OS Road Map 2 Western Scotland & the Western Isles

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Whether you’re looking for an adventurous day of water sports or somewhere hidden beaches to relax and soak up the scenery, we’ve chosen 10 of the best beaches in Scotland that you can sink your toes into. And once you’ve read our guide to the best Scotland beaches, why not take a look at our range of coastal cottages in Scotland to find your perfect seaside retreat? You must have at least 3rd party insurance for your vehicle. Update August 2021 – you no longer require a green card to prove you have vehicle insurance cover when if your vehicle is registered outside the UK. It’s a beautiful place, offering a lively local pub, cute harbourside beer garden, quaint cottages, coastal strolls, and seal-spotting boat trips. This is one of the west coast’s industrial towns. It became a Royal Burgh during the 1300s and is now a bustling town with a maritime history. Explore this striking new land art that transformed a former coal mine into an incredible outdoor attraction.

Local produce and food are also a highlight of this trip, with seafood at the top of the list. You’ll also find whisky and gin distilleries and several breweries in Kintyre, making sure that local food and drink sustain all your activity! Scotland is a place made for road trips. Sweeping roads wind their way through dramatic and moody landscapes, past historic castles, gentle lochs, and wild seas. Ancient myths and rich history thread through Scotland’s fabric, making the country a wonderfully diverse and fascinating place to visit. Surrounded by untamed landscapes, the only way to reach Knoydart (other than a 2-day trek) is by a small ferry from Mallaig ( book here). This Scotland Highlands road trip itinerary could be a 10 day Scotland road trip, but 14, or even 21 days gives you plenty of timeto fully appreciate this special part of the country. Portree: The main town on Skye, Portree is a bustling port set around a natural harbour. It’s also the cultural hub of Skye, and its Aros Cultural Community Centre runs theatre, concerts and films, plus it has an exhibition about the rare sea eagles that live on the island.Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park: Scotland’s first national park is 720 square miles of stunning mountains, glens, lochs, rivers and woodlands. It’s a playground for outdoor enthusiasts who head here to hike, cycle, watch wildlife or participate in a number of adventure sports. Enjoy visiting and tastings at the whisky distilleries on the route, including Glenmorangie, famous for its single malt since 1843.You’ll find many more distilleries along the way, just one of the pleasures of touring the Scottish Highlands! Whisky Tasting: The whiskies here are award-winning and guests can pop in for a tour to give them a try. You can even take some home with you as a souvenir.

Visit the Scottish Dark Sky Observatoryat Dalmellington to use their powerful telescopes to observe the night skies – stargazing without light pollution is an incredible experience. The Bosville Hotel: I love this small boutique hotel in Portree, with beautifully decorated and cosy rooms plus gorgeous views over Portree Harbour. Highly recommend. Book here.Find your inner child at Moat Brae, the inspiration for JM Barrie’s famous character, Peter Pan. The author lived in Dumfries from 1873 to 1878 and called the gardens ‘enchanted lands’. Explore the dramatic 15th century ruins of Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, perched high on a cliff above the steely North Sea. Ayrshire’s Fish Market. The nearby restaurants usually serve the fresh catches that come from this market. Scotland, and the wider UK, contribute to developing our knowledge of ocean circulation by supporting global observing systems and by placing data within international databases. Measurements are made using ships, buoys, moorings, aircraft and satellites. One system is Argo which is a global array of approximately 3,000 free-drifting profiling floats that measure the temperature and salinity of the upper 2000 m of the ocean. This allows, for the first time, continuous monitoring of the temperature, salinity and velocity of the upper ocean, with all data being relayed and made publicly available within hours after collection.

From Loch Lomond head to head to Tarbet and Arrochar. If you have time and the weather is on your side, climb The Cobbler– remember to be prepared for bad weather and have waterproofs and proper hiking boots handy! Visit in August for the Kinloch Rannoch Highland Games, which always take place on the third Saturday of the month. Hosted by the local community, you can watch caber tossing, hill racing, and lots more traditional Highland games events, as well as listen to the bagpipes being played. The most stunning bit of this route is the stretch from Tomintoul to Blairgowrie, which makes up a large part of the Snowroads scenic route. This stunning road through the eastern Cairngorms officially starts in Grantown-on-Spey, before traversing the highest public road in Britain, to Blairgowrie. Go bird watching along the north shore of the village. It’s an estuary and a popular breeding ground for various bird species. An absolute must-do is a visit to the Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse, on the very far southwest tip of the peninsula. The views are pretty special and the drive there is dramatic, but not for the faint-hearted.

Leave Skye behind via the iconic Isle of Skye bridge. Once on the mainland, you’ll arrive in the small town of Kyle of Lochalsh. It’s worth a stop here for the incredible viewpoints of the Skye Bridge with the island behind. Knoydart Lodge: the en-suite rooms have been upgraded since we stayed, and there’s now only 3 rooms available, so book early. Spend your first day in Inverness, finding your feet and shopping for souvenirs. Highlights in the city center include Inverness Castle, the 19th century Inverness Cathedral, and the mostly 18th century Old High Church. There is also a popular indoor Victorian Market and the contemporary Inverness Museum and Art Gallery traces local and Highland history.