Scottish Highlands & Skye: a 6-day road trip
Edinburgh to Inverness via Glencoe, Fort William, Portree — about 480 km of driving across United Kingdom, suggested over 6 days.
See the attractions & sights guide for this route →
Stops on this route
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland, built across a dramatic volcanic landscape and dominated by the castle perched atop its ancient rock. The city is split between the medieval Old Town, with its narrow closes and tall tenements, and the Georgian New Town, whose ordered squares and crescents form a striking architectural contrast.
Glencoe
Glencoe is a narrow, steep-sided glen in the Scottish Highlands, carved by glaciers from volcanic rock and framed by the peaks of the Three Sisters ridge. It is one of Scotland's most photographed landscapes and is remembered as the site of the 1692 Massacre of Glencoe, when members of Clan MacDonald were killed by government soldiers they had hosted.
Fort William
Fort William sits on the shore of Loch Linnhe beneath Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the British Isles, and is widely known as the Outdoor Capital of the UK for its hiking, climbing, and mountain biking. The town grew around a garrison built to control the Highlands and today serves as the main service centre for the western Highlands.
Portree
Portree is the largest town on the Isle of Skye and its unofficial capital, built around a sheltered harbour lined with brightly painted houses that once guided fishing boats home. Its name is thought to derive from Gaelic for "king's port," marking a royal visit in the 16th century, and it remains the island's main hub for shops, ferries, and services.
Inverness
Inverness is the capital of the Scottish Highlands, a city on the River Ness where it meets the Moray Firth, and has been an important crossroads since medieval times. Its compact centre, anchored by a red sandstone castle, mixes shops and restaurants with riverside walks and views toward the surrounding hills.
Road charges and rules along the way
United Kingdom
No motorway vignette or environmental sticker is required for passenger cars in United Kingdom; motorways are free or distance-tolled.
More routes in United Kingdom
Plan this route with EuroDrive Scout — tolls, vignettes, ZTL alerts, fuel and parking →