3 Stunning Scottish Drives
There’s little doubt that Scotland is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
It’s a stunning country teeming with wild beaches, deep lochs and romantic castles — not to mention its vibrant cities and its famously hospitable population (in fact, Scotland came out on top as the world’s most welcoming country in 2017). But there’s more. One of the finest things about this country of five million hardy souls is the numerous beautiful drives you can enjoy. It’s a rare chance to breathe in some of the most epic scenery anywhere before kicking back with a wee dram (a little whisky).
Drive #1: Glasgow to Fort William
Glasgow itself is well worth a visit, but if you’re determined to get on the road, you can do much worse than starting with the drive from Scotland’s second city to Fort William. You’ll want to take the A82 — a road voted the UK’s best in 2010— as it’s the fastest and most picturesque route. On the way to the Scottish Highlands, you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of Loch Lomond (the largest inland stretch of water in the UK by surface area) and, depending on the time of year, the snowy peaks of Glencoe.
Drive #2: Glenelg to the Isle of Skye
Going from Glenelg to the Isle of Skye is one of life’s rare treats. It involves a trip on the last manually operated turntable ferry in the world as you go from Glenelg to Kylerhea, offering the opportunity to soak up the amazing views. The Kylerhea straits split Skye from the mainland. Once you’re safely on the mainland, it’s a great idea to get off the beaten track to visit the awesome Dunvegan Castle and pick up some whisky at the Talisker distillery, which has been in operation on the island since the early 19th century.
Drive #3: Edinburgh to St Andrews
Scotland’s capital is a stunning location at any time of the year, so we recommend you spend some time there. However, we also recommend taking a short drive from Edinburgh to St Andrews, home to the third oldest university in the English-speaking world and, of course, a very famous golf course. The great thing about this route is that you get to drive over the recently opened Queensferry Crossing, the longest three-tower, cable-stayed bridge in the world (even more exciting if bridges are your thing!) and the biggest infrastructure project in Scotland for a generation.
Now it’s over to you ... Do you have any scenic Scottish drives you’d like to recommend to our readers? Please let us know by email. We’d love to hear from you.