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My personal travels in Scotland have been limited to Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile and a few surrounding pubs. I’m a sucker for Castles and old cobblestoned roads – and of course, a good scotch and other local brews are high on my list.  So it’s no shock to many of you that I never took the time to venture too far from the big city while in Scotland.  Edinburgh is a great city, but it’s a shame to visit a country like Scotland and not visit some of the more rural areas, full of vast green hills and misty, mystic landscapes.

It’s easy to hit and run your way through the UK’s bigger cities by staying in hostels or hotels, but when you really want to get out of the tourists traps and experience the real Scotland, there is not better way than renting holiday cottages in Scotland.

Let’s be honest, if you’re traveling to Scotland, you’ll want to see Loch Ness. Weather you believe in the mythological Loch Ness Monster or not, the beautiful and infamous loch is well worth your visit. The best way to get to Loch Ness is to spend a couple days in Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands region. Inverness is a beautiful, historic city, and it is located on the banks of the River Ness, the namesake of the famous Loch Ness.  Somehow, Nessy never travels upstream, so you’ll have to follow the river south and you’ll eventually run into Loch Ness. Keep your camera ready for a Nessy sighting! Or better yet, snap some pics of the other tourists and conspiracy theorists snapping pictures of ripples in the murky waters.  The trip from Inverness to Loch Ness is about 14 miles, so unless you’re a serious hiker, you’ll want to hire a car or arrange a tour.

The Scottish Highlands are probably what most people imagine when they think of Scotland. Rolling green hills, towering mountains like the imposing Ben Nevis (the highest mountain in the United Kingdom), winding rivers, and foggy glens make the highlands a wonderland of natural beauty, not to be missed. Your Highland Holidays should include plenty of hikes and time spent enjoying all the outdoor activities that Scotland has to offer… and don’t forget to wash it all down with a nice glass of Scotch!

Cheers!