high POINT

Stunning scenery and good food on a Highland adventure.

THE

Highlands – location of Scotland’s most breathtaking scenery.

The moody, jagged peaks of the Three Sisters, the majestic winding road of Glen Etive.

The unspoiled beauty of the Silver Sands of Morar, the peaceful, striking waters of Loch Etive.

The Highlands leave a lasting impression on anyone that ventures through this scenic and historic section of Scotland.

Setting off from Glasgow, we drove the three-hour route up to Glenfinnan, the first stop of our Highland adventure.

We spent an hour exploring the Jacobite Monument, commemorating the spot where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard on August 19, 1745, beginning the Jacobite Rising, the eerie waters of Loch Shiel and the Glenfinnan Viaduct (film buffs will recognise this spot from the Harry Potter films). You can’t beat seeing the Jacobite Steam Train – or Hogwarts

Express as it’s otherwise known – rolling along the tracks over the viaduct. Plan ahead and check West Coast Railways (westcoastrailways.co.uk) for the timetable. Continuing north, our next stop was the Silver Sands of Morar.

It’s a beautiful stretch of sandy beaches which have featured in the films Local Hero and Highlander. We were really lucky to have the beach mostly to ourselves as it was a rainy day. However, come rain or sunshine, it’s worth taking a walk along the sand to enjoy these peaceful shores.

If you’re feeling a bit peckish en route, stop off at Cafe Rhu in Arisaig which serves a delicious range of homemade food.

The fresh air had given me an appetite and I devoured a I had a tasty cheese and pickle sandwich.

Fort William makes the perfect overnight base for exploring this part of the Highlands as it’s only a 30-minute drive from both Glenfinnan and Glen Coe. It’s in the centre of where you want to be and offers plenty of B&BS, hotels and hostels.

We stayed at the Ben Nevis Hotel (strathmorehotelsthebennevis.com) which was an ideal spot to relax after a long day exploring.

With days worth of rain to contend with, our original plan of waking up and hiking the Lost Valley in Glen Coe