Enchanting Scottish Highlands: 1 Week of Relaxation and Rugged Beauty

Fort William is the Gateway to the Scottish Highlands Fort William. This can be your base to explore Scottish Highlands. The easiest way to get here is to fly to Inverness and drive for 2 hours to the Highlands. It is a magnificent British town with a busy high street with many options to eat and shops especially for mountain gear.

Best Time to Visit Scottish Highlands is between May-Sep. Apr and Oct can be cold. If you prefer a relaxed and laid-back trip, you can stay for seven days or at least four days are recommended to see sights around and soak in the beautiful landscapes.

• Glenfinnan Viaduct: The Jacobite Steam train runs during April to Oct. It crosses the 21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct, which was part of the Harry Potter film. The viaduct overlooks stunning Loch Shiel and Jacobite Monument.

• Glen Coe: Many of the James Bond movies were shot in this region. Glen Etvie is where Skyfall was shot. It is a 40 min drive from Fort William.

• Ben Nevis Adventure: If you like strenuous hiking, you can climb Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Scotland. Make sure you do this hike with a guide. Alternatively, you can take the Nevis Range Mountain Gondola for a less strenuous way to enjoy the panoramic views and some shorter walking trails.

• Isle of Skye: En route to Isle of Skye, you can pass through Silver Sands of Morar, which is a series of beautiful sandy beaches which pepper the coastline from Arisaig to Morar. The landscape is beautiful. You can take a ferry from Mallaig across to Isle of Skye, which is home to the famous whiskey Talisker, which has distillery tour(s) and tasting experience.

• Eileen Doren Castle: Situated at the intersection of three lochs on a tidal island. The castle has one of the iconic views in Scotland. The drive to the castle is breath-taking.

• Isle of Mull via Oban: For single-malt whiskey enthusiasts, a visit to Oban distillery is recommended. Strangely, this distillery is by the sea. After exploring Oban, you can take a ferry to Isle of Mull, which has some stunning walks along the coastal beauty, quaint villages and Tobermory distilleries. Although it is a little quieter than Isle of Skye.

• Cairngorm National Park: This is the UK’s largest national park. There are many activities to choose from watersports, snow sports, wildlife watching, hiking, cycling. The Highland Wildlife Park is a zoo where you can see lots of wildlife. Was lucky to see polar bears, tiger!!

Aviemore is a small town en route to Cairngorm National Park, which has an amazing zip adventure. You zipline seeing the grand Scottish range of peaks.

Local Culinary Delights

• Local favorite is haggis which is the national dish of Scotland. I tried the veggie version which was great!!

• British Pub Food is flavorful. It is a delight for those who like fish and chips generally served on Friday.