The Highlands & Islands of Scotland is one of the most stunning areas of earth. The Scottish Highlands are a good way from England (if you landed in the southern borders, the Highlands are practically as far north again).
People in the Shetlands are so far north, that most have Norwegian ancestry (the islands are closer to Scandinavia than London). There are many smaller islands dotted around, but some of the main Scottish islands are:
- Isle of Skye is the largest, on the west coast and known for its stunning marine creatures and puffins. It’s also rich in culture, with tales of clans and castles, whispering in the wind.
- Shetland Isles are on the far northeast coast, with viking heritage. Remote for people, but brimming with wildlife, from puffins bobbing on the waves, to seals lounging on rocks.
- Orkney Islands are a historic treasure trove, with ancient standing stones, and a sea rich in marine wildlife.
- Isle of Seil is a quaint place with slate houses, a tiny bridge over the Atlantic, and a beach that looks like the Caribbean, with eagles soaring overhead.
- Isle of Harris has stunning beaches with white sands, and Isle of Lewis is rich in culture.
Watch BBC Alba, the Scottish highlands TV channel. It’s all in Gaelic, but strangely relaxing to listen to, even if you don’t understand it. And it often features programs on local wildlife.
Ben Nevis is the tallest mountain in Britain, for eager climbers. The Cairngorms National Park is one of the most stunning areas of the world, with glens and forests. Along the coast, the Highlands is home to not just seals and dolphins, but whales, orcas and harmless sharks.
Books to Learn More on the Scottish Highlands
The Western Isles (or Outer Hebrides) stretch for over 100 miles in the far northwest of Scotland. Walks in the Western Isles: Harris is one of a trilogy of books, this island housing white sandy beaches on the west coast (and sea lochs, coves and bays on the east coast).
Isle of Lewis features varied terrains of moorland, sea lochs, rocky cliffs and sand dunes (the town of Stornoway is familiar to anyone who listens to the BBC’s Shipping Forecast). The Western Isles (Uist and Barra) feature dune-backed beaches and rugged hill country.
The Sea All Around is a ferry-hopping guide to the Scottish islands (around 60 with people and another 100 islands with no human residents – wrinkly rusting tin roofs standing as ghosts, to lives once lived).
The book covers the Orkney Isles (rich in bird life) and islands that are closer to the Arctic Circle than to London (some so windy that trees don’t grow, as they would uproot in bad weather).
Windswept is story of Annie, who traded a busy academic life for a small croft on Scotland’s west coast. Walk with the author as she watches otters play tag across the beach, an is awoken by the feral bellowing of stags.
Travel back in time to the epic story of how Scotland’s valleys were carved by glaciers, rivers scythed paths through mountains and how the earliest people found a way of life in the Highlands that she has now found, thousands of years later.
Lerwick (a gem at the top of the map!)
Nestled at the heart of Shetland, Lerwick stands as an inviting beacon for travellers seeking something truly unique. This small yet vibrant capital offers a blend of captivating landscapes, a rich tapestry of history, and a community that breathes life into its cultural heritage. Let’s take a closer look at what makes Lerwick such an enchanting destination.
If you’re a fan of watching the weather forecast, you’ll know that the presenters always plonk a ‘rain cloud’ (or the modern equivalent) at Lerwick, the top town on a map of the United Kingdom. It’s so far north that it’s often ‘off the map’ (on the illustrated map above, the ‘three dots’ at the top are the Orkney Islands, and the Shetlands are up and right a bit!)
The Shetland Isles are around 500 miles from Norway (and almost 800 miles from London), meaning they are closer to Scandinavia than our capital city. Many people on the Shetland Isles also have Norwegian ancestry.
