A week is enough to fall for Scotland. This route starts in Edinburgh and loops through the Highlands, taking in castles, mountains, lochs and islands, with no single day of driving too long. It shows the very best of the country, from the capital to the wildest landscapes.
Book accommodation early for summer, especially on Skye, where places fill months ahead. The weather can change several times a day, so pack waterproofs and warm layers even in summer. Midges, tiny biting insects, can be fierce in the Highlands on still summer evenings, so bring repellent.
1. Days 1 and 2: Edinburgh
Start your trip in Edinburgh, Scotland’s beautiful capital. On the first day, visit Edinburgh Castle, where the Honours of Scotland are displayed, then walk down the Royal Mile, exploring the narrow closes and visiting St Giles’ Cathedral. At the bottom, visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the monarch’s official residence in Scotland.
In the afternoon, climb Arthur’s Seat, the extinct volcano in Holyrood Park, for a view over the whole city. In the evening, have dinner in the Old Town and a drink in one of its historic pubs. The Grassmarket, beneath the castle, is lively at night.
On the second day, visit the National Museum of Scotland, which is free, and walk through Greyfriars Kirkyard and Victoria Street. In the afternoon, explore the Georgian New Town, Princes Street Gardens and Dean Village. Watch the sunset from Calton Hill.
On the second evening, head down to Leith, Edinburgh’s port, for dinner by the water, as Leith has some of the best restaurants in Scotland. If you have time, visit the Royal Yacht Britannia, moored there. See our Edinburgh guide.
2. Day 3: Stirling and Loch Lomond
On the third day, head north west from Edinburgh to Stirling, about an hour away. Spend the morning at Stirling Castle, one of the grandest castles in Scotland, with its restored Royal Palace and views over the battlefields. It was the favourite home of many Scottish monarchs.
After lunch in Stirling’s Old Town, visit the National Wallace Monument, a Victorian tower on a hill, and climb to the top for wonderful views. The Wallace sword is on display inside. You could also visit the Battle of Bannockburn visitor centre.
In the late afternoon, continue west to the shores of Loch Lomond, the largest loch in Britain by surface area, about forty five minutes away. Stay the night in one of the villages on its shores, such as Luss or Balloch. The loch is beautiful at sunset.
If you have time, take a boat trip on the loch, or walk up Conic Hill near Balmaha for a view over the loch and its islands. See our Stirling guide.
3. Day 4: Glencoe to Fort William
On the fourth day, drive north from Loch Lomond along the A82, one of the most beautiful roads in Scotland. The road runs along the shore of the loch, then climbs through Crianlarich and Tyndrum. It then crosses the vast, wild expanse of Rannoch Moor.
The road then descends into Glencoe, the most dramatic glen in Scotland, between towering mountains. Buachaille Etive Mòr, a pyramid shaped mountain, stands at the entrance, and the Three Sisters rise above the road. Stop at the lay-bys for photographs.
The Glencoe visitor centre tells the story of the landscape and of the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692. There are walks for all abilities, from short strolls to serious mountain climbs. The views are breathtaking in any weather.
Continue to Fort William, at the foot of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, and stay the night. If you have time, take the Jacobite steam train over the Glenfinnan Viaduct, made famous by the Harry Potter films, which runs in the summer months.
4. Day 5: The Isle of Skye
On the fifth day, drive from Fort William to the Isle of Skye, via Invergarry and Kyle of Lochalsh. On the way, stop at Eilean Donan Castle, on a tiny island where three lochs meet, one of the most photographed castles in Scotland. Then cross the Skye Bridge to the island.
Skye is one of the most dramatic places in Britain, with jagged mountains, sea cliffs and waterfalls. Drive north to Portree, the main town, with its harbour of brightly painted houses. It is a good base for exploring.
In the north of the island, walk up to the Old Man of Storr, a tall rock pinnacle above the sea, and see the Quiraing, a landscape of landslips and pinnacles. The Fairy Pools, beneath the Cuillin mountains, are a series of clear blue pools and waterfalls. Each is breathtaking.
Skye is very popular in summer, and the roads are narrow and single track in places, so allow plenty of time. Stay the night on the island, and book early. Dunvegan Castle and the Talisker distillery are also worth a visit if you have more time.
5. Day 6: Loch Ness and Inverness
On the sixth day, leave Skye and drive east along the Great Glen to Loch Ness. The road passes through wild, beautiful scenery. It takes around two and a half hours to reach Inverness directly.
Stop at Urquhart Castle, whose ruins stand on a headland on the shore of Loch Ness, with wonderful views up and down the loch. Take a boat trip on the loch, and keep an eye out for Nessie. The loch is very deep and holds more fresh water than all the lakes in England and Wales combined.
Continue to Inverness, the capital of the Highlands, and stay the night. In the evening, walk along the River Ness to the Ness Islands. The city has good restaurants and pubs.
If you have time, visit Culloden Battlefield, just outside the city, where the Jacobite army was defeated in 1746, or go dolphin spotting at Chanonry Point. See our Inverness guide.
6. Day 7: The Cairngorms and back south
On the last day, drive south from Inverness on the A9 through the Cairngorms National Park, the largest national park in the UK. Stop at Aviemore, at the heart of the park, for a walk among the ancient pine forests. You may see red squirrels.
Continue south to Pitlochry, a Victorian holiday town with a dam and a fish ladder, where you can watch salmon leap in season. It has a famous theatre and distilleries. It is a lovely place for lunch.
From Pitlochry, continue south to Edinburgh, or on to Edinburgh or Glasgow airports for your flight home. The drive from Inverness to Edinburgh takes around three and a half hours without stops. Dunkeld, with its ruined cathedral and the Hermitage woodland walk, is a lovely stop on the way.
If you are flying home from Inverness, you could spend the last day exploring the Cairngorms and return to Inverness Airport instead. Either way, it is a fitting end to a week in Scotland.
Travelling it
Much of this route is single track or winding, and the views are the point. A driver for the long legs, or a car from an airport or station to your first stop, lets everyone look out of the window. Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness airports all work as start and end points.
Each leg of the journey is quoted at a fixed price before you book, so you know the cost of the whole trip before you set off.
Ride with ZeroLanes. A car booked ahead, at a price fixed before you confirm, with the driver and the car on your journey page before pickup. Get a fixed price for the journey.