HIGH POINT
It’s so easy to fall in love with Scotland’s majestic scenery
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
was out the window. Luckily for us, however, the Steall Falls and Nevis Gorge walk was waiting on our doorstep to explore.
Heading towards Ben Nevis, we hoped for a spectacular view of the highest mountain in the UK but the mist entirely covered it. This is one of the reasons I love Scotland, you never really know what mother nature has in store.
The Steall Falls adventure begins at the car park at the end of Glen Nevis Road.
The walk itself is a twomile trek up the gorge, over (yes, walking over!) small waterfalls and rocky edges with the roaring River Nevis underneath you.
You continue until, finally, the gorge opens up and you’re in the open glen of the Steall Meadows.
If the views here aren’t impressive enough, how about a 120m waterfall thundering at the top of the glen?
Driving back down to the edge of the Highlands, we took some time to explore the haunting and most historic glen in Scotland.
We stopped off at the Three Sisters to have a quick glance of these beautiful mountain peaks – you can view them from the car park in front of the mountain which is handy if you’re pressed for time.
Next up on our Scottish Highlands adventure was Glen Etive.
The long and winding road which leads down to Loch Etive featured in the James Bond film, Skyfall.
The hills and glens dominating either side of the road are otherworldly and it is topped off by the awe-inspiring Loch Etive which awaits you at the end.
Making our way back to Glasgow, we stopped for a bite to eat at The Drovers Inn.
At 300-years-old, The Drovers in Invernanan has seen the likes of Rob Roy grace its doors.
Having skipped lunch with all the Glen Coe excitement we were pretty hungry and were grateful to tuck into a delicious mac & cheese.
I can’t wait to return on a snowy winter’s night to listen to some live music with a dram of whisky!