When it comes to holidays, the desire for warmth and the exotic always win hands down over the UK. But in the depths of lockdown, when stepping on a plane seemed impossible and, in an attempt to ensure we were able to escape the confines of Manchester, Julian and I decided to book 10 days exploring the castles, lochs and glens of Scotland.
Sweeping up the A93 north of Perth, our first stop was Braemar in the midst of the Cairngorms National Park. Close to Balmoral Castle and famous for the Royal Highland Games, this little village is full of old-fashioned charm and the Fife Arms is its beating heart. This Victorian coaching inn, originally opened in 1856, was bought by art dealers Iwan and Manuel Wirth in 2015 and, over four years, underwent a total revamp.
Entering on a chilly day, cheery staff greeted us along with the homely smell of the open fire. The interiors are certainly an assault on the senses with tartan, rich furnishings and plenty of taxidermy sitting alongside world class contemporary art. With every nook and cranny filled, it’s not for fans of minimalism, but it definitely works. The hotel showcases around 14,000 pieces of art from the Wirth’s private collection.
Heading upstairs, passing under a Richard Jackson’s Red Deer Chandelier, we were led to our room.
The 46 rooms are different and are themed into categories. Ours was one of the Scottish Culture Rooms, which are all inspired by Scotland's leading figures from fields such as literature, astronomy and exploration.
Afternoon tea was taken under the Lucian Freud. Whilst in the drawing room, we had pre-dinner drinks by the fire under a Picasso and the most ornately painted ceiling by Zhang Enli.
Outside the River Clunie rumbles by. There are pretty walks amongst ancient Caledonian pines and heather covered hillsides, which give way to stunning views of the surrounding valleys.
From Braemar we headed west to the Highlands and the beautifully, wild landscape along Scotland’s western coastline. Here we based ourselves for a week in a modern take on a Scottish crofter’s cottage.
The inside was designed in a Scandi style with plenty of Scottish touches.
From the garden, with its fire pit, there were wonderful views over Loch Duich.
Our days were spent out and about enjoying the glorious scenery. The Isle of Skye Bridge was only a 10 minute drive away, so we were able to venture there on a few occasions to walk and tick off our “must sees”: The Old Man of Storr, an immense pinnacle of rock that was left behind after an ancient landslide; the dramatic Quirangs; the Fairy Pools which cascade down to the foot of the Cullins; and obviously visiting plenty of whiskey (and gin) distilleries.
We visited the pretty village of Plockton. Known as the “jewel of the Highlands”, it has lovely coastal and woodland walks and a couple of rather nice places to sample the local hand-dived scallops.
One morning we got up early to drive to the Applecross Peninsula along Bealach na Ba, which is part of the scenic North Coast 500. There were a lot of hairpin bends to be negotiated along the steep, winding single track road. But the views over the pass below were sensational.
Descending down into the coastal village of Applecross, we enjoyed walking along the picture perfect beaches and stopping for lunch at the famous Applecross Inn.
Staying local we visited the pretty 13th Century Eilean Donan Castle, which was literally on our doorstep.
We also had to sample the langoustines from local fisherman Duncan, whose shed was a 5 minute walk from the house. I have to say they were the fattest, sweetest langoustines we have ever tasted, devouring them with wine from the honesty fridge and other local artisanal produce we found on our travels.
Our final drive was unfortunately heading home, but it did involve passing through the impressive valley of Glencoe.
As you would expect, the weather was pretty temperamental, especially in the Highlands, and we had a lot of rain, but it didn’t dampen our spirits. We were certainly glad we took the time to discover this part of Scotland, which is spectacular, but it’s not for anyone who is looking for guaranteed sunshine. However, if you love the outdoors, dramatic scenery, great local produce and the odd dram of whiskey, then Scotland is definitely worth discovering.
Please do get in touch if you would like more information on my Scottish trip.