Beyond Edinburgh
Into the Highlands: Perthshire, Glencoe and the Cairngorms
The back story
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Caitriana Nicholson from 北京 ~ Beijing, 中国 ~ China · CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Into the Highlands: Perthshire, Glencoe and the Cairngorms
The Highlands begin within two hours of Edinburgh. Highland Perthshire has Pitlochry and its Festival Theatre, Blair Castle, the Hermitage at Dunkeld and, at Crieff, the Glenturret distillery; Scone Palace stands outside Perth. Further north is the Cairngorms National Park, the UK’s largest, in its own words; to the west, Glencoe (National Trust for Scotland). Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle are a very long day: better as a night away, or by the Caledonian Sleeper.
Getting there
ScotRail trains north to Perth, Pitlochry, Aviemore and Inverness; Ember’s electric coaches to Fort William and Inverness.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Gary Campbell-Hall from Edinburgh, UK · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsHighland Perthshire
Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Blair Castle, the Hermitage at Dunkeld, Scone Palace and the Glenturret distillery; Gleneagles, Kinloch House and Atholl Palace for a night.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Spike · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsScotRail runs north from Waverley to Perth, Pitlochry and Inverness.
Glencoe and the Cairngorms
Glencoe in the west; the Cairngorms National Park, with The Fife Arms at Braemar.
Loch Ness
Urquhart Castle on the loch shore (Historic Environment Scotland) is too far for a comfortable day trip; stay a night, with Inverlochy Castle near Fort William.
Our advice: take two days for the Highlands, not one.
Why it's on our list
- Getting there
- Highland Perthshire
- Glencoe and the Cairngorms
- Loch Ness
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Into the Highlands: Perthshire, Glencoe and the Cairngorms before you go.