Scotland Off the Beaten Track

Highland | Viewpoint | ★★

Dores is your first point of contact with Loch Ness when exploring it in a clockwise direction from Inverness. There's not much to the village itself, although we can recommend the Dores Inn, with a beautiful outlook over the water especially at sunset. And indeed, it's the views that bring visitors to Dores: it's a perfect place to stand and gaze along the loch towards Fort Augustus and the hill of Meall Fuar-mhonaidh... at least if you're there before the crowds arrive. A key highlight for fans of the Loch Ness Monster is a camper van / kiosk on the beach belonging to Steve Feltham - a full-time Nessie hunter.


📌Dores viewpoint ★★
By the B862, Dores village centre, G.R.: NH 599348 ///geese.moment.sunblock
Always open | Free

Highland | Drumnadrochit | Loch | ★★★

Loch Ness is the Scotland's largest loch by volume, extending 23 miles southwest from near Inverness, and containing more water than all of the lakes in England and Wales combined. This is one of the most popular destinations in the Highlands. Why? Mostly because of the Loch Ness Monster which (probably...) inhabits the deeps here, and reputedly contributes £41 million to the Scottish economy each year. Whether or not you catch a glimpse of Nessie doesn't matter, as a varied set of visitor attractions and beauty spots encircle the loch, often irritatingly crowded in peak season but deservedly so. The distances involved make it an ideal day's driving tour from Inverness, taking in Dores, the Falls of Foyers and Carn an t-Suidhe on the quieter east bank en route to Fort Augustus at the head of the loch. Invermoriston, Urquhart Castle and Drumnadrochit on the busy west bank complete the circuit. As for whether it's worth coming all th…

Aberdeenshire | Kennethmont | Stately home | ★★★

After half a decade of closure, Leith Hall opened to the public once again in 2013; the photos here were taken on reopening day. Originally built in the 17th century for defensive purposes, the property belonged to the Leith family for 10 generations. Like so many historic family homes, it was expanded and altered over the years to the more comfortable property you see today. The extensive grounds and gardens are as much of a draw as the house's grand interior (but a bit muddy on our visit).


Location & info

📌 Leith Hall★★★
Off the B9002 1 mi north of Kennethmont, G.R.: NJ 541298 ///dusters.producers.historic
House open Friday to Monday, July to August; weekends, April to June & September to October. Gardens: daily | £12 adult / £10 child / free for National Trust for Scotland members

Aberdeenshire | Braemar | Full day walk | ★★★★★

The formidable hulks of Beinn a' Bhuird and Ben Avon comprise some of the highest and most inhospitable ground in the country. Both are extensive and remote plateaus: the former fringed by dramatic cliffs, the latter capped with a cluster of rocky tors. Both can be tackled in a single, epic day by one of the most memorable walks in the Cairngorms. At a monstrous 37 km in distance, this is a serious undertaking, passing through terrain miles from the nearest road. On a summer day in good conditions however, long daylight hours make the circuit feasible for experienced walkers, with wonderfully varied terrain keeping interest going as the legs inevitably tire. Just one highlight of the journey is that it passes the "Hidden Bothies": possibly as many as three separate shelters blending into the hillside around the intimate upper part of Gleann an t-Slugain. They're not marked on maps (and shouldn't be confused with the…

Moray | Craigellachie | Bridge | ★★

Tucked away next to the important Speyside road hub of Craigellachie is a majestic, cast iron bridge soaring above the River Spey, with castle-like towers flanking each end. Thomas Telford built this single arch span in 1812-15, making the oldest of its type still surviving in Scotland; it's now bypassed by the main road leaving it easy to explore on foot. The views from the bridge are good, but you should also take a short path from the car park down to the river bank to see the arch in its full glory - it's also a nice spot for a picnic on a sunny day.


Location & info

📌 Craigellachie Bridge ★★
By the A941 / A95 junction, 5-min walk west of Craigellachie, G.R.: NJ 286452 ///awoke.breath.joggers
Always open | Free

Angus | Angus Glens | Half day walk | ★★★

The cone-shaped Maule Monument is a prominent landmark, crowning gentle Hill of Rowan in beautiful Glen Esk, Angus. The monument dates from 1866, built as a memorial to the local Panmure family. Beautiful purple hues created by blooming heather makes this an idyllic summer wander starting from the remote hamlet of Tarfside.


📌 Walk: Heathery Hill of Rowan ★★★
Start / finish at car park on minor road, Tarfside village centre, G.R.: NO 493797 ///comedy.ignites.plants

▶ 7 km / 4 mi | ▲ 200 m | ⌚ Half a day | ⬤ Moderate
Summits: Hill of Rowan (380 metres)
Terrain: Pleasant tracks, fainter on final ascent to summit and initial descent. Minor road return.

Route & map

Car park - leave main track at G.R. NO 475799 - Hill of Rowan - track near Stylemouth - join minor road east of Blackness - start. It may be possible to reduce road walking on the return by crossing the North Esk near Dalbrack, following the track on the south bank to Buskhead before cro…