re: Highlands of Northern Scotland

Scotland is plumb gorgeous, with a ridiculous abundance of scenery. Flying into Edinburgh or Glasgow from the states is easiest, though you can sometimes get flights into Inverness on sale, with a connection in London.

Scotland rewards driving, but it is a country of VERY narrow roads and no shoulders. So if you’re a nervous driver, consider whether left side driving will freak you out and ruin your vacation, and opt for a smaller car.

I highly recommend the drive from Edinburgh to Glencoe...and a side trip up Glen Etive. It is routinely rated as one of the most scenic drives in the UK, and to me, it ranks up there with the SS163 on the Amalfi coast and Hwy 1 in California. It starts off in rolling hills, passes through farmland, crosses the incredible vastness of Rannoch Moor and ends in the mountains and Glencoe. The area around Loch Leven is studded with waterfalls and hiking for all levels. If you do go there, put the Lochleven Seafood cafe on your must do list. Seafood wholesaler/mussels farm that operates a seasonal cafe, coffee shop, and takeaway/seafood store. I had the best oysters of my life there: LINK