For the outdoor adventurer, there are a few places on the globe that need to be seen to be believed. The Scottish Highlands, located Northwest of the Highland Boundary Fault, are one of Europe’s least populated areas. With rugged terrain, damp, temperate weather, and high-rising mountain ranges, the Highlands won’t be open to the average explorer. But for the outdoorsman-or-woman looking for a holiday adventure, a sojourn through the mysterious Highlands promises to be challenging, awe-inspiring, and mysterious.
The Highlands used to be much more populated than they are now, but with the Jacobite uprising at the end of the 18th century, and corresponding outlaw of the ‘Highlander way of life,’ people started to move away, towards the more populated Scottish Lowlands. Those who didn’t leave then later left during the course of the Industrial Revolution, and now there remain only a few sparse settlements and resorts for tourists and dedicated individuals.
Inverness is a small city at the southern border of the Highlands, and is considered the ‘administrative center’ of the region. A few major manufacturing businesses function in the city, as do a number of distilleries – those who continue to make and produce the infamous brands of Scotch Whiskey.
Deeper in the heart of the Highlands, you will find other notable places of interest. There is Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Britain and Ireland; Inveraray Castle and Inveraray Jail, which stand as testaments to Scotland’s Medieval history; a wide variety of Lochs and and caves, including the notorious Loch Ness, around which mystery continues to abound; and an even wider diversity of castles, abbeys, and mountain passes. The natural wonders of the Highlands are plentiful, though both wildlife and human life are few and far between.
For someone looking to journey into the misty and compelling wonders of Scotland, the Highlands hold the key to a truly unique holiday.
Tags: Loch Ness, Scotland, Scottish Highlands