Need help with a Scottish Highlands itinerary!

If you are an experienced hiker then head over to Torridon or Beinn Eighe. Some of the best hiking in the UK! Far better than Cairngorms.

Some lovely scenery heading from that way towards the north coast too. I think it may be part of the NC500 route, but I never specifically follow that when I go to Scotland. I go where is most scenic.

That said, your ideas aren't bad ones either. It's hard to go wrong in the highlands.

We honeymooned in the Highlands and I found Inverness to be a really good base town for a lot of trips- and we didn't have a car (did everything via public transit) so I imagine if you're renting a car it will be even easier. We went to places like the Black Isle to see some of the towns and check out the dolphins at Chanonry Point for instance.

We absolutely loved Glenfinnan and the hotel there is so atmospheric I would almost even say spending a night in Glenfinnan House Hotel and spending a day at the loch and in the area could be worth it.

They’re all decent options tbh.

Most folks spend about 4-5 days on the NC500 alone, is there specific spots you want to see while you’re there? That’ll make it easier to judge what the best option for you is :)

The NC500 is a push even over 5 days ! However, Inverness is a great place to use as a base to explore the Highlands. It's about an hour drive to the Cairngorms from there, as the A9 has speed limits and is a mix of single and dual lanes which can get easily clogged with Lorries, Caravans and Camper vans during the busy times of the year.

If you want outdoor activities staying in the Cairngorms is by far your best option.

Start in Inverness, cross the bridge to the North of the city and meander West, via the most Southerly NC500 road, via Lochcarron, eventually you could make a stop in the evening in and around Plockton. Next morning up and early you are taking the glorious miles to Skye…

Do not take the bridge! From Plockton set the Sat Nav for “Shiel Bridge”.

NC500 is an incredibly congested route, you have seen the best of it. Get off the main drag at Shiel Bridge and head over the hill to Glenelg or spend a night in Kintail / Dornie.

I would highly recommend a night or two at the Glenelg Inn, where the friendly bald barman is award winning (his award was for swimming). Talk to someone in the Inn about the local fishing group, stay a few days and someone will take you out to sea.

For a big hike- there’s all of Kintail back “over the hill” or head to Arnisdale for Beinn Sgritheall, the nearest Munro.

Next morning take the last manually operated car ferry IN THE WORLD to Skye. The two roads in/out of Glenelg will blow you away. No bumper-to-bumper nonsense like the NC500. If someone does appear speeding behind you, might be a local, do the courteous thing and use a passing place to let them rock on.

For timings and T&Cs see: The Original Skye Ferry