Escape to the Highlands, Escape to the Edge Series
ESCAPE TO THE HIGHLANDS
Pic:
Eilean Donan Castle (ScotFocus)
In
the first of a series highlighting the areas covered in Escape to
the Edge, a tourism campaign aimed at bringing visitors to Scotland's
most remote destinations, Hilary McNally takes a look at the many
attractions of the Highlands.
Covering a huge section of Scotland from Ardnamurchan in the west
to Inverness in the east and up to Cape Wrath and Duncansby Head
in the north, it is hardly surprising that the Highlands offers
such a diversity of stunning landscapes.
From majestic mountains and tranquil glens to rugged cliffs and
endless white sandy beaches the scenic splendour of the Highlands
draws visitors from all over the world.
And yet it retains an alluring remoteness and sense of space that
can be hard to find elsewhere and, although more accessible than
ever before, large areas still have that undiscovered feel.
It is this sense of beautiful isolation with all its recuperative
charm that the new Escape to the Edge initiative coordinated by
the Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board is keen to promote.
Bringing together five different tourist board areas - the Western
Isles, Orkney, Shetland, Argyll and the Isles and the north western
edge of the Highlands including the island of Skye -the campaign
aims to highlight how easy it can be to escape to a different pace
and view of life in places all renowned for their outstanding natural
beauty and rich cultural heritage.
The north and western Highlands are particularly blessed. It is
here that Britain's highest and most famous mountain can be found.
Ben Nevis at 4406 feet dominates the landscape around Loch Linnhe
at the southern tip of the Great Glen, a huge rift valley which
cuts across Scotland from Inverness to Fort William.
To the south of Fort William is the hauntingly beautiful Glencoe,
scene of one of Scotland's most notorious and brutal massacres.
It was here in 1692 that members of the MacDonald clan were slaughtered
by a contingent of Government soldiers.
Clan chief Alistair Macdonald had missed a deadline to swear an
oath of allegiance to the King, William III by a matter of days
and the order was given to make an example of the clan.
After being billeted with the Macdonalds for nearly two weeks the
soldiers under the command of Campbell of Glenlyon turned on their
hosts and enforced the order to "put all to the sword under 70."
Today Glencoe, which means appropriately enough "valley of weeping,"
is a majorclimbing and walking area although for those interested
in the massacre there is a small visitor centre.
Fort William is also the starting point of the Road to the Isles,
a 46 mile stretch of road through stunning countryside to the fishing
port of Mallaig which is also the ferry stop for Skye.
The road passes the Glenfinnan monument at the head of Loch Shiel
where Bonnie Prince Charlie signalled the start of the 1745 Jacobite
uprising. The journey to Mallaig is particularly impressive by train
on the West Highland Railway line which passes over the spectacular
viaduct built in 1901. Further north is Eilean Donan Castle on Loch
Duich.
Dating back to 1230 when it was built as protection against the
Vikings the castle has more recently featured in a number of films
including Highlander starring Sean Connery.
A few miles from the castle is the Kyle of Lochalsh, one of the
main ferry crossing points to Skye until the 1995 opening of the
controversial Skye Bridge just a mile away. Skye, which takes its
name from the Norse word for cloud, is well worth a visit.
The largest of the Hebridean islands it is a magnet for walkers
and climbers keen to tackle the Cuillins, the closest thing Scotland
has to the Alps and among the most challenging mountains in Britain.
Skye is also home to Dunvegan Castle, the island's most popular
tourist attraction and Sabhal Mor Ostaig, the Gaelic college which,
as well as full time further education courses, also offers short
courses in Gaelic, music and culture.
Continuing up the mainland coast takes visitors to the incredibly
picturesque village of Plockton, setting for the TV series Hamish
Macbeth starring Robert Carlyle and into Wester Ross and the walking
and climbing heaven of Torridon and the imposing peaks of Beinn
Alligin, Liathach and Beinn Eighe.
Gentler scenery and activities can be found around Gairloch with
its many beautiful beaches and Inverewe Gardens where the North
Atlantic Drift allows the flourishing of subtropical flowers and
plants.
Following the main road to Ullapool takes travellers to the Falls
of Measach and the mile long Corrieshalloch Gorge which can be crossed
by a suspension bridge. Heading north of Ullapool the landscape
becomes wilder and more dramatic punctuated by the huge peaks of
Stac Pollaidh, Suilven, Ben More Assynt and Quinag amongst others.
The sea battered coastline leads eventually to Cape Wrath, the most
northwesterly point on the British mainland and the start of the
rugged and remote north coast which ends at Duncansby Head and the
stunning rock formations and 200ft cliffs of Duncansby Stacks.
In between lies over 100 miles of coast taking in Durness, the mainland's
more northwesterly village, the 200 feet long Smoo Cave with its
800ft waterfall, Loch Eribol, Britain's deepest sea loch, the village
of Balnakeil which boasts Britain's most northerly mainland golf
course and Thurso, the most northerly town on mainland Britain and
something of a surfers' paradise.
Another surf heaven can befound ten miles to the north east of Thurso
at Dunnett Head, the most northerly point on the British mainland
which also boasts spectacular views across the Pentland Firth to
Orkney.
Escape to the Edge offers trips to many of the Highland's highlights
including a two night escape to the Gardens of the West Coast including
Inverewe Gardens, an eight night self drive holiday to the Isles
of Skye and Mull, a seven day coash trip to the wilds of Wester
Ross and a week-long walking holiday in the Highlands and Islands
with accommodation provided in the Rua Reidh Lighthouse, 13 miles
north of Gairloch and a Blackhouse Village on the Isle of Lewis.
For more information on the escapes available visit the Escape
to The Edge website at: www.escapetotheedge.co.uk
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