After wrapping up our Wales tour, Jen and I continued our Fall 2025 U.K. journey with a six-hour first-class train ride from London to Edinburgh, where we began our second Rabbie’s tour—this time exploring the breathtaking Scottish Highlands.
If Wales felt pastoral and gentle, the Highlands felt wild, dramatic, and untamed.
Our Scottish Highlands Journey: Map & Route
From Edinburgh to the Highlands
We departed Edinburgh and made our first stop at The Kelpies, the towering 100-foot horse-head sculptures that rise dramatically from the landscape. Even knowing how large they are, it’s hard to grasp their scale until you’re up close to them.
From there, we headed into the countryside and stopped at Loch Lubnaig, where ducks floated peacefully across the still water. It was our first real taste of Highland scenery—quiet lochs framed by rolling hills.
We continued on to Dochart Falls, where water tumbled over rocks beside the charming village of Killin. Then came one of those classic roadside “pull over viewpoint” at the Loch Tulla —with its sweeping Highland vista.
And then… Glencoe. Though forever linked to the tragic betrayal of the MacDonald clan, today it stands as a breathtaking volcanic glen of towering peaks and ever-shifting Highland light. We pulled over to admire the dramatic ridgeline known as the Three Sisters of Glencoe, their slopes rising steeply into the mist.
That evening we arrived in Fort William, where we spent the night at the Victorian Myrtle Bank Guest House. Our room had a lovely view of Loch Linnhe’s peaceful waters, boats passing by, and mountains rising in the distance. A perfect end to a big day.
Glenfinnan, Skye & a Perfectly Timed Train
The next morning we left Fort William and headed to one of the most iconic sights in Scotland at the Glenfinnan Monument. And our timing to visit famous viaduct was perfect. We watched as the Jacobite steam train crossed the graceful curve of the viaduct—an unmistakable moment for Harry Potter fans and non-fans alike.
From there we continued west, pulling over at the Eilean Donan Castle lookout — one of the most photographed castles in Scotland. Perched at the meeting point of three lochs, it looks like something lifted straight from a fairytale (and it’s the cover photo for this post). We also toured the interior, though had I realized much of it is a 20th-century reconstruction, I would have been content to admire it from the outside and skipped the admission price.
We paused at Sligachan (with its dramatic Cuillin mountain backdrop) before heading to one of my favorite hikes of the trip, the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye. The gusty trail stretched towards the mountain peaks, and around each bend, crystal-clear pools tumbled into the next in a series of cascades.
“Since we last met, I have seen the world of the fairies” — a traditional opening for Gaelic stories
On the way back from our hike, we made a very important stop at Talisker Distillery for a whisky tasting. Smoky, peaty, unmistakably Skye. Whiskey somehow just fits the rugged surroundings.
That evening we settled into the seaside village of Kyleakin, perched on the east coast of the Isle of Skye, where we would spend the next two nights.
We enjoyed a tasty fish & chips dinner at The Legend of Saucy Mary.
Exploring the Isle of Skye
Our full day on Skye was packed with jaw-dropping scenery.
We stopped in Portree for lunch, wandering through the colorful harbor town. I couldn’t resist a stop at the Highland Cow Shop, where I enjoyed a delicious Highland cow–themed latte and cookie.
From there, the landscapes just kept getting more dramatic.
- Rigg Viewpoint for sweeping coastal views
- Quiraing Walk, with its surreal rock formations and windswept cliffs
- The thunderous Mealt Falls plunging 60 feet into the sea below, framed by the pleated basalt cliffs of Kilt Rock
- And the whimsical, almost storybook-like Fairy Glen
Skye feels ancient and mythical. Every turn in the road reveals another view that makes you want to pull over and just stare for a while.
Loch Ness & The Journey South
And then it was time to begin the journey back to Edinburgh.
We stopped at Loch Ness, scanning the water (just in case 😉), then visited the Fort Augustus locks, where boats moved steadily through the Caledonian Canal.
We paused to soak in the scenery at Laggan Dam, an impressive feat of engineering, the historic concrete gravity dam spans the River Span and creates the reservoir for Loch Laggan. Then we enjoyed a final whisky tasting at Dalwhinnie Distillery—a fitting farewell to the highlands.
And perhaps one of the biggest highlights of the entire trip?
We spotted Highland cows. Those shaggy coats and gentle faces absolutely lived up to expectations.
Final Thoughts on the Scottish Highlands
The Highlands feel vast in a way that’s hard to describe until you’re there. The scale of the mountains, the stillness of the lochs, the ever-changing light—it all combines into something magical.
This leg of our journey was dramatic, scenic, and wonderfully immersive. Between castles, dramatic landscapes, whiskey tastings and Highland cows, it delivered exactly what you imagine Scotland to be—only better.
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