The architecture is the perfect example of the typical Scottish castle structure. We went there in the end of March, so the weather was still cold. We got some sun and then some snow, but the nature was welcoming as always.
Loch Morlich and Cairngorms National Park
The Cairngorms National Park is the largest park in the UK and is situated in the heart of the Scottish Highlands. The park has a large upland plateau, and is categorised as a “protected landscape” which allows for limited development within its borders. The park is home to reindeer, ospreys, eagles, wildcats, red squirrels, and boasts an extensive array of activities that range from hiking, skiing, and traditional villages.
The Cairngorms National Park is truly a thrilling land of adventure and discovery, and it also boasts natural wonders containing, mountains and gorges, forests and rivers, and within the park you will wonder in the delight of ancient highland communities and whisky distilleries. Even if you cannot do much in the park, just driving around gives you an amazing scenery!
We could afford to spend only the morning here, so we decided to visit only one lake after all. After a deep research and investigations (well, not really because it was the first suggestion of the lady in the reception of our hotel) we chose this lake to be Loch Morlich and it was completely worth it! We took some photos, had a little hiking around the lake and breathed in all the cool air into our lungs.
Inverness
The city of Inverness is undoubtedly one of the most wonderful places to visit in Scotland. It has all the benefits of city life, but with all the beauty and nature of the Scottish Highlands right on its doorstep. No visit to the Highlands of Scotland would be complete without a stay in Inverness, aptly named “the capital of the Highlands”. Inverness is a Gaelic word meaning "mouth of the River Ness".
One of the most important attractions is the Inverness Castle. On the same site, a number of previous versions of the castle were used since the 11th century while the current castle was built in the 19th century. Today, the buildings are used as the courthouse and are not open for touristic visits. Still, you can climb up to visit the outdoor site and have a panoramic view of the town.
The next thing you can do is to have a walk by the lake. The most impressive structure along the river is the Old High St Stephen's Church. This building is one of the oldest in town. It is quite impressive that this is where people used to worship to their god since Celtic times.
Even if Inverness is not a huge city with thousands of attractions, you can simply enjoy a pint of beer in a pub, enjoy some traditional salmon dish or just walk around the streets of this cute town.
Loch Ness
The real reason that we decided to drove all the way to the North was to visit the lake Ness and investigate about the monster, which could be possible only with a nice boat tour, obviously. We started our humble investigation from the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre and bought some souvenirs from the gift shops. It turns out, it was possible to arrange a boat tour directly from the exhibition centre, including a 5 min shuttle drive and a 1 hour length boat tour.
Along the river, you can also see Urquhart Castle, which is just on the shore. You can also visit the castle itself with 8£ entrance fee. With that being said, we were just happy to see it from the boat tour and the parking lot of the castle - also because the castle is completely torn apart, so there is nothing you cannot see.
Bonus Tip: To my experience, there are many daily tours from Inverness, Edinburgh or Glasgow, but most of them take place in the south of the lake, Fort Augustus in very big boats. Instead, our trip was made in a super small boat with not more than other 10 people so I kinda liked it more.
Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus is the south point of Loch Ness, and as I mentioned before, this is where most of the boat tours are organized. There are also some restaurants and hotels that you can appreciate the lake view as its best. Personally, I was in love with the autumn look of nature in March!
This is actually a small town, so there are some restaurants, bars or gift shops around here and there. The artificial Caledonian canal connects many lakes in the region to each other for transporting the boats between different lakes and gives a unique look to this little town.
Fort William
We stopped in Fort William for another lunch/coffee break. Another cute town which is right under Ben Nevis. We took a short walk in the main street and visited the old fort (which could also be skipped to save some time, if i should be honest).
What I can recommend you is to see the map of Scottish highlands map in front of the West Highland Way End building on the ground.
Glenfinnan Viaduct
In about half an hour drive distance, you can reach the Glenfinnan memorial center and the Glenfinnan Viaduct. We kinda skipped the memorial center part, but we used the car park and took a little hiking under the rain. This was probably one of our best memory in the whole trip, because once we reached this 'Harry Potter' bridge, we came across with the best rainbow that I have ever seen in my whole life!
Glen Coe
Glen Coe is a glen of volcanic origins in the Highlands of Scotland. The scenic beauty of the glen has led to its inclusion in the Ben Nevis and Glen Coe National Scenic Area, one of 40 such areas in Scotland. It also described the journey through the glen on the main A82 road as "one of the classic Highland journeys"
The glen is U-shaped, formed by an ice age glacier. With each of the four seasons, new waves of colour wash across the sharply steepening foothills up to the massive angular peaks that push into an ever changing sky. Summer and winter alike, there is never a dull moment – these lands have been a fitting setting for centuries of drama
