21-arched Glenfinnan Viaduct in West Highlands.

Pete Seaward

Central Highlands

From the sub-Arctic plateau of the Cairngorms to the hills of Highland Perthshire and the rocky peaks of Glen Coe, the central mountain ranges of the Scottish Highlands are testimony to the sculpting power of ice and weather. Here the landscape is at its grandest, with soaring hills of rock and heather bounded by wooded glens and waterfalls.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Islands walk, River Ness, Inverness

    Ness Islands

    Inverness

    The main attraction in Inverness is a leisurely stroll along the river to the Ness Islands. Planted with mature Scots pine, fir, beech and sycamore, and…

  • Highland Wildlife Park

    Highland Wildlife Park

    The Cairngorms

    This place features a drive-through safari park as well as animal enclosures offering the chance to view rarely seen native wildlife, such as wildcats,…

  • Blair Castle

    Blair Castle

    Highland Perthshire

    One of the most popular tourist attractions in Scotland, magnificent Blair Castle – and its surrounding estates – is the seat of the Duke of Atholl, head…

  • Kinloch Castle

    Kinloch Castle

    Central Highlands

    When George Bullough, a dashing, Harrow-educated cavalry officer, inherited Rum along with half his father’s fortune in 1891, he became one of the…

  • Rothiemurchus Estate

    Rothiemurchus Estate

    The Cairngorms

    The Rothiemurchus Estate, which extends from the River Spey at Aviemore to the Cairngorm summit plateau, is famous for having one of Scotland’s largest…

  • Jacobite Steam Train

    Jacobite Steam Train

    Fort William

    The Jacobite Steam Train, hauled by a former LNER K1 or LMS Class 5MT locomotive, travels the scenic two-hour run between Fort William and Mallaig…

  • Balmoral Castle, Scotland

    Balmoral Castle

    The Cairngorms

    Built for Queen Victoria in 1855 as a private residence for the Royal Family, Balmoral kicked off the revival of the Scottish Baronial style of…

  • Mar Lodge Estate

    Mar Lodge Estate

    The Cairngorms

    West of Braemar spreads the National Trust for Scotland's Mar Lodge Estate, one of the country's most important nature conservation areas, covering 7% of…

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Articles

Latest stories from Central Highlands

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Wide angle view of the east coast of the United Kingdom from the triangulation pillar on Duncansby Head beside John o'Groats in Scotland.

Travelogue

"Sometimes the best conversations occur with strangers, without words": An act of kindness in the Scottish Highlands

Apr 17, 2020 • 9 min read

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Central Highlands and beyond

Beyond Central Highlands
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