Start your journey with two days in Scotland’s capital Edinburgh. Though the city has a lot to offer, two days can be enough to see the main sights. Here are some of the most famous places you shouldn’t miss out on your first day in Edinburgh:
Castle Hill and the Royal Mile
The buzzling Royal Mile leading to Edinburgh Castle is probably the most touristy street in Edinburgh. When you walk along this street located on Castle Hill you will pass various shops, churches and cathedrals while hearing some traditional bagpipe music. There are various smaller streets and narrow alleyways close by that are worth exploring as well.
Edinburgh Castle
The castle of Edinburgh is with an £19.50 entry fee not the cheapest, but definitely worth a visit. Roam the castle grounds and walls while learning something about the Scottish history, see the oldest crown jewels and witness the firing of the 1 o’clock gun. You need to book an entry time slot online in advance to be able to enter the castle. We booked the day before, which was enough.
Princes Street Gardens
If you walk down Castle Hill towards the main shopping street Princes Street, you’ll see the beautiful Princes Street Gardens. The Gardens are perfect for a stroll, to relax and to escape the crowded streets of Edinburgh city center for a while. The park closes in the evening around sunset.
Greyfriars Kirkyard
On the other side of Castle Hill, you can find Greyfriars Kirkyard, which is rumored to be one of the most haunted graveyards in the world. In case, you’re asking yourself why a cemetery is a sight for tourists: The graveyard is full of old graves and even big tombs from the 18th and 19th century. We saw a grave from someone who passed away in 1674. Maybe you can find an even older one?
National Museum of Scotland
The National Museum of Scotland is one of the most significant museums in the country, housing a vast collection that spans Scotland’s history, culture, and natural heritage, as well as exhibits from around the world. It’s perfect to spend a rainy day and has a rooftop terrace from where you have an amazing view on Edinburgh.
Day 2: Enjoying the views in Edinburgh
It’s time for some hiking. Did you know that Edinburgh was built on the remains of ancient volcanoes? The Castle Hill is one of them, but there are two more, Calton Hill and the biggest of them – Arthur’s Seat. They all are great viewpoints to see the city and are good sunset spots as well.
Arthur’s Seat
Why not start your day with climbing the 251m high extinct volcano in the middle of Edinburgh? It takes half an hour to up to an hour to get up there, depending how fast you’re walking. The last bit is a bit steep, but totally worth the climb.
Calton Hill
Another viewpoint located directly in the city center is Calton Hill. It offers a completely different view on Edinburgh with Princes Street and Castle Hill directly in front of you. It’s not too high and relatively easy to walk up there, so don’t skip the magnificent view on the city from up there.
Royal Botanic Gardens
If you want to escape the buzzling city center and enjoy some more nature within the city, the Royal Botanic Gardens are perfect for a stroll. They are free to visit and easily reachable by bus.
Dean Village
Dean Village is a picturesque and historic area located just a short walk from Edinburgh’s bustling city center. Nestled along the Water of Leith, this part of the city is known for its charming cobblestone streets, quaint cottages, and beautifully preserved architecture that dates back to the 19th century.
Leith
Leith is a vibrant district located right at the coast. Originally a separate town, Leith has a distinct character, shaped by its long history as Edinburgh’s port. Today, it’s known for its dynamic blend of old and new, with historic buildings sitting alongside modern developments.
Day 3: Start your road trip through Scotland
Finally start your road trip through Scotland and make your way towards Loch Lomond. Along the way there are plenty of castles to visit, as well as the town of Stirling or you can do a tour at one of the whisky distilleries. We didn’t visit all the mentioned castles as there wasn’t enough time in one day and the entry fees for each one can add up quickly, so choose one or two you want to visit the most.
Midhope Castle
Midhope Castle is also known as Lallybroch in the Outlander series. It’s a really small castle close the shore of Beauly Firth. You can’t enter the castle unfortunately and it’s not free to visit the grounds either. From the small parking lot, you’ll be able to see it from afar, but if you want to see it up close, you need to buy a £7 ticket. It’s not the cheapest for what you get in the end, so it’s probably just interesting and worth to visit if you are an Outlander fan.
Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle is just a few minutes’ drive away from Midhope Castle and a filming location of the Outlander series as well. But it’s worth a visit even if you don’t know the series. For £7,50 pounds you can enter the Castle, explore all rooms and climb the castle walls.
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle is another big castle that lies atop a hill like Edinburgh Castle. The castle has played a pivotal role in Scottish history, serving as the residence of numerous Scottish kings and queens, including Mary, Queen of Scots. The entry fee for this castle is £17,50.
Doune Castle
Doune Castle is located not too far from Stirling. It has become famous as a filming location for productions such as Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Game of Thrones, and the Outlander series. You can visit the castle for £10.
Distillery Tour
You can’t leave Scotland without doing a whisky distillery tour. There are so many distilleries through thought Scotland you can choose from. We went to the Glengoyne Distillery north of Glasgow and close to Loch Lomond. You can book the tour online, we did it for the late afternoon the day before and it was perfect to end our first day of driving through Scotland.
Day 4: Spending a day at Loch Lomond
Spend the day at Loch Lomond. Do some hiking, relax by the water or do a boat tour and make your way up to the northern tip of the lake. Note that you need a permit to camp within the National Park. We didn’t know that and had to drive a little further than planned to find a good spot for the night.
Devil’s Pulpit
The Devil’s Pulpit is a small hidden gorge located north of Glasgow between the Glengoyne Distillery and Loch Lomond. It’s a short walk along the South side of the gorge until you reach the stairs leading down to the little river. The climb down is short, but steep and can be slippery, so be careful and wear the right footwear.
Conic Hill Hike
Conic Hill is a popular place for some hiking as it offers stunning views on Loch Lomond and its little islands from the top. The whole hike takes about 2-3 hours in total.
Spend time at the lake
After all that hiking it’s nice to relax a bit and spend some time at the lake. You can access the lake right by the car park at Conic Hill. But there are lots of other places you can stop on your way up north along Loch Lomond. Go for a swim if it’s warm enough or take your kayak out into the water.
Falls of Falloch
The Falls of Falloch are located at the northern end of Loch Lomond. They are just a short walk from the little car park and worth a stop when you’re on your way up towards Glencoe.
Day 5: A scenic drive through Glencoe
You are in the middle of the Scottish Highlands now. Glencoe is one of the most beautiful glens in all of Scotland, with stunning nature and scenic landscapes. We drove through Glencoe all day long, stopping wherever we felt like to enjoy the views. If you want to spend even more time here, there are lots of wonderful hiking opportunities you can choose from.
Different viewpoints along the road through Glencoe
In Glencoe, there are lots of viewpoints where you can enjoy the view over the Scottish Highlands with its several mountains and lakes. Most of them are marked on Google Maps or you just spontaneously stop wherever you feel like. My favourite stops were at the Bridge of Orchy, the Loch Tulla Viewpoint, Loch Ba Viewpoint, the landscape at Kingshouse Hotel, the Meeting of Three Waters and the Three Sisters Viewpoint.
Drive along the Skyfall Road in Glen Etive
When driving through Glencoe you shouldn’t miss out on driving along the single-track road through Glen Etive. It got famous after the release of the James Bond Skyfall movie where James Bond is driving along this road in his Aston Martin. Parking along the road is limited, but there are a few spots here and there where you can safely park and have a little break by the river or one of the little waterfalls. The road is a dead end, so keep in mind that you must drive all the way back from where you came from.
Stop by Castle Stalker
A 40-minute drive south of Fort William lies the picturesque Castle Stalker on a tiny island in the sea. There’s a viewpoint next to a café where you can park, and you can take a small walk down to the beach as well.
Day 6: Glenfinnan Viaduct and Eilean Donan Castle
Hogwarts Express at Glenfinnan Viaduct
From March until October the Jacobite Steam Train aka Hogwarts Express is passing the Glenfinnan Viaduct twice a day on its way from Fort William to Mallaig. Even without it being in Harry Potter, the impressive viaduct itself is a sight you shouldn’t miss out on. The train usually passes the viaduct at 10:45am and 3pm every day but check if this is still the case before you go. But it tends to get pretty crowded, and the car park was full an hour before the train arrived, so be extra early that day.
Hike to Steall Waterfall
Not far from Fort William and located in a hidden valley is the impressive Steall Waterfall. It’s a short half an hour hike up to the valley and the waterfall. If you want to get close to the waterfall you must cross the river by a single rope bridge, which was the most fun part of the hike. Otherwise, you don’t have another choice but to take your shoes off and wade through the shallow river.
Stop by Eilean Donan Castle on the way to Skye
Before crossing the bridge onto the Isle of Skye you’ll drive past the stunning Eilean Donan Castle located on a small island close to shore. It was already closed when we arrived in the early evening, but we only wanted to see it from the outside anyway. The well-preserved castle is one of my favourites here in Scotland.
Day 7: Hiking on the Isle of Skye
Hike up the old Man of Storr
The hike up the Old Man of Storr is by far one of the most famous on the Isle of Skye. But in case you don’t want to hike up there, you already have a good view on the Old Man from afar.
Visit Kilt Rock
Not too far from the old Man of Storr is the impressive Kilt Rock and the Mealt Falls, a waterfall that goes directly into the sea. Next to enjoying the view on the impressive cliffs, you can spot dolphins if you are lucky.
Look for dinosaur footprints at Ann Corran Beach
Ann Corran is not just a lovely beach to take a break by the sea, but you can see real dinosaur footprints between the rocks here. The footprints are 166 million years old and belong to a group of Megalosaurus’. It’s best to go around low tide as the rocks are in the water during high tide. The rocks are also covered in seaweed and sand, so you’ll probably won’t find all 17 footprints, but we saw a few of them when we were there.
Hike Quirang
My favourite hike on the Isle of Skye was at Quiraing. It’s a fun and not too difficult hike through a unique, but stunningly beautiful landscape. You can climb all the way up in the beginning, but I’d rather recommend you take the lower path around the mountain as it’s more exciting and versatile in my opinion. It’s a quite long loop to hike, but you can also turn around and go back whenever you want as the first half is most beautiful one.
Day 8: Exploring more of the Isle of Skye
Visit Neist Point Lighthouse
At the western most point of the Isle of Skye lies the beautiful Neist Point Lighthouse on the tip of a cliff. You can hike to the lighthouse or just enjoy the stunning view on the lighthouse from close to the car park. It’s a perfect sunset spot if the weather is good and we even stayed in the car park overnight as there weren’t any overnight parking restrictions.
Dunvegan Castle and Coral Beach
When coming back from the lighthouse you can stop at Dunvegan Castle or Coral Beach. We didn’t visit the castle as visiting the huge number of castles here in Scotland can get quite expensive. A little further is Coral Beach, a lovely little beach with turquoise water on a sunny say. You can’t park directly at the beach, but it’s just a short walk from the closest car park.
Fairy Pools Hike
Another well-known hike on Skye is the one along the lovely Fairy Pools. The water is crystal clear and there are lots of little waterfalls. If you feel like it, you can take a dip in the cold water of one of the pools.
Day 9: Driving further north towards Ullapool
You’ll now start drive along the North Coast 500 or just NC500, an almost 500-mile-long route along the northern part of Scotland. The route is not a hidden gem anymore, but still not as crowded as the Isle of Skye or Glencoe. But it’s full of single-track-roads, so keep in mind that it can take a little longer to get somewhere.
Applecross Road
The Applecross Road, officially known as the Bealach na Bà, is one of Scotland’s most famous and scenic mountain passes. It’s a scenic, but challenging single-track road to Applecross and not recommended for big motorhomes. You’ll have to drive back on this road when returning from Applecross, so you need some time for this one.
Torridon
Torridon is another great place for a quick stop on your way up north. The town is in a stunning bay with mountains surrounding it. We took a little break there, walked along the coastline and spotted a few deer.
Corrieshalloch Gorge
The Corrieshalloch Gorge south of Ullapool is one of the most impressive gorges in Scotland. You’ll only need a few minutes on food to reach a suspension bridge over the gorge and there’s another viewing platform on the other side. It’s a quite narrow, steep gorge with a 45m drop, so better not be afraid of heights.
Ardvreck Castle
There isn’t much left of Ardvreck Castle, but the ruins are still a beautiful sight to see. It’s located at Loch Assynt directly at the NC500 and has a little waterfall close by as well.
Day 10: A day at the Beach
Achmelvich Bay
Achmelvich Beach is one of the beautiful white sand beaches in the North of Scotland. The water is crystal clear and in a bright turquoise when the sun is shining. There are so many amazing beaches along the North Coast 500, so chose one for a relaxing day at the beach.
Oldshoremore Beach
This is another stunning beach with turquoise waters when the weather is good. It’s a small detour when driving towards the North Coast on the NC500, but totally worth it and not crowded at all.
Sandwood Beach
I would say Sandwood Beach is still a little hidden gem in the north of Scotland as it’s not reachable by car. It’s a 6,5km hike to reach the beach from the closest car park, but an easier one with barely any inclination. The good thing about the distance is that not many people are hiking it. We met a few people on the way but ended up having the stunning beach completely to ourselves for an entire hour.
Day 11: The Scottish North Coast
You’ve made it all the way to the top of the Scottish mainland now.
Durness and Smoo Cave
Durness is a nice little town with beautiful beaches and stunning viewpoints from the cliffs. Close to town is the large Smoo Cave, which was used by Vikings in the past and it’s free to visit.
Beaches along the North Coast
There are even more beaches at the north coast that are worth visiting. Most of them are close to Durness, but a few of them a bit further away and you can see them from the road.
The northern most point of the British mainland
After a scenic drive along the Scottish north coast you will reach Dunnet Head, the most northerly point of the Scottish and British mainland. It has a pretty lighthouse, you can spot seabirds on the cliffs as well as the Orkney Islands in the back.
Day 12: Driving down to Inverness
Spot Puffins at the Duncansby Stacks
Located at the northeastern tip of Scotland is Duncansby Lighthouse and the stunning Duncansby Stacks. These amazing rock formations and cliffs were one of my favourite places to visit on the NC500. And if you’re here at the right time, you can watch countless seabirds nesting on the sides of the cliffs. We even spotted a few puffins that had already arrived for nesting season in early May.
Castle Sinclair Girnigoe
A little further south are the ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe. It’s quite a spectacular location as it was built directly on the cliffs by the sea with some cliff stacks surrounding it.
Day 13: Exploring the area of Inverness
Watch dolphins at Chanonry Point
The east coast of Scotland is home to the biggest dolphins in the world that are up to four meters long. And Chanonry Point is one of the best spots in the world to watch bottlenose dolphins from shore. One or two hours before and after low tide is supposed to be the best time to be able to see them. We arrived two hours before low tide and could watch them for quite a while.
Visit Culloden Battlefield
If you want to know a bit more about the Scottish history or are an Outlander fan, visit Culloden Battlefield close to Inverness. The Battle of Culloden marked the end of the Jacobite uprisings in 1746 and was the last pitched battle fought on British soil.
Visit Loch Ness
One place we had skipped as we had seen enough lakes already, but one of the most famous in Scotland is Loch Ness. So, if you’re a fan or think you can spot the sea monster go for it. It’s supposed to be a lovely lake and not far from Inverness.
Day 14: Back to Edinburgh
Make your way back towards Edinburgh. On the way you’ll drive past Cairngorms National Park, which we couldn’t visit unfortunately due to the lack of time. The National Park offers a lot of hiking opportunities, and you can visit the beautiful Balmoral Castle. We had a short stop in the small and picturesque town of Falkland, which is the location for old Inverness in the Outlander series.
Back in Edinburgh is where your road trip through Scotland ends. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
