Seven Days in the Scottish Highlands: Whisky, Castles, and Horizontal Rain
I picked up the rental car in Edinburgh on a Monday morning. A Ford Focus with manual transmission — about 42 GBP per day. The guy at the counter said, "You're going to the Highlands? In June?" He paused. "Bring layers." If you're exploring the region, Edinburgh is Scotland's capital and the gateway to the Highlands.
I brought layers. I needed every single one.
Day 1: Edinburgh to Glen Coe
The drive from Edinburgh to Glen Coe takes about 3 hours via the A82. The landscape shifts gradually — rolling farmland becomes moorland becomes mountains, and by the time you enter Glen Coe, you're driving through something that looks like Earth's rough draft. If you're exploring the region, London is the most common starting point for UK trips.
Glen Coe is Scotland's most dramatic valley. A U-shaped glacial glen surrounded by towering mountains, permanently clouded in mist, and haunted by the 1692 Massacre when government soldiers slaughtered members of Clan MacDonald in their sleep. The Glen Coe Visitor Centre (NTS, free entry) tells the story without sentimentality. If you're exploring the region, Reykjavik is similarly dramatic landscapes across the North Atlantic.
I pulled over four times in 10 minutes just to stare. The scale is difficult to process. Mountains rise on both sides like walls, waterfalls streak down the rock faces, and the road threads through the bottom of it all like a thread in a cathedral. If you're exploring the region, Bath is England's most rewarding historic city.
Stayed at a B&B in Glencoe village. 85 GBP for the night, breakfast included — porridge with cream and whisky (at 8AM, because Scotland).
Weather: Rain. Horizontal rain, specifically.
Day 2: Glen Coe Hiking and Glenfinnan
Morning hike in Glen Coe — the Lost Valley trail, which climbs into a hidden valley where the MacDonalds allegedly hid stolen cattle. About 4 hours round trip, steep and rocky. The cloud lifted halfway through and suddenly I could see the entire valley system. I sat on a rock and ate a sandwich and felt very small. If you're exploring the region, Bergen is Norway's fjords offer a similar dramatic beauty.
Afternoon: drove to Glenfinnan Viaduct — the 21-arch railway bridge from the Harry Potter films. The Jacobite Steam Train was crossing at 10:45AM, but I'd missed that. The 3PM crossing was my target.
Parked (3 GBP parking) and walked 10 minutes to the viewpoint. Arrived 30 minutes early, which was necessary — by crossing time, there were maybe 80 people there. The steam train appeared from behind the mountain, arced across the 21 arches with a plume of white smoke, and disappeared into the hillside. Genuinely magical, even for a grown adult who has never read Harry Potter.
The Jacobite runs from Fort William (from 40 GBP return). Book ahead.
Drove from Fort William toward Skye along the A87. Stopped at Eilean Donan Castle — Scotland's most photographed castle, sitting on a small tidal island where three lochs meet.
Entry: 11 GBP. The castle interior is restored rather than ruined, which gives it a different feel from most Scottish castles. The views from the battlements are extraordinary. The approach road (A87) gives you the classic photo angle.
Crossed the bridge to the Isle of Skye in late afternoon. The bridge replaced the ferry in 1995 and is free to cross. Stayed in Portree — Skye's main town. Found accommodation at 110 GBP/night (cheaper than expected for June, but I'd booked months ahead — Skye fills up 3-6 months in advance for summer).
Weather: Sunshine all day. The locals seemed suspicious of it.
Day 4: Isle of Skye
Full day on Skye. Started at the Old Man of Storr — a pinnacled rock formation visible from the road. The hike to the base takes about 1 hour. Free. The fog rolled in just as I reached the top, which was either atmospheric or frustrating depending on your perspective. I chose atmospheric.
Drove to the Fairy Pools near Glenbrittle — a series of crystal-clear pools and waterfalls at the foot of the Black Cuillins. Free, 1.5-hour walk. The water is painfully cold (I put my hand in — about 8°C) but the blue-green color is unlike anything I've seen in the UK.
Evening: Neist Point lighthouse on the western tip of Skye. Free access, 30-minute walk from the car park along dramatic cliff-top paths. Arrived at sunset. The lighthouse sits on a headland jutting into the Atlantic, and the light — golden, low, filtered through sea spray — was the best I saw all week.
Weather: Fog, then sun, then fog, then spectacular sunset. Classic Skye.
Day 5: Skye to Loch Ness
Drove back across the bridge and headed for Loch Ness. The A87 and A82 route is about 2 hours. Single-track roads with passing places for the first section — pull into them to let oncoming traffic pass. This is Highland etiquette, not optional.
Urquhart Castle sits on the shore of Loch Ness, dramatically ruined and dramatically positioned. Entry: 12 GBP. Open daily 9:30AM-6PM in summer. The views up and down the loch from the castle ruins are the classic Loch Ness photographs.
Took a boat cruise from Drumnadrochit (~18 GBP, 1 hour). The loch is 37 km long and 230 meters deep. The sonar screen showed some interesting blips. The guide was diplomatically noncommittal about the monster.
Stayed in Inverness — the "capital of the Highlands." Found a hotel for 90 GBP. Had fish and chips at a pub. 14 GBP for a generous portion.
Weather: Rain in the morning. Afternoon cleared up. Evening drizzle.
Day 6: Whisky Day
This was always the plan: Speyside. About 90 minutes southeast of Inverness, this region has over 50 whisky distilleries.
Morning: Glenfiddich — free basic tour, 30 minutes, includes a tasting. The distillery has been producing since 1887 and the tour covers the process clearly. The free dram at the end is a 12-year-old single malt.
Afternoon: Macallan — from 20 GBP, architecturally stunning (the new distillery building is a work of art), and the tasting includes higher-end expressions. Book well ahead — this sells out.
I also stopped at Dalwhinnie (12 GBP) on the way back — the highest distillery in Scotland at 326 meters elevation. Smaller, quieter, and the whisky has a honey sweetness from the mountain water.
Total whisky consumed by 3PM: five drams. Drove very carefully back to Inverness. Or rather, didn't drive — I'd planned for this and taken a Speyside whisky tour bus (about 60 GBP with pickups).
Weather: Sunshine. Perfect whisky weather (is there bad whisky weather?).
Day 7: Drive South
The drive from Inverness back to Edinburgh takes about 3.5 hours via the A9. I stopped at the Cairngorms National Park for a 2-hour hike through old-growth Caledonian pine forest — the kind that once covered all of Scotland.
Returned the car in Edinburgh. Mileage: 1,847 miles. Petrol cost: about 190 GBP total. Fuel stations are scarce in remote areas — I filled up whenever I saw one, regardless of tank level.
Weather: Rain. The circle was complete.
Would I Go Back?
I'm already planning it. But next time: 10 days minimum. The Highlands cover an area larger than Belgium, and trying to see Glen Coe, Skye, Loch Ness, AND Speyside in a week meant a lot of driving. I'd add the Outer Hebrides, the NC500 coastal route, and more hiking.
Also: I'd go in September for autumn colors and fewer midges. The midges — tiny biting flies — were brutal in June. Smidge spray and a head net became essential by day 3.
