TRAVEL AND HONEYMOON GUIDE: THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND
I could write a love letter to Scotland. It’s one of my favorite places. It’s the epic natural beauty, the quiet, the peacefulness, the lovely warm people, and all the adorable sheep.
We’ve been to Scotland several times over the last six years, but we’ve always wanted to travel to some of the islands but never quite had the time to make the journey, so we made a special trip to see some of them. This is that trip.
NORTH COAST 500
The North Coast 500 is Scotland's Route 66. Winding through the Highlands and often a single-lane road, it takes you through some of the most beautiful countryside. We only did a portion of it on our travels, but I highly recommend exploring it. We drove on the stretch between Inverness and John O’Groats.
OLD BRIDGE INN
If driving to the North Coast 500 from Edinburgh, you might want to stop off before reaching Inverness, especially if you’re heading out directly from the airport. I suggest booking a room at The Old Bridge Inn. The food is spectacular, the environment welcoming, and you’re sure to be rested the next day.
Also, you can drive by the Old Pack Horse Bridge in Carrbridge on your way to the North Coast. It was built in 1717 and is the oldest stone bridge in the Highlands. It’s unstable, so it's recommended that you view it only from afar, but jumping off the bridge into the Rive Dulnain is a pastime for young locals.
WHALIGOE STEPS
If the weather is nice, stop off at the Whaligoe Steps before you reach Wick. I won’t lie—it is a lot of steps, but it’s also worth it. At the bottom of the steps is a beautiful grassy area, perfect for a small ceremony, elopement, or a nice picnic.
GIRNIGOE CASTLE
The ruins of the Girnigoe Castle in Wick are a worthwhile stop. Atop a beautiful cliff with a stuff view, the ruins are well maintained and free to explore.
JOHN O’GROATS
Ever since I stumbled across photos of The Inn at John O’Groats – I’ve been dying to drive up to the top of Scotland to see these beautiful, colorful little buildings. The inn is stunning and very comfortable. While most of the accommodations they offer are self-catering there are a few simple rooms for anyone looking to just stay a night or two. The inn is also very kid and pet-friendly.
The food options in John O’Groats are slim, so if you are staying for longer than a night, I would suggest finding a place with a kitchen. If you’re just staying over on your way to somewhere else, be sure to arrive before 8 PM and get dinner at The Cabin at John O’Groats. It serves up the best fish and chips I’ve ever eaten. They also open at 8 AM for tasty breakfast sandwiches.
From May-September you can hop on the John O’Groats Passenger Ferry for a 40-minute crossing to the Orkneys.
THE ORKNEYS
There are a couple of car ferry options that will take you to The Orkneys. We took the Pentland Ferry out of Gill’s Bay both ways, but someone mentioned to me while we were traveling that you should take the Northlink Ferry to Scrabster from Stromness. On the ride, you will pass by the Old Man of Hoy and St. Johns Head. All crossings take around 60-90 minutes.
ITALIAN CHAPEL
Italian Chapel was built during WWII by Italian prisoners of war who asked permission to build a place to worship.
ORKNEY WINE COMPANY
Just down the road from the Italian Chapel is the Orkney Wine Company. Open every day, excluding Sunday for tastings. I personally recommend stopping by for a truly unique experience. It’s also a great place to pick up handmade goods from locals.
SCOTCH TASTINGS
There are two distilleries in The Orkneys. Scapa is one of my favorite Scotches, still made with Lomond Stills. The distillery is now open for tastings and tours, which was the main reason we made the journey to The Orkneys. Scapa has a beautiful area in the back for picnics with stunning views of the Scapa Flow. Step inside their Gramaphone to listen to the Scapa Flow without the wind.
Highland Park Distillery, dating back to 1798, is also on the island. I recommend booking your tastings ahead of time and either taking a cab, bus or walking to them. The laws around the legal limit in Scotland are very strict. If you are the DD, ask for a DD tasting kit. They will give you pours to take home to drink later.
ST MAGNUS WAY
Behind the Scapa Distillery, you can pick up a piece of St Magnus Way, a 55-mile pilgrimage route that winds its way through the Orkneys. You can take this trail back into Kirkwall from Scapa or head to The Foveran for an amazing dinner. The trail is well-marked and not hard, but it’s best to have sturdy boots.
BROUGH OF BIRSAY
Brough of Birsay is only accessible at low tide. Be sure to check the timetables, and don’t get stuck on the island; it’s uninhabited. It’s a bit of a hike to get to the lighthouse, but I promise the views, the color of the water, and the size of the cliffs are well worth the effort. (Check out some of the people on the cliffs for scale!)
BIRSAY BAY TEAROOM + HAPPY VALLEY
After we made our way back to the mainland, we stopped by the Birsay Bay Tearoom for some tea and a snack. It was packed, but a lovely older couple offered to share their table with us. We chatted about the islands, the good weather, and their favorite spots, and this is how we learned of Happy Valley.
Happy Valley is a garden paradise created by Edwin Harrold. You don’t see many trees in The Orkney, but Edwin wanted to create a wooden area on the island and transformed a bare hillside into a magical garden with waterfalls and, in season, thousands of bluebells.
RING OF BRODGAR + STANDING STONES OF STENNESS
When we went to the Ring of Brodgar, they were doing some work, so you couldn’t get up close to the stones, but that’s OK—the size of the circle and scale is what’s impressive about these standing stones. Down the road from the Ring of Brodgar, you’ll find the Standing Stones of Sernness. You’ll be able to get close to these guys, and sometimes, there are even lambs next to the stones.
Check back next month for Part II of my Scotland travel guide, which will feature some very cute Highland cows!
