| Highland | |
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Coat of arms  | |
| State | UK |
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| Region | Scotland |
| Institutional website | |
Highland is a region of the Scotland forming part of the wider region of the Scottish Highlands.
To know
The major regional center is Inverness which is a good base for visiting not only the far north of Scotland but also the not distant Loch Ness, undoubtedly the most famous of the Scottish lakes thanks to the fable of a monster that would dwell in its abysses and that every now and then would peek out on the surface. Again from Inverness you can head along the A9 where it stands Aviemore at the entrance to the Cairngorms National Park.
Territories and tourist destinations
Urban centers
- Achiltibuie - it is the most picturesque of the villages on this stretch of coast; thanks to its position on a large gulf scattered with islets.
- Aviemore
- Badbea
- Brora - A locality near which there is an archaeological site of the Iron Age.
- Cromarty
- Dingwall
- Dornoch - Village at the mouth of the homonymous gulf (Dornoch Firth) grouped around a cathedral and surrounded by beaches.
- Fort Augustus - Overlooking Loch Ness.
- Fort William - Important tourist center being located not far from famous tourist spots such as Loch Ness or, as mentioned, Ben Nevis. The western islands are also easily reached from Fort William.
- Gairloch
- Golspie - Another coastal village with a castle (Dunrobin Castle) of the Dukes of Sutherland in its vicinity. From Golspie an inward branch leads to Lairg on the southern shore Loch Shin.
- Grantown-on-Spey
- Helmsdale - On the banks of the river of the same name, popular with salmon fishing, Helmsdale has a hostel.
- Inverness - is considered the most convenient base for exploring the Scottish Highlands.
- Kingussie
- Mallaig
- Tain
- Thurso - Fairly inhabited center by the standards of the far north of Scotland (~ 9,000 inhabitants), located at the eastern end of the deserted northern coast which can be easily visited from Thurso. The area has stretches of coastline beaten by strong winds that are the delight of surfers. .
- Ullapool
- Wick - At the mouth of the river of the same name, Wick was once a thriving herring fishing port and the traditional county seat of Caithness.
Other destinations
- Glencoe - Together with Mount Ben Nevis it forms a park classified as a National Scenic Area, which covers the mountain area south of Fort Williams, visited by lovers of hiking.
- Loch Ness - The most famous lake in Scotland, inhabited by an elusive monster that dwells in its abyss.
- Mount Ben Nevis - The highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of Scotland, near the town of Fort William.
How to get
On the train
It can be reached Glasgow from Italy with the cheap Ryanair da Rome-Ciampino, Pisa and Orio al Serio. Landed we will continue with the "West Highland", a railway that crosses landscapes of extraordinary beauty.
How to get around
What see
- Tip of Ardnamurchan - The westernmost point of the mainland of Great Britain.
Itineraries
- Surroundings of Thurso - From Thurso you have the opportunity to continue on the deserted northern coast through villages the size of a pinhead, Melvich, Bettyhill, Tongue is Durness. In the latter there is a SYHA hostel. From the nearby airport of Scrabster Northlink ferries set sail for Stromness, the main port of Orkney Islands. The crossing takes about an hour and a half. From Kirkwall, another port of Orkney you can reach, always with the Northlink ferries, Lerwick, the stopover of the far more distant Shetland. The sea crossings do not end here because you give them Shetland you still have the option to "jump" to the port Norwegian of Bergen or to that of Tórshavn on Faroe Islands. These crossings, however, cost money.
- North West Coast - Starting from Durness and going south, the road turns bad and passes through lonely landscapes. Possible stops along the way are Kinlochbervie is Kylesku both equipped with hotels and reachable via branches of the main road. Proceeding further south you meet Lochinver a tiny port (700 inhabitants) located in a bay but with greater tourist attraction also for the possibility it offers of walks in the woods of the hinterland. In fact, in its vicinity there is a nature reserve, the "Inverpolly Nature Reserve"dotted with small lakes.
- Orkney Islands - From Inverness it is possible to take a train that ends at Thurso in the vicinity of which is the port of call where ferries leave for the Orkney Islands or even a bus that will pass on the largely coastal A-9.
