The Highlands in Scotland have to be, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places on earth. Characterised by happily grazing sheep, cascading waterfalls, and avid hikers, the Highlands are always alive with a magical cheer. There are so many things to do, from exploring the areas behind Celtic myth and legend, to visiting some of the ancient castles scattered along the countryside. Whatever your reason, you simply cannot get to the end of your days without having spent a few in the Isle of Skye.
I was lucky enough to have a week to explore the lush greens of Scotland in August, and while it was definitely not as long as I’d have liked, I managed to pack quite a lot in on my 3-day Isle of Skye tour with MacBackpackers:
DAY ONE:
Our tour departed from the Castle Rock hostel in Edinburgh where a longhaired Scotsman called Mike greeted us in his knee-length kilt. He cheerfully showed us his map (a page torn out of an old Atlas) and we were soon off on our merry way into the Scottish Highlands.
The merge from the Lowlands to the Highlands is one of the most striking contrasts in landscapes you could ever imagine. Low lying pastures give way to sky-scraping mountains that seem to disappear into the clouds, waterfalls splash down the rock face, and the roads get narrower until eventually you’re passing through mountain paths barely big enough for one car. The view is incredible and I don’t think there was one person in our minibus who didn’t gasp at their first sight of the enchanting Highlands.
Perth: Our first stop was in the small town of Perth. We hopped off the bus and headed through green fields towards the River Tay. After capturing some photos of the scenic surrounds, we headed into the sleepy town to stock up on provisions.
Loch Ness: We continued on towards one of my most memorable parts of the tour: the much-anticipated Loch Ness. This loch (dam) is the largest in Scotland by water volume (the second largest by surface area) and also the body of water responsible behind the legends of the Loch Ness Monster. Interestingly, Loch Ness is so big that it could hold the entire population of the world in its depths! MacBackpackers often holds what is known as the “Loch Ness Challenge” where people test their mettle by jumping into the freezing waters, to be rewarded with some warming whisky afterwards. Our tour was apparently the very first tour in years without one person jumping into the 6˚C water. We unfortunately didn’t have any sightings of Nessie but we bought a t-shirt in her honour.
Urquhart Castle: We waved goodbye to the giant green Loch Ness statue and passed the site of the Battle of Culloden where the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion took place. Much to my dismay, we didn’t stop, but continued full steam ahead, stopping only for a stunning photo of Urquhart Castle.
Five Sisters of Kintail: Following a heart-stopping climb up a narrow mountain pass, we found ourselves in a large car park overlooking the enchanting Five Sisters of Kintail. The time of year made the view even more spectacular with deep purple thistle sprouting from the ground to frame our photographs. Mike told us the Celtic tale of how the mountain got its name. There was once a clan chief who had 6 daughters who were so beautiful that he could find no one good enough to marry them. One day, an Irish man followed the chief in the hopes of winning him over. While trailing the chief, he noticed he was joined by a second man with the intention of assassinating the chief. As the killer raised his bow and arrow, the Irish man jumped in front of the chief and caught the arrow in his arm. Due to his bravery, the chief brought the Irishman back to his home to meet his daughters. The Irish man fell in love with one and they moved away, with the promise to return with his 5 brothers to marry the remaining daughters. Years passed and the chief, who worried that his daughters’ good looks may fade, consulted a witch to perform magic that would ensure their eternal beauty. The witch agreed; turning the daughters into the 5 mountain peaks, known as the Five Sisters of Kintail. Sadly enough, the Irishman never returned and to this day, the sisters are said to remain locked within the mountains. The waterfalls that trickle down the slopes are believed to be their tears.
Inverness: Driving through Inverness, it was soon clear why this city is regarded the Highlands capital. Despite its small size, the excellent infrastructure ensured its upgrade from town to city status in the year 2000 by her majesty the Queen. We drove past Inverness Castle with its statue of Flora MacDonald (the woman famous for smuggling the fugitive Bonnie Prince Charlie to Skye, disguised as her maid).
Eilean Donan Castle: Our next break was at a stopover on the opposite side of Loch Duich from Eilean Donan Castle. We got some great pictures and continued on our way over Skye Bridge to the Isle of Skye (exiting the island of Great Britain – geographically speaking).
Kyleakin: My first impression of the Isle of Skye was just how peaceful and quiet it was. With a population of less than 10,000 and the Scottish Gaelic language still prevalent, it becomes clear that Skye is still largely what you could call “raw” Scotland. We were staying in the village of Kyleakin; a small town with only 2 bars, and never very much going on (despite the intermittent entry of tour buses). After settling into our hostel, we headed towards King Haaken bar for dinner and a chat with our tour mates, before heading to bed in our snore-infested 8-person dorm.
DAY TWO:
Sligachan: Our first stop was at Sligachan where a bridge stands sentry over healing waters. According to Celtic myth, if you hold your face under the river’s freezing water for 7 seconds, you’ll be blessed with the gift of eternal youth. We all tried it and wow, was it cold!
Portree: A little further on, we encountered the town of Portree; the largest inhabited town in Skye. The town’s best kept secret is MacKenzie’s Bakery – the cheapest bakery you’ll ever find! Do yourself a favour and pick up some treats for ridiculously low prices, but whatever you do, don’t tell them it’s cheap – we want it to stay that way!
The Faery Glen: Near the town of Uig, we began to climb a treacherous mountain pass to one of the most enchanting places I have ever seen. Characterised by rolling green hills for miles around, dotted here and there with a stream or grazing sheep, the scenery was enough to halt anyone in their tracks. After a short climb, we encountered the Faery Glen; believed to be home to the elusive and troublesome Celtic faeries. The ground here is littered with stones positioned in every pattern imaginable. What interested me most was the rockery spiral the Highlanders believe forms the entrance to the faery world. It’s said that if you walk into the spiral towards the middle and then out again in reverse, the faeries may let you into their world. Be careful, though, as faeries hate people who whistle, swear, or stand with their hands in their pockets – and if you do, you may have to leave a bribe to appease them. We found many coins, jewellery, and other bribes left by other contrite tourists, and left some of our own behind too – just for good luck!
Quiraing Mountains: After exploring Uig, we prepped ourselves for a hike through the Quiraing Mountains. This hike was largely underrated by Mike (as it was described as a “mildish” walk). It was easy to manoeuvre but it took us over 2 hours to finally reach the glistening lake at the end, after clambering over waterfalls, rockeries, and mountainous terrain. The views were breath-taking, extending all the way towards Staffin Bay. While the views made the great trek more than worth it, the very unfit Americans we had on our tour (who took 5 hours to complete a 2 -3 hour walk) rained a little on our parade. To placate the rest of our tour, Mike dropped us at a nearby bar called the Broch & Turret to relax with a few drinks overlooking the ocean, and explore Flora MacDonald’s cottage.
Old Man of Storr: As we had lost time, we stopped briefly at the Old Man of Storr to take a photograph. The name for the rock is pretty obvious when you see the shape of it, which looks just like an old man. Mike eloquently told us the myth behind the rock, which came from the faeries who punished a man who disobeyed them, turning him literally to stone (it had to do with porridge and his wife, but I won’t bore you with the details).
Kyleakin: That night we enjoyed a spectacular sunset over Skye Bridge. We ate at Saucy Mary’s bar with some great live music, before getting an earlyish night. Tip: if you have time, climb up to the ruined Castle Moil on Skye.
DAY THREE:
Fort William: We packed our bags sadly and climbed aboard the coach for our return journey. We stopped at Spean Bridge for provisions and souvenirs, before heading towards Fort William, the largest town in the Highlands. Along the way, we passed Loch Oich, the site of the Well of the Seven Heads. We then explored Old Inverlochy Castle which was the backdrop for the first and second battles of Inverlochy. A little bridge led us to an old red freight train which, apparently, was the one used as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter films! The top of the Ben Nevis mountain range peeked at us through the bushes of thistle.
Glen Coe: We stopped for lunch along the side of the road in one of the most beautiful and tragic sites in Scotland. This is the site of the Massacre of Glencoe (1692) where the MacDonalds clan were slain in their homes by the traitorous Campbells upon order of King William of Orange. Interestingly, there is a hotel in the area that refuses to accommodate anyone with the surname Campbell to this day.
Hairy Coo: A small roadside stall marked the changeover from the Highlands to the Lowlands. This was where we had our first introduction to Hamish the Hairy Coo (Highland cattle). They were friendly enough, nudging their noses against the fence and we managed to capture some great photos.
Stirling: Our last stop on the tour was in the town of Stirling. It is here that the striking monument to William Wallace stands sentry on the hilltop. You have the option of climbing the hill to view the monument from beneath or purchasing a (rather expensive) ticket to enter it. We did the latter and due to our time restraints, regretted it. We had so little time, that by the time we reached the top, we had to race down again, barely getting enough time to explore the galleries and get our money’s worth.
We sadly found ourselves back in Edinburgh, marking the end of our 3-day whirlwind tour of the Scotland Highlands. Mike drove us through the town, pointing out Murrayfield Stadium and other local attractions before dropping us back at the Castle Rock Hostel. Definitely a weekend worth having. I’d go back in a heartbeat to explore the rest of the Highlands, and perhaps meet a faery myself one day!
Have you explored the Scotland Highlands? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
