70 Best Sights in The Northern Highlands and the Western Isles, Scotland

At the northernmost point of Lewis, 3 miles northwest of Port of Ness, stands the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse, which was first illuminated in 1862. Designed by David and Thomas Stevenson, it's one of many Scottish lighthouses built by the prominent Stevenson engineering family, whose best-known scion was novelist Robert Louis Stevenson, famed for Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The adjacent cliffs provide a good vantage point for viewing seabirds, whales, and porpoises.

An extraordinary feat of human endeavor, this single-track, 2-mile road was conceived and constructed by one man—local crofter Calum MacLeod. Following several failed petitions to the local council, requesting them to improve access to northern Raasay by transforming a narrow footpath into a usable road, MacLeod decided to take matters into his own hands. Using only a pickaxe, shovel, and wheelbarrow, he began laying the road in 1964. Ten years later it was finally complete. The road would later be officially adopted and surfaced by the council and named "Calum's Road" in MacLeod's honor. It begins just beyond the atmospheric, 16th-century ruins of Brochel Castle on the northeast coast of Raasay, and it ends at Arnish.

If you've made it this far north, you'll probably want to go all the way to Cape Wrath, a rugged headland at the northwest tip of Scotland. The white-sand beaches, impressive dunes covered in marram grass, and crashing seas of nearby Balnakeil Bay make it an exhilarating place to visit. As this land is owned by the Ministry of Defence (it is listed as an area for air force training), you can't drive your own vehicle. From May through September, a small boat ferries people here from Keoldale, 2 miles outside Durness. En route, look out for Clo Mor: at 920 feet, they're the highest sea cliffs in mainland Britain. Once you're across the sea inlet, a minibus will take you to the lighthouse. Call ahead or check departure times on the board at the jetty.

Dramatically perched on the edge of the cliff, this ruined castle—or rather, castles—is a spectacular sight. Situated 3 miles north of Wick, this site comprises the remains of the 15th-century Castle Girnigoe and the 17th-century Castle Sinclair, set among stunning scenery. Conservation work has stabilized and improved access to the old walls, which teeter inches from the cliff's edge.

Situated 10 miles east of Durness, between Rispond and Sangobeg, Ciannabeine is one of Scotland's most achingly beautiful beaches, a spectacular sweep of sand caught in the embrace of 10,000-year-old rocks. There is a car park opposite and a path down to the beach itself. You will recognize it by the white house just beyond, once the village school. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: swimming; walking.

Ullapool's cultural focal point is this lively venue nurturing folk music, drama, and other events all through the year (ceilidh is a Scottish social gathering with traditional music and dance). It started out as a small café, but, over the years, it has added space for local performers, an excellent bookshop specializing in Scottish writing, and a handful of comfortable rooms (as well as a basic bunkhouse with beds from £30) for those who want to spend the night.

For a thrilling touch of vertigo, don't miss Corrieshalloch Gorge, 12 miles south of Ullapool, just off the A835. Draining the high moors, the Falls of Measach plunge into a 200-foot-deep, thickly wooded gorge. There's a suspension-bridge viewpoint and a heady atmosphere of romantic grandeur, like an old Scottish print come to life. A short walk leads from a parking area to the viewpoint.

The road south between Corrieshalloch Gorge and Gairloch passes through wild woodlands around Dundonnell and Loch Broom, then takes in stunning coastal scenery with views of Gruinard Bay and its white beaches. Look out for the toothed ramparts of the mountain An Teallach (pronounced tyel-lack), visible on the horizon for miles. The moorland route you travel is officially called the A832 but is better (and more chillingly) known as Destitution Road; a holdover from the terrible potato famines of the 1840s.

Near Port nan Long in the very north of North Uist stands the remains of Dun an Sticir, reputed to have been the last inhabited broch on the island. This defensive tower, reached by a causeway over the loch, was built in the Iron Age but abandoned when the Vikings arrived in the 9th century. In 1602, it was reoccupied by Hugh Macdonald, a descendant of Macdonald of Sleat, but since he reached an unpleasant end (starved to death in a castle dungeon on the Isle of Skye), it has been slowly crumbling into the sea.

Discover one of the country's best-preserved Iron Age brochs (circular stone towers). These fortified residences are unique to Scotland, and Dun Carloway Broch dominates the scattered community of the same name. The mysterious tower was probably built around 2,000 years ago as protection against seaborne raiders. The nearby visitor center explains all about the broch, its history, and its setting.

Head to this lighthouse for spectacular views of cliffs and sea stacks, as well as seabirds like guillemots and (if you're lucky) puffins. It's on the coastal road east of town. There are a few parking spaces here, or you can walk (about 30 minutes) from the main road.

Most people make the trip to Dunnet Head to stand at the northernmost point of mainland Britain. But it's also worth a visit for the pretty Dunnet Head Lighthouse (built 1831), the dramatic sea cliffs, and the fine views over the water to Orkney. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds also runs a nature reserve here, due to the number of seabirds nesting in the cliffs.

Situated 12 miles north of Dornoch, flamboyant Dunrobin Castle is an ancient seat that became the home of the dukes of Sutherland, at which point it was transformed into the 19th-century white-turreted behemoth you see today. As well as its grand palatial facade and lavish interiors, the property also has falconry demonstrations and Versailles-inspired gardens. Head upstairs in the house for fine views over the garden and out to sea. The first duke, who was fascinated by trains, built his own railroad in the park and staffed it with his servants. Yet for all this frivolity, the duke has a controversial legacy: he was responsible for the Sutherland Clearances of 1810 to 1820, when people were forcibly removed from their farms to make room for sheep to graze.

In a commanding position over a sea loch, Dunvegan Castle has been the seat of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod for more than 700 years. Today, it's a popular (if overpriced) tourist attraction. Step inside and into the clan's illustrious past through plush interiors, fascinating photos, and, most notably, the Fairy Flag—a silk banner, thought to be originally from Rhodes or Syria, which is credited with protecting the clan from danger. And make time to explore the gardens, with their water features, fern house, walled garden, and various viewing points. There's a café beside the parking lot. Boat trips from the castle to the nearby seal colony run April through September. The castle lies a mile north of the A850/A863 junction between Waternish and Glendale. If you just want a (free) outside view of the castle on its spectacular headland, drive along the single track in the direction of Claigh, where after a couple of miles you can pull over for a killer view from a distance.

With a drop of 685 feet, this is the highest waterfall in the United Kingdom. A rugged hike leads to the falls, which are at the head of Loch Glencoul. Start from the parking area off the A894, on the bend of the road 4 miles south of Kylesku, just before you reach Loch na Gainmhich. Alternatively, Kylesku Boat Tours ( www.northwestseatours.co.uk) operates 75-minute small-boat cruises (£22) to the falls three times daily in the summer from Kylesku Old Pier.

Owing its dwindling fame to Ring of Bright Water, Gavin Maxwell's much-loved 1960 account of his work with semi-wild otters on the island (also a lighthearted 1969 rom-com starring Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna), Eilean Ban is a six-acre nature reserve, home to otters, seals, and seabirds. Once very scenic, it is now sadly literally overshadowed by the Skye Bridge. The Eilean Ban Trust operates twice-daily guided visits to Eilean Ban and its historic lighthouse from Kyleakin, 6 miles east of Broadford.

What was once a hidden gem is now just another stop on the ever-expanding Skye tourist trail (and that means troublingly overcrowded in high summer season). Still, if you come early or late to avoid the crowds, the Fairy Glen remains magical—an enchanting, otherworldly valley of strange green hillocks, eerily still pools, crumbling cottages, and roaming sheep. To get here, take a small road just south of Uig signed "Sheader and Balnaknock" and drive for a little over a mile---just be aware that finding a parking space may be a challenge.

Situated at the end of a side road north from Carloway, Gearrannan is an old coastal crofting village that has been brought back to life as a living museum with excellent guided tours evoking its past. You can stay in one of the restored blackhouses here if you want a unique (if no-frills) stay; it's £30 a night for a hostel bunk or £85 for a family room. There is also a small gift shop and café.

Enjoy spectacular mountain scenery in Glen Brittle, including some unforgettable views of the Cuillin Mountains. Note: these are not for the casual walker, due to steep and dangerous cliff faces. The drive from Carbost along a single-track road (follow signs off the B8009) is one of the most dramatic in Scotland and draws outdoorsy types from across the globe. At the southern end of the glen, around 4 miles beyond the Fairy Pools, is one of Britain's most scenic campsites, overlooking a beautiful, dog-friendly beach and flanked by gentle foothills that were made for strolling.

The remarkable Grey Cairns of Camster, two Neolithic chambers made of rough stones, were built more than 5,000 years ago and are among the best preserved in Britain. Camster Round Cairn is 20 yards in diameter and 13 yards high, while Camster Long Cairn stretches an extraordinary 77 yards. Some 19th-century excavations revealed skeletons, pottery, and flint tools in the round cairn's internal chamber. They are in an isolated location, around 8 miles southwest of Wick and without a visitor center in sight, so if you feel adventurous and don't mind dirty knees, you can crawl into the chambers (the metal grills over the entrances mean they appear locked, but they aren't). To get here, you'll need to drive 5 miles along the unnamed road from Occumster to Watten; when you're just beyond Lybster on the A99, look out for the brown signposts pointing the way.

Learn more about life in the Western Isles and trace your Hebridean ancestry at this informative visitor center. Photographs and interpretive signs reveal the long and turbulent history of Harris and its residents, with the owners organizing guided walks and cultural evenings every week between May and September.

This small museum has a number of interesting artifacts related to the Uists and their people. The small details, like how locals filled their mattresses or the names for the tools they used in their houses, are what make this place interesting. There is also a craft shop and an excellent café renowned for its filled baked potatoes and house-made cakes.

No drive between Portree and Staffin is complete without a sojourn to Skye's most famous sea cliff. Named for the shape of its sheer rock face, which is ridged like a pleated kilt and swoops out to sea at the "hem," soaring Kilt Rock (and its gushing waterfall) can be seen from a specially built viewing platform.

This fabulous arts center hosts exhibitions of contemporary and traditional art and frequent traditional musical and theatrical events in the impressive auditorium. There's also a cinema, a gift shop, and a café--bar serving coffee and snacks alongside fine international and Scottish fare.

This grandiose neo-Gothic mansion was built for Sir James Matheson (1796-1878), whose enormous profits from peddling Indian-grown opium to China during the 19th century enabled him to buy the entire island of Lewis in 1844 for £500,000 (around $12 million in today's money). He was also able to "assist" around 2,000 islanders in migrating to Canada, making way for his paternalistic schemes to improve life on the island for those who stayed. Today, the castle houses the free Museum nan Eilean, with fascinating exhibitions on life in the Outer Hebrides, from the landscape to the language. It also displays six of the famous Lewis Chessmen, intricate 12th-century chess pieces carved from walrus ivory (the rest are in Edinburgh's National Museum of Scotland and London's British Museum). Take a stroll around the castle grounds, with its pleasant mix of woodland, parkland, and gardens overlooking Stornoway harbor.

This odd garden of delights provokes a double-take from most drivers traveling along the A838, thanks to its incongruous ceramic-topped gates. Park opposite, and stroll down into Danish artist Lotte Glob's pottery wonderland, where ceramic and metal sculptures are scattered across the gardens. Several paths lead down to the coast, and there are hundreds of pieces, including a library of ceramic books, en route. Her work reflects and adds to the landscape, using natural shapes and forms and building patterns into the rocks themselves. End your visit with a trip to the studio and pottery shop.

Skye's westernmost point is famed for its steep sea cliffs and picturesque, early-20th-century lighthouse, designed by David Alan Stevenson (cousin of Treasure Island author Robert Louis Stevenson). The Neist Point Trail begins at the cliff-top parking area, from which it's a short but steep walk down to the lighthouse.

This rich museum (formerly known as Caithness Horizons) is set within the beautiful Old Town Hall and displays multiple facets of the region's past from the dawn of time to the present day; that's everything from Picts and Vikings to the highly controversial Dounreay Nuclear Power Development Establishment, dating from the 1950s and now gradually being decommissioned. There is also a pleasant café and shop.

Along the dramatic road around the Trotternish Peninsula, a gate beside a parking area marks the beginning of the climb to the Old Man of Storr, one of Skye's most iconic landmarks. At 2,000 feet, this volcanic pinnacle is the highest point on the peninsula. Give yourself at least three hours to explore and enjoy the spectacular views from the top. The weather here changes very quickly, so be prepared.

This 30-foot-high granite statue of the Madonna and child is a symbol of island resistance. In the 1950s, the Ministry of Defense proposed building a missile-testing facility on South Uist, but islanders opposed the plans, fearing it would destroy their way of life, culture, and language. So they raised the funds for this ambitious work of art and erected it on land earmarked for development by the MOD. Today, it is a listed monument, making any future building proposals even less likely to succeed.