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

To the east and south of Lochinver lies a different kind of landscape: a vast region of brooding mountains and languid lochs, where peaks punch their way out of heathered terrain and appear to constantly shift positions. Even their names have a more mysterious air than those of the bens (mountain peaks or hills) elsewhere: Cul Mor, Cul Beag, Stac Pollaidh, Canisp, Suilven. Some hark back to Norse rather than to Gaelic—a reminder that Vikings used to sail this northern shore. The highlight of the region is the eerily pretty Loch Assynt, peppered with tiny wooded isles, but the Coigach Peninsula northwest of Ullapool is equally dramatic.

What was once a hidden gem is now just another stop on the ever-expanding Skye tourist trail. Still, if you come early or late and 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.

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.