Scottish castles and the Isle of Skye

Fortress to fortress, all the way to the cliffs of Skye.

the United Kingdomfrom 8 days15 stops

Free, no account needed. You'll still be able to change dates, travellers and the rest.

Where it goes

Castillo de Edimburgo
On the volcanic rock that commands the city. The one o'clock gun is fired every day except Sundays.
Palacio de Holyroodhouse
The official residence in Scotland, at the far end of the Royal Mile. Mary, Queen of Scots lived here and her chamber is preserved.
Castillo de Craigmillar
A fourteenth-century stronghold far better preserved inside than the one in the centre, and almost queue-free. 5 km out.
Capilla de Rosslyn
The most ornate stone carving in Scotland, from the fifteenth century. 11 km out, and famous since The Da Vinci Code.
Arthur's Seat
The extinct volcano inside the city, with the view over the castles and the firth. An hour's climb from Holyrood.

Castillo de Eilean Donan
The castle on its islet with a stone bridge, on the way to Skye. It is an hour and a half from Inverness and a natural stop before you cross.
Castillo de Urquhart
In ruins above Loch Ness, and the best place to stare at the water with the monster as an excuse. 25 km along the north shore.
Castillo de Cawdor
The castle Shakespeare ties to Macbeth, with gardens and a maze. 22 km out, closed in winter.
Culloden
The field where the Jacobite rising ended in 1746, with the clan graves marked. It explains why so many of these castles were left empty.
Destilerías de Speyside
The greatest concentration of whisky distilleries in Scotland, east of Inverness. Almost all run a visit with a tasting by prior booking.

Old Man of Storr
The rock pinnacle above the sea, an hour and a half of demanding climb. The car park fills by mid-morning in summer.
Castillo de Dunvegan
Lived in by Clan MacLeod for 800 years, the oldest continuously occupied castle in Scotland. It holds the Fairy Flag.
El Quiraing
A giant landslip that left pinnacles and plateaux behind. The access road is narrow and single-track with passing places.
Fairy Pools
Pools of clear water at the foot of the Cuillin. The car park charges, and you have to ford a stream to get there.
Neist Point
The lighthouse at Skye's westernmost tip, with sheer cliffs. Half of Skye comes here at sunset.

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