Hiya! TJ here from The Gibbons House. If you're new here, welcome, if your returning, hello again!
In 2023 I travelled Scotland for just under 2 weeks. I drove in my little van with my dog Anayah from Herefordshire to The Lake district where I spent a night, over to Dundee, up through the Cairngorms National park and then I joined the N500 Coastal route, over to Skye, down through Kintail and Glencoe, to Northumberland and then to Yorkshire where I stayed with my partner for a few days before heading home.
The weather was terrible most of the time, but the views were spectacular and it was an amazing experience.
If you are planning a trip to Scotland and you are looking for some additions to your journey, look no further!
These are my favourite 5 places that I visited in Scotland:
Kintail & Glencoe
Strathy Beach
Latheronwheel harbour
Allt Chranaidh Waterfall
Corrieshalloch gorge national nature reserve
Keep reading for more information about each place and some photos!
Kintail and Glencoe.
These are two different places in Scotland, however they are close(ish) to each other, and they are both on this list for the same reason. They are both mountainous, eerily beautiful places that are breathtaking no matter which direction you look.
Kintail is a mountainous area at the head of Loch Duich in the Northwest Highlands. Kintail is the home to the 5 sisters massif, one of the most famous hikes in Scotland.
Glencoe is a glen with volcanic origins, south of Kintail but still in the Highlands and is known as the Scottish go-to for mountaineering and hiking.
The A87/A82 is the road that goes through both locations, and it is a road of many hidden surprises like gushing waterfalls on the side of the road and Eilean Donan Castle sitting proudly North of Kintail.
There are mountains, forests, low clouds and waterfalls everywhere you look.
Glencoe has a creepily beautiful atmosphere, I can't explain it, but people I have spoken to who have also visited it have reported the same feeling. I stayed at The Red Squirrel Campsite, I've been there twice now and highly recommend! A stunning site with incredible views, decent facilities and friendly staff. There is also a herd of Red Deer that are often seen and heard around the site.
It's a damp campsite, and often parts of it are flooded, but there is always somewhere to park or pitch up, just ring in advance to book your spot (I rang in the morning to check they had space before arriving that evening!)
I love both of these places, and I plan on going back as soon as I can!
2. Strathy Beach - Thurso
Rugged, rocky and enchanting, what an inspiring beach this is, easily my favourite on the N500 route, which is saying something as there are so many stunning beaches.
To get to it, you have to park in the Strathy cemetry car park where there is a toilet in the little hut, you have to walk down the sand dunes and then you're on the beach. The walk down is steep and can be slippery due to the loose sand, so watch your footing!
As I was walking down, a small flock of Goldfinches were busy chattering and flying overhead and the locals I met said they were a common sight there.
The beach is a beautifully golden bay with movie-scene style rock formations that you can walk through and explore.
It wasn't busy but it wasn't quiet either, a steady flow of walkers and tourists moving in and out, none staying for very long. Anayah and I had an explore and sheltered under the rocks from a passing shower. I felt small walking between the towering pillars, so in awe of the power that nature has. The waves were gentle when I was there and the tide was out, so it gave plenty of space for wondering on the beach.
It's the type of location that could inspire a fantasy writer with its dramatic scenery.
If your planning a trip to Scotland and you like beaches, this is a must see!
3. Latheronwheel Harbour - Caithness
This was an accidental find on my part, I was driving along the A9 to get to my next location and saw the sign for Latheronwheel Harbour and something in me said to go there, so I did.
Following your gut is a powerful thing, and I often do it whilst travelling and it hasn't let me down yet!
You drive through Latheronwheel village all the way until you get to the harbour, where there is a little car parking area, some picnic tables, a jetty, an abandoned building, an old bridge and a lovely walk up over the cliffs.
It's atmospheric, peaceful and perfect for relaxing and listening to the birds and the waves.
There was a healthy population of Hooded Crows making a racket, we don't have those where I live, so that was fascinating!
I met a couple here in their caravan who very kindly made me a cup of tea when they saw me getting my gas cooker out to make myself one, so I sat with them a while watching the waves roll in. They had stayed at the Harbour overnight and were planning on staying there again as it was such a peaceful night, and as tempted as I was to stay, it was only half way through the day and I had a bit more distance to travel to stay roughly on track to be able to make it around the N500 before the forecast storms were due to hit the North coast.
For a stunning view over the Harbour, you walk over the bridge and up the narrow path. There is a hidden Fairy Glen walk, too!
4. Allt Chranaidh Waterfall (Wailing Widow waterfall) - Assynt
Oh my goodness what a place!
It's so easy to drive right by and not know it's existence just a short walk from the A894 road. There is a small amount of parking right by it, but when I was there the lay-by was full, so I drove further up the road and parked at the view point, which added a fair amount onto the walk. It depends if you want a short walk or a longer adventure!
It was super muddy when I did the walk, and it's uneven under foot, more like a scramble than a walk in places and unsuitable for anyone who may have unstable ankles, knees or hips! Staying lower on the path was easier and less rocky, but also much muddier, so make sure you have decent footwear on. If you have a dog, make sure you have a towel in the car to dry them off when you get back, Anayah was filthy!
It's only about 10 to 15 minutes from the road lay-by. It was relatively busy for a narrow footpath, but easy enough to give other people space if needed.
Anayah and I ended up walking with a couple who parked up at the same time as us with their dog Eric, and they kindly took the photo of us at the base of the waterfall. They were also travelling Scotland, so the walk was a sociable one with us exchanging our experiences!
The waterfall is this huge, cascading feature and the sound echos throughout the rocky, cavernous scenery. There is moss growing on most of the rocks above you, ferns, heather and grasses too.
The photo below shows how tall it is with the man I walked with at the bottom for scale. He was using his drone to show us the Loch at the top!
5. Corrieshalloch gorge national nature reserve - Braemore
Lush greens, funky looking fungi, mature mosses and the raging River Droma coloured by the heather on the hills, what more could you want?
There are two car parks for the deepest gorge in Scotland, one by the visitor center and cafe and the other further along the road, both spacious but can get busy. You do have to pay for parking but this experience is well worth it!
The footpath runs along the side of the gorge and there's a bridge that allows you to get a view both directions of the river, though I was unable to cross it to explore the other side as Anayah refused to cross the metal suspension bridge that you could see through, but I'm sure the other side is just as stunning as the parts I did see!
It's a fairly good footpath all the way around and the main path to the bridge is wheelchair friendly, though the further you walk, the more adventurous the paths become, as parts get steep and some are prone to getting muddy.
But for nature nerds like me, this place has to be on your bucket list. I even saw an Eagle up on the ridge (a fair distance away, but was confirmed to be an Eagle by one of the staff members in the cafe).
The shorter routes were busy with tourists, but the further away from the car park we got the quieter it was, which allowed me to enjoy the sounds of nature and experience the wildlife that was buzzing about.
Not everyone enjoys the same locations or type of experiences whilst travelling, and that's okay! If we all liked the same things, life would be boring. These are my favourite locations I visited on my tour of Scotland, they may not be everyone's cup of tea but they certainly are mine!
If you are planning a Road Trip around Scotland, make sure you do your research before you go! Each place has their own customs and regulations, it's your responsibility to stay safe, not get into trouble and keep the area around you as pristine as when you arrived.
Go and explore, and have fun!
Are there any places in Scotland you think should be on this list? Let me know in the comments or on social media.
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