North boasts top UK tourist draws

● Leading guide names 42 attractions among best UK experiences

Tourist attractions in the north of Scotland can expect greater global exposure after making a prestigious list of must-see UK experiences.

Glencoe, Up Helly Aa, Ben Nevis and the Braemar Gathering are among 42 tourist draws in the north and north-east on Lonely Planet’s top 500 unmissable experiences and hidden gems list, which is published today.

For the first time, the travel media company’s community of travel experts have selected the best sights and experiences and ranked them in order of their appeal in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate United Kingdom Travel List.

“It’s no surprise they feature prominently”

The Edinburgh Festival and Fringe topped the roll call of most “memorable, beautiful, surprising and compelling experiences” to be enjoyed in the UK.

This year’s festival has attracted nearly 1,000 acts from 63 countries and, says Lonely Planet, “nowhere beats it for spectacle or scale”.

The leading locales in the north and north-east of Scotland are Glencoe at number 17, with Skara Brae (22), the North Coast 500 (37), the Fairy Pools on Skye (41) and the Cairngorms National Park (43) also making the top 50.

Other attractions to feature in the standings ranged from taking a dram in Speyside to the changing colours of Old Aberdeen.

Glencoe has benefited in recent years from being a backdrop for several blockbusters, including the James Bond thriller Skyfall and Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban.

The nature reserve also attracts Monty Python enthusiasts because it was used as a location for Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Ben Nevis, the UK’s highest peak, is still a mecca for hillwalkers and comfortably made the top 100 at 66.

Up Helly Aa, the Viking festival of fire which takes place in Shetland each January, was at number 109, while the Braemar Gathering – attended by the royal family for well over 150 years – was 274 on the list.

Visit Scotland chief executive Malcolm Roughead said: “Scotland is home to many amazing experiences, so it’s no surprise they feature prominently in Lonely Planet’s list.

“Accolades like this highlight Scotland as a world-class destination. However, it is imperative we don’t become complacent.

“We need to continue to create must-see experiences, events and attractions that continue to inspire travellers and keep up with the ever-changing demands of visitors.

“Tourism is vital to the Scottish economy, reaching every corner of the country, creating jobs and bringing economic and social change,” he added.

The Ultimate United Kingdom Travel List was collated with input from Lonely Planet’s network of more than 100 UK travel experts.

STIRRING: Blockbusters such as Skyfall, starring Daniel Craig as James Bond, have been filmed on location in Glencoe

The royal family have attended the Braemar Gathering since Queen Victoria’s day

Up Helly Aa is already a red hot ticket with many visitors

A sunny day on the summit of Ben Nevis