Travel advice for Scotland
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Scotland
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written by Kieran Meeke
updated 12.07.2021
With extra long days and scenery that reveals itself in a palette of soft blues, greens and browns, summer is the best time to explore the spectacular Scottish Highlands. Driving along the Highland's winding lanes will reveal unexpected views, quaint villages and of course, country pubs.
When it comes to getting there, the traditional choices are driving your own car, or taking a train or plane to Glasgow or Edinburgh before switching to a hire car. This year, there's another option for travellers – booking a car through a peer-to-peer car sharing company. With an increasing number of horror stories in the press on the hidden costs and charges of a number of hire car companies, this new alternative is well-timed.
Turo is bringing its peer-to-peer car-sharing revolution to Scotland. With more than ten million users worldwide, Turo connects local hosts to anyone who needs a vehicle for short-term use for business or pleasure, whether it’s a few days or a few weeks. With this in mind, here are five brilliant Scottish road trips that will take you through the heart of the country.
The Great British Road Trip
Get ready to explore Britain on this unique self-drive road trip. Choose the car of your liking before you hit the road: from the Cotswolds and its picturesque villages over the Beatle's favorite hang-out in Liverpool to Scotland's capital Edinburgh: this trip includes many highlights to be explored
customize ⤍Festive Feelings around Christmas in Scotland
Experience the magic of Christmas in the heart of the Scottish Highlands! Lovely Christmas Markets and winter festivals await visitors during the winter months, but this itinerary can also be turned into a summer festival hop!
customize ⤍Scotland's Wildest Natural Scenery
Want to lose yourself in Scotland's wildest natural scenery? This itinerary is a breath of fresh air and perfect to explore the most enchanting landscapes of the Highlands. It will allow you to get to know the wildest landscapes of Scotland, its fast-paced history and its amazing traditions.
customize ⤍A true 'Outlander' Adventure
Calling all Outlander lovers…you are in luck! Who would like to follow in the footsteps of the nurse Claire Beauchamp on her trip to Scotland in 1743? We have designed the perfect itinerary to experience the most charming corners that feature in the series.
customize ⤍Magical 8-Day Family Adventure in Scotland and England : From Harry Potter to Loch Ness!
Searching for an unforgettable family adventure? Scotland is the perfect destination! With a perfect balance of nature, adventure, and Scottish culture. This 8-day trip offers a delightful mix of activities that everyone in the family will enjoy. Get ready to create life long lasting memories!
customize ⤍Highland Tour: Isle of Skye, Loch Ness and Edinburgh
Discover the beautiful region of Perthshire, the famous Loch Ness and Inverness – the capital of the Highlands. Get a chance to admire Europe’s oldest mountain, stroll along sandy beaches on the Scottish West Coast, and visit the mysterious Isle of Skye.
customize ⤍Walking around vintage England and picturesque Scotland
Visit two traditional capitals, London and Edinburgh, and enjoy a trek through the Loch Lomond national park. This trip will let you discover peaceful Scottish islands by foot, with several days of detailed walking tours included in the trip.
customize ⤍Harry Potter and The Alnwick Castle
You are one step away from joining a magical adventure! If you are fans of the wonderful world of the little magician apprentice, Harry Potter then the time has come to discover the very scenes where the Harry Potter universe was filmed. Do not forget to bring your wand. We await you on platform 9¾!
customize ⤍After Arrochar, the road (by now the A83) starts to twist and turn through the Southern Highlands. Tired soldiers employed as road builders named this route Rest and Be Thankful, so take their advice and enjoy the amazing views yourself. It’s a photo-worthy stop to rival your first sight of a herd of hairy Highland cattle.
Next stop is Loch Fyne, Scotland’s longest sea loch, famous for its oysters – make sure you taste a few. Here you can go fishing or diving and look for dolphins, seals or even basking sharks.
At Inverarary, the castle is well worth a visit, while the town is a good base from which to explore the area. It’s also a good starting point for driving on to the Western Isles, following the route below, or further north into the Highlands.
Places like Callander, Balquhidder and Crianlarich all make great stops to get out into the majestic nature you’re seeing from the car windows.
Then come Rannoch Moor and Glencoe with their even bigger mountains, the “Munros” of more than 3,000ft and the dramatic glens in between. Don’t miss the Glencoe Visitor Centre to learn more about the bloody history of the Scottish clans.
All routes lead to Fort William on the Great Glen that cuts Scotland in two. After that, it’s on to Invergarry and Glen Shiel, surely one of the most beautiful glens of all, then the landmark Eilean Donan Castle.
Soon after, you reach the road bridge to Skye at Kyle of Lochalsh. You can return to the mainland via the Mallaig to Armadale ferry to make a circular route via the west coast and Glasgow.
Portree, the island’s capital, is a good base whether you have one day, a week, or longer. First stop for many is Bridal Veil Falls and the rock spires of the Old Man of Storr. Take more time to hike the hill circuit of the Quiraing, one of Scotland’s most spectacular landscapes. Skye is all about views and weather, and the Quiraing is one of the best places to capture that mood. If you do fall for the magic, you’ll want to visit the Museum of the Isles in the south of the island.
At Dunkeld, near the boundary between Highland and Lowland Scotland, visit Dunsinane Hill Fort that was once home to the real King Macbeth. Bungee-jumping and canyoning are among the more up-to-date activities on offer.
Time your visit to Pitlochry to coincide with the Highland Games and see pipe bands, caber-tossing and Highland dancing – maybe you’ll even learn a few steps.
Blair Castle at Blair Atholl is an interesting contrast to Edinburgh Castle, and its grounds, bizarrely, hold the second-tallest tree in Britain. Next, you pass Dalwhinnie, with Scotland's highest whisky distillery, before reaching Aviemore, the ski resort that is the centre of the Cairngorms. On the way you can visit Newtonmore, where the open-air Highland Folk Museum has a great collection of old buildings.
Your final destination is Inverness, Capital of the Highlands. From here, you drive further north, deep into the Highlands on the well-marked North Coast 500 route, or turn down the Great Glen to visit legendary Loch Ness.
Grantown-on-Spey, famed for its whisky distilleries, is also an outdoor centre for exploring the Cairngorms. Go skiing in winter or mountain biking in summer amid some of the most beautiful scenery in Great Britain.
Aberdeen, the “Granite City”, is a port that has boomed from North Sea oil and its international population supports a wide range of arts, restaurants and other attractions. The Maritime Museum might inspire you take the return drive to Inverness along the coast via Fraserburgh, with its Museum Of Scottish Lighthouses. Otherwise, it’s an easy hop back to Edinburgh or Glasgow.
Top Image: Scotland road trip © Turo
written by Kieran Meeke
updated 12.07.2021
Kieran has lived in 12 countries – including Yemen and Mozambique – and written about countless others, specialising in long-form features that get beneath the surface. This love of exploring the quirky and hidden in every destination saw him run the Secret London website for 15 years, but more recently has taken him on long distance walking and horse-riding adventures. Follow him on Instagram @kieran_meeke.
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