GREAT SCOT

THE ULTIMATE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS ADVENTURE

Nothing is perfect, but the stunning scenery that makes up

the Scottish Highlands comes pretty close. The more than 11,000-square-mile region north of Glasgow is a living exhibit of Mother Nature’s greatest magic, featuring a diverse array of geographical offerings that leave visitors with unbridled awe. Join Martin Mason on a week-long adventure that features the peaks of Ben Nevis, the valleys of Glencoe and the magnificent views of Loch Torridon.

Regal and majestic, the lochs and mountains of the Scottish Highlands have a long and proud tradition of both defying and welcoming wide-eyed intruders eager to either dominate the ancient lands or enwrap themselves in their natural splendour. The Romans fell afoul of the natives’ staunch defences, and Proud Edward’s armies were famously sent homeward ‘tae think again’ in the 1300s – as immortalised in the country’s de facto national anthem, Flower of Scotland. Sky-high peaks, miles-long lochs, rugged coastlines with wild tides and unspoiled, evergreen glens all call the Highlands home. In addition to its massive mainland, the Scottish Highlands encompass four clusters of equally engrossing islands located miles off the north and west coasts, taking off-the-grid travel to a whole new level.

London to Fort William to Torridon

Our adventure started at Euston Station where we caught the Caledonian Sleeper train up to Fort William. The ability to leave London in the evening and wake up in the north the next morning makes the service one of the great rail journeys the UK can offer. It also carries major points for convenience, removing the need to embark at the crack of dawn or go through the hassle of travelling by air during a pandemic.

Our twin Club room is decorated with tartan fabrics and there’s an in-room washbasin and an en-suite toilet and shower. Complimentary Arran Aromatics toiletries are a nice touch and a menu reminds you that room service is available. The beds are small but pretty comfy once you're tucked in. And although it’s not the most restful night’s sleep we’ve ever had, we still get a good few hours rest.

But the highlight of the whole trip is breakfast in the Club Car. It can be brought to your room, but we enjoyed a full Scottish in blissful silence as the Scottish countryside came into view. Illuminated by the golden early morning sunshine, cascading waterfalls and the majestic sight of Stags, it harked back to a golden age of train travel.

On arrival at Fort William, we picked up our ride for the trip, a fabulous Jeep Wrangler courtesy of Stellantis. I’m sure our journey to the North West would have been outstanding in any car, but navigating the highlands in such an iconic and capable vehicle delivered the ultimate rugged road trip experience. It was reassuring to know that with its serious off-road credentials, the Wrangler had the capability to take on any narrow or winding mountain path that awaited us.

Ben Nevis from Soldiers Bridge

Fort William is a magnet for devotees of the Scottish Highlands and especially for those who love open-air pursuits, it’s not known as the outdoor capital of the UK for nothing. The most popular attraction in Fort William is also the biggest. Ben Nevis stands at 1,345m (4,412ft) tall, this hulk of a mountain is the highest in the UK and attracts 125,000 visitors to its slopes every year. If you plan to spend time exploring the region, a good place to start is the visitor centre in Glen Nevis – it has information on the mountain and local area, as well as toilets, a shop, picnic benches and car park.

From May to October, the West Highland Railway Line plays host to the Hogwarts Express steam train, or the Jacobite as it’s also known. Running from Fort William to Mallaig and back, the route is stunning whatever the weather. It’s been called the most beautiful railway in the world many times – add in this special steam train and it’s an experience not to be missed. The Glenfinnan Viaduct – also known as the “Harry Potter bridge” – with its views of Loch Shiel is breathtaking.

Having completed our Fort William checklist, we joined the A82 under dramatic grey skies to begin the exciting road-trip element of our journey. Our destination Torridon, lies 3 hours North West where a stay at one of the most unique hotels in the world awaited us.

The Torridon is set on 58 acres of private parkland in one of the most scenic parts of Scotland. Located on the banks of Loch Torridon, the property overlooks an iconic Scottish Highlands landscape: towering mountains, glittering lochs, and miles upon miles of fields and forests.

The lounge and bar areas are lovely places to unwind, read your book, play a board game – there is even a carefully positioned telescope for guests to use by one of the windows. Look out for the astronomy ceiling in honour of Queen Victoria in the lounge – the Torridon was once the home of Ada Lovelace (Lord Byron’s daughter) and her husband. But as nice as the hotel and its neighbouring inn are, the real reason to visit this area is for the sublime scenery. You may choose to just stroll the acres of grounds for ever-changing views of the loch and mountains, or perhaps you’d like to venture further afield to the beautiful loch of Diabaig or the wild peninsula of Applecross. Alternatively, join in one of the activities offered to guests of the hotel. We enjoyed a great afternoon of clay pigeon shooting with the hotel’s Highland’s cows watching in amusement. Throughout our stay, the service was excellent. The majority of those working at The Torridon also live in, resulting in a community of togetherness that translates to the guests.

Rooms

Rooms are pleasingly comfortable, with huge comfy beds, Nespresso machines and Tunnock’s Teacakes, Sky TV and decent wi-fi considering the remote location. Our room had a fabulous view overlooking the loch and a huge bathroom with freestanding bath, a much welcome feature after the 14-mile long ‘Falls of Balgy’ hike we went on.

Food

On our first night, we dined in the splendour of the 3 AA Rosette 1887 fine-dining restaurant where the décor is suitably refined. The five-course, set menu was delicious and head chef Paul Green wows with the best local produce. On the second evening, crowd-pleasing dishes were the order of the day at the hotel’s casual eatery, Bo & Muc restaurant. Neighbouring Beinn Bar serves local ales and Scottish gins, including The Torridon’s own gin, Arcturus. After dinner, be sure to check out the Whisky Bar. It’s a cosy, welcoming room with over 350 whiskies and a fair few gins too. Bar staff are very knowledgeable and can guide you through the whiskies to find the perfect dram for you.•

“Our verdict For all the wonderful food and activities, It’s The Torridon’s ” setting that sticks in the mind. Those staggering hills and dramatic skies, it all gets under your skin and is the star attraction.

As we departed Torridon to head back down towards Glencoe, the grey October Scottish weather was replaced with surprising glorious sunshine. This allowed us to park the Jeep at the roadside of many of the spots we had not been able to stop and view on the way up including one of Scotland’s most famous castles, Eilean Donan. Located on the meeting point of three lochs, and surrounded by stunning scenery, the castle is well known to many having appeared on screen in such movies as Highlander, James Bond film The World is Not Enough, and Elizabeth – The Golden Age. Across the water off the west coast is the Isle of Skye – an excellent choice for a day trip, especially if you can make it to the north of the island to visit the beautiful Dunvegan Castle.

The otherworldliness of the castle and of Skye itself is enhanced by the mystery and legends surrounding one of the heirlooms on display – the Fairy Flag. The flag is claimed to have been either a gift from the fairies to an infant chieftain hundreds of years ago or a gift to a chief from a departing fairy lover. The yellow silk flag is alternatively said to have come from the Far East, the Crusades, or Viking armies, and is described as having magical properties that help to multiply a clan’s military forces, save lives, cure cattle plagues and increase fish stocks. Decide for yourself which version you’ll carry home with you.

As we headed south back towards Fort William we arrived at Invergarry, a lovely village at the foot of Glengarry, on the main route to Fort William through the Great Glen. Loch Oich, Loch Garry and the Glengarry Forest are among the natural attractions of this area as is the nearby ruined 17th century Invergarry Castle on the shore of Loch Oich.

Ballachulish

Surrounded by some of the most dramatic and beautiful scenery in Scotland, Ballachulish (pronounced Ba-la-hoolish) is a perfect base for exploring the amazing landscape of Glencoe. The village is split into two - North Ballachulish and South Ballachulish - and is situated on either side of Loch Leven, where it flows into Loch Linnhe.

Picture postcard scenery notwithstanding, it was a long drive and we were in need of some respite by the time we arrived at the hotel we that we would be calling home for the next day.

Ballachulish Hotel allows guests to surround themselves with some of the most breathtaking scenery you can hope for. As you make your way down the glen through the dramatic Glencoe, the mountains divide to expose the wide waters of Loch Linnhe stretching before you.

The Ballachulish Hotel is a turreted baronial Highland home, located right on the lochside with a mountain backdrop. Log fires roar all year, adding to the Highland atmosphere the Ballachulish Hotel exudes. The hotel is everything you would want it to be, warm, welcoming, and incredibly comfortable with a tangible sense of pride in its heritage.

Rooms

The hotel’s traditional yet brightly styled rooms come with a large comfy bed, Smart TVs, tea and coffee making facilities and decent Wi-Fi. Our cosy feature room provided a lovely view overlooking the loch and the bathroom was large with a free-standing bath and fluffy robes and towels.

Food

We enjoyed a brilliantly-cooked dinner in FISH restaurant which overlooks the loch. Oysters two ways to start was followed by generous Fish and Chips and the wonderful Langoustine Scampi. The Bulas Bar has a contemporary atmosphere with roaring log fires and a fine selection of wines, beers and single malt whiskies. Food is also served daily in the bar. In the morning, all guests can enjoy a breakfast buffet. It’s a classic Scottish breakfast, and it was super delicious with a large pot of coffee.•

“Our verdict The scene was set when we drove into the gravelled carpark ” of the Ballachulish Hotel. We immediately felt a powerful sense of history thanks in no small part to the breathtaking view across the adjoining loch.

Sculpted by an ice-age glacier and studded with deep lochs and soaring mountains, Glencoe is home to some of the most dramatic scenery in the UK or anywhere else in the world. It’s a life-affirming location that you should aim to visit at least once in your life. Approximately 420 million years ago, a massive volcano spewed boiling lava and sheets of ash into the sky above the area that we now know as Scotland. It was during this period the rounded, rocky mountains were born. Glencoe’s distinctive appearance was further sculpted by glaciers during the most recent Ice Age, which ended about 10,000 years ago. Strictly speaking, Glen Coe refers to the glen itself, whereas Glencoe is the name of the village that lies at the foot of the glen. In practice, Glencoe is used for both as I’ve done here. Glencoe‘s moody, grey skies and dramatic, desolate terrain have made it a prime location for filmmakers. If you have ever watched Braveheart, Monty Python and the Holy Grail or Harry Potter then you are more familiar with this place than you know. Its untamed appearance and constantly shifting natural light have made it the ideal choice for directors who wish to transport their audiences back in time. Natives still speak of the Massacre of Glencoe, which took place in 1692. A group of Jacobites remained loyal to exiled Stuart King James II. James was deposed for a variety of reasons—including identifying as a Catholic. At least 30 members of the Clan of MacDonald were brutally murdered by troops of King William of Orange for supposedly failing to pledge allegiance to the new king. Historians claim that there was serious treachery involved because there is some evidence that members

of the Clan of MacDonald offered William of Orange’s troops food and shelter before the attack. Some claim that Glencoe is referred to as “the Weeping Glen” because of the sad fate of certain members of the Clan of MacDonald.

To say that Scottish weather is unpredictable is an understatement, but visit between May and October for the best chance of dry(ish) days, but this spectacularly scenic glen is hugely popular with hikers, hillwalkers and mountaineers throughout the year. Many of them will be tackling the road-facing peaks of Aonach Dubh, Beinn Fhada and Gearr Aonach, the mountains that are together known as the Three Sisters of Glencoe, also known as Bidean Nam Bian. Although these peaks are the known focal point, the highest summits are hidden in the depths of the mountain range.

The road trip along the Glen Etive road is definitely one of our highland highlights. This scenic drive which was the setting for the James Bond film Skyfall, is small but perfectly formed, with just 12 miles of single-track road leading to a dead end on the banks of Loch Etive, a huge saltwater loch that connects to the sea north of Oban. The road starts among the famous peaks of Buachaille Etive Mor and Buachaille Etive Beag and follows the River Etive through wild moorland and forests, past lochs and traditional white stone cottages until you reach the banks of Loch Etive.

As the sunset and the rain started lashing down, we headed back through the valley and onto our next hotel, The Glencoe Inn and gathering Situated in the shadow of the Pap of Glencoe, overlooking Loch Leven.

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Stellantis (Jeep UK), Custard Communications, Weber Shandwick and Tiger Bond, for their help in planning this adventure.

Glencoe valley

The Glencoe Inn is set in the heart of one of the most spectacular places in Scotland, Glencoe Village. This welcoming Inn with its stunning location in the shadow of the Pap of Glencoe, overlooking Loch Leven is warm, friendly and full of character.

A stay here is all about traditional Scottish hospitality complemented by the nature and adventure that awaits outdoors. This hotel has a modern yet comfy feel and suits travellers looking for a great base to explore the magic of the area. It has received a recent renovation but cosy elements remain, like fireplaces and bookshelves full of books.

Rooms

Rooms reflect the scenic setting with earthy tones and accent colours. Our’s was comfortable and updated to every modern standard. There was a super comfy bed, flatscreen TV complimentary Wi-Fi and a freestanding bath with a breathtaking view across Loch Leven from our window. We also had use of a landscaped terrace, hot tub and sauna.

Food

There are various dining options at The Glencoe including the popular Fish and Chip Co, offering purportedly the best Fish and Chip supper in the Highlands. We dined in the intimate yet relaxed Steak and Lobster Bistro and the food was both plentiful and delicious. Ingredients sourced close by include Lobster, black pudding, scallops and, of course, grilled scotch beef. With a log fire in the heart of the restaurant and large windows with views of the surrounding mountains, it’s a perfect place to dine and reflect on memories made in the glen.•

Page 109 “ ” Our verdict Scotland rarely gets better than Glencoe village – a destination for fresh air aficionados with a taste for adventure. The Glencoe Inn & Gathering is a charming hotel set in spectacular scenery that won’t disappoint when you arrive back after a busy day exploring.