There may be gold in them thar hills, but there are gems all over. Gold Town, which first aired on BBC Scotland, follows the fortunes of John Burton , an 83-year-old farmer in the Scottish Highlands who is literally sitting on a gold mine. But the seam beneath his fields, estimated to be worth £200 million, isn’t the only valuable resource in the area. The Highlands are shot through with precious natural wonders and sites of priceless beauty, and Scotland’s true wealth is, arguably, in its ethereal lochs, magnificent glens, haunting castles, seal-speckled beaches – and alchemy-working distilleries. Fancy a little prospecting yourself? Here’s our guide to the Highlands’ finest hidden jewels.
THE LOCH
Just ten miles across the Trossachs from Burton’s farm at Cononish lies Loch Katrine, the silver-blue beauty that more or less marks the beginning of the Highlands. Other lochs may be more storied – but then other lochs also have more shops selling plastic monster memorabilia. Katrine remains serene, and you can still sail its length by steamship. lochkatrine.com
THE BEACH
A wide, gentle slope of cotton-wool-soft sand shelving into the dramatic breakers of the North Atlantic at the very northern edge of Britain, Ceannabeinne Beach, near Durness, is framed by gorgeous little streamlets and climbing-frame crags. There will, almost certainly, be no one but you and the bunny rabbits. (Other folk may be put off by its Gaelic name, Tràigh Allt Chàilgeag: “the beach of the burn of bereavement and death”.)
THE DRIVE
Encircling Scotland’s top end like a jewelencrusted coronet, the North Coast 500 is the three-day drive you’ll want to allow six for. The start/finish line is Inverness, but you’ll take in shimmering lochs, primordial mountains, fields of fluorescent-yellow gorse, strawberry-blonde beaches – and the most satisfyingly sinuous roads in the country. northcoast500.com
THE WILDLIFE
Dolphins, whales, sharks, seals, otters, sea eagles, golden eagles, puffins – you can fill a lifetime’s worth of I-Spy books on one trip in the Firth of Lorn conservation area. And, incredibly, you’ll still have time to catch the infamous Corryvreckan Whirlpool. Sealife Adventures run three- to five-hour cruises from the pontoon at Oban that (with a bit of luck) take in the whole lot – and have been doing so for 30 years, so that luck is obviously on their side! sealife-adventures.com
THE STAY
There’s a castle-cum-hotel for every taste in the Highlands, but Barcaldine, near Oban, covers all bases. Built in 1609 by “Black” Duncan Campbell (so-named for his ruthlessness), it’s got a lochside location, views of Glencoe, and all six bedrooms are in the stone turret – which is where you want them. Better yet, it’s free of the dour baronial decor (and regal prices) that weigh down a lot of castle stays. barcaldinecastle.co.uk; doubles from £200
THE PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
You won’t be the first to frame Eilean Donan in your viewfinder: the tiny west-coast islet has featured in The World Is Not Enough, Rob Roy and, inevitably, Highlander. It’s the broodingly beautiful castle that keeps cinematographers coming back: built and rebuilt four times since it was first erected against Viking raiders, it looks out elegiacally across the confluence of three implacable sea lochs towards the Isle of Skye. eileandonancastle.com
THE SWIM
The B970 doesn’t sound so lovely, but pull over where it crosses the River Feshie and you’ll find the most perfect picnic-and-splash spot. (You’ll almost certainly be passing at some point, as it’s just off the A9, Scotland’s main north-south thoroughfare.) With a natural plunge pool, two metres deep and clear as a cut-crystal whisky tumbler, Feshiebridge does amazing swimming and immense Cairngorm views
THE GOLF COURSE
St Andrews has the history and Turnberry gets the celebs, but Royal Dornoch is golf as God intended, with a back nine that hugs the wavewhipped shores of Dornoch Bay itself. Even better: because it’s too out of the way to have staged an Open, you won’t have to queue (or remortgage) to play it. royaldornoch.com
THE MEAL
The venison comes from the hill behind the restaurant; the fruit and veg from its garden; the beef, lamb and game from the surrounding Trossachs; the lobster from the neighbouring sea lochs; the herbs, ceps and chanterelles from the owner’s secret foraging spots. In short, it’s extremely local food, and done exceptionally, award-winningly well (in a modern-Scottish style) at peaceful Monachyle Mhor restaurant, north of Loch Lomond. There’s a handful of funky rooms to stay in, too. monachylemhor.net
THE WHISKY
Purists will tell you it’s a Speyside – rather than a Highland – whisky; but Strathisla is a sensation whatever you call it. Think you could do better? Add the Chivas Blending Experience to your tour of the atmospheric stone-built distillery near Elgin, and you’ll get a chance to try. For £30 you’ll get to play “master blender” among the pipettes and burettes of the blending lab – and create, bottle and keep your own blend. Or you can just drink it, of course. maltwhiskydistilleries.com/strathisla/distillery
There may be gold in them thar hills, but there are gems all over. Gold Town, which first aired on BBC Scotland, follows the fortunes of John Burton , an 83-year-old farmer in the Scottish Highlands who is literally sitting on a gold mine. But the seam beneath his fields, estimated to be worth £200 million, isn’t the only valuable resource in the area. The Highlands are shot through with precious natural wonders and sites of priceless beauty, and Scotland’s true wealth is, arguably, in its ethereal lochs, magnificent glens, haunting castles, seal-speckled beaches – and alchemy-working distilleries. Fancy a little prospecting yourself? Here’s our guide to the Highlands’ finest hidden jewels.
THE LOCH
Just ten miles across the Trossachs from Burton’s farm at Cononish lies Loch Katrine, the silver-blue beauty that more or less marks the beginning of the Highlands. Other lochs may be more storied – but then other lochs also have more shops selling plastic monster memorabilia. Katrine remains serene, and you can still sail its length by steamship. lochkatrine.com
THE BEACH
A wide, gentle slope of cotton-wool-soft sand shelving into the dramatic breakers of the North Atlantic at the very northern edge of Britain, Ceannabeinne Beach, near Durness, is framed by gorgeous little streamlets and climbing-frame crags. There will, almost certainly, be no one but you and the bunny rabbits. (Other folk may be put off by its Gaelic name, Tràigh Allt Chàilgeag: “the beach of the burn of bereavement and death”.)
THE DRIVE
Encircling Scotland’s top end like a jewelencrusted coronet, the North Coast 500 is the three-day drive you’ll want to allow six for. The start/finish line is Inverness, but you’ll take in shimmering lochs, primordial mountains, fields of fluorescent-yellow gorse, strawberry-blonde beaches – and the most satisfyingly sinuous roads in the country. northcoast500.com
THE WILDLIFE
Dolphins, whales, sharks, seals, otters, sea eagles, golden eagles, puffins – you can fill a lifetime’s worth of I-Spy books on one trip in the Firth of Lorn conservation area. And, incredibly, you’ll still have time to catch the infamous Corryvreckan Whirlpool. Sealife Adventures run three- to five-hour cruises from the pontoon at Oban that (with a bit of luck) take in the whole lot – and have been doing so for 30 years, so that luck is obviously on their side! sealife-adventures.com
THE STAY
There’s a castle-cum-hotel for every taste in the Highlands, but Barcaldine, near Oban, covers all bases. Built in 1609 by “Black” Duncan Campbell (so-named for his ruthlessness), it’s got a lochside location, views of Glencoe, and all six bedrooms are in the stone turret – which is where you want them. Better yet, it’s free of the dour baronial decor (and regal prices) that weigh down a lot of castle stays. barcaldinecastle.co.uk; doubles from £200
THE PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
You won’t be the first to frame Eilean Donan in your viewfinder: the tiny west-coast islet has featured in The World Is Not Enough, Rob Roy and, inevitably, Highlander. It’s the broodingly beautiful castle that keeps cinematographers coming back: built and rebuilt four times since it was first erected against Viking raiders, it looks out elegiacally across the confluence of three implacable sea lochs towards the Isle of Skye. eileandonancastle.com
THE SWIM
The B970 doesn’t sound so lovely, but pull over where it crosses the River Feshie and you’ll find the most perfect picnic-and-splash spot. (You’ll almost certainly be passing at some point, as it’s just off the A9, Scotland’s main north-south thoroughfare.) With a natural plunge pool, two metres deep and clear as a cut-crystal whisky tumbler, Feshiebridge does amazing swimming and immense Cairngorm views
THE GOLF COURSE
St Andrews has the history and Turnberry gets the celebs, but Royal Dornoch is golf as God intended, with a back nine that hugs the wavewhipped shores of Dornoch Bay itself. Even better: because it’s too out of the way to have staged an Open, you won’t have to queue (or remortgage) to play it. royaldornoch.com
THE MEAL
The venison comes from the hill behind the restaurant; the fruit and veg from its garden; the beef, lamb and game from the surrounding Trossachs; the lobster from the neighbouring sea lochs; the herbs, ceps and chanterelles from the owner’s secret foraging spots. In short, it’s extremely local food, and done exceptionally, award-winningly well (in a modern-Scottish style) at peaceful Monachyle Mhor restaurant, north of Loch Lomond. There’s a handful of funky rooms to stay in, too. monachylemhor.net
THE WHISKY
Purists will tell you it’s a Speyside – rather than a Highland – whisky; but Strathisla is a sensation whatever you call it. Think you could do better? Add the Chivas Blending Experience to your tour of the atmospheric stone-built distillery near Elgin, and you’ll get a chance to try. For £30 you’ll get to play “master blender” among the pipettes and burettes of the blending lab – and create, bottle and keep your own blend. Or you can just drink it, of course. maltwhiskydistilleries.com/strathisla/distillery
ED GRENBY