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Feedback on Highlands Roadtrip?

Posted by on

Hi there! I'm looking for any feedback or recommendations on an outdoorsy Roadtrip through the Scottish Highlands. I'm travelling from the U.S. and looking for a scenic road trip, hiking, sightseeing tour through the Highlands.

So far I'm thinking:

  • Fly in to Inverness (stay 1 night)
  • Rent a car to Portree in Skye (stay 2 nights, explore the Isle of Skye)
  • Stay somewhere else for 1 night?
  • Drive back to Inverness (stay 1 night, then fly home)

Anything else we should fit in here other than Inverness and Skyee? I originally wanted to fit in Edinburgh (never been, always wanted to go), but now I'm thinking it won't fit into a 5/6 night trip. We both work with busy schedules, so I guess we should just focus on seeing the countryside/villages?

My husband would love to visit a great whisky distillery, so if there's a cute town with one of those in walking distance, that would be great.

Also, if a North/South straight shot Edinburgh > Aviemore?/Pitlochry? > Inverness road trip would be better, let me know! I thought Isle of Skye looked amazing, but could be missing some highlights on that route instead!

Posted by
1810 posts

If Skye is a priority, with your short stay, consider spending 3 nights on Skye. If this trip is for this summer, book your lodging ASAP. There is limited, affordable rooms on the island and they are booked far in advance.

There are 2 routes between Inverness to Skye. So head to Skye on one route and return to Inverness on the other.

There are 2 whisky distilleries on Skye.

Torabhaig Distillery

Talisker Distillery

and another reached by ferry on nearby Raasay Island
the Isle of Raasay Distillery.

Just outside Inverness you could visit Culloden and Clava Cairns.

There are a lot of beautiful places to visit in Scotland besides the Isle of Skye. But with only 5 or 6 nights your limited. What are your interests. Scottish history, castles, neolithic sights, ruins, Outlander, ...?

Posted by
1583 posts

In such a short trip I would agree to focus on one area and 2 nights in Skye only gives you one full day, so I'd agree that 3 nights would be better.

Accommodation in Portree is likely to be expensive and probably already in short supply. You might consider the village of Dunvegan which puts you in easy drive of Talisker Distillery and where you'll find The Dunvegan a very good 'fire restaurant' with well priced bedrooms. They are simply, but stylishly furnished, and there are a couple of other restaurants in the village too. This also puts you near sites such as Dunvegan Castle, the Coral Beach, Neist Point and not too far from the Fairy Pools. The Trotternish peninsula is a 45 minute drive and Portree 30 minutes.

If you must be walking distance to a distillery then maybe one night in Raasay, an island just off Skye (20 minutes or so by ferry) where you could stay in the (spendy) rooms at the distillery or at the more reasonably priced Raasay House. But in any case most/all distilleries will give you a 'drivers dram' to take away if you can't partake while at the distillery.

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