The Scottish Highlands are a place of behemoth mountains, lochs and glens, sprawling moorland, golden beaches and gorgeous towns. There is a wealth of history waiting to reveal itself to those curious enough to ask - and the warmth of that Highland welcome is legendary.
Inverness
There’s plenty of running to be found in the Highland capital. Visit the Caledonian Canal, run along the River Ness or get involved in the parkrun at Torvean Park, where a gravel route was purpose -built for the event. It’s a 15-minute walk from the city centre, and there are also other scenic parkruns within half an hour of Inverness - at Nairn, Belladrum, Alness and Aviemore.
Loch Ness
Head to Drumnadrochit, on the western banks, to visit the Loch Ness Experience and deep dive into Nessie mythology. On the south side of the loch, head to the hamlet of Foyers and walk to the Falls of Foyers, a delightful waterfall. Rabbie Burns - Scotland’s famous national bard - visited the falls in 1787, and was so taken by the site that he scribbled a poem in its honour.
Glen Affric
This sensationally beautiful glen sits just west of Loch Ness. Ancient Caledonian forest line the dual lochs of Affric and Beinn a' Mheadhoin here, overlooked by some of Scotland’s fiercest mountains. To get a taste for Affric, walk to Plodda Falls, a 46-metre waterfall surrounded by Douglas firs, or take a hike from Dog Falls up to a spectacular view out over the glen. For the full experience, walk or run the 44-mile Affric-Kintail Way, a multi-day, waymarked route, and stay in Glen Affric Youth Hostel - one of Scotland’s most remote - along the way.
This glen is the focal point of the Affric Highlands rewilding project. For a restorative day out, head to Dundreggan, the world’s first rewilding centre and flagship estate of Trees for Life.
Cairngorms National Park
The Cairngorms is the UK’s largest national park and a hillwalking haven. Loch an Eilein or the Uath Lochans make for lush running loops not far from Aviemore (which is 30 mins from Inverness on the train). For a longer point-to-point, run to Grantown on the Speyside Way. Experienced trail runners are drawn to the Lairig Ghru, while Scotland’s only funicular will whisk you up to the Ptarmigan Top Station at Cairngorm Mountain, for far-reaching views.
Glencoe
A beautiful glen (valley) in the west of Scotland, overlooked by Buachaille Etive Mòr, one of the country’s most dramatic mountains. This is a place well known for its hiking and climbing (home to Glencoe Mountain Resort), but perhaps best known for its dark history. Visit the folk museum to see thatched cottages and learn about the notorious Glencoe massacre of 1692.
Fort William and the Nevis Range
Follow the Great Glen Fault line through Loch Ness and to the west coast of Scotland, and you’ll find yourself in Fort William. The town sits on the shores of Loch Linnhe and Eil, and it’s the gateway to Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK. Glen Nevis Riverside Path and the Caledonian Canal towpath are good, gentle runs here. The Cow Hill circuit is a popular trail run, while The Mamores Range poses a challenge for even experienced, technical peak-seekers. The Nevis Range has the UK’s only mountain gondola, offering easy access to high-altitude views.
Glenfinnan
Further west yet, the Glenfinnan Viaduct is crossed by the Jacobite steam train daily from April to October, on its journey between Fort William and Mallaig. Made famous by the Harry Potter films, this impressive piece of architecture looks out on Loch Shiel, flanked by fjord-like mountains. The excellent Glenfinnan Visitor Centre tells the story of the Jacobites, on the site where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised the Royal Standard in 1745, signalling the start of the Jacobite Uprising. The white sand beaches of Arisaig and the rugged Small Isles lie beyond.
Torridon and Beinn Eighe NNR
The Torridon hills, situated in the remote northwest of Scotland, are a hillwalker’s dream. Loch Torridon is a sea loch overlooked by iconic mountains like Liathach and Beinn Alligin, while further in-land there’s a nice run to be had around Lochs Coulin and Clair. Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve (NNR) is just around the corner, looking down on Loch Maree and across to Slioch, another legendary Munro, whose name translates from gaelic as “spear”. This site was Britain’s first ever NNR, formed in 1951, and their waymarked Mountain Path is exceptional.
The sprawling, sparsely-populated area of Assynt lies further north, home to Suilven and Stac Pollaidh, two famous, craggy mountains which rise dramatically above the moorland and lochs.
The Flow Country
One of Scotland’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Flow Country is a place of peat and interconnected pools - an enormous, atmospheric, boggy landscape which stretches across Caithness and Sutherland in the far north of Scotland. Walk the short Dubh-lochain trail to Forsinard Lookout Tower, or visit the Forsinain Trail, a four-mile route crossing the peat bogs.
Drive or Cycle the North Coast 500
The NC500 is the ultimate Scottish road trip - starting in Inverness and running just over 500 miles around the coastlines at the top of the country, through the Black Isle, Easter Ross, Caithness, Sutherland and Wester Ross. Expect sandy beaches, dramatic mountainscapes, tiny fishing towns, delicious local seafood and Highland hospitality. Before setting off, take the Visitor Pledge - to respect the environment, and to support local communities along the way.
