12 Best Sights in Inverness and Around the Great Glen, Scotland

This sprawling, rugged wilderness of mountains, moorlands, glens, and lochs covers nearly 1,750 square miles of countryside, making it Britain's largest national park. It is home to five of Scotland's nine 4,000-foot mountains, with 13 more over 3,000 feet. These rounded mountains, including Cairn Gorm (meaning "blue hill" in Gaelic) and Ben Macdui, the second highest in Britain at 4,295 feet, were formed at the end of the last ice age. The Lairig Ghru Pass, a stunning U-shaped glen, was carved by the retreating glacier.

A good place to start exploring the Cairngorms is the main visitor center in Aviemore. The staff can dispense maps, expert advice on the best trails, and information on guided walks and other activities. For hikers and cyclists, there are dozens of scenic trails centered around Loch Morlich. Because much of the park's best scenery—including ancient pine forests and open moorland—is off-road, a particularly good way to cover ground in the park is on a pony trek. The Rothiemurchus Estate leads treks for riders of all abilities.

The environment supports rare arctic-alpine and tundra plant and animal species (a full quarter of Britain's endangered species are found here), including flora such as the least willow and alpine blue-sow thistle and birds such as the ptarmigan, dotterel, and Scottish crossbill—the only bird completely unique to Britain. Lower down the slopes, terrain that was once filled with woodland is now characterized by heather, cotton grass, and sphagnum moss. This open expanse affords glimpses of animals such as the golden eagle, roe deer, or red deer. Fragments of the ancient Caledonian forest (largely Scots pine, birch, and rowan) remain and are ideal habitats for pine martens, red squirrels, and capercaillie (a large grouse). Studding these forests are dramatic glens and the rivers Spey, Don, and Dee, which are home to Atlantic salmon, otters, and freshwater pearl mussels.

Weather conditions in the park change abruptly, so bring cold-weather gear, particularly if you plan on hiking long distances.

Shakespeare's Macbeth was the Thane of Cawdor (a local officer of the crown), but the sense of history that exists within the turreted walls of Cawdor Castle is certainly more than fictional. Cawdor is a lived-in castle, not an abandoned, decaying structure. The earliest part is the 14th-century central tower; the rooms contain family portraits, tapestries, fine furniture, and paraphernalia reflecting 600 years of history. Outside the walls are sheltered gardens and woodland walks. Children will have a ball exploring the lush and mysterious Big Wood, with its wildflowers and varied wildlife. There are lots of creepy stories and fantastic tales amid the dank dungeons and drawbridges. If the castle sounds appealing, keep in mind that the estate has cottages to rent. Cawdor Castle is 6 miles southwest of Nairn.

Here, on a cold April day in 1746, the hopelessly outgunned Jacobite forces of Bonnie Prince Charlie were destroyed by King George II's army. The victorious commander, the Duke of Cumberland (George II's son), earned the name of the Butcher of Cumberland for the bloody reprisals carried out by his men on Highland families, Jacobite or not, caught in the vicinity. In the battle itself, the duke's army—greatly outnumbering the Jacobites—killed up to 2,000 soldiers. The victors, by contrast, lost just 50 men. The National Trust for Scotland has re-created a slightly eerie version of the battlefield as it looked in 1746 that you can explore with a guided audio tour. An innovative visitor center enables you to get closer to the sights and sounds of the battle and to interact with the characters involved, while a viewing platform helps put things into perspective from on high (literally). Academic research and technology have helped recreate the Gaelic dialect, song, and music of the time. There's also a good on-site café.

After the fateful Battle of Culloden, the nervous government in London ordered the construction of a large fort on a promontory reaching into the Moray Firth. Fort George was started in 1748 and completed some 20 years later. It's one of the best-preserved 18th-century military fortifications in Europe. At its height it housed 1,600 men and around 30,000 pounds of gunpowder; the on-site Highlanders Museum gives you a glimpse of the fort's history. The fort, 8½ miles west of Nairn, is also a great base for spotting dolphins and whales out at sea.

Explore reconstructed Highland buildings, including a Victorian-era schoolhouse, at this open-air museum 2 miles west of Kingussie. You can also watch tailors, clock makers, and joiners demonstrating their trades. Walking paths (or old-fashioned buses) take you to the 18th-century township that was a setting for the hit TV show Outlander and includes a peat house made of turf and a weaver's house. Throughout the museum there are hands-on exhibits like a working quern stone for grinding grain.

The most relaxing way to take in the wild, birch- and bracken-covered slopes is by rail, and the best ride is on the historic Jacobite Steam Train, a spectacularly scenic 84-mile round-trip that runs between Fort William and Mallaig. You'll see mountains, lochs, beaches, and islands along the way. There are two trips a day between late April and late October (though weekend trips are only in the height of summer). Only round-trip tickets are available; you can pay roughly 50% more to upgrade to first class.

Often called mainland Britain's last wilderness, Knoydart is a peninsula off the west coast of Scotland that's only accessible by ferry from Mallaig—or by two-day trek from the already-remote village of Kinloch Hourn. Knoydart's main settlement of Inverie only has a population of 70, yet it boasts a post office, a tea room, and a small shop, as well as Britain's remotest pub, The Old Forge. Visitors come for many reasons: to hike the peninsula's four impressive munros (mountains over 3,000 feet), to stroll its sandy beaches, to spot wildlife from red deer to golden eagles, or to simply get away from it all. You can reach Inverie from Mallaig on the daily, year-round Western Isles Cruises ferry; check the seasonal timetables (www.westernislescruises.co.uk).

Located 6 miles northeast of Fort William, this fantastic outdoor center offers a range of activities in all seasons, from downhill skiing and snowboarding to exhilarating mountain-biking trails, treetop adventure obstacle courses, and mountaintop paragliding. From June to early September, you can also take a gondola to the 2,000-foot summit of Aonach Mor, from which you can hike and explore more of the range (and enjoy stunning views of Ben Nevis). There are also two good dining options: try Pinemarten Café at the foot of the gondola for its rich macaroni and cheese and local craft beer selection.

This excellent activity center has a host of organized outdoor diversions, including guided pony rides, mountain biking, fishing, gorge swimming, and white-water rafting. It also offers ranger-guided safaris to see the park's rare and endangered wildlife, including red squirrels and "hairy heilan coos" (Highland slang for Highland cattle—docile, yaklike creatures). The Rothiemurchus Centre is the best place to get oriented and book activities; it also has a handy restaurant and a well-stocked shop selling plenty of fresh produce from the estate. One of the most beautiful parts of the estate is a nature reserve called Loch an Eilein. There are great low-level paths around the tree-rimmed loch—perfect for bikes—or longer trails to Glen Einich. A converted cottage beside Loch an Eilein serves as a visitor center, art gallery, and craft store.

Established in 1897 and once the largest malt distillery in Scotland, Tomatin is more of a large industrial complex than a typical pagoda-roofed Speyside distillery, yet the working nature of this place makes for a fascinating tour. Knowledgeable and playful guides take visitors through every step of the whisky-making process, with fun extras like a chance to stand inside a disused mash tun, and a photo opp with barrels dating back to the mid-1900s. Tours conclude with a tasting of three single malts, including the heavily peated Cu Bocan—worth the price of admission alone. Tomatin Distillery is located 13 miles northwest of Boat of Garten, on the road from Inverness.

Located about 2 miles southeast of Drumnadrochit, this castle is a favorite Loch Ness monster-watching spot. This romantically broken-down fortress stands on a promontory overlooking the loch, as it has since the Middle Ages. Because of its central and strategic position in the Great Glen line of communication, the castle has a complex history involving military offense and defense, as well as its own destruction and renovation. The castle was begun in the 13th century and was destroyed before the end of the 17th century to prevent its use by the Jacobites. A visitor center gives an idea of what life was like here in medieval times.

In the town center, the small but fascinating West Highland Museum explores the history of Prince Charles Edward Stuart and the 1745 rebellion. Included in the museum's folk exhibits are a costume and tartan display and an excellent collection of Jacobite relics. One of the most intriguing objects here is a tray decorated with a distorted image of Bonnie Prince Charlie that only becomes visible when reflected in a wine glass or goblet. This elaborate ruse enabled clandestine supporters among the nobility to raise a (treasonous) toast without fear of discovery.