The Scots have a well-kept secret. Their home country is more than just an extension of the British Isles as you go north from England. Instead, it’s a vast wilderness with enormous tracts to explore, better than many of the finest wilderness destinations around the world.
Here’s the thing; the majority of the Scottish population live heavily concentrated in just a handful of cities: Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen (check out this spectacular holiday home in Braemar if you’re in the area). These three cities sit to the south and east of the Scottish wilderness, leaving the rest of the country almost perfectly unspoilt. Once you hit the highlands, it’s nothing but mile after mile of rolling hills and small villages until you meet the coast.
The other nice thing about Scotland, though, is that it’s a first-world country. So if you want all your creature comforts or a private hot tub holiday, you can get it. You’re never far from amenities or help, if you want it.
You can, therefore, think of Scotland as being a little bit like a playground. Sure, it’s a wild place. But there’s always a safety net if you need it – even if that means calling out mountain rescue.
The Cairngorms
The Cairngorms are the wildest part of Scotland and represent Britain’s only high-elevation plateau. In this region, you’ll find four out of five of Scotland’s highest peaks, all of which are well in excess of 1,000 metres.
The Cairngorms is a national park – the largest in the country. But it is also a wild place. There are no large towns here – as there are in many others. Instead, if you go here, you need to be prepared for whatever the weather throws at you.
The Isle Of Skye
If you’re looking for something a little less extreme but equally spectacular, you might want to head on over to the Isle of Skye, one of Scotland’s greatest tourist attractions. This rocky outcrop in the Atlantic has everything from high mountains to beautiful beaches. Seashells dot the sand in almost every direction you look. And because the ocean surrounds it, the water is turquoise-blue – not the grey-brown of the North Sea.
Loch Ness
While Loch Ness is famous all over the world, the region is surprisingly quiet for most of the year, making it a great destination for experiencing Scotland at its most rugged. Here you’ll find the ruins of the Urquhart Castle, one of the country’s largest and a great place for history buffs. For those interested in giant sea creatures, there’s also the Loch Ness Center which has exhibits and displays about sightings of Nessie.
Orkney Islands
The Orkneys lie just beyond the northern tip of Scotland and play host to some beautiful wildlife, including puffins. There are archaeological remains of neolithic sites as well that now have UNESCO World Heritage status.
The biggest attraction in Orkney is the Old Man of Hoy. This impressive sea stack rises more than 450-feet out of the water, making it a beautiful location for photos. It’s also quite new – only forming in the last 200 years.