Best of the Great Glen in 2 or 4 Days

Best of the Great Glen in 2 or 4 Days

The road from Fort William northwest to Mallaig, though narrow and winding, is one of the classic routes of Scottish touring and is popularly known as the Road to the Isles. Similarly, the Great Glen road (A82), from Fort William northeast to Inverness, is a vital coast-to-coast link.

If You Have 2 Days

Base yourself at Fort William so that you can take in the spectacular scenery of Glencoe and Glen Nevis and also get a glimpse of the western seaboard toward Mallaig.

If You Have 4 Days

Spend two days at one of two bases at each end of the Great Glen, say, Inverness or Nairn,at the north end, and Fort William or Ballachulish,at the south end.

On the first day travel to Nairn from Inverness, and from Nairn go eastward to take a quick glance at Findhorn and/or Forres before traveling southward via Cawdor Castle and/or Brodie Castle to Grantown-on-Spey. Then follow the Spey as far as you like via Boat of Garten, with its ospreys in spring and early summer; Aviemore and its mountain scenery; and Kingussie,where the Highland Folk Museum does a good job of explaining what life was really like before modern domestic and agricultural equipment made things easy.

The next day explore Loch Ness,traveling down the eastern bank as far as Fort Augustus and returning up the western bank via Drumnadrochit; if you have time on a long summer evening, divert northward at Drumnadrochit to discover the beautiful glens Affric and Cannich, before returning to Inverness.

On the third day travel to Fort William, taking in the Caledonian Canal. Spend a day doing the suggested loop to Mallaig and go back through Glenfinnan to Fort William, or go straight to Arisaig and take an unforgettable day cruise among the Small Isles.