Cottages in the Highlands

If you want your children to grow up appreciating nature, then a holiday to the Highlands is a great start! Head to the island of Skye, to Fairy Pools, and negotiate the streams and stepping-stones on the hour long walk to these enchanting waterfalls and rock pools. The area is essentially a giant natural playground, perfect for exploration and games of hide and seek.

The highlands offer a sublime landscape of craggy mountains, undulating mists and tranquil lakes. With a multitude of enchanting trails, where to start? The Black Cuillin on the Isle of Skye is mother nature at its imperious best, dramatic from every angle. If you plan to explore only one part of the Scottish Highlands, this surely has to be it!

The Highlands is famous worldwide for two fabulous things – its gorgeous mountains and its scotch. The Highland Whisky festival, held in May, is the whisky-lover’s highlight of the year, featuring exclusive tastings of iconic single malts, tours and events. Not here in May? Beeline to the Glengoyne distillery, considered the 'most beautiful distillery in Scotland'. The Maturation Room is a real delight, showcasing how scotch is aged for many years in huge wooden casks.

The Glenfinnan Viaduct is a railway bridge quite unlike any other in the world. Nowadays it is famous for the iconic scene in Harry Potter, in which the Hogwarts Express crossed the viaduct on the way to Hogwarts. Take the gorgeous serpentine roads up to Glenfinnan and hike up the path for an unobstructed vista overlooking the viaduct.

Eilean Donan Castle frequently appears in photographs, film and television, and for good reason. Situated in a majestic setting, it has recently been restored to its former glory. Take an educational audio tour around the castle and feast on the magnificent views of the surrounding area.

With their characteristic thick fur and winding horns, the Highland Cows are dotted across the rural Scottish landscape. These cows were bred back in the clan days, and they are now an inimitable part of the Highlands’ landscape. The best place to view these animals is the Duke’s Pass as it winds down to the loch.

Lovely Elgin boasts several historic attractions well worthy of your time. The cathedral is an imposing, celebrated ruin that has been sympathetically looked after. Ascend the tower up the spiral staircase and you will be rewarded with glittering vistas over this prettiest of town.

The funicular lifts you up the precipitous slopes of CairnGorm to its gorgeous peak. Feast on all-embracing views across the entire region. Worked up an appetite? Head to Ptarmigan restaurant for a memorable dining experience 1,000 metres above sea level!

No need to trapse all the way to the North Pole or wait until Christmas to spot reindeer in the wild! Simply head to the Cairngorm Mountains,= where they roam freely within a 10,000-acre chunk of land. You can meet, feed and stroke the reindeer brought in for the day at the visitor centre.

Burrowed in the heart of the Scottish Highlands between the mountains and the sea, Inverness is bursting with history. Learn about its colourful history at the Culloden Visitor Centre, with interactive displays that reveal the run up to Scotland’s most historic events. Don’t miss the mesmerizing 360-degree theatre!